Transfers in Paris

About Paris

Paris is the capital of France and home to around 2.1 million people inside the périphérique ring road, with roughly 12 million across the wider Île-de-France region. The city is laid out as 20 numbered arrondissements spiralling out from the Louvre, which makes navigation straightforward once you know whether your hotel is on the Rive Droite (right bank) or Rive Gauche (left bank) of the Seine. Most first-time visitors stay between the 1st and 8th arrondissements for easy walking access to the Louvre, the Tuileries, Saint-Germain and the Champs-Élysées.

The city has served as a European capital for more than a thousand years and the historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Expect dense Haussmann-era boulevards, narrow medieval lanes in the Marais, and grand 19th-century monuments scattered across the city. French is the working language and English is widely spoken in tourist-facing businesses, though a polite “bonjour” before any request is always appreciated.

Getting around

The Paris Métro covers 16 lines and 321 stations and is the fastest way to cross town for short hops. A single ticket costs a few euros and a Navigo Easy card is worth picking up if you’ll make more than five journeys. The RER suburban rail links the centre to both airports, Versailles and Disneyland Paris. Buses are useful above ground and trams ring the outer edge. Cycling on Vélib’ rental bikes is popular along the Seine and the canal Saint-Martin.

Taxis are metered and plentiful at official ranks, but pricing on the day is unpredictable during rain, peak hours or strike action. For airport runs and group transfers a pre-booked fixed-fare car is the calmer option because you know the price before you travel and a licensed local driver is waiting on arrival.

Best time to visit

Late spring (April to June) and early autumn (September to October) are the most comfortable windows, with daytime highs of 18 to 24°C and longer daylight hours for terrace dining. July and August are warmer but many Parisians leave the city, so some neighbourhood bistros close. Winter is cool and grey with occasional crisp blue days that suit museum visits and Christmas markets along the Champs-Élysées.

Avoid the first weekend of any French school holiday if you can; traffic on the A1 to CDG and the A6 to Orly slows noticeably and transfer times can stretch by 20 to 30 minutes.

Transferring from Paris’s airports

Paris is served by two main international airports. Charles de Gaulle (CDG) lies 30 km north-east of the city and handles long-haul and most European flights across three terminals. Orly (ORY) sits 18 km south and is busier for domestic and short-haul European routes, split between Orly 1-2-3 and Orly 4. Beauvais-Tillé (BVA) sits 77 km north and is used by some low-cost carriers.

A pre-booked private transfer to or from either airport gives you a fixed price with no late-night or surcharges, flight tracking so the driver adjusts to your actual landing time, meet-and-greet with a name sign in arrivals, and 60 minutes of free wait time. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before pickup.

Common transfer routes

• CDG to Louvre / 1st arrondissement: 45 – 70 min, 30 km
• CDG to Gare du Nord: 35 – 55 min, 25 km
• CDG to La Défense: 40 – 60 min, 28 km
• Orly to Eiffel Tower / 7th arrondissement: 30 – 50 min, 18 km
• Orly to Montparnasse: 25 – 45 min, 16 km
• Disneyland Paris to CDG: 30 – 50 min, 35 km
• Beauvais (BVA) to central Paris: 75 – 110 min, 77 km

Times vary with traffic on the A1, A6 and the boulevard périphérique, especially on weekday mornings and Sunday evenings.

Booking your Paris transfer

Enter your pickup point, destination, date, time and passenger count, then choose a vehicle class that fits your group and luggage. The fare you see is the fare you pay, including tolls and meet-and-greet. You’ll receive confirmation by email with your driver’s contact details ahead of pickup, and you can cancel for free up to 24 hours before. Payment is by Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Alipay, iDEAL, Wero or PayPal.