arriving to paris: airports & train stations

Arriving to Paris from the airports

From Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)

Public transport (recommended)

• RER B (direct): Take RER B from CDG Airport to central Paris (stops include Gare du Nord, Châtelet–Les Halles, Saint-Michel).
  Approx. 35–45 minutes
  Around €13

Taxi /private transfer

Flat taxi fare to Paris:

• • €53 (Right Bank/Rive Droite)

  • €58 (Left Bank/Rive Gauche)

Approx. 45-60 minutes, depending on traffic

From Orly Airport (ORY)

Public transport (recommended)

• Metro Line 14 (direct): Take Line 14 from Aéroport d’Orly directly into Paris (stops include Gare de Lyon, Châtelet, Saint-Lazare).
  Approx. 25-30 minutes
  Airport fare (around €13)

Taxi /private transfer

Flat taxi fare to Paris:

• • €32 (Paris Left Bank/Rive gauche)

  • €37 (Paris Right Bank/Rive droite)

Approx. 30-45 minutes, depending on traffic

From Beauvais Airport (BVA)

Public transport (recommended)

• Airport shuttle bus to Paris Porte Maillot.
  Approx. 1h15 - 1h30
  Around €18
  
  

Taxi /private transfer

• Taxi to Paris: €150-€200 (Prices are indicative and may vary depending on time and traffic).
  Approx. 1h30 - 2h, depending on traffic
  
  

Arriving to Paris from the train stations

Paris has several major train stations. The most commonly used by international students are Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est and Gare de Lyon.

From Gare du Nord

Gare du Nord is a key arrival point for international and national trains (Eurostar, Thalys/Eurostar, regional trains) and for passengers arriving from Charles de Gaulle Airport via RER B.

Public transport

• Metro: Lines 4 and 5 serve Gare du Nord and connect easily to the entire metro network.

• RER: Lines B and D connect Gare du Nord to central Paris (Châtelet-Les Halles, Saint-Michel, Luxembourg).
  
  

Taxi /private transfer

• Official taxis are available directly outside the station.
  Travel time and tarifs depend on destination and traffic

From Gare de l'Est

Gare de l’Est serves trains from eastern France and neighboring countries (Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland), as well as regional and international connections.

Public transport

• Metro: Lines 4, 5, and 7 serve Gare de l’Est and provide easy connections across Paris (Châtelet, Gare du Nord, Opéra).

• RER: Lines B and D are accessible nearby via Gare du Nord (short walk or one metro stop).
  
  

Taxi /private transfer

• Official taxis are available directly outside the station.
  Travel time and tarifs depends on destination and traffic
  
  

From Gare de Lyon

Gare de Lyon serves trains from southern France, Switzerland, Italy.

Public transport

• Metro: Lines 1 and 14 provide fast connections across Paris (Châtelet, Saint-Lazare, La Défense).

• RER: Lines A and D connect Gare de Lyon to central and suburban Paris.
  
  

Taxi /private transfer

• Official taxis are available directly outside the station.

• Travel time and tarifs depend on destination and traffic
  
  

Good to know

• Paris train stations are very well connected but can be extremely busy, especially during peak hours.

• For most journeys within Paris, metro or RER are the fastest and most economical options, and are generally more reliable during busy times.

• Always use official taxi ranks or recognised ride-hailing apps such as Uber or Bolt, which are widely used across the Paris metropolitan area.