CDG, ORLY & BEAUVAIS · 2026 TRANSFER GUIDE

For most independent travellers, RER B is the straightforward public-transport link between Charles de Gaulle and central Paris. It serves major interchange points including Gare du Nord and continues through central stations where you can transfer to Metro or other RER lines. Journey time depends on terminal access, stopping pattern, transfer and disruption, so treat advertised times as a planning range rather than a promise.

In 2026, airport rail travel uses the dedicated Paris Region <> Airports ticket at €14 full fare. Do not buy an ordinary €2.55 Metro-Train-RER ticket and assume it reaches CDG; airport access is specifically excluded from that ordinary fare. Buy through official machines, counters or authorised apps.

Metro Line 14 now reaches Orly Airport directly, giving travellers a one-seat Metro ride to major central interchanges before onward transfers. This is a major improvement over old guidance that routed most visitors through Orlyval to RER B or a tram-plus-Metro combination. Those alternatives may still exist or suit particular journeys, but Line 14 should be checked first for a central Paris destination.

Orly on Line 14 also uses the €14 Paris Region <> Airports ticket. A standard city Metro ticket is not valid for the airport station simply because the train is branded as a Metro. Load the correct product before travelling and pay attention to the ticket-medium compatibility rules shown by RATP.

Public transport is usually cheaper and often competitive in time when traffic is heavy. A taxi is more attractive when two or more people are sharing the cost, you have large luggage, you are travelling with young children, mobility is limited, or your accommodation requires awkward transfers from RER/Metro. Paris airport taxis operate under regulated arrangements; use the official taxi queue rather than accepting unsolicited offers inside the terminal.

Before choosing, compare door-to-door complexity rather than train time alone. A hotel two stair-heavy transfers from RER B may make a taxi sensible; a hotel beside Gare du Nord makes RER B extremely efficient. At Orly, a hotel near Line 14 can make public transport unusually easy.

The rail network does not run all night. Generic hours are not enough for a 5am check-in or a delayed arrival after midnight: verify the actual first/last service for your terminal and date. Engineering work can also close sections of RER or Metro at night or on weekends.

For very early departures, a pre-booked transfer or official taxi may be the most reliable choice. If using night buses, build in substantial margin and confirm the stop before travel. Missing a flight to save a modest transfer cost is false economy.

Paris-Beauvais is well outside central Paris and is commonly used by low-cost carriers. A cheap fare can still be worthwhile, but only after adding the official ground-transfer cost and the extra time on each end. Do not compare a Beauvais flight with a CDG or Orly flight using airfare alone.

Use Beauvais Airport's current official transport instructions because coach termini and schedules can change with operational arrangements. For a short city break, two long airport transfers can consume a surprisingly large share of the trip.

The €14 airport ticket is available in digital form on supported Navigo Easy media and compatible phones/watches, as described by RATP. The operator also warns that some ticket types cannot be loaded together on the same medium. If your Navigo Easy still holds legacy or incompatible products, follow the machine/app prompts rather than forcing the purchase.

If using a phone as your ticket, arrive with sufficient battery and do not assume screenshots constitute a valid transport ticket. Keep the ticket medium accessible until you have completely exited the system.

RER B and Metro Line 14 are normal urban transport, not airport express trains with guaranteed luggage racks and porters. Trains can be busy. Keep bags compact, avoid blocking doors and keep valuables controlled in crowded stations. Lift and escalator availability varies, particularly once you transfer onto older Metro lines.

Travellers needing step-free routes should plan the whole journey, including the final station, through official accessibility information. A line can be accessible at the airport but your chosen interchange or destination station may not be.

Choose RER B from CDG when your destination is near the line or an easy central interchange and you can manage luggage. Choose Line 14 from Orly when it connects directly or with one simple change. Choose an official taxi when the group size, luggage, mobility, late hour or final address makes transit cumbersome. For Beauvais, start with the airport's own coach/transport plan before committing to the flight.

Then re-check on the day. Airport transport is unusually sensitive to works, strikes, weather and terminal operations. The correct route six months ago can be the wrong route on a particular Sunday.