How much time needed at CDG

[sbauc]

Does anyone have any idea how much time we need to allow between flights in and out of CDG?
Assuming we arrive on time, at 0935 from the States, I am trying to decide if we can make a 1230 flight to Pau or a 1255 flight to Biarritz. We will arrive Terminal 2A and the other flights leave from 2G. We then plan to take a taxi service to SJPP. The train times from CDG-SJPP just aren't working for us, since it's a weekend.

 

[Felipe]

I usually consider that 2:30 hrs is the minimum safe choice for migration+catching another flight.
But I think Biarritz is more convenient for travelling to SJPP (there are many choices, including train), and the flight gives you a half extra hour.
I don't know about Pau, but it is possible that from there, you could need to travel to Biarritz/Bayonne anyway.
Pau would be great if you were planning to start in Lourdes or Oloron.

 

[whariwharangi]

The big deal is getting from 2A to 2G. You need N1 shuttles from 2A to 2F (20 minutes plus 7 minute wait). Then shuttle N2 from 2F to 2G (15 minutes plus 5 minutes wait). It looks like it could take up to 47 minutes.

3 hours should be enough but it depends on your flight from US arriving on time.

Paris airports - (worst website ever ... it keeps changing and finding information is bad)
http://www.parisaeroport.fr/en

Shuttles
http://www.parisaeroport.fr/en/passengers/access/paris-charles-de-gaulle/inter-terminal-shuttles

If you have 1255 flight to Biarritz you should be able to take Chronoplus bus 14 from airport to Gare Bayonne and catch SNCF train from Bayonne to SJPdP.

 

[sbauc]

Thank you, both! If we take the 1255 to Biarritz it doesn't arrive until 4:15pm. The train leaves Bayonne at 6:06. I don't know if that's enough time, so we would probably have to taxi to SJPP. ($132 ea.) If we fly into Pau, our connection time in CDG is a bit less, but it's a nonstop flight to Pau, arriving at 2:00. We would not take the train from Pau. The taxi service is only $67 per person and driving time is about 1.5 hrs. However we go, there's not a big difference in cost or arrival time in SJPP, just not sure if 3-3.5 hrs is enough connection time at CDG. Don't we have to go thru passport control/immigration/customs or something once we arrive into France and before getting on another plane? P.S. EasyCDG website says 60 min. is all the time needed but I find that hard to believe.

 

[billmclaughlin]

You won't have any trouble catching the 6:06 from Bayonne. Note that Biarritz/Bayonne are one conglomeration and the distance from the airport to the Bayonne station is 15 minutes by taxi and will cost far less than $132 each. You'll likely have time to take the bus rather than a taxi.

Others may know differently, but I believe you can walk within CDG from 2A to 2F.

 

[sbauc]

You won't have any trouble catching the 6:06 from Bayonne. Note that Biarritz/Bayonne are one conglomeration and the distance from the airport to the Bayonne station is 15 minutes by taxi and will cost far less than $132 each. You'll likely have time to take the bus rather than a taxi.

Others may know differently, but I believe you can walk within CDG from 2A to 2F.

Ok. Thank you. Then we would probably take the train from Bayonne. I don't know if walking from 2A to 2G is possible, or not. Even after searching web I can't figure out if we have to go thru some kind of passport check between gates, especially if we carry on our packs and don't have to go to baggage claim.

 

[sbauc]

The big deal is getting from 2A to 2G. You need N1 shuttles from 2A to 2F (20 minutes plus 7 minute wait). Then shuttle N2 from 2F to 2G (15 minutes plus 5 minutes wait). It looks like it could take up to 47 minutes.

3 hours should be enough but it depends on your flight from US arriving on time.

Paris airports - (worst website ever ... it keeps changing and finding information is bad)
http://www.parisaeroport.fr/en

Shuttles
http://www.parisaeroport.fr/en/passengers/access/paris-charles-de-gaulle/inter-terminal-shuttles

If you have 1255 flight to Biarritz you should be able to take Chronoplus bus 14 from airport to Gare Bayonne and catch SNCF train from Bayonne to SJPdP.

