CDG Airport Terminal 2 to Paris

CDG Airport Terminal 2 Train Station Atrium

This is a step-by-step photo guide of taking RER B Paris city trains from CDG Airport Terminal 2 to Paris city centre. From the CDG arrivals lounge to central Paris, I’ll guide you step-by-step on how to make this transfer. If you’re arriving at Terminal 1, see the CDG Terminal 1 to Paris photo guide.

For train times, train ticket prices, maps and other details see the Overview CDG to Paris by Train article.

* Alert! Construction works will affect the RER B in 2015.

Safety/Security: Thieves work on this train!

Arrival at CDG

Upon arrival at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport Terminal 2 the first thing that will happen after exiting the plane is immigration/passport control, which can be very quick depending on where you are sitting on the plane.  If you’re seated near the front of the plane and are the first to exit, you’ll be the first to go through immigration screening by French national police.  You could be past immigration within 5 minutes (or 40 if you’re the last to exit a large plane).

Next you’ll collect your baggage at the carousels.  Estimate a good 30 minutes for this.  Nothing out of the ordinary in terms of expediency, perhaps even a little slow.

Customs control for baggage is next, which is separate from passport control and handled by customs officers near the exit of the baggage collection area.  In general the customs officers spot check passengers and only stop those who (rarely) rouse their curiosity.  After this you’ll exit into an unsecured area of Charles de Gaulle Airport free to make your way to Paris or other cities via train.

If you happen to be arriving via Terminal 2G, the new Schengen (Euro Borderless Zone) terminal, you’ll need to take a shuttle bus to Terminal 2E/F in order to catch the RER train.  The shuttle buses, circulating every 4-5 minutes, can be found just outside the arrivals area of 2G.  [Thanks to Lynne P. for this updated information].
Back to Top

How to Get to the Train Station at CDG Terminal 2

Immediately upon exiting the baggage collection area doors of any CDG Terminal 2 sub-terminal (T2A through T2G), you’ll see the sign below providing directions to CDG Ground Transportation options.

I’ve circled in red on the right side Gare SNCF / Railway Station and also Paris par Train / Paris by Train.  Follow these two signs to get to the trains from CDG Airport Terminal 2 to Paris.

CDG Airport Terminal 2 Arrivals Area Sign

The CDG Terminal 2 arrivals area hall will look like this:

Notice the blue overhead signs? Those will point to Gare SNCF / Railway Station, Paris par Train / Paris by Train. Follow these signs to make your way to the train station located right within Terminal 2.

Here are some close-up photos of signs pointing to the CDG Terminal 2 train station:

At the end of each of the terminal buildings (there are seven sub-terminals at Terminal 2: terminals 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G) will be a large sign noting how long it will take to reach other terminals and the train station. In this photo, we see that the train station at Terminal 2 is 3 to 5 minutes walk from Terminal 2F.

Here is a map of Charles de Gaulle Airport showing the layout of CDG Terminal 2. Also visible are Terminal 3, Terminal 1 (which has its own train station) and CDGVAL shuttle train between CDG’s 3 terminals and parking structures.

(Courtesy of ADP)

The moving sidewalks between Terminal 2’s sub-terminals definitely speed up walking times:

CDG Moving Sidewalks

Closer to the train station area you’ll find more signs directing you down to the station.

CDG T2 Paris RER Trains & Grandes Lignes Sign

Train Station Photos

When you’ve arrived at CDG Terminal 2 train station, you’ll be on Level 4 of an atrium.  In the photo below you can see:

• Departures information board in the center with vertical curving display
• CDG information booth the far end, mostly obscured behind the arrivals/departures display board
• CDG Airport Baggage Storage services (orange color, run by Baggages du Monde) on the left of information booth
• Escalators down to Paris city trains (RER B) and Grandes Lignes trains (TGV intercity trains)

CDG Airport Terminal 2 Train Station Atrium

The photo below of CDG Terminal 2 train station was taken one level down from the above photo and shows (from left to right):

• TGV / Intercity train ticket office (barely visible, just beyond the seating area on left)
• seating / waiting area for Grandes Lignes / TGV trains departing CDG Airport train station
• Departures information board (top, center/left)
• Escalators down to CDG Train ticket offices level
• Train ticket vending machines, green, yellow and blue.
  • Green train ticket machines: Paris and suburbs city trains (tickets for Paris RER, Paris Metro, Transilien)
  • Yellow train ticket machines: TGV / SNCF and other highspeed/normal speed intercity trains (Thalys, Lyria, Eurostar, ICE, Intercities, Corail, etc.)
  • Blue train ticket machines: same as green machines – RER B tickets, Paris Metro, Versailles, Disneyland, etc.
  • Red machines are food vending machines for snacks and hot & cold drinks
• Overhead departures video screen showing next RER B trains departing to Paris
• Paris RER train ticket office at extreme right. Also sells Paris Metro tickets, day tickets, Pass Navigo, Paris Visite

CDG Terminal 2 Train Station Ticket Offices Atrium

Money, Information, Left Luggage – at CDG Terminal 2

A full service HSBC bank is available at CDG T2 train station (barely visible on right side of below photo).  You may wish to withdraw some Euro cash notes from the HSBC bank machine or exchange money from the clerk.  If you have non-smart-chip/PIN-protected credit cards, they work with the automated ticket machines.  Thus you’ll need Euro cash to buy your tickets from the ticket office.  The automated train ticket vending machines don’t take Euro cash notes, only coins.

