Paris Airport Information
Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG)
Serving close to 60 million people each year, Charles de Gaulle International Airport is the largest airport in France and the 2nd busiest in Europe after London Heathrow. In 2007, the airport ranked number one in Europe for both aircraft movement and cargo traffic, proving its importance for international travel and business. Each day 200,000 passengers arrive or depart from one of the airport's three main terminals, all of which are connected by free shuttle buses.
To pass time between flights, travelers can enjoy the airport's large selection of bars and restaurants, which range from fast food eateries, grab-and-go kiosks and full-service restaurants. Charles de Gaulle also has a number of high-quality shops, including Hermès, L'Occitane, Koba, and Swatch. Business travelers can take advantage of Terminal 1's dedicated business center, which offers eight meeting rooms and fax and photocopy services. Terminal 2 boasts two lounges equipped with wireless Internet access.
Charles de Gaulle was one of the world's first airports to feature an on-site train station, and now travelers can take a roughly five-minute ride into downtown Paris on the RER line B for about €8.40. From 12:30 and 5:30 AM, the Noctilien night bus can be used to reach the city center from the airport. The airport also has three parking lots with a total of 9,185 parking spaces.
Charles de Gaulle International's location about 23 kilometers northeast of Paris was selected to accommodate potential expansions, some of which are now in the works. Plans are underway to expand the five halls in Terminal 2 by 2010.
Airline Carriers Serving Charles de Gaulle International Airport
- Adria Airways
- Aegean Aviation
- Aer Lingus
- Aeroflot Russian Airlines
- Aerolineas Argentinas
- Aerovias de Mexico
- Afriquiyah Airways
- Aigle Azur
- Air Algérie
- Air Austral
- Air Baltic
- Air Canada
- Air Cairo
- Air China
- Air Comet
- Air Europa
- Air France
- Air Gabon
- Air India
- Air Madagascar
- Air Malta
- Air Mauritius
- Air Mediterranée
- Air Memphis
- Air Moldova
- Air Seychelles
- Air Tahiti Nui
- Air Transat
- Alitalia
- All Nippon Airways
- American Airlines
- Angola Airlines
- Arkia Israeli Airlines
- Atlas Blue
- Austrian Airlines
- Azal Azerbaijan Airlines
- Belavia
- Blue Line
- Blue Panorama Airline
- BMI Baby
- British Airways
- Bulgaria Air
- Cathay Pacific
- China Eastern
- Clubair SPA
- Continental Airlines
- Corsair
- Croatia Airlines
- CSA Czech Airlines
- Cyprus Airways
- Daallo Airlines
- Delta Airlines
- Dubrovnik
- EasyJet
- Egyptair
- El Al Israel
- Emirates
- Estonian Air
- Ethiopian Airlines
- Etihad Airways
- Eurofly
- EVA Air
- Finnair
- FlyBe
- Freebird Airlines
- Gulf Air
- Hamburg International
- Iberia
- Iceland Air
- Intersky
- Japan Airlines
- JAT Airways
- Jet2.com
- Karthago Airlines
- Koral Blue Airlines
- KLM
- Korean Airlines
- Kuwait Airways
- Lithuanian Airlines
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Lotus Air
- Lufthansa
- Luxair
- Malaysia Airlines
- Malev Hungarian
- Meridiana
- Middle East Airlines
- Montenegro Airlines
- MYAir
- New Axis Airways
- Northwest Airlines
- Novel Air Tunisie
- Olympic Airlines
- Onur Air Tasimacilik
- Pakistan International Airlines
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Air Maroc
- Royal Jordanian
- SAS Scandinavian Airlines
- Saudi Arabian Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- Brussels Airlines
- Sevenair
- Smart Wings
- South African Airways
- Spanair
- Sri-Lankan Airlines
- Sterling European Airlines
- SunExpress
- Swiss International
- Tam Linhas Aereas
- TAP Air Portugal
- Tarom Romanian
- Thai Airways
- Transportes Aeros de Cabos Verdes
- Tunis Air
- Ukraine International
- United Airlines
- US Airways
- Uzbekistan Airways
- Vietnam Airlines
- Vueling Airlines
- Wind Jet
- Yemen Airways
Paris-Orly Airport (ORY)
At one time the largest airport in Paris, Paris-Orly became the city's secondary airport after the opening of Charles de Gaulle International in 1974. Despite having only two terminals, the South Terminal and the West Terminal, the airport continues to outpace Charles de Gaulle International in terms of domestic traffic. It is the second 2nd airport in France for overall passenger traffic.
Paris-Orly offers a limited number of restaurants, but what it lacks in eateries it makes up for in retail options. The large shopping selection includes well-known labels such as Printemps, Relay, Swatch, Virgin, Cécile et Jeanne, and Pure and Rare. The Paris-Orly Business Center offers offices for up to three people and meeting rooms for up to 50 people, available for hire by the hour, half-day and whole day. Audio-visual and catering services can also be arranged for private corporate functions.
Located about 16 kilometers south of the city, Paris-Orly operates shuttle buses to the two nearest RER stations: the RER C station "Pont de Rungis" and the RER B station "Antony." Shuttle trips range in cost from €6.10 to €13.50. The airport also offers seven parking areas.