Thank you, whariwharangi. I found the map but wouldn't have thought it would take 47 mins! Glad to know that! Do you think if we end up having to check our packs and claim them and then recheck that 3 hrs will be enough time between flights?

 

[whariwharangi]

Thank you, whariwharangi. I found the map but wouldn't have thought it would take 47 mins! Glad to know that! Do you think if we end up having to check our packs and claim them and then recheck that 3 hrs will be enough time between flights?

I've not been to Paris. I don't know how long it will take to get through customs etc.

You have to plan on check-in and security at 2G too. EasyCDG site says 40 minutes check-in deadline and 20 minute boarding deadline.

I think your time appreciation is tight. Its possible and worth trying but if your plane is at all late then you likely won't catch the flight to Biarritz (although its worth going for it till you know its gone because they leave late too).

Ok. Thank you. Then we would probably take the train from Bayonne. I don't know if walking from 2A to 2G is possible, or not. Even after searching web I can't figure out if we have to go thru some kind of passport check between gates, especially if we carry on our packs and don't have to go to baggage claim.

You have to go through passport control when you enter France. I think it is merely passport gets a stamp; you don't get the impertinent quiz that you get at US and Canada customs. The flight from Paris to Biarritz is domestic. You will likely have to claim your bag (but check with your airline if both flights are same service provider) and go through check-in again at 2G.

As the EasyCDG site says ... the one hour minimum between terminals in terminal 2 only applies if your baggage is checked through to your destination. I think they exclude 2G from that estimate too because it is a remote building.

The EasyCDG site says you can walk 2A to 2F (15 minutes) but 2G is remote and so you need to take the shuttle (N2) from 2F to 2G.

Note that my 47 minutes estimate includes full wait times for N1 and N2 shuttles which assumes you just missed the shuttle and have to wait the full period for the next. The minimum works out to 35 minutes ... and assumes you get on the shuttle and it goes.

If you arrive at Biarritz 1615,You should have no trouble catching the train at Bayonne. You do need to look at the chronplus website to find the last bus you can catch that will get you there in time. Bus 14 Airport Anglet to Gare Bayonne.

If you are really late take a taxi from the airport to Gare Biarritz and catch the 1745 train to Bayonne where it arrives 1755 ... giving enough time to catch the 1806 to SJPdP.

 

[GettingThere]

Thank you, both! If we take the 1255 to Biarritz it doesn't arrive until 4:15pm..

This doesn't sound right for CDG-Biarritz - the flight time is usually not much more than one hour. Is there a stop somewhere else? If it's not a direct flight I wouldn't bother with it - take the Pau option. You don't want to mess around with multiple connecting flights. Flying to Biarritz is a good option if it's direct, but it doesn't take 3 hours.

Edit: A belated thought: is the arrival time perhaps 14:15 rather than 4:15? That would make more sense in terms of usual flight time.

 

[The 5 McC's]

Ok. Thank you. Then we would probably take the train from Bayonne. I don't know if walking from 2A to 2G is possible, or not. Even after searching web I can't figure out if we have to go thru some kind of passport check between gates, especially if we carry on our packs and don't have to go to baggage claim.

We took a taxi from Biarritz to Bayonne last year. He took 5 of us as one was a child for the total price of 25euro.

 

[TMcA]

As others have said, you probably will have enough time. Probably.

On our flight to Paris in April out of Montreal our flight was 35 minutes late because the incoming aircraft had been delayed. I sat on the 6.5 hour flight wondering if we would make our connecting flight to Bordeaux. These things happen, along with long lines at passport control and perhaps at baggage claim if you check your bags. On our return flight from CDG to Montreal the departure was delayed two hours. Once we got on the plane we all had to deboard. A security matter. French security is necessarily heightened. So...

