Paris Airport Guide: CDG and Orly Transfers and Tips

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This Paris airport guide covers the two airports most visitors use, Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly (ORY), and how to get from each into the city without overpaying or guessing. The transfer landscape changed a lot between 2025 and 2026: two long-running buses disappeared, Metro line 14 now reaches Orly, and a new express bus replaced the Roissybus. Much older advice online is out of date. Prices below are the 2026 figures we could confirm; fares are reset regularly, so check the official sites before you travel. If you are still planning the wider trip, our Paris travel guide is the place to start.

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Paris Airport Guide: Which Airport Are You Flying Into?

CDG is the big international hub north-east of Paris, in Roissy. Orly sits south of the city and handles many European, North African and domestic flights. Both are well connected by public transport, but the logic differs: from CDG your main train is the RER B, while from Orly the Metro is now the headline option. Your hotel location matters as much as the airport, so skim the neighborhood breakdown in our guide to the best hotels in Paris by Right Bank, Left Bank and Marais before choosing a route.

Getting From CDG to Paris

RER B: the default train

The RER B is the workhorse. Sources put the journey at roughly 35 to 50 minutes to central Paris, with trains about every 10 to 20 minutes. The official Paris Region airports ticket costs 14 euros one way (a reduced fare of 7 euros exists), and it covers the RER B to CDG, Metro line 14 to Orly, and Orlyval plus RER B for Orly; it is loaded on a Navigo Easy card or a phone, as no paper version is sold. Terminal 2 has a station directly beneath it, shared with the high-speed TGV and other long-distance trains. If you land at Terminal 1 or Terminal 3, use the free CDGVAL automatic shuttle, which links Terminals 1 and 3 with the RER station.

The honest caveat: the RER B is crowded at rush hour, can be slow on luggage-heavy trips, and is a frequent target of works and strike disruption. Watch your bags on the train and in the station, and have a plan B on days when a strike is announced.

The new bus 9517 (Roissybus is gone)

Roissybus was withdrawn by Ile-de-France Mobilites and replaced on 1 March 2026 (announcement). The replacement is express line 9517, run by Transdev, which runs between Argenteuil station and Roissypole at CDG via the Saint-Denis-Pleyel hub (see the line 9517 launch page). The ride between CDG and Saint-Denis-Pleyel takes 50 to 55 minutes depending on traffic. That hub is reachable by Metro lines 13 and 14 and RER D, so the journey becomes bus plus Metro rather than one direct ride. It runs every day from 5:10 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., with buses every 15 minutes at weekday peaks (6 to 9 a.m. and 3:30 to 7 p.m.) and every 30 minutes otherwise; at weekends it is every 20 minutes by day and every 30 in the evening. It costs a standard bus-tram ticket (2.05 euros) rather than an airport fare. Do not expect a door-to-door service to the Opera area as Roissybus once provided.

Night buses

If your flight lands very late, the Noctilien night network (running roughly 12:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m.) includes lines N140 and N143 between Gare de l’Est and CDG, serving the terminals. Check the night timetable and the ticket rule on the Ile-de-France Mobilites site before relying on them.

CDG Express: not yet

You may see references to CDG Express, a dedicated 20-minute train from Gare de l’Est. It has been delayed repeatedly; the latest reported opening target is 28 March 2027. Until it actually opens and publishes fares, plan around the RER B and bus 9517.

Getting From Orly to Paris

Metro line 14

Metro line 14 reaching Orly, in service since 2024, is now the simplest option for most visitors. Sources give about 25 minutes between Orly and Chatelet. The Paris Region airports ticket is 14 euros, with the Orly terminus at the Orly 3 building. Check the first and last train times for your day on the official site. Line 14 is automatic and usually runs more reliably than the RER B, which is one reason it is the better first choice when you are tired and carrying bags.

Tram T7 and Orlyval

Tram T7 links Orly to Villejuif-Louis Aragon, where you change to Metro line 7. It runs on a bus-tram ticket (2.05 euros) but is much slower than line 14 for central Paris, so it only makes sense for a low budget or a destination in the south suburbs. Orlyval is the small automated train to Antony on the RER B; it still exists but, with Metro line 14 in place, it is much less useful for central Paris, and its ridership has reportedly fallen by about 60 percent compared with 2024.

Orlybus is gone

Orlybus stopped operating in March 2025, so ignore guidebooks that still list it. For a very late arrival, the Noctilien night buses (about 12:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m.) are the fallback; check the line numbers before you travel.

