Joined: Feb 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 34,426 Location: Paris, France
Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Thread Started on Oct 14, 2009, 7:16pm »
I see many complaints about CDG airport -- about the signage, navigation through the airport, the difficulty of taking the RER (train) to the city, etc. So I thought that a photo thread might be useful to show people what the airport looks like, what they can expect to see on the signs, and how to get to Paris by rail.
Since I was meeting someone for a flight recently, I thought it might be useful to see what that is like, since a lot of people do it.
First of all, the arrival screens are pretty good, because they show you not only when the flight landed, but also when the baggage will be delivered. I haven't seen that in other airports, so you usually start to be impatient as soon as the flight has landed. This way, you at least know if you have time to go get a coffee or something.
I was at terminal 2A, and there was a place for coffee directly across from the customs exit. I suspect that this is the case at all of the other exits.
There was only one ATM right at the exit with a pretty big queue of people waiting to use it. However, I saw at least three HSBC ATM's near the RER station, so people should not necessarily jump on the first one they see.
There was a big 'I' for the information desk, so I really do not understand the complaints of people who say there is no place to get information.
Here is one of the ATM's near the train station.
Coin telephones have disappeared from France (telephones use cards only), but in airports and train stations, one can indeed find a few coin telephones. Here are some of the ones at CDG.
If you need to orient yourself, there is no problem finding the appropriate terminal maps to see where things are.
There is no lack of places to eat or drink or meet people for whom you are waiting. The signs are very clearly marked.
I find the other signage very clear as well, in spite of all of the complaints that I have read about the airport being impossible to navigate.
Joined: Feb 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 34,426 Location: Paris, France
Re: Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Reply #1 on Oct 14, 2009, 7:36pm »
I confess that the indications for some of the facilities can go unnoticed. Terminal 2 has two sides for terminals A-C-E or B-D-F with underground connections between the two sides. A supermarket, pharmacy, post office, rental car desks and various other things are down there, but these indications remain ignored by a lot of people. The signs and pictograms do indeed need to be bigger here.
Moving walkways take you to and from the RER station.
Once you get to the RER station, I find things extremely simple. The flight signs are extremely clear whether you are arriving or departing. This is the arrival sign.
In spite of what some people say, I do not find the elevators to be invisible at all.
The escalators are just fine as well.
As many people have found out, American chipless credit cards do not work in the ticket machines at the RER station. Other nationalities with chip + PIN cards have no problem. Americans, you need 8.50€ in coins per person to use the machines.
Actually, that isn't true, because if you have banknotes you can use one of these machines, which nobody ever seems to be able to find, from what I have read. Frankly, it did not take a major search for me to find one of them.
If you must go to the ticket office, here is what it looks like.
Once you have your ticket, you just go to the train, which is very easy to find.
Joined: Feb 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 25,282 Location: Mexico
Re: Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Reply #5 on Oct 14, 2009, 8:40pm »
People complain about this airport?! It's beautiful, with all those colors that are also useful signposts. Magenta/red for both the elevator wall and the escalators -- things that go up and down -- could that be any simpler? The colors also give a cozier aspect to the airport, rather than that endless gray nightmare feeling so common to these facilities.
Joined: Jun 2012 Gender: Female Posts: 4,176 Location: Florida
Re: Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Reply #7 on Jun 16, 2012, 11:36pm »
I am absolutely thrilled to say that I studied these photos before my trip and today, upon arrival at CDG, I was able to locate the train station and easily travel into the heart of Paris. I had my 9.25 euros in change ready and bought my ticket from a machine with no problem (but I also saw the machines for change of euros when needed).
Even though the express train was not running today, I found taking the RER B into Paris to be very easy and I LOVED the fact that I didn't have to catch a cab and get caught up in Paris traffic. After the stress of flying, I would prefer to avoid traveling in traffic if at all possible.
Thank you, Kerouac, for creating this photo essay. I am so happy it's still available on-line!
Joined: Feb 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 34,426 Location: Paris, France
Re: Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Reply #8 on Jun 17, 2012, 4:58am »
I'm glad it's still useful, but I'm sure it needs to be updated -- a lot of the signs have changed over the past couple of years and new terminal zones have opened.
Joined: Jun 2012 Gender: Female Posts: 4,176 Location: Florida
Re: Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Reply #9 on Jun 17, 2012, 10:42am »
Oh, for sure, but many of the landmarks (in terminal E) are still there. I just kept looking for the "Paris by Train" signs. Even though I hadn't slept at all on the 8 hour flight, I found getting to the train to be a piece of cake. Thanks again.
Joined: Jun 2012 Gender: Female Posts: 4,176 Location: Florida
Re: Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Reply #12 on Jun 27, 2012, 9:01pm »
I plan ahead . I leave Saturday and bought my RER ticket to CDG today. I just hope the A line at Luxembourg is much less confusing than the C line was for me today. I have had a memorable time and have gotten to do many of the things on my list. I miss my family and do look forward to being back with them, but will most likely return to France again next summer if all goes well. Coming here each summer has been a very enriching/healing experience. I'm looking forward to the day when I retire (I think) so my trips don't have to be confined to school vacation. Oh course, maybe then I won't be able to afford the trips!