I personally would not want to begin a long and exciting adventure with reservations for a continuing flight and possible hotel reservations all set up and put myself and my wife at risk if things were to go wrong. It's not the way I want to start any vacation, any trip really. I'd rather allow plenty of time so that I don't have to start pulling out my mental worry beads. If time is short for your Camino, you can always save a day by taking a taxi into Leon, touring the city center for a few hours, and then taking a taxi or bus out of that city.

From someone who prefers some slack in his travel schedule, Buen Camino!

Tom

 

[peregrina2000]

I don't have any recent experience with CDG, but my first thought was to see if there is any way you can get both flights on the same ticket. In other words, can you find a US carrier that is partner with the airline that runs the internal flight? That way, if you book it all on one ticket you don't have to worry about this at all, because the problem is theirs. If you miss your flight, they rebook you. If you buy two separate tickets, and your first flight is late, you lose the fare you paid on the second flight and have to buy what is undoubtedly a much more expensive ticket at the last minute. Good luck with this, Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Kitsambler]

I'm with @TMcA: why, oh why, set yourself up for a significant probability of things going wrong at the very beginning of a trip which, by its very nature, is intended to be calm and quiet? CDG is notorious on several levels - it is very poorly laid out, the signage is uninformative/confusing/in French, and terminals that you might think are neighboring, due to the designations, aren't close at all. Add to that the possibility of transit strikes at any time, and the system is just not very elastic.

 

[billmclaughlin]

My relax strategy would be to take a train from CDG and enjoy a relaxing dinner in Biarritz or Bayonne or even Bordeaux. SJPP isn't going anywhere. If you can afford the time, that is.

 

[sbauc]

You won't have any trouble catching the 6:06 from Bayonne. Note that Biarritz/Bayonne are one conglomeration and the distance from the airport to the Bayonne station is 15 minutes by taxi and will cost far less than $132 each. You'll likely have time to take the bus rather than a taxi.

Others may know differently, but I believe you can walk within CDG from 2A to 2F.

Thank you!

 

[sbauc]

This doesn't sound right for CDG-Biarritz - the flight time is usually not much more than one hour. Is there a stop somewhere else? If it's not a direct flight I wouldn't bother with it - take the Pau option. You don't want to mess around with multiple connecting flights. Flying to Biarritz is a good option if it's direct, but it doesn't take 3 hours.

Edit: A belated thought: is the arrival time perhaps 14:15 rather than 4:15? That would make more sense in terms of usual flight time.

No it's not nonstop. It goes thru Marseille but it gives us a little more connection time in CDG

 

[sbauc]

I don't have any recent experience with CDG, but my first thought was to see if there is any way you can get both flights on the same ticket. In other words, can you find a US carrier that is partner with the airline that runs the internal flight? That way, if you book it all on one ticket you don't have to worry about this at all, because the problem is theirs. If you miss your flight, they rebook you. If you buy two separate tickets, and your first flight is late, you lose the fare you paid on the second flight and have to buy what is undoubtedly a much more expensive ticket at the last minute. Good luck with this, Buen camino, Laurie

I will check into this. Not sure if AA codeshares with AF, or not. Thank you

 

[sbauc]

This doesn't sound right for CDG-Biarritz - the flight time is usually not much more than one hour. Is there a stop somewhere else? If it's not a direct flight I wouldn't bother with it - take the Pau option. You don't want to mess around with multiple connecting flights. Flying to Biarritz is a good option if it's direct, but it

My relax strategy would be to take a train from CDG and enjoy a relaxing dinner in Biarritz or Bayonne or even Bordeaux. SJPP isn't going anywhere. If you can afford the time, that is.

I would love to do that but we can't make the morning train at 1016 and the next train isn't until 1809, taking 14.5 hrs, with 2 connections! If we wait until the next day (Sunday), the train leaves about 0800 and we wouldn't arrive SJPP until about 2200 that night! We don't want to stay a night in Paris (been there, done that) and also in Bayonne.

Edit: A belated thought: is the arrival time perhaps 14:15 rather than 4:15? That would make more sense in terms of usual flight time.

It is not a nonstop flight. It stops in Marseille. Yes, I actually would prefer going to Pau Since its nonstop, but it cuts our connection time down at CDG.

