CDG Connections

[janmitch]

My husband and I will be flying Air France from Atlanta to Rome for our cruise with a connection in Paris. I've read everything I can find about connections in CDG, but I still would love to hear from some of you about the best way to do this. We're traveling Business Class on our Delta Miles and have a 1 hour 35 minute connection on a Tuesday morning.

 

I've read horror stories about the shuttles around the airport (we have to go from 2E to 2F), and I've heard of people who just walk from one to the other. Is walking actually feasible? If we stay in the terminal do we still have to go through a "passport control" area before getting into 2F? Are the lines horribly long and slow as I've read? Is there a separate line for First and Business passengers like in security? How long should we REALLY need to get from one AF flight to another AF flight.

 

After an all-night flight, I know we'll be struggling from lack of sleep, so I feel that the more info I can have ahead of time, the better off we'll be. Thanks in advance to all of you who can help me out.

 

Jan :)

[ksps cruise fan]

My husband and I will be flying Air France from Atlanta to Rome for our cruise with a connection in Paris. I've read everything I can find about connections in CDG, but I still would love to hear from some of you about the best way to do this. We're traveling Business Class on our Delta Miles and have a 1 hour 35 minute connection on a Tuesday morning.

 

I've read horror stories about the shuttles around the airport (we have to go from 2E to 2F), and I've heard of people who just walk from one to the other. Is walking actually feasible? If we stay in the terminal do we still have to go through a "passport control" area before getting into 2F? Are the lines horribly long and slow as I've read? Is there a separate line for First and Business passengers like in security? How long should we REALLY need to get from one AF flight to another AF flight.

 

After an all-night flight, I know we'll be struggling from lack of sleep, so I feel that the more info I can have ahead of time, the better off we'll be. Thanks in advance to all of you who can help me out.

 

Jan :)

 

I've flown through CDG at least two times on trips to Florence and once to Rome. There's no way I would accept a routing with less than 2 hours between flights involving two terminals. I wouldn't even be unhappy with three hours between flights.

 

I've walked between terminals at least twice but I've also taken the bus. I actually like the walk since I usually allow plenty of time for the transfer. After the trans-atlantic flight, the walk feels particularly good, whether flying business or coach (done both). The Rome-home trip I also walked; I was toting a multi-pound wheel of cheese and frankly, pushing the small luggage cart with the cheese was easier than carrying that weight on my shoulder. (I travel with a 24" suitcase and a small tote MAX. If I've got a roll-aboard for a land trip, that is my only luggage.)

 

Yes, you will have to clear security at the second terminal.

[Mura]

We just did this for our October cruise -- JFK to CDG to Rome, and then back to CDG from Istanbul.

 

I think you have plenty of time IF your flight is on time. Our original flight to Rome allowed exactly one hour for us to get from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2 which made me very nervous. Then Air France changed the flight time so we ended up with about a 2 hour time span in between flights. That was more than enough. It took us about 45 minutes to get to the departure gate once we left the plane.

 

It is well marked in the terminal as to how to get from Point A to Point B but do look carefully, because a couple of times we nearly made a wrong turn.

 

But it IS do-able!

 

We nearly took the bus on the return flight from Istanbul but when we spoke to an Air France employee she assured us we had enough time, so we "walked the walk".

 

One benefit of flying business class is that they bump you to the head of the line where there is one. Not the customs line, necessarily, but any other line. Also, you don't have to worry about collecting luggage and then going to the next terminal.

 

Mura

[First Time 2008]

CDG is a disgrace because it was never designed as a connecting airport. It's okay as an origin or destination airport, but connections are tough. 1h35m is pushing your luck. It is doable if your inbound flight is on time, but you have to just keep moving.

 

As you said, you will arrive in 2E and depart from 2F. These are two separate buildings with no direct connection.

 

Here is what you will need to do, in a nutshell:

1. clear immigration to enter Schengen
   
2. make your way from 2E to 2F
   
3. clear security at 2F to get to your gate
   

You should not need to pick up your bags, as those will be checked through to Rome. Make sure the ATL people tag your bags to FCO.

 

You will need to move decisively and complete steps 1-3 as quickly as possible. Here are some tips for each step.

1. Probably no real way to speed through immigration. If you have a EU passport or ID card, use that lane, it's usually must faster than the foreigners. There is also a PARAFE service that is super fast, it uses automated gates and biometrics, but for that you have to pre-register. If you have previously register for PARAFE, you already know it. If you have not registered for PARAFE, this is not an option for you on this trip.
   
