RER B

€11–€12 gets you from CDG to Gare du Nord fast

RER B is the budget train running from CDG Terminals 1, 2 and 3 into central Paris in about 30–40 minutes of actual train time, with tickets around $12–13 each way. Trains run roughly from 05:00 until around midnight, and regulars still pad that with an extra 15–20 minutes for waiting and minor delays. If you’re solo with a carry‑on heading to Gare du Nord, Châtelet–Les Halles, Luxembourg, Saint‑Michel–Notre‑Dame or Denfert‑Rochereau, this is usually the cheapest fast option.

From CDG, trains run every 10–15 minutes, thinning toward late evening and on weekends when gaps push closer to that 15‑minute mark. Most guides quote 35 minutes to Gare du Nord, but frequent flyers on FlyerTalk and Reddit usually budget 45–60 minutes station‑to‑station once you add walking to the platform, ticket machines, and slow running through the northern suburbs. Figure around an hour total to central Paris, door to door.

Step-by-step: using RER B from CDG

• 1. Find the station: From Terminal 2, follow “Paris by Train / RER B” signs to Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2–TGV; from Terminals 1 and 3, use the free CDGVAL shuttle to Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 1 station. Count on 10–15 minutes from gate to station if immigration is smooth.
• 2. Buy the right ticket: Use Île‑de‑France (IDF) ticket machines or staffed counters and buy a CDG ⇄ Paris ticket, not a single metro ticket; price is about €11–€12 ($12–13). Keep the paper ticket until you exit the final station gates in Paris.
• 3. Clear checks and reach the platform: At busy times there can be bag or ticket checks at the station entrance, adding 5–10 minutes before you reach the escalators down to the tracks. Follow signs for RER B direction “Paris / Robinson / Saint‑Rémy‑lès‑Chevreuse.”
• 4. Check the stops list, not just the terminus: Trains may show final destinations like “Robinson” or “Saint‑Rémy‑lès‑Chevreuse,” but what matters is the intermediate stops list on the screens. Make sure your station (Gare du Nord, Châtelet–Les Halles, Luxembourg, Saint‑Michel–Notre‑Dame, Denfert‑Rochereau) lights up before boarding.
• 5. Board smart: Regulars suggest standing toward the airport end of the platform so you end up near exits and cross‑platform connections at Gare du Nord and Châtelet. With luggage, avoid crush times roughly 08:00–09:30 and 17:00–19:30 when the central section packs out.
• 6. Ride and connect: The CDG–Gare du Nord segment takes around 30–35 minutes of train time; add another 5 minutes to Châtelet–Les Halles and about 10 more to Luxembourg or Denfert‑Rochereau. From those stations you can connect to Metro lines 2, 4, 5 at Gare du Nord; 1, 4, 7, 11, 14 at Châtelet; or several Left Bank lines from Luxembourg and Denfert.
• 7. Exit with your ticket ready: At arrival, feed the same ticket through exit gates; losing it can mean a fine of around €35 or more. Some stations, especially Gare du Nord and Châtelet, involve several minutes of corridors and stairs between RER and Metro platforms.

Watch out for and what regulars do

Pickpockets target RER B and interchange hubs like Gare du Nord and Châtelet–Les Halles; Reddit and TripAdvisor users repeatedly warn to keep zips closed, bags in front, and phones out of back pockets. Crowding between Gare du Nord and Châtelet during rush hour makes this worse, and many locals on r/paris say they skip RER B entirely if they have big checked bags after a long‑haul.

Service disruptions and strikes hit RER B several times a year, with replacement buses or partial closures through the central section around Paris. Some regulars check the RATP app and ride only as far as outer stops like Stade de France–Saint‑Denis before switching to Metro to bypass a blocked part of the line. If your flight lands after 22:00, check that last‑train time from CDG that night before committing.

One last tip: staying on the Left Bank, many FlyerTalk posters prefer getting off at Luxembourg or Denfert‑Rochereau instead of Gare du Nord to dodge the most chaotic transfers. Build a 15‑minute buffer into your plan in case you miss a train or run into a slow ticket line at the airport.