This doesn't sound right for CDG-Biarritz - the flight time is usually not much more than one hour. Is there a stop somewhere else? If it's not a direct flight I wouldn't bother with it - take the Pau option. You don't want to mess around with multiple connecting flights. Flying to Biarritz is a good option if it's direct, but it doesn't take 3 hours.

Edit: A belated thought: is the arrival time perhaps 14:15 rather than 4:15? That would make more sense in terms of usual flight time.

No, it's not nonstop. It goes thru Marseille. Pau is nonstop but we have 20 less minutes of connection time.

I've not been to Paris. I don't know how long it will take to get through customs etc.

My relax strategy would be to take a train from CDG and enjoy a relaxing dinner in Biarritz or Bayonne or even Bordeaux. SJPP isn't going anywhere. If you can afford the time, that is.

You have to plan on check-in and security at 2G too. EasyCDG site says 40 minutes check-in deadline and 20 minute boarding deadline.

I think your time appreciation is tight. Its possible and worth trying but if your plane is at all late then you likely won't catch the flight to Biarritz (although its worth going for it till you know its gone because they leave late too).



You have to go through passport control when you enter France. I think it is merely passport gets a stamp; you don't get the impertinent quiz that you get at US and Canada customs. The flight from Paris to Biarritz is domestic. You will likely have to claim your bag (but check with your airline if both flights are same service provider) and go through check-in again at 2G.

As the EasyCDG site says ... the one hour minimum between terminals in terminal 2 only applies if your baggage is checked through to your destination. I think they exclude 2G from that estimate too because it is a remote building.

The EasyCDG site says you can walk 2A to 2F (15 minutes) but 2G is remote and so you need to take the shuttle (N2) from 2F to 2G.

Note that my 47 minutes estimate includes full wait times for N1 and N2 shuttles which assumes you just missed the shuttle and have to wait the full period for the next. The minimum works out to 35 minutes ... and assumes you get on the shuttle and it goes.

If you arrive at Biarritz 1615,You should have no trouble catching the train at Bayonne. You do need to look at the chronplus website to find the last bus you can catch that will get you there in time. Bus 14 Airport Anglet to Gare Bayonne.

If you are really late take a taxi from the airport to Gare Biarritz and catch the 1745 train to Bayonne where it arrives 1755 ... giving enough time to catch the 1806 to SJPdP.

I would love to do that but we can't make the morning train at 1016 and the next train isn't until 1809, taking 14.5 hrs, with 2 connections! If we wait until the next day (Sunday), the train leaves about 0800 and we wouldn't arrive SJPP until about 2200 that night! We don't want to stay a night in Paris (been there, done that) and also in Bayonne.

 

[sbauc]

Arriving at 0930 on a Saturday morning is making it much more difficult to get to SJPP, since trains and flights are less frequent.

 

[jsalt]

Does anyone have any idea how much time we need to allow between flights in and out of CDG?
Assuming we arrive on time, at 0935 from the States, I am trying to decide if we can make a 1230 flight to Pau or a 1255 flight to Biarritz. We will arrive Terminal 2A and the other flights leave from 2G. We then plan to take a taxi service to SJPP. The train times from CDG-SJPP just aren't working for us, since it's a weekend.

Hi, as others have said, I would use the same carrier for the flight into and out of Paris. So if you miss the connection, due to delays, they are obliged to put you on another flight out of Paris. However, if it’s too late to do that, I would get the airport bus from CDG to Orly. Then the Air France flight from Orly to Biarritz at 13:45, arriving Biarritz at 15:05. Then the airport bus (or taxi) to Bayonne train station. Then the 18:10 train from Bayonne to St Jean Pied de Port. If I missed the last train I’d stay overnight in Bayonne, and get the first train in the morning. Or you could arrange a taxi from Biarritz to St Jean Pied de Port with Express Bourricot (http://www.expressbourricot.com/)
Jill

 

[peregrina2000]

I will check into this. Not sure if AA codeshares with AF, or not. Thank you

Air FRance is a member of an alliance with Delta. AA is in One World with Iberia and British Airways, which is a huge perk for those of us going to Spain, because we can get all those little internal flights on the same ticket. Good luck with the travel, sbauc.

