Paris Charles de Gaulle airport (IATA code: CDG • ICAO code: LFPG), commonly known as “Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport” or “Roissy airport”, is an international airport located in Roissy, 23 km northeast of Paris (France). It is the first airport in France by its size, the second largest airport connection platform in Europe (after London-Heathrow airport in the United Kingdom) and the tenth airport in the world in 2022 for passenger traffic with 57.5 million passengers.
Opened in 1974 (terminal 1) to cope with the saturation of Orly airport, it bears the name of Charles de Gaulle who was President of the Republic when the creation of the airport was decided in 1964.
The airport, with its terminals, its four runways, its heliport and its various activity zones is spread over the departments of Val-d’Oise, Seine-Saint-Denis and Seine-et-Marne. It occupies more than half of the territory of the commune of Roissy-en-France with an area of 32 km2.
The airport is commercially operated by Paris Aéroport (Groupe ADP).
Charles de Gaulle Airport has three terminals: Terminal 1 is the oldest and situated opposite to Terminal 3; Terminal 2 is located at another side with 7 sub-terminal buildings (2A to 2G). Terminal 2 was originally built exclusively for Air France; since then it has been expanded significantly and now houses other airlines. Terminals 2A to 2F are interconnected by elevated walkways and situated next to each other. Terminal 2G is a satellite building connected by shuttle bus.
Terminal 3 (formerly known as “Terminal 9”) hosts charter and low-cost airlines. The CDGVAL light-rail shuttle connects Terminal 2 to Terminals 1/3 and their parking lots.
Prior to the pandemic, Charles de Gaulle Airport had assigned all Star Alliance members to use Terminal 1, Oneworld members to use Terminal 2A and SkyTeam members to use Terminals 2C, 2E (intercontinental), 2D, 2F and 2G (European routes). The assignments changed a number of times due to the pandemic.
Today, the airport has assigned Star Alliance airlines to Terminal 1, Oneworld airlines to use Terminal 1 for routes to Middle East and Asia, and 2B for flights to the Americas, Africa, and Europe (due to the closure of Terminal 2A), and SkyTeam airlines to use Terminals 2E for international routes and 2F for Schengen routes.
Currently, terminals 1, 2B, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G and 3 are operational. As of 18 April 2023, all airlines have been relocated to their new terminal assignments.
Main companies
The airport, more precisely terminal 2, was chosen by Air France to be, from April 2, 1996, its main airport connection platform. With the reorganization of its activities and its commercial offer, it is the main hub of the Air France-KLM group companies with Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Alitalia, Air France Hop and for Joon before its disappearance and merger with Air France. In addition, agreements with the railway companies SNCF and Thalys ensure intermodality. It is also the main European hub of the airline alliance Skyteam. EasyJet with 7.9% of traffic, Lufthansa with 1.6%, Delta Air Lines with 1.7% and Emirates with 1.4% of traffic are the other major companies at the airport.
The freight company FedEx decided in 1996 to make this airport its hub for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, which in 2005 became the company’s largest terminal outside the United States. Its competitor La Poste followed the same organization in 2003. In December 2016, FedEx announced an extension of its Paris-Charles de Gaulle hub, work on which began in the summer of 2017. Once completed in 2019, the operational logistics center express from Paris-Charles de Gaulle will increase its automated parcel sorting capacity by 40%.
How to get to?
Today it can be accessed by train (RER B and TGV), by road and by several bus lines. Within the airport there is a free automatic shuttle metro system, the CDGVAL.
The RER B connects the airport to Paris every 3 to 12 mins, in 26 mins (express) or 30 mins from Gare du Nord and in 30 mins (express) or 34 mins from Châtelet station – Les Halles with the monthly or annual Navigo package, dezoned from September 1, 2015, or for a cost of €11.45 (in 2023). One train in two, called express, does not stop between the Gare du Nord and the airport. This is the fastest, most regular and one of the cheapest ways.
The A1 motorway, which connects Paris to Lille, passes nearby and a ramp connects it to the airport putting terminal 1 around twenty minutes from Porte de la Chapelle, the northern entrance to Paris, with fluid traffic. The same highway passes under the tracks. One lane remains reserved for taxis and buses and, since 2020.
It is also possible to reach Porte de Bagnolet in around twenty minutes (with smooth traffic) by successively taking the A1 and A3 motorways.
Access is now open to the east of the airport: it allows direct access to terminal 2 from the RN2 and the A104.
Provincial taxis and Parisian taxis serve the airport. The prices for a trip to Paris, set by decree since February 1, 2020, are €53 to the Right Bank os the Seine and €58 to the Left Bank (in 2022). The wait at stations can sometimes be long at certain times.
Bus
RATP network with Roissybus to Place de l’Opéra in approximately 1 hour 20 minutes, at a price of €16.20 (in 2023), as well as buses from Roissypôle to Gare de l’Est (bus 350) in approximately 1 hour and Place de la Nation (bus 351) in approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Terres d’Envol network from Roissypôle to the Parc des Expositions station (lines 39 and 43);
Noctilien network, only means of public transport from the airport after the last RER B at 11:50 p.m.. The Noctilien N143 bus leaves Roissy towards the Gare de l’Est and the rest of the Noctilien network every half hour , from 00:02-00:12 to 4:32-4:42 depending on the terminals (in 2017), successively from terminal 3, Roissypôle bus station, terminal 1, platform D, gate 12 and terminal 2 F, door 2 in around 55 minutes, with the Navigo package or for a cost of 4 t+ tickets or €7.60 (in 2016).
The Noctilien N140 bus also connects every hour, from 1:00-1:10 to 3:00-3:10 depending on the terminals (in 2017), the Gare de l’Est in 80 minutes, via a long urban journey (at opposite of the Noctilien N143 bus which is direct to St-Denis then Paris).
Roissy Est network with Express line 93 which leads from Roissypole CDG1 bus station to Bobigny – Pablo Picasso, terminus of line 5 of the Paris metro with a last departure from CDG1 at 9 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. on Sundays and public holidays . It is the most economical solution to reach the capital, with the Navigo package or for €3.60 in 2015 with two t+ tickets (one for the bus, another for the metro).
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