How do I get from Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris to the Montparnasse train station ?

Natique2

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Hello all
I am flying into CDG Paris airport and need to get to the Montparnasse train station to catch the train to SJPDP. Is there a direct train from CDG to Montparnasse station? If so, where do I find it in the airport and how do I buy a ticket? If there is not a trim from the airport to Montparnasse station, do I need to take a taxi or Uber?
 
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This is the page from Paris CDG airport website with public transport options.


There is no direct train to Montparnasse. RER train line B takes you to Gare du Nord where you’ll need to take the metro or a taxi to Montparnasse station. There are ticket machines at the airport station and usually SNCF staff within sight to assist.

The Airport Bus takes you to Paris Opera.
 
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RobertS26

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So, there are many options. Bus, commuter train, and taxi. They each have their pros and cons. The bus and train are cheaper than a taxi. But they require greater navigation skills at the airport. They also take more time than a taxi.

On the other hand, a taxi ride is mindless, stress free, and does not require any navigation skills after an overnight flight. You simply walk out of the terminal, jump in the back of a taxi, say, "Gare Montparnasse," and about thirty minutes later you are standing in front of Gare Montparnasse train station for about $85.

Finally, if you are subject to jet lag, taking a taxi is highly recommended by this person. There is nothing worse than trying to figure out where the train station is located for the first time at CDG with a pounding headache and the strong desire to be away from loud sounds and other irritating stimulus that you could do really do without.
 
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Fred2a

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hi, the direct bus service to gare Montparnasse doesn’t exist anymore (covid bankrupt).
You can take an official taxi at the fixed price of 67€ (+supp luggage) or take the RER B to Denfert-Rochereau station then walk or take metro line 6 to gare Montparnasse.
 
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CWBuff

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As @Fred2a said above take the RER B to Denfert-Rochereau station then walk ... it's like 10 mins walk
To be fair I never had an issue finding RER B in CdG. Signs are well posted and now you get tickets at the automated kiosk.
IMHO that's the most efficient and cheapest option
Good luck and Buen Camino
 

joecollins

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Hello all
I am flying into CDG Paris airport and need to get to the Montparnasse train station to catch the train to SJPDP. Is there a direct train from CDG to Montparnasse station? If so, where do I find it in the airport and how do I buy a ticket? If there is not a trim from the airport to Montparnasse station, do I need to take a taxi or Uber?
How about the B line metro out of CDG to Denefort-Rochereau and then a 10 min walk to Montparnasse?
 
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StDenis

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RER is the cheapest option. Since you are coming from USA you will probably land in Terminal 2 where there is clear signage to the trains once you leave baggage claim. If using a taxi, then you need to go all the way outside the building to the official taxi stand. Rates to/from CDG are regulated so stick with the licensed cabs. There are many non-licensed people crowded around the exit from baggage claim who will be very happy to charge a lot more money from less than knowledgeable tourists.

RER to Gare du Nord then a taxi to Montparnasse is an option. For me, the walk from the Denfert station was a nice departure from sitting on a plane for 8 hours. Just look for the black 65 story office tower to point you in the right direction once you depart the station.

If taking the RER remember to hold on to your ticket. You will need it to exit the station. RER machines do have a problem reading the ticket sometimes so keep trying different machines. I just that happen a couple of weeks ago at a different RER station. Went to the ticket desk to complain but they said my ticket was valid and I should just keep trying. Welcome to Paris!
 
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joecollins

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RER is the cheapest option. Since you are coming from USA you will probably land in Terminal 2 where there is clear signage to the trains once you leave baggage claim. If using a taxi, then you need to go all the way outside the building to the official taxi stand. Rates to/from CDG are regulated so stick with the licensed cabs. There are many non-licensed people crowded around the exit from baggage claim who will be very happy to charge a lot more money from less than knowledgeable tourists.

RER to Gare du Nord then a taxi to Montparnasse is an option. For me, the walk from the Denfert station was a nice departure from sitting on a plane for 8 hours. Just look for the black 65 story office tower to point you in the right direction once you depart the station.

If taking the RER remember to hold on to your ticket. You will need it to exit the station. RER machines do have a problem reading the ticket sometimes so keep trying different machines. I just that happen a couple of weeks ago at a different RER station. Went to the ticket desk to complain but they said my ticket was valid and I should just keep trying. Welcome to Paris!
I was not aware of the RER and thus demonstrates my knowledge of getting around Paris :) .
 