 

[whariwharangi]

Arriving at 0930 on a Saturday morning is making it much more difficult to get to SJPP, since trains and flights are less frequent.

Saturday train schedule is not significantly different. Actually, you have more options because the last train from Bayonne to SJPdP leaves at 2110. Most days the last one leaves 1806.

arrive CDG 0930

RER B train from CDG 2 to St Michel Notre Dame. walk 5 minutes to Metro Line 4. Metro to Bienvenue Montparnasse. Allow an hour.
http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/

Gare Montparnasse SNCF TGV train departure 1225 Arr Bayonne 1734

Bayonne to SJPdP SNCF TER train departure 1806.

As you can see this gives you a bit more time to get from the plane through customs and onto the RER train. You could make it with as late as 1110 boarding RER train.

And --- given the last train from Bayonne leaves 2110 ... you could take the 1358 TGV train from CDG to Bayonne arriving 2048. That removes any time pressure.

 

[billmclaughlin]

Given that it's Saturday, I'd opt for the Air France bus from CDG to Montparnasse.

 

[whariwharangi]

Given that it's Saturday, I'd opt for the Air France bus from CDG to Montparnasse.

You have to look at the Le Bus Direct (formerly Air France Shuttle) schedule. It leaves 1106 ... and states 1:15 for the journey. So you get to Montparnasse at 1221. I doubt anyone could get from the bus to the train in 4 minutes. (Even if anecdotally the bus trip takes less than 1:15)

Given everything else ... the 1036 isn't an option ... particularly as you have to be there 10 minutes early.

 

[billmclaughlin]

Don't see why 10:36 isn't an option. And the ten minutes in advance is a suggestion that I've never seen make any difference at all.

And you can buy a ticket in advance. And at that hour on a Saturday you'll beat the 75 minute trip time.

And I've advocated above not trying to reach SJPP on Saturday. Unless rushed for time or on a tight budget, there are other approaches that change the train options, like a night in Bordeaux.

 

[whariwharangi]

Don't see why 10:36 isn't an option. And the ten minutes in advance is a suggestion that I've never seen make any difference at all.

And you can buy a ticket in advance. And at that hour on a Saturday you'll beat the 75 minute trip time.

And I've advocated above not trying to reach SJPP on Saturday. Unless rushed for time or on a tight budget, there are other approaches that change the train options, like a night in Bordeaux.

0930 arrival means there isn't enough time to get off plane through customs collect bags and get to bus stop by 1026. If the OP can make that timing they can also make the plane at 1255.

 

[sbauc]

Hi, as others have said, I would use the same carrier for the flight into and out of Paris. So if you miss the connection, due to delays, they are obliged to put you on another flight out of Paris. However, if it’s too late to do that, I would get the airport bus from CDG to Orly. Then the Air France flight from Orly to Biarritz at 13:45, arriving Biarritz at 15:05. Then the airport bus (or taxi) to Bayonne train station. Then the 18:10 train from Bayonne to St Jean Pied de Port. If I missed the last train I’d stay overnight in Bayonne, and get the first train in the morning. Or you could arrange a taxi from Biarritz to St Jean Pied de Port with Express Bourricot (http://www.expressbourricot.com/)
Jill

We already have AA airfare into Paris and apparently AA and Air France aren't in same alliance so I don't think that's possible. Haven't considered going to Orly. Will look at that. The 18:10 train from Bayonne is out of the question. It makes 2 stops and takes 14.5 hrs to get to SJPP. We would taxi or stay the night.

 

[mspath]

We already have AA airfare into Paris and apparently AA and Air France aren't in same alliance so I don't think that's possible. Haven't considered going to Orly. Will look at that. The 18:10 train from Bayonne is out of the question. It makes 2 stops and takes 14.5 hrs to get to SJPP. We would taxi or stay the night.