Airline carriers serving Paris-Orly Airport
- Aigle Azur
- Airlinair
- Air Algerie
- Air Berlin
- Air Burkina
- Air Caraibes Atlantique
- Air Comores International
- Air Europa
- Air France
- Air Ivoire
- Air Malta
- Air Mauritanie
- Air Mediterranee
- Air Senegal International
- Atlas Blue
- CCM Airlines
- Clickair
- Compagnie Aerienne du Mali
- Corsairfly
- Cubana de Aviación
- EasyJet
- Egyptair
- Hex'Air
- Iberia
- Iran Air
- Jet4you
- Karthago Airlines
- L'Avion
- MyAir
- Norwegian Air Shuttle
- Royal Air Maroc
- SkyEurope
- Syrian Arab Airlines
- TAP Portugal
- Thomsonfly
- Transavia.com
- TUIfly
- Tunisair
- Turkish Airlines
- Twin Jet
Paris Train Information
Five major train stations are located in Paris: Gare d'Austerlitz, Gare de l'Est, Gare de Lyon, Gare Montparnasse, Gare du Nord, and Gare Saint-Lazare. Gare Saint-Lazare and Gare Montparnasse exclusively service domestic destinations, while the remaining four stations service both international and domestic destinations.
Nearly all railways in France are operated by the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer français (SNCF). SNCF also owns partial shares in many international lines, including Thalys and Eurostar, which operates out of Garde du Nord with service to London via the Chunnel.
Paris Public Transportation
Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP)
The Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP) is Paris' main transportation operator. It oversees the Métro, Réseau Express Régional (RER), and all city bus services. Founded in 1948, RATP is currently administered by the country's Transportation Ministry.
A basic RATP ticket costs €1.60. Booklets of 10 tickets are available for €11.40. Passes are also available for one, two, three or five days, and provide unlimited access to all RATP services. Tickets may be purchased at all metro and RER stations, bus terminals and Paris Tourist offices, as well as the city's two airports.
Métro
By far the most popular form of transport in Paris, the Métro is used by 4.5 million passengers each day, making it the 2nd busiest metro system in Europe after Moscow. The Métro system includes 16 lines and 300 stations, most of which lie within the city proper.
The Métro system opened in 1900 during the Exposition Universelle. The original Art Nouveau style of the station entrance signs was designed by Hector Guimard, and these markers have since become iconic symbols of the city. Interiors of certain stations such as that of
The Louvre
The Louvre, Bastille, and Saint-Germain-des-Prés, have been designed to reflect their surroundings, making these stations something of an attraction themselves.
The Métro operates daily from 5:20 to 1:20 AM. Saturday night service is extended to 2:20 AM. Basic tickets are valid for transfers up to 90 minutes after first use.
Réseau Express Régional (RER)
The Réseau Express Régional, more commonly referred to as the RER, opened in 1977 as a supplement to the Métro. Whereas the Métro is concentrated mainly in Paris proper, the RER extends into the inner and outer suburbs. There are five RER lines; plans are currently underway to expand Line E, which opened in 1999.
The RER operates daily from 4:45 to 1:30 AM. Basic tickets are valid for transfers up to 90 minutes after first use.
Buses
The RATP operates 59 bus lines within Paris proper, and an additional 205 lines throughout the city's suburbs. Roughly 950 million bus journeys are taken each year.
Buses run from 5:30 AM until 8:30 PM; some lines operate until 1:30 AM. At night, the Noctilien bus service runs from 12:30 to 5:30 AM.
Vélib
Vélib is a highly successful public bicycle rental program that is used regularly by both locals and tourists. Vélib consists of 20,000 bicycles and 1,450 stations, which are located throughout the city. Bicycles may be rented 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be returned to different stations than those from which they are rented.
The first 30 minutes of each rental is free. The second half-hour costs €1, an hour-and-a-half costs €2, and each additional half-hour increment costs €4.
Rental Cars
Many rental car agencies operate in Paris, including Avis, Hertz, National, Budget France, Europcar, and Sixt. Both Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly airports provide rental car services, and most agencies offer other locations throughout the city as well.
Taxis
Paris is home to numerous taxi companies, all of which operate on a meter system. The city has approximately 15,300 taxis, which can usually be hailed from the streets or from one of the city's taxi stands. When a taxi is available, the "Taxi Parisien" sign on the roof of the vehicle is illuminated.
It is customary to tip taxi drivers approximately 10 percent. The standing pickup charge is €2.10. Increased rates apply during evening hours and to journeys to the suburbs. Extra fees apply for fourth passengers and luggage.
Taxi stands at Charles de Gaulle International are located at the end of baggage areas at each arrival terminal. Fares to downtown Paris average €50. Paris-Orly taxi stands are located at exit M of the South Terminal and at exit B of the arrivals level at the West Terminal. Rates to downtown Paris average €35.
Distance to...
- Le Havre, FR
- Bordeaux, FR
- Lyon, FR
- Bern, CH
- London, UK
- Brussels, BE
- Frankfurt, DE
- 196 km
- 538 km
- 466 km
- 570 km
- 456 km
- 305 km
- 573 km
Paris Transportation Providers
- Paris Major Limousines International
- Paris Shuttle