Rex

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I was not aware of the RER and thus demonstrates my knowledge of getting around Paris :) .
Yeah, there a lot of options for transport in Paris and all of them can eventually get you to Montparnasse. Everyone has their own threshold for cost, time, irritation, etc... I generally take the RER for anything outside of the city that is less than 30-45 minutes away, including getting to and from CDG.
 
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Cham97425

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Good morning ,

If you don't particularly want to cross Paris, I should tgv Paris Cdg/, Bordeaux, Tgv Bordeaux/ Bayonne, Regional train to SJPDP.

On the other hand, I would take the trouble to buy my ticket on the sncf connect application to avoid a full train.
 
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HappyValerie

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This may or may not be relevant but last March, after walking from Gare du Nord to Montpanasse, I stayed in a lovely little hotel a few hundred metres from Montpanasse station ready for early morning train to Bayonne. It was called Arotel.
It was about the cheapest in the area, but from my 9th floor window I had an unobstructed view of the Eiffel Tower, so pretty at night. A world class view , about to be beaten by the daily views on the Camino
 

CWBuff

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How about the B line metro out of CDG to Denefort-Rochereau and then a 10 min walk to Montparnasse?

I was not aware of the RER and thus demonstrates my knowledge of getting around Paris :) .
Well... I think you're a bit hard on yourself. Seems like you "knew" it - you just called it a "metro line". In reality RER trains are more like suburban lines; in the city the RER acts as an express underground or subway train. Beyond Paris city centre, the RER is a ground level commuter train connecting outlying suburbs and popular destinations (there is A to Disneyland, B - to CdG and C to Versailles) vs 'regular' if you will 'inner city' Metro lines (these are numbered).
 
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CWBuff

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This may or may not be relevant but last March, after walking from Gare du Nord to Montpanasse, I stayed in a lovely little hotel a few hundred metres from Montpanasse station ready for early morning train to Bayonne. It was called Arotel.
It was about the cheapest in the area, but from my 9th floor window I had an unobstructed view of the Eiffel Tower, so pretty at night. A world class view , about to be beaten by the daily views on the Camino
BAH! Anything "Paris" is relevant (whether one is in Paris or not ;):))
One can certainly go up the top of Tour de Montparnasse - only "slightly' higher than its "more famous and much older" shall we say cousin?!

Me - I love to roam the cemeteries and being in Paris that never disappoints.
Cimetière du Montparnasse is a tad less that 1km from Gare so can comfortably walked in 15 mins or less.
Not as "awe-inspiring' as Pere Lachaise, perhaps but still worthy of a visit
Some entombments include F Auguste Bartoldi (sculptor of Statue of Liberty), Alexander Alekhin (Russian chess champion), Man Ray (a photographer), Jean-Paul Sartre (philosopher), Jacques Chirac (politician, Mayor of Paris & PM), Jeanne Sebert (American access), Susan Sontag (American author and philosopher), Alfred Dreyfus (he of Dreyfuss Affair), Serge Gainsbourg (composer & singer) and, as of late - Jean-Paul Belmondo and (my heart still breaks) Jane Birkin (Quoi? d´notre amour fou n´resterait que des cendres... :-()
 

MassNative

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hi, the direct bus service to gare Montparnasse doesn’t exist anymore (covid bankrupt).
You can take an official taxi at the fixed price of 67€ (+supp luggage) or take the RER B to Denfert-Rochereau station then walk or take metro line 6 to gare Montparnasse.

We stayed overnight in Paris, in a hotel one block from Gare Montparnasse. This is how we got there (RER to Denfert-Rochereau) after landing in CDG. Very easy trip and not a long walk to Montparnasse.

Jim
 
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DenWhite

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hi, the direct bus service to gare Montparnasse doesn’t exist anymore (covid bankrupt).
You can take an official taxi at the fixed price of 67€ (+supp luggage) or take the RER B to Denfert-Rochereau station then walk or take metro line 6 to gare Montparnasse.
This is the best option.
 
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Robert Wawrzyniak

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Map way has a really good app called Paris Metro which has a route planner option. We used it extensively and it didn't let us down. This is the route it came up with (and which we followed to get to Bayonne to start our camino)
 

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terryenroute

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Another option to consider, is to simply fly from CDG straight to Biarritz. Much simpler and faster. I found this flight on a randon day I selected and the price is no more than a taxi to Montparnasse.
 

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andylm65

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Hello all
I am flying into CDG Paris airport and need to get to the Montparnasse train station to catch the train to SJPDP. Is there a direct train from CDG to Montparnasse station? If so, where do I find it in the airport and how do I buy a ticket? If there is not a trim from the airport to Montparnasse station, do I need to take a taxi or Uber?
I took a bus.
 
