Getting to Paris
Most visitors arrive at one of the two main Paris airports or by high-speed train into a central station. Which one you use shapes your arrival day, because the transfer into the center is a real part of the trip rather than an afterthought.
Airports
Check the airport code on your ticket before choosing a hotel transfer. CDG and ORY use different routes into Paris; a ticket marked Beauvais needs a separate airport-transfer plan. Match the terminal, hotel address and arrival time before buying onward travel.
Charles de Gaulle has the RER B rail link into Paris. Orly is served directly by Metro line 14; Orlyval also connects with RER B at Antony. Check Ile-de-France Mobilites for the route, airport ticket and any planned works before you land.
Arriving by train
Paris is the hub of the French high-speed rail network, and arriving by train drops you straight into the center with no airport transfer at all. Eurostar trains from London and Brussels arrive at Gare du Nord, while SNCF high-speed TGV services from other French and European cities use one of the major terminals such as Gare de Lyon, Montparnasse, or Gare de l'Est depending on direction.
Each of these stations sits on the Metro and RER, so onward travel to your hotel is straightforward. Book high-speed trains ahead for the best fares and check your exact arrival station on SNCF or Eurostar, since the Paris terminals are spread across the city.
From the airport into the city
Plan the transfer as part of arrival day. Allow time for the terminal-to-station walk, waiting and the onward journey to your hotel; the rail journey alone is not the full transfer. Licensed Parisian taxis use regulated flat fares for direct journeys between CDG or Orly and Paris, with the amount depending on the airport and river bank.
If you land late or with heavy luggage, a taxi or pre-booked transfer can be worth the cost on the first night. Whichever you choose, buy or load your tickets before you reach the platform and confirm current options with Ile-de-France Mobilites.
Arrival with luggage and the journey back
For CDG, start with RER B; for Orly, compare Metro 14 with Orlyval and RER B via Antony. Use the official journey planner for your hotel address and travel date. Check the airport ticket conditions separately from an ordinary city ticket, and verify the lifts and final street walk if stairs are a problem.
Ask the hotel to confirm baggage storage before check-in and after checkout. On departure day, plan backwards from the airline’s required airport arrival time, including luggage collection, transfers and the terminal walk. Check works and the last useful service for the return date rather than reversing an old screenshot.
Reviewed source trail
- Ile-de-France Mobilites — fares and airport links — checked 2026-09-12
- SNCF — high-speed train travel — checked 2026-09-12
- Eurostar — London and Brussels to Paris — checked 2026-09-12
- Service Public — Paris airport taxi fares — checked 2026-09-12
- Île-de-France Mobilités — CDG and Orly transport — checked 2026-09-16