The 18:10 train from Bayonne does not take 14.5 hours! See the current timetable for line 62 TER from Bayonne for exact time.

http://www.ter.sncf.com/aquitaine

 

[sbauc]

Saturday train schedule is not significantly different. Actually, you have more options because the last train from Bayonne to SJPdP leaves at 2110. Most days the last one leaves 1806.

arrive CDG 0930

RER B train from CDG 2 to St Michel Notre Dame. walk 5 minutes to Metro Line 4. Metro to Bienvenue Montparnasse. Allow an hour.
http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/

Gare Montparnasse SNCF TGV train departure 1225 Arr Bayonne 1734

Bayonne to SJPdP SNCF TER train departure 1806.

As you can see this gives you a bit more time to get from the plane through customs and onto the RER train. You could make it with as late as 1110 boarding RER train.

And --- given the last train from Bayonne leaves 2110 ... you could take the 1358 TGV train from CDG to Bayonne arriving 2048. That removes any time pressure.

I considered going to Gare Montparnasse, but I wasn't sure if I had enough time for that either. Figured I might as well take the flights at 1230 or 1255 out of CDG. And those last two trains from Bayonne won't work at all. Too long. I'm letting this one day stress me out so much I'm having anxiety and I know that's not what this Camino is about. I'm trying to achieve the opposite!

 

[sbauc]

The 18:10 train from Bayonne does not take 14.5 hours! See the current timetable for line 62 TER from Bayonne for exact time.

http://www.ter.sncf.com/aquitaine

Oh Lord! You're right! I don't know what I looked at but I saw it more than once!

 

[sbauc]

Oh my gosh! Thank you all for your help! I don't know what I looked at but the later trains from Bayonne are not too long. I will start over...regroup, and consider all your advice. Thank you!

 

[jsalt]

Don’t worry, you are not alone, I also find the travelling there and back the most stressful part of the whole trip. Only once I have finally arrived at my destination do I give a huge sigh of relief. The rest, in comparison, is easy!
Jill

 

[billmclaughlin]

I'm assuming the flights are a bad option in the first place.

I guess I've not experienced the delays at CDG that others have. I've always gotten processed off and continued on my way easy peasy. Karma?

 

[whariwharangi]

We already have AA airfare into Paris and apparently AA and Air France aren't in same alliance so I don't think that's possible. Haven't considered going to Orly. Will look at that. The 18:10 train from Bayonne is out of the question. It makes 2 stops and takes 14.5 hrs to get to SJPP. We would taxi or stay the night.

RER B from CDG to station Antony. Then ORLYVAL shuttle from Station Antony to either terminal at CDG. Allow 1 hour; Or,

Le Bus Direct from CDG to Orly. Shuttle has 1:15 schedule. Anecdotally it is sometimes shorter than schedule but is also subject to traffic delays.

You still have the same check-in and security time requirements as at CDG.

The first train leaves Bayonne for SJPdP Sundays at 0745 and another at 1110. Travel time is about 1 hour. You might want to consider stopping for the night at Bayonne rather than try to find accommodation and a place to eat late in the evening in SJPdP.

 

[sbauc]

Don’t worry, you are not alone, I also find the travelling there and back the most stressful part of the whole trip. Only once I have finally arrived at my destination do I give a huge sigh of relief. The rest, in comparison, is easy!
Jill

Yes! I can't wait to get there so I can quit worrying about getting there!

 

[sbauc]

RER B from CDG to station Antony. Then ORLYVAL shuttle from Station Antony to either terminal at CDG. Allow 1 hour; Or,

Le Bus Direct from CDG to Orly. Shuttle has 1:15 schedule. Anecdotally it is sometimes shorter than schedule but is also subject to traffic delays.

You still have the same check-in and security time requirements as at CDG.

The first train leaves Bayonne for SJPdP Sundays at 0745 and another at 1110. Travel time is about 1 hour. You might want to consider stopping for the night at Bayonne rather than try to find accommodation and a place to eat late in the evening in SJPdP.

Yes, I am considering that, as well. Thank you