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SueV

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Hello all
I am flying into CDG Paris airport and need to get to the Montparnasse train station to catch the train to SJPDP. Is there a direct train from CDG to Montparnasse station? If so, where do I find it in the airport and how do I buy a ticket? If there is not a trim from the airport to Montparnasse station, do I need to take a taxi or Uber?

I used a YouTube video from a site called ‘Show me the Journey‘, which is excellent. Type in Gare de Nord to Montparnasse and it’ll detail the route, handy to download the reverse journey for coming back. we found the directions clear and the Metro easy to travel.
 

Natique2

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We stayed overnight in Paris, in a hotel one block from Gare Montparnasse. This is how we got there (RER to Denfert-Rochereau) after landing in CDG. Very easy trip and not a long walk to Montparnasse.

Jim
That’s sounds terrific! Can you tell me how to get to the train starting at RER? Is that in CDG airport? Where do I buy the tix for the train ride from RER to Denfert Rochereau? Thanks so much for helping us! Truly appreciate your response!
 

Corned Beef

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Halfway down the page is the choice between TGV to Bordeaux (15:18) or the RER (B) which are more frequent.

Was in Paris this February - off peak - and the cost of the accommodation was eye watering. Or that could have been the cold winter winds along the Seine.
 
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MassNative

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That’s sounds terrific! Can you tell me how to get to the train starting at RER? Is that in CDG airport? Where do I buy the tix for the train ride from RER to Denfert Rochereau? Thanks so much for helping us! Truly appreciate your response!
Train station was right next to the terminal, I just follow the signs for RER/TGV.

You buy RER tickets at an automated machine at the terminal, menu has language option for the instruction screen.

You need the ticket to get through the station turnstile, which validates the ticket.

Jim
 
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Hello all
I am flying into CDG Paris airport and need to get to the Montparnasse train station to catch the train to SJPDP. Is there a direct train from CDG to Montparnasse station? If so, where do I find it in the airport and how do I buy a ticket? If there is not a trim from the airport to Montparnasse station, do I need to take a taxi or Uber?
You have Air France buses that go into Paris (and theycare NOT bankrupt as stated earlier!).

Les lignes des Cars Air France​

Ligne n° 2 : Place de l'Etoile ⇔ Porte Maillot ⇔ Aéroport Roissy CDG​

>>>>> Horaires et Tarifs ligne 2 des Cars Air France



Ligne n° 3 : Roissy Charles de Gaulle ⇔ Aéroport d'orly​

>>>>> Horaires et Tarifs ligne 3 des Cars Air France



Ligne n° 4 : Gare Montparnasse ⇔ Gare de lyon ⇔ Roissy CDG​

>>>>> Horaires et Tarifs ligne 4 des Cars Air France

You want Air France bus no. 4. Obtain your ticket at the ticket machine by first selecting your language, selecting whether you want a round trip or simple fare and use your credit card to pay. You will need the ticket to get on the bus.
 

whiteblaze

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I hope I get this clear for your benefit.
I booked my train trip to SJPdP directly from CDG at the TGV station – CDG2. (airport)

After boarding at 12:14 PM, I end up doing a change of trains at Massy TGV (48 minutes travel time) To a new train, which takes me all the way to Bayonne France. (approx travel time is 4 hours.)

When I reach Bayonne, I do another switch to another train to SJPDP. (Approx travel time one hour). You leave the train and ride up the street is the pilgrimage center where you’re supposed to check in for your trip.

I had a lot of trouble digging out information to locate the Gare Montparnasse rail station. I located an address of 17 Boulevard de Vaugirard ,75015 , Paris Fr.

Applied information to Goggle Maps and was able to locate the connector car routes to the station. Looked very busy.

Paris Massey TGV apparently reads as the Montparnasse train station. Massey seems to be a shortened abbreviation.

If I’m looking for this use of the trail line, you need to book early, rather than thinking you might get a ticket because the line was overbooked at one point when I called in and it took hours for me to book a trip. Hardly any different than the airline.

Hopefully my trip which starts on 8– 7–2023 works out OK. Hope to see you all along the way. Doing Santiago, Puerto, Lisbon, and then question. Question question question. Any suggestions?
 
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trecile

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Indeed.
Massy-Palaiseau is a station in the southern suburbs of Paris.
Montparnasse is a station inside Paris.
But of course the important thing is that @whiteblaze has a ticket that will get them from CDG to SJPdP.
 
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