Joined: Feb 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 34,426 Location: Paris, France
Re: Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Reply #13 on Jun 27, 2012, 9:12pm »
The RER C is confusing even for me, but of course the regular users fully understand it. You will be using the RER B from Luxembourg, not the RER A. It is direct to the airport.
Who knows, you might even be using a totally new terminal on Saturday, because they just inaugurated satellite 4 of terminal 2E (that confuses even me). It is supposed to be spectacular.
Joined: Jun 2012 Gender: Female Posts: 4,176 Location: Florida
Re: Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Reply #14 on Jun 27, 2012, 9:37pm »
Yes, thanks, I meant A. I have no idea of my terminal as of yet. It's Air France/Delta, so I assume it will be somewhere in E. I'm sure it will all sort itself out and I'm leaving early enough to deal with most contingencies.
My friend exited in a new part of terminal E a few weeks ago and she took some sort of a tram to the arrival gate. Looking back, she realized she NEVER went through immigration and thus had no visa stamp. Maybe this is the new section you were referring to.
I got the visa stamp, but have managed to send my password through the washing machine this trip. The metro ticket that was washed also worked, so hopefully the magnetic strip on my passport will be operable, too.
Joined: Feb 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 34,426 Location: Paris, France
Re: Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Reply #15 on Jun 27, 2012, 9:41pm »
Yes, that flight should be in 2E, but not what your friend saw, because the new terminal really is just opening this weekend. Your friend saw satellite 3 rather than satellite 4, but it is pretty impressive as well. Yes, you do need to take an additional tram out there, and I'm sure it is the same for satellite 4 as it is for satellite 3.
Joined: Jun 2012 Gender: Female Posts: 4,176 Location: Florida
Re: Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Reply #16 on Jun 27, 2012, 9:48pm »
Well.....I did it again. RER B! I'm not too thrilled to hear the new terminal is opening this weekend, but it is nice to get a heads up! Thanks. And I thought the only glitch might be trying to get out of town on the day of the marche des fiertés.......
Joined: Feb 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 34,426 Location: Paris, France
Re: Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Reply #17 on Jun 28, 2012, 7:27am »
The most "ancient" part of terminal 2E dates back to 2007 so even if you are just in that (and not in satellite 3 or 4), it is still ultra modern. I did read that satellite 4 will have the first airport FNAC store, though.
Joined: Jun 2012 Gender: Female Posts: 4,176 Location: Florida
Re: Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Reply #18 on Jul 1, 2012, 9:58am »
Kerouac, Yesterday i did, in fact, leave Paris out of section "M" one of the satellites to terminal E. I took a little navette to the area, leaving just to the left of the other side of immigration. It was beautiful, empty of crowds, easy to get around, and it had its own security screening area which was quite empty. There is a FNAC store, all the duty-free places, and a couple of deli types food establishments with the promise of more to open soon. An airport employee I spoked with said the terminal had actually opened quietly last Monday. I must say that all the employees I encountered in that section were wonderfully helpful and friendly. The section seemed to be overstaffed, if anything, with lots of folks to direct you around.
All in all it was a very good, though very long, traveling day. The only glitch, if there was one, was waiting in line for an hour to get through immigration. The snaking line of people was the longest I have ever seen it. It started all the way out into the main hall. Other than just being annoying it wasn't a problem for me since I made sure to get to CDG three and a half hours before my flight left. As usual, there were many panicked people who were sure they were going to miss their planes.
My train ride to the airport was great and is now my favorite way to get in and out of Paris. Thanks again for your wonderful photos and advice.
Joined: Feb 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 34,426 Location: Paris, France
Re: Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Reply #19 on Jul 1, 2012, 10:34am »
Yes, I knew that it had "opened" before being "inaugurated." They would never want to do the inauguration until they had observed for a few days to see if anything was going horribly wrong.
I'm glad you had a good time in Paris and that you will be able to come back soon.
Re: Paris CDG airport - transportation, etc. « Reply #24 on Aug 6, 2012, 8:42pm »
Excellent information provided Kerouac. Perhaps you can answer a connection issue I have encountered.
We have decided to travel this September and will be arriving at Charles de Gaulle Terminal 3. We have always arrived at this Terminal but have either had a shuttle arranged or family pick us up. This trip we have arranged a car rental as we are traveling out of Paris for 7 days and returning for the final 2 before returning home.
My issue is that Terminal 3 no longer has a rental pick-up area and we have to go to one of the major terminals to obtain our rental. How do we get to the other terminals? Is there a shuttle service available to take us to the another terminal? My travel agent seems to think that Hertz will come and pick us up and bring us to their site but I have my doubts about that.
I have just booked the rental through Auto Europe with my agent so I do not have any correspondence from them as of yet, but I thought with so many knowledgeable members here, someone might have encountered this issue since Terminal 3 closed the rental site.
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