RER B vs Taxi vs Private Transfer: CDG to Paris Compared
The three realistic ways from Charles de Gaulle to central Paris in 2026 — €14 train, €56–65 taxi, private transfer from €100 — compared honestly on price, time, luggage and stress.
Aug 5, 2026
Quick summary
Three ways into Paris from CDG in 2026, three different logics. The RER B train (€14 with the airport ticket, €7 for children 4–9) is unbeatable on raw price and takes 35–50 minutes — but it is station-to-station, crowded at rush hour, hard with luggage, and stops around midnight. The official taxi costs a legally fixed €56 (Right Bank) or €65 (Left Bank), door-to-door from the rank, 24/7 with no supplements. A pre-booked private transfer costs from €100 (sedan, up to 3) or €130 (V-Class, up to 7) and adds what neither offers: a driver tracking your flight, a name sign in arrivals, and a price locked before you fly. Solo with a backpack: take the train. Two people with suitcases: taxi. Family, group, late arrival or tight schedule: private transfer. And note: the old Roissybus was discontinued in March 2026.
Every arrival at Charles de Gaulle faces the same three-way choice: the RER B train, the taxi rank, or a pre-booked private transfer. Each one is the right answer for somebody — and the wrong answer for somebody else. Here is the 2026 comparison with real prices, so you can decide in thirty seconds which somebody you are.
The Three Options Compared (2026 Prices)
| RER B Train | Official Taxi | Private Transfer (KAR GO) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | €14/adult · €7 child 4–9 | €56 Right Bank / €65 Left Bank — fixed | From €100 (up to 3) · €130 (up to 7) — fixed |
| Journey time | 30–50 min to central stations | 45–75 min door-to-door | 45–75 min door-to-door |
| Door-to-door | No — station to station + metro/walk | Yes, from the rank | Yes, driver meets you in arrivals |
| Luggage | Stairs, turnstiles, crowded cars | Included, boot space | Up to 7 suitcases (V-Class) |
| Pre-bookable | No need | No (booking adds €4–7) | Yes — price locked in advance |
| Flight delay | Just take a later train | Queue when you land | Tracked — driver adjusts, 45–60 min included |
| Night | Stops ~midnight | 24/7, same price | 24/7, same price, pre-scheduled |
| Best for | Solo, light luggage, daytime | Pairs, spontaneous, any hour | Families, groups, tight schedules |
All figures verified August 2026: RER fare from Île-de-France Mobilités (airport ticket, in force since 1 January 2026), taxi flat rates from the decree of 24 December 2025, transfer prices from KAR GO's booking engine.
The Real Cost Per Person
Raw price is the train's argument, and it is a good one — €14 beats everything. But the gap shrinks fast as your group grows, because cars price per vehicle and the train prices per seat:
| Group | RER B total | Taxi (Right Bank) | Private V-Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 adult | €14 | €56 | €100 (sedan) |
| 2 adults | €28 | €56 (€28 each) | €100 (€50 each) |
| 2 adults + 2 children | €42 | €56 (€14 each) | €130 (€32.50 each) |
| 4 adults | €56 | €56 (€14 each) — if bags fit | €130 (€32.50 each) |
| 6–7 people | €84–98 | Two taxis: €112–130 | €130 (€18.60–21.70 each) |
Two honest observations. First: at four people, the taxi already matches the train on total price — door-to-door. Second: from five people, one V-Class undercuts the two taxis you would otherwise need, and everyone travels together. The train stays cheapest for solo travellers, and that will not change.
The Part Price Tables Miss: Luggage, Stairs and Midnight
The RER B's fare buys a seat, not help. Between the platform at CDG and your hotel door there are escalators that may be out of service, turnstiles that fight your suitcase, rush-hour carriages with nowhere to put it, and a final metro connection or walk. Travellers do this every day — but doing it with two large bags, a stroller or tired children is a different experience from doing it with a backpack.
Timing is the other silent factor. The RER stops around midnight and thins out early in the morning; the taxi rank runs 24/7 at the same fixed price; a private transfer is the only option that is guaranteed before you even land, whatever the hour — which is precisely why late arrivals and pre-8 AM departures are its home ground.
Choosing between taxi and Uber specifically? That match has its own rules — see Uber vs Taxi at CDG Airport.
Verdict: Which Should You Take?
| Your situation | Take |
|---|---|
| Solo or couple, light luggage, daytime arrival | RER B — €14, fast, frequent |
| Two people, suitcases, hotel not near RER | Official taxi — €56–65 fixed from the rank |
| Family with children or a stroller | Private transfer — driver, name sign, child seats free |
| Group of 5–7 | Private V-Class — one vehicle, €130 fixed |
| Arrival after midnight / departure before 8 AM | Private transfer (pre-booked) or taxi |
| Budget above all, near metro 13/14 or RER D | Express bus 9517 (€2.05) — the Roissybus successor |
Full guides for both directions: CDG Airport to Paris — the complete arrival guide and Paris to CDG — how to get there.
Key takeaways
- RER B is the cheapest at €14 per adult (dedicated airport ticket — the standard €2.55 ticket is NOT valid at CDG) and often the fastest to Right Bank stations: about 30 min to Gare du Nord.
- Official taxis charge fixed 2026 rates from the CDG ranks: €56 Right Bank / €65 Left Bank — door-to-door, 24/7, luggage included, no night supplement.
- A private transfer is the only pre-booked option: from €100 (E-Class, up to 3) or €130 (V-Class, up to 7), flight tracked, driver waiting in arrivals with a name sign.
- With luggage, the RER B's real cost is physical: stairs, turnstiles, crowded carriages and a metro connection at the end — manageable solo, genuinely hard with children or 2+ suitcases.
- After midnight the RER B stops running; the taxi rank and pre-booked transfers are the only realistic options. The Roissybus no longer exists (discontinued 1 March 2026).
- Per person in a full V-Class (7 passengers), a €130 private transfer is €18.60 each — barely more than the €14 train ticket, door-to-door.
