Paris / The verdict

Charles de Gaulle airport to central Paris: which way?

The RER B train is the pick for most visitors: a flat 14 EUR fare and a direct 35 to 45 minute run to Gare du Nord, Chatelet-Les Halles or Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame with no dependence on road traffic. Book the official taxi rank instead for a group, heavy luggage or a late arrival, at a fixed 56 EUR to the Right Bank or 65 EUR to the Left Bank, and treat Line 9517, the bus that replaced Roissybus in March 2026, as a last resort for a central Paris trip since it no longer runs there directly.

By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.

Photo: Chabe01, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)

The Paris story

Paris is still worth it, but the gap between the Instagram version and the real city is wider than anywhere else. The museums, the river, the food and the sheer density of famous streets are unmatched: the Louvre at a timed morning slot, Sainte-Chapelle's thirteenth-century glass, an evening Seine cruise timed to the Eiffel light show, the Catacombs' strange stillness. And much of the best of it costs nothing, the walks, the neighbourhoods, the bakeries-to-bistro rhythm.

The verdict in 30 seconds

Our pick: RER B (runner-up: Official taxi)

Go if

You want the facts on RER B, the official taxi and the bus and metro combination that replaced Roissybus in March 2026, not just one option's name.
You can pay by contactless, Navigo Easy or an app for the train and bus tickets, and by card or cash for the taxi.
Your destination is one of the RER B's central stops (Gare du Nord, Chatelet-Les Halles, Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame) or a straightforward address for a flat-rate taxi.

Skip if

You are heading somewhere well outside central Paris; these official prices and times cover a central Paris run, not a wider address.
You expect Roissybus to still be running; it stopped for good on 1 March 2026 and its replacement no longer reaches central Paris directly.
You are arriving very late at night after RER B service has stopped for the day; check the official timetable before you fly, since a taxi becomes the practical option.

RER B fares to and from Roissy CDG End of Roissybus and the Line 9517 alternative Metro, RER and bus ticket prices Official Paris taxi fares

The options

RER B Go

You are traveling solo, as a couple, or with light to moderate luggage and want the fastest, most traffic-proof ride into central Paris.

Good

The official flat fare is 14 EUR (7 EUR reduced) for a direct 35 to 45 minute run to Gare du Nord, Chatelet-Les Halles or Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame.
The price and schedule do not depend on road traffic, unlike the taxi or the bus that replaced Roissybus.
Travelers who use it often call it fast, reliable and easy to navigate once they know their stop.

Watch out

Reports describe crowded cars at peak times and stairs at some interchange stations that are awkward with a full suitcase.
Engineering work and occasional strikes can disrupt the line; one traveler reported a train stalled for over 40 minutes.
There is no officially published dedicated luggage space, unlike the taxi's trunk or the bus's racks.

Official taxi It depends

You are traveling as a group of two or more, carry heavy or awkward luggage, or arrive late at night after RER B service has stopped for the day.

Good

The government-regulated flat fare is 56 EUR to the Right Bank or 65 EUR to the Left Bank, per car regardless of passenger count or luggage.
It goes door to door with no transfer, which several travelers say is worth it after a long flight or with heavy suitcases.
Ranks are staffed at the terminal around the clock, and the flat rate is the same by day or by night.

Watch out

More than one traveler reports a driver adding an unexplained supplement or switching to the meter instead of the flat rate once inside Paris.
Travelers describe being steered toward an unofficial car by someone approaching before the official rank.
The fare is several times the RER B ticket price for a solo traveler carrying little luggage.

See transfer pricespartner site

Line 9517 plus metro or RER transfer Skip

You are on the tightest possible budget, carry only light bags, and do not mind an extra transfer, especially if your plans already include Saint-Denis-Pleyel or La Defense.

Good

The two tickets needed together cost 4.50 EUR, far less than the RER B or the taxi.
The bus itself has dedicated luggage racks and runs every 15 to 30 minutes through most of the day.
It replaced Roissybus on 1 March 2026 with newer buses and connections to metro lines 13 and 14 and the RER D.

