Paris Charles-de-Gaulle airport tip: how to get there and how much time in advance to plan for

Do you have a flight to catch from Paris to Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport? Here's all the practical information you need to know to make sure you don't miss your flight. Here's what you need to know before your flight: access, ideal headways and other tips.

Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle Airport is France's leading airport in terms of traffic, and one of the two main Paris airports, along with Orly. Located 23 km northeast of the French capital, it has been welcoming travelers since 1974. If you're getting ready to take off from this international airport, we'd like to share with you a few tips to help you take off with peace of mind, and in ideal conditions.

First, let's answer the first question we always ask ourselves: how far in advance do you need to be when flying fromParis Charles-de-Gaulle airport? If you're preparing to take a long-haul flight, we recommend you arrive 3 hours in advance. For domestic or medium-haul flights, you can get there about an hour and a half in advance.

Please note that if you have baggage to check in, the counters open about 2 hours before your departure time. You can also save time obtaining your boarding pass by checking in for your flight online beforehand, especially if you're traveling with cabin baggage only. Make sure you comply with the regulations governing the carriage of liquids and prohibited items in the cabin: an oversight could delay you at the security checkpoint.

The question is how to get to Paris Charles-de-Gaulle Airport. If you want to get there by cab, there is a fixed fare in both directions for journeys between the airport and Paris. In 2025, the fixed fare is as follows:

56 € between Paris - Charles-de-Gaulle airport and Paris rive droite;
65 € between Paris - Charles-de-Gaulle airport and Paris rive gauche;

You can also opt for a VTC driver. Note that applications are not subject to this pricing: depending on the mark-up, using a VTC platform can be more affordable or, on the contrary, more expensive. It's up to you to decide.

If you prefer to use public transport to get to Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport, there are several ways to do so: from Opéra, you can take the Roissy Bus shuttle which serves all three terminals. From Gare de l'Est, take bus 350 to Terminals 1 and 2. From there, bus 351, which runs between the three terminals, will take you to terminal 3 if required. Finally, the RER B, which crosses Paris via Denfert-Rochereau, Saint-Michel Notre-Dame, Châtelet - Les Halles and Gare du Nord stations, will also take you to the various terminals atRoissy Charles de Gaulle airport.

Before taking public transport to the airport, be sure to check the traffic situation on the RATP website, or via applications such as Citymapper: this will help you avoid unpleasant surprises and switch to plan B. Whatever mode of transport you choose, make sure you don't end up in the wrong terminal to avoid wasting unforeseen time.

You're all set for stress-free travel from Paris!