CDG to Hotel, Help!

[roundtowngirl]

I hope that you will all forgive me for asking a "simple" question...my husband and I want to get from CDG to our hotel near Invalides. We are thinking about taking the Roissy bus to Opera and then either hopping on the Metro or getting a taxi to our hotel. We will each have one suitcase and pehaps a garment bag as a "fancy dinner" is in our plans. Is this a workable plan or would it be better to get a taxi straight from the airport to our hotel.

Having had a bad experience travelling from Stuttgart to a hotel in Biberach, ALONE with a LARGE suitcase (hot pink I might add!) I am a little nervous about embarrassing myself again! Of course I live by the motto "What doesn't actually kill us, makes us stronger and braver travelers." Ha-ha!

[Becky (Berkeleytravelers)]

Unless the cost is really a killer for you (45 to 55 euros unless traffic is horrendous, in which case it would be more), I would say that after a long overnight flight you should just take a taxi (or at a minimum, take a taxi from the Roissybus stop to the hotel). Also, see Willow's blog for more comments about taxis at/near the bus stop at Opera. I certainly wouldn't recommend trying to navigate the Metro (even for a short ride) with the luggage, etc., as many of them have stairs (and few have escalators or elevators).

[annettecinca]

I've never done the Roissy bus, but I've read lots of positive things about it. I think our Anne (Willow) took it on the trip she just arrived home from (you might check her blog--can't remember if there are details). We've used taxis (about 40-50€), but hubby and I actually enjoy the "Ahhh, we're in Paris" moment when we take the RER! We travel light, so it works for us.

Becky, we were typing away at the same time!

[Sarastro]

If I am not mistaken, we finally have our first "CDG to Hotel" question. This is encouraging as now are attracting the type of individuals we need to really grown the forum - new members.

Back to the question. roundtowngirl, please consider the Air France shuttle bus from CDG to Les Invalides - 9 euros one way, 14 euros round trip. From there you can probably easily walk to your hotel. The Air France buses are available curbside, in front of each terminal at CDG. You will be looking for bus route #1: CDG - Montparnasse - Les Invalides.

I believe tickets are sold on board the bus which departs CDG quite regularly from 06h00 through 23h30 daily.

Welcome to the forum.

[roundtowngirl]

Sarastro and all - thanks! I was afraid that my question was too basic, yes...I admit that it has taken me a few days to get up the courage to ask it. In the end the knowledge of the members far outweighed my doubts!

I didn't know about the Air France Shuttle bus. That would be perfect for us. See - If you ask, someone will have the answer!

[Penny]

some research links.
you may one to try www.mappy.com to determine how far you would have to walk from Air France shuttle stop and/or metro stop. mappy is pretty accurate you just have to "play" with it a little to get results if you are not familiar with application.
Air France Shuttle info----
has some other useful information on transportation from CDG
www.airfrance.co.kr/eng/htm/practical_information/en-AERFI-cdg_transports.htm#navette
Click Services for other info (i.e. you don't have to fly Air France to use)
If first link does not take you to English version then use cars-airfrance link and click on English in other languages on left.
www.airfrance.com/double6/passage3.nsf/(LookupPublishedWeb)/en-OUTCO-CarsAF?OpenDocument
www.cars-airfrance.com/
Someone else will have to tell you which line/route to use as I am not familiar with the area you are staying it.
Click Services for other info (i.e. you don't have to fly Air France to use)
-------
another good research tool for RER and metro is:
www.amadeus.net/home/new/subwaymaps/en/paris.htm

I like this because the colors of lines are distinct and makes it easier to read and route. I used to map my route from Gare de Nord to avoid Chalet des Halles. Used regular transportation map after I arrived.
And as I always say no matter what you chose, Enjoy Your Trip!!