Watch out

It no longer reaches central Paris directly; every rider bound for the center needs a further metro line 14 or RER B or D leg from Saint-Denis-Pleyel.
Reports describe journeys advertised at 60 minutes regularly stretching past 90 minutes once the added transfer is included.
Two separate tickets are needed instead of the RER B's single fare, and the extra change adds real time with luggage.

Criterion	RER B	Official taxi	Line 9517 plus metro or RER transfer
Official price	14 EUR flat (7 EUR reduced)	56 EUR Right Bank, 65 EUR Left Bank, flat per car	2.00 EUR bus ticket plus 2.50 EUR metro or RER ticket, two separate fares
Official journey time	35 to 45 minutes direct to central Paris	Not published as a fixed time; reports describe 35 to 75 minutes depending on traffic	Around 30 to 45 minutes by bus to Saint-Denis-Pleyel, then a further metro or RER leg into central Paris
Where it drops you	Gare du Nord, Chatelet-Les Halles, Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame and other central stops	Door to door, any address in Paris	Saint-Denis-Pleyel only; central Paris needs a further metro line 14 or RER B or D ride
Booking needed	No; buy the ticket through an app or station machine and board	No; join the official rank outside the terminal, or book ahead through an app	No; tap in with the same tickets used across Ile-de-France transit
Luggage handling	Not published; reports describe stairs at some interchange stations and crowded cars at peak times	Fits in the trunk at no extra charge under the flat fare	Official site lists dedicated luggage racks on the bus; the metro or RER transfer adds stairs and a walk
Reliability travelers report	Generally on time; reports describe occasional stalls, engineering work and strike-related disruption	The flat fare itself is dependable; reports describe occasional attempts to charge above it	Reports describe the Saint-Denis-Pleyel transfer adding unpredictable extra time versus the old direct coach

What it costs

Paris Region <> Airports ticket, RER B (full fare): €14 (valid 2 hours with connections on metro, RER, suburban train and Orlyval; effective since 1 January 2025). Official source, checked Sep 2026.
Paris Region <> Airports ticket, RER B (reduced fare): €7 (for eligible reduced-fare passengers). Official source, checked Sep 2026.
Official taxi flat fare, CDG to Paris Right Bank (rive droite): €56 (per vehicle, any number of passengers and luggage; effective 1 February 2026). Official source, checked Sep 2026.
Official taxi flat fare, CDG to Paris Left Bank (rive gauche): €65 (per vehicle; effective 1 February 2026). Official source, checked Sep 2026.
Bus-Tram single ticket (Line 9517, replaces Roissybus): €2 (effective since 1 January 2025). Official source, checked Sep 2026.
Metro-Train-RER single ticket (onward connection from Saint-Denis-Pleyel): €2.50 (effective since 1 January 2025; a second, separate ticket from the Bus-Tram fare). Official source, checked Sep 2026.

What travelers report

Based on 13 traveler reports (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 3 were negative.

What people like

Travelers repeatedly call the flat 14 EUR RER B fare and 35 to 45 minute run to central stations the most predictable way in, since it does not depend on road traffic.
The fixed 56 or 65 EUR taxi fare draws praise for going door to door with no luggage surcharge, especially for a group splitting the cost.
Several travelers say booking a taxi or a private transfer in advance heads off the worst delays and surprises after a long flight.

What people complain about

Multiple travelers describe stairs and crowded interchanges making the RER B a struggle with heavy luggage, and one reports a stalled train adding close to an hour.
More than one traveler reports a taxi driver adding an unexplained supplement or switching to the meter instead of honoring the flat rate.
Travelers describe Line 9517's new transfer at Saint-Denis-Pleyel adding real time compared with the old direct Roissybus run.
Ride-hailing fares are described as surging well above their quoted price at busy times.

How to do it right

Check your destination station before boarding: RER B reaches Gare du Nord, Chatelet-Les Halles and Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame directly.
Buy the 14 EUR Paris Region <> Airports ticket through the Ile-de-France Mobilites, RATP or SNCF Connect app, or at a station machine, and keep it until you exit the network at both ends.
Join the official taxi rank outside your terminal if you want the fixed 56 or 65 EUR fare, and ignore anyone who approaches before that line.
Confirm which bank of the Seine your address sits on before agreeing to a taxi fare, since the flat rate depends on Right Bank versus Left Bank.
Budget extra time and a second ticket if Line 9517 is your plan, since it now ends at Saint-Denis-Pleyel and needs a further metro or RER leg to reach central Paris.
Check the RER B's official service status before you travel, since engineering work and occasional strikes disrupt the line.