Terminals at Orly

Orly was reorganized into a single building with four departure areas, Orly 1, 2, 3 and 4. Orly 1 and 2 were the former West terminal and Orly 4 the former South terminal, and the new Orly 3 junction building lets you move between all areas under one roof. Which area you use depends on your airline, so check your boarding information.

Taxis and Rideshares

Taxis from Paris airports have mandatory flat fares for the whole of 2026, fixed by a decree dated 24 December 2025 (see the Paris taxi fares page). From CDG, sources list 56 euros to the Right Bank and 65 euros to the Left Bank. From Orly, it is 36 euros to the Left Bank and 45 euros to the Right Bank. The flat rate applies day or night, weekdays or holidays, for up to four passengers with luggage. The Right and Left Bank split follows the Seine: the Marais, Champs-Elysees, Montmartre and Bastille are Right Bank, while Saint-Germain, the Latin Quarter and the Eiffel Tower area are Left Bank.

Use the official taxi rank, not drivers who approach you in arrivals, and ask for the flat fare before you set off. For a group of three or four with big bags, the taxi can cost little more per person than the train once you add the 14 euro airport tickets, and it saves a lot of stairs. Ride-hailing apps are an alternative but prices are variable; compare with the fixed taxi fare before booking.

Quick Comparison

Option	Airport	Cost (2026)	Typical time
RER B	CDG	14 euros	35 to 50 min
Bus 9517 plus Metro	CDG	2.05 euros bus-tram ticket, plus Metro	50 to 55 min to Saint-Denis-Pleyel, then Metro
Taxi	CDG	56 euros Right Bank, 65 euros Left Bank	Traffic dependent
Metro line 14	Orly	14 euros	About 25 min to Chatelet
Tram T7 plus Metro 7	Orly	Bus-tram ticket plus Metro ticket	Much slower than line 14
Taxi	Orly	36 euros Left Bank, 45 euros Right Bank	Traffic dependent

Tickets and Payment Tips

Paper tickets stopped being sold in November 2025 and are no longer accepted on buses and trams; Ile-de-France Mobilites postponed the end of paper tickets on the Metro and RER to autumn 2026. The airport ticket already has to be loaded onto a Navigo Easy card, a transport app or a phone wallet. The Navigo Easy card itself costs 2 euros, and you can top it up at machines. Buy the card and the airport ticket before you reach the barriers if you can, and read the full rules in our guide to getting around Paris by Metro, RER and tickets.

Because many ticket machines and apps rely on data, sort out connectivity on arrival: see our advice on SIM cards and eSIMs for tourists in France. For cash, card use and ATM fees in arrivals halls, our guide to money in France covers what to expect. Non-EU visitors should also confirm entry rules ahead of time with our France visa guide for Schengen travelers, since border queues are the part of arrival you cannot shorten.

Practical Tips by Situation

• Late arrival: a taxi at the flat fare is the least stressful option; night buses exist, so check their timetable if you prefer them.
• Early departure: check the first train time for your line on the official site the day before; if it does not fit your check-in time, a flat-fare taxi is the fallback.
• Heavy luggage: prefer line 14 at Orly and a taxi at CDG; the RER B has stairs and crowds.
• Strike day: check the Ile-de-France Mobilites site, allow extra time and keep taxi fares in mind.
• Train onward from CDG: Terminal 2 has a TGV station, handy if you are heading straight to another French city.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest way from CDG to Paris?

Bus 9517 uses a bus-tram ticket (2.05 euros) but only takes you to Saint-Denis-Pleyel, from where you continue by Metro. The RER B at 14 euros is the direct train.

Is there still a Roissybus or Orlybus?

No. Roissybus was replaced on 1 March 2026 and Orlybus ceased in March 2025. Express bus 9517 and Metro line 14 are the respective replacements.

How much is a taxi from the airport to central Paris?

In 2026 the flat fares are 56 euros (Right Bank) or 65 euros (Left Bank) from CDG, and 36 euros (Left Bank) or 45 euros (Right Bank) from Orly.

Can I use Metro line 14 to reach Orly?

Yes. It links Orly and Chatelet in about 25 minutes, and the airport ticket costs 14 euros.

Is CDG Express open?

Not yet. The latest reported target is 28 March 2027, so check before relying on it.

Bottom Line

For most travelers in 2026 the choice is simple: Metro line 14 from Orly, RER B or a flat-fare taxi from CDG, and bus 9517 plus Metro only if you want the cheapest ticket. Load your ticket before you arrive at the barriers, and check the official transport site on the day you travel, since fares and routes keep changing.

For where to stay, see our best hotels near the Eiffel Tower guide.