Charles de Gaulle airport

Rockman

I booked with Alpha Rooms to stay in the Comfort Hotel Sacre Coeur which is close to Gard De Nord station. Alpha Rooms will do a transfer from the airport to the hotel and back to the airport for 2 people for £69.

Can anyone advise as to whether this is a good offer or should I catch the train from the airport to the Gard de Nord station? Is it easy to find the correct train to catch for Gard de Nord station and is the train expensive?

Thanks

bookworm1363

http://europeforvisitors.com/paris/articles/paris-cdg-ground-transportation-trains.htm for how to

and

http://europeforvisitors.com/paris/articles/paris-rer-tickets-and-trains.htm for prices.

Generally speaking it's like deciding whether to get a cab to and from Heathrow or get the tube and train.

The RER can be daunting to newcomers, in the same way the Tube in London can be, and rush hour is of course a pain... It boils down to: Would you rather travel in your own transport or take public transport?
£69 return for 2 people is very good value, IMO, for private transport, but it doesn't compare pricewise with public transport, obviously. If you can afford it, go with the car. Less stress, less chances of getting lost, less bumping luggage around, and a chance to see Paris as you arrive, if it's a first time, make the most of it and relax being driven around. That's why I would do.

PS: Pack good walking shoes, it's easy to cover miles in Paris and a lot of the old streets are still paved with cobblestones, and quite a few steep hills, so comfort walking gear is a must, as is a very good and detailed map! Oh, and even if you only know a few words of French, use them, there is nothing more irritating than the assumption that everyone speaks English... Even trying to speak French will earn you Brownie points as long as you are seen to try!

Rockman

The Paris Visite Pass seems like a good bet as I arrive on the Wed afternnon and leave on the Sat morning so a 3 day ticket would get me from airport and back and use of metro for the 3 days. I assume I will need zones 1-6 to cover the airport.

Just hope the 3 days start from the time the Pass isfirst used and not 3 calendar days.

Voyager2002

Firstly, the RER (local railway) is very easy. The fare is 8 euro per person each way (or was last summer). You board a train at the station that is part of the airport: it will be empty, because that is where the journey begins. You just sit there until you arrive at Gare du Nord. And no need to worry about traffic jams.

I don't think the Visite Paris pass is likely to be particularly good value for you. Most of the main attractions are close to each other, and walking between them is a real pleasure. If you just pay per ride whenever you want to use a bus or metro, you are unlikely to spend anything like the price of the Pass.