The trap to avoid

Accepting a ride from someone who approaches before the official taxi rank is the costly mistake: multiple reports describe a meter running instead of the posted flat rate, with one fare reaching 84 EUR against the 65 EUR Left Bank rate.

Why this verdict

RER B is the default because it removes the two variables that matter most on an airport run: price and traffic. The official Paris Region <> Airports ticket is a flat 14 EUR, and the ride to Gare du Nord, Chatelet-Les Halles or Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame takes 35 to 45 minutes whether the A1 motorway is jammed or clear. Reports describe it as fast and reliable for anyone who knows their stop, though the evidence also includes a stalled train that cost one traveler close to an hour and a warning that a transit strike is the single biggest reason to pick something else that day.

The official taxi earns a depends rather than a flat go because its value swings with group size and luggage. At a flat 56 EUR to the Right Bank or 65 EUR to the Left Bank per car, it is a clear win for two or more people splitting the fare, especially with heavy bags or a late arrival after RER B service ends. The evidence carries a real warning too: more than one traveler describes a driver adding an unexplained supplement or running the meter once inside Paris instead of honoring the flat rate, and one report describes being steered toward an unofficial car before reaching the real rank.

Line 9517, which replaced Roissybus on 1 March 2026, is the cheapest of the three at 4.50 EUR across two tickets, but it earns a skip for a central Paris trip specifically. Unlike the old Roissybus, it ends at Saint-Denis-Pleyel and needs a further metro or RER leg to reach the center, and reports describe that added transfer regularly turning an advertised 60 minute trip into 90.

Timing and tickets

Buy the RER B ticket through the Ile-de-France Mobilites, RATP or SNCF Connect app, or at a station machine, and hold onto it until you exit the network at both ends. For the taxi, walk past anyone who approaches before the official rank outside your terminal, and confirm your address sits on the Right Bank or the Left Bank before you agree to the fare. Check RER B’s official service status before you fly, since engineering work and occasional strikes disrupt the line. If Line 9517 is your only affordable option, budget the extra time and a second ticket for the metro or RER leg from Saint-Denis-Pleyel.

Book or check times

RER B fares to and from Roissy CDG End of Roissybus and the Line 9517 alternative Metro, RER and bus ticket prices Official Paris taxi fares

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See transfer pricespartner site

Questions

Is the RER B or a taxi better from CDG?

The RER B is cheaper and immune to road traffic at a flat 14 EUR for 35 to 45 minutes into central Paris. The official taxi costs more, a flat 56 or 65 EUR per car, but goes door to door, which reports say suits a group splitting the fare, heavy luggage, or a late arrival.

Does Roissybus still run?

No. The official RER B operator's site confirms Roissybus stopped for good on 1 March 2026 after 30 years, replaced by Line 9517. That bus now ends at Saint-Denis-Pleyel, so reaching central Paris needs a further metro line 14 or RER B or D leg.

How much is the official taxi fare from CDG?

The government-regulated flat fare, effective 1 February 2026, is 56 EUR to the Right Bank and 65 EUR to the Left Bank, per vehicle regardless of passenger count or luggage, the same rate day or night.

Is the RER B reliable?

It runs a direct 35 to 45 minute route with no scheduled stop for traffic, but the operator's own site lists recurring engineering closures, and reports describe occasional stalls and strike-related disruption, so checking the official status before you travel is worth it.

Can I buy tickets in advance on my phone?

Yes. The Paris Region <> Airports ticket for RER B, and the separate Bus-Tram and Metro-Train-RER tickets for Line 9517 and its onward connection, are all sold through the Ile-de-France Mobilites, RATP or SNCF Connect apps as well as station machines.

What about Uber or a private transfer instead?

Neither has an official regulated fare the way the taxi does. Reports describe ride-hailing prices surging well above their quoted rate at busy times, so the fixed-price official taxi remains the more predictable paid alternative.

Pack for it

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