[Happygoin]

roundtowngirl, let me address your issue of embarrassing yourself: The first time I went to Paris, I was with my sister. We had reservations at the brand new Marriott on the Champs Elysees with my Marriot points. We were VERY excited. We took the Air France bus to the Arc de Triomphe. And there we were. Two frazzled, jet-lagged, bedraggled, mostly ignorant tourists walking down the most elegant boulevard in the world with our little wheeled luggage squeaking behind us. We have laughed many times since about how we must have looked like the Beverly Hillbillies had arrived in Paris.

I now realize, that about a million other people just like us walk down the CE every day and no one gives them a second glance.

Please ask anything you want! At some point in our past, we all probably wondered the same things you are now.

[luckyluc]

Happy is so right! Her story could apply to any of us. So please RoundTownGirl so ask, ask, ask. It will give us great practice to answer. We have private PM, just click on a name, and we also have a chatroom. I am a bit curious, how did you find us?

[roundtowngirl]

Thanks everyone! I feel a lot better now. In regards to luckyluc's question - I use TA and really have learned a lot from many of you. I read a thread about some of you leaving and I noticed that someone had posted this address. I checked it out and realized that this site had the information that I really need. It's like an "insider's guide." Like I mentioned before, I value your background experience. Travelling for my family requires some budgeting and lots of planning (but that's the fun part). I want to blend in and have a great time. Thanks to my husband's job with a pharmeceutical company we are now getting more opportunities to travel abroad which has always been my DREAM!

Trust me...you will hear more from me in the next 40 days!

[annettecinca]

roundtowngirl said:

Trust me...you will hear more from me in the next 40 days!

We look forward to it!

[rssilverandlight]

Hi roundtowngirl -

I have chosen to take Taxi Parisien from CDG to Paris Central and back for my 6 visits to Paris.

This is why:

1. There is usually no wait time for a Taxi Parisien as contrasted to
a shuttle, getting to the RER or metro.
2. Your bags are safely stowed right behind you in the boot.
3. It's door to door service with a taxi, from CDG to where
you are staying.
4. You are in a comfortable seat in a taxi as opposed to the metro,
RER or shuttle, not even mentioning air conditioning in a taxi
during the summer.
5. You are not crammed in with a group of people who may be let
out at their hotel before you at your hotel and you have to wait
until your hotel is reached.
6. If you are on the metro, with more than 1 bag it can be hard to
manage, saying nothing about the issue of pickpockets.
7. There are no stairs with a cab and no transfer issues and you
don't have to compete with Paris traffic as you haul your luggage
from the RER or metro station to your hotel or apartment.
8. There have been many horror stories about CDG to Paris Central;
shuttles not showing up, pick pockets on the RER and metro,
wrong bags delivered off of shuttles, etc.
9. Many visitors to Paris come from the United States, having been
crammed in an airplane for up to 12 hours. A Taxi Parisien may
not be a luxury.

A few things to consider. Nice to have you here.

[roundtowngirl]

Oh no...don't resurrect this thread! (This is my embarrassing newbie post!!!)

Thanks Randy for your advice. I hope that it helps other first time travelers. We ended up using a shuttle service because we arrived in Paris on the day of the transportation strike and were afraid that it would be almost impossible to get a taxi.

After making it from CDG to hotel without a hitch, I do have some advice myself.
1) If you decide to use a shuttle, research it well. Ask for the opinions of others. I had to end up using two separate shuttles for our trip away from and back to the hotel. Here are my recommendations: Grey Shuttle and Elysees Cars (thanks to another recommendations from Arrow). Both were on time and the drivers were very friendly. Another positive, both were private shuttles so we did not have to pick up or wait on others.

2) I agree that a Taxi is the way to go. We saw the taxi rank as we were walking through CDG. It looks like a really simple and easy option. Just walk out the door, get in line, and wait for the next available car.

3) Beware of men coming up and asking if you "need a taxi into the city." Got a really bad vibe. I just looked at him and said "non." He left but I noticed that when we were over at T1 he was over there also asking people who were also tourists the same thing. Seemed like a scam to me.