Which terminal does my airline use at Paris CDG?+
Terminal 1: Star Alliance carriers (United, Lufthansa, SWISS, Turkish) plus Etihad, Royal Air Maroc, Aer Lingus. Terminal 2A: oneworld (BA, American, Iberia, Cathay, Finnair) plus Qatar Airways. Terminal 2E + 2F + 2G: Air France + KLM long-haul, Delta. Terminal 2C + 2D: Air France regional + ITA + Aegean. Terminal 3: low-cost (easyJet, Vueling, Wizz Air, Pegasus). T2 sub-terminals are connected airside.
How do I get from CDG to central Paris?+
RER B train (€11.80, 32-50 min) — direct to Gare du Nord, Châtelet-Les Halles, Denfert-Rochereau. Runs every 10-15 min. Watch for strikes (grèves). Flat-rate taxis: €56 to the Right Bank, €65 to the Left Bank (Seine south). Le Bus Direct €18 to Étoile/Trocadéro. Uber €45-€80. The new CDG Express opens 2027 — €24, 20 min to Gare de l'Est.
How long do I need for a CDG terminal transfer?+
Within Terminal 2 sub-terminals (2A↔2C↔2D↔2E↔2F): 15-30 min walk via airside connectors. T1 ↔ T2 requires CDGVAL train + re-clearing security: 45-60 min. T2 ↔ T3 by bus 15 min + re-security. Minimum connection time published by Paris Aéroport: 60 min same terminal, 90-120 min different terminals. Allow more if changing alliance (e.g. Air France to BA).
Where is the TGV station at CDG?+
Directly under Terminal 2 (between 2C and 2E) — accessible from any sub-terminal by airside walkway or landside lift. Direct TGV trains to Lyon (2h), Marseille (3h 15min), Bordeaux (4h), Lille (50 min), Brussels (1h 25min via Thalys). Book through SNCF Connect or direct at sncf-connect.com. Some Air France international flights include the TGV leg as a single ticket.
How early should I arrive at CDG?+
Schengen flights: 90 minutes. Non-Schengen long-haul: 2.5-3 hours. CDG security is notoriously slower than UK / German peers — peak times (06:00-09:00 + 17:00-20:00) can hit 45-90 min queues. Paris Aéroport posts live wait times at parisaeroport.fr. Fast Track (€10-€15) is sold per terminal — buy in advance, queue is much shorter.
Can I leave CDG during a layover?+
Yes for visa-free passport holders (UK / EU / US / Canadian / Australian + most South American + Japanese / Singaporean / Korean). Take the RER B to Gare du Nord (32 min), allow 4-5 hours minimum round trip for any city excursion. Note: CDG is far enough from central Paris that a short sub-3-hour layover doesn't leave time. Better use of a short layover: TGV to Disneyland Paris (12 min direct from CDG).