CDG T2 – baggage storage, info booth, bank

Closer photo of HSBC bank at CDG Terminal 2 train station.

CDG T2 Train Station Bank

CDG Airport left luggage / bag storage services handled by Baggages du Monde.  On level 4 (same level at which you walked here to arrive). Contrary to what some information people are finding on other websites, left luggage services at CDG are open/running/in operation.  They are not closed due to security threats.

CDG T2 Bag Storage

Paris Metro/RER Train Tickets CDG Airport Terminal 2

CDG airport train ticket office in Terminal 2 is split into two separate offices on opposite sides of the atrium. Paris Metro / RER tickets and passes for traveling within Paris and the Ile-de-France area (Disneyland Paris, Versailles, etc.) has a sign outside reading Billets Paris et Ile-de-France visible in the photo below.

CDG Airport Train Ticket Office Terminal 2

To buy TGV Train tickets at CDG Airport visit the Grandes Lignes train ticket office on the opposite side of the atrium, across from the Paris et Ile-de-France ticket office. The Grandes Lignes ticket office deals exclusively with TGV train tickets and also other brands of intercity trains (Thalys, Eurostar, ICE, etc.). This includes sale, collection, refunds and changes of train tickets going between cities in France and to other European countries. Trains traveling to other cities within France (or other countries such as Belgium, Germany, England), are known as the Grandes Lignes trains. Popular France destinations include trains to Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, Nice, etc.

If you’re wanting to buy a simple train ticket to Paris and you have a smart chip credit card or Euro coins (not cash notes), you can use the blue or green Billetterie vending machines to purchase such tickets (not yellow). Note that you cannot buy the Pass Navigo from these automatic train ticket machines.  You must visit the Paris Ile-de-France ticket office to purchase the Navigo Pass due to the plastic physical card. Although, the Paris Visite multi-day train ticket, you can buy from these ticket machines.

CDG Airport Train Ticket Machine Terminal 2

Bear in mind that these machines will not work with credit cards without chip+PIN, still somewhat common in United States circa 2014/2015. Also, do not use the yellow ticket machines for Paris train tickets. The yellow machines are for TGV, Eurostar, Thalys and other intercity trains.
Back to Top

Paris Train (RER B) Platforms

After buying your train tickets or passes it’s time to turn towards the train platforms which will require descending another set of escalators or stairs onto Level 1. The Paris Train platforms are marked as “Voie” (“platform or lane”) 11 and 12 and also show “RER B Paris par Train“, the Regional Express Network trains that operate between Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Paris city centre.

CDG T2 RER B Paris Train Entrance Area

CDG T2 RER B Paris Train Entrance Doors

This is a photo overlooking Paris bound train platforms 11 and 12 at CDG Terminal 2 Station.

On the platform itself you’ll see signs noting that all trains are going to Paris, since Aeroport Charles de Gaulle is the terminus or end-of-line station for the RER B train line.

Note that although the platform sign reads Aeroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV, this platform shown is not the TGV train platform, it’s simply the name of this station as a whole.

Back to Top

Intercity (TGV) Train Platform

The CDG Airport TGV train platform entrance is located immediately left of the Paris Train platforms through a door marked “Porte S” leading to voie (lanes) 3 to 6.  The video screen overhead shows destinations of TGV Trains leaving CDG, train departure time and from which lane (voie).

CDG T2 TGV Train Platform Entrance

If you’re taking a TGV train to another city besides Paris, the train platform area should look like the following:

If you’re taking the RER B to Paris, remember to keep your train ticket with you at all times throughout the journey.  You may be asked by a ticket controller to show a valid fare or otherwise pay a penalty fare of 35€. The tickets are also required to exit the arrival station in Paris as there will be turnstiles protecting the exits, just as they protect entrances.

Finally, your RER train ticket is also good for connections onto the Paris Metro and other RER train lines once you’ve arrived in Paris given that:

• your connections are made within 90 minutes (counting from ticket validation time at CDG Train station turnstiles/gates)
• you don’t leave the confines of Metro/RER stations after arriving in Paris
• you aren’t transferring onto buses or trams –  your RER train ticket isn’t valid for them. You must purchase a new Metro/Bus/Tram ticket to transfer onto buses & trams.

The first Paris city centre station will be Gare du Nord, requiring about 30 minutes for the voyage from Airport CDG Terminal 2.  Paris stations along the RER B line after Gare du Nord will be Chatelet Les Halles, St. Michel-Notre Dame, Luxembourg, Port Royal, Denfert Rochereau and Cité Universitaire.
Back to Top

Schedules & Virtual Tour

The following train timetables show departure times of RER B trains leaving CDG Terminal 2 towards Paris and here are instructions on how to read Paris RER Timetables.

RER B Train Schedule (departure times) CDG Terminal 2 to Paris Mondays to Fridays (except holidays)

RER B Train Schedule (departure times) CDG Terminal 2 to Paris Saturday, Sunday and holidays

First & last trains timetable for Paris Metro and RER A / RER B trains.

Gares360.com has produced a virtual photo visit of CDG Terminal 2 train station, allowing you to visually see all levels of the train station.  Select the level & vantage point you wish to see on the bottom right hand corner of the screen.

Back to Top