2. To go from 2E to 2F there is a shuttle bus ("navette") which is a disgrace and takes forever. But look at this map. Terminals 2E and 2F are directly across from each other. The navette travels along the curvy orange roads. But see the P in the middle? That is the parking decks. And what you don't see is that under the P are the rental cars. Yes, rental cars are located at ground level between 2E and 2F. So if you are mobile, from 2E do not follow signs for 2F (which will take you to the navette). Instead, take escalators down and follow signs for rental cars. Once in the rental car lot, continue straight ahead and follow signs to 2F. This is much faster than taking the navette. It's an easy walk, even pulling carry-on luggage. Avoid if ground is snow-covered (but then again, if there is snow you are already screwed, with your 1h35m connection).
   
3. At 2F, there are different groups of departure gates, each with its own security checkpoint. Make sure you first locate your departure gate, then go for that security checkpoint. Some passengers waste time by standing in line for the wrong security checkpoint. Make sure you are in the line for the security checkpoint that leads to your gate.
   

Good luck navigating CDG, and enjoy your cruise.

[ksps cruise fan]

As you said, you will arrive in 2E and depart from 2F. These are two separate buildings with no direct connection.

 

Here's a link showing an underground walkway between 2E and 2F:

 

http://www.easycdg.com/pages/terminal_2_for_pedestrianpag.html

[Mura]

Thanks for posting that link. We're going to be transferring to the train station in April and this will be MOST helpful.

 

Mura

[ksps cruise fan]

Thanks for posting that link. We're going to be transferring to the train station in April and this will be MOST helpful.

 

Mura

 

Glad to be of help. We've done what you're doing once before, taking the TGV directly from CDG to Lyon. I remember the process as being quite easy.

 

Incidentally, the time estimates on the pedestrian map are relatively low estimates. They seem to be from the front door of one terminal to the front door of another. There's considerable walking within the large terminal buildings.

[Mura]

Thanks for a second time!

 

Actually, I wasn't really believing those times ... I've done enough walking around terminals to know that 1-5 minutes is pretty optimistic. And we'll have our luggage with us this time. When we did the transfer from Terminal 3 to 2 in October we just had our carry-on.

 

(Our flight is due in at 6:05am and our train is 9:58am so unless we have a big delay, we'll be okay even if we get lost.)

 

I was looking at the CDG site trying to find a map from Terminal 3 to the TGV station. I didn't want to ask for more help, but do you know if such a thing exists? DH does fuss a bit! It's nice when I can say, "Come this way, dear."

 

Or does the map you sent really help us out there?

 

Mura

[ksps cruise fan]

Thanks for a second time!

 

Actually, I wasn't really believing those times ... I've done enough walking around terminals to know that 1-5 minutes is pretty optimistic. And we'll have our luggage with us this time. When we did the transfer from Terminal 3 to 2 in October we just had our carry-on.

 

(Our flight is due in at 6:05am and our train is 9:58am so unless we have a big delay, we'll be okay even if we get lost.)

 

I was looking at the CDG site trying to find a map from Terminal 3 to the TGV station. I didn't want to ask for more help, but do you know if such a thing exists? DH does fuss a bit! It's nice when I can say, "Come this way, dear."

 

Or does the map you sent really help us out there?

 

Mura

 

 

The same web site included an even better map for your purposes.

 

Here's the link: http://www.cdgfacile.com/1/airport-access/tgv-high-speed-train/tgv-station-map/

 

My only recollection from that trip, which was 10-15 years ago, was that we had to go to the correct level for the TGV tracks. This is borne out by the schematic showing lots of different levels for different purposes. I

 

I can't remember whether or not the signage was dual language, but we didn't have any problems just following the signs. (Admittedly, I do read/speak passable French.) This was definitely in the day before I would have gone on the internet looking for a map.

[Mura]

Thanks again!

 

My french is still good enough for conversation so I'm not worried about following the signs even if they are only in french.

 

This is great, I appreciate it!

 

Mura

[JimandStan]

Des passagers volant en Europe des Etats-Unis sont habituellement autorisés pour faire les achats exempts de droits à l'aéroport ou sur l'avion.

 

Malheureusement, l'Union européenne ne peut pas convenir sur la façon dont maintenir le statut exempt de droits de ces marchandises dans un " ; à travers-airport" ;.

 

En bref, n'achetez pas l'enroute exempt de droits en Europe, à moins que vous puissiez faire ainsi à votre ville de destination.

 

This has been a test of the EMERGENCY FRENCH SYSTEM

IF THIS HAD BEEN AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY, YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO CHAIN SMOKE AND WORSHIP JERRY LEWIS AS A GENIUS.......

[Mura]

Saw an article in (I think) Smarter Travel recently where the french passengers on an Aer Lingus flight were terrified at the canned announcement to prepare for a crash landing.

 

Someone had pushed the wrong button and apparently none of the crew spoke french well enough to know what the passengers were hearing.

 

The non-french speaking passengers, of course, were oblivious and kept on drinking their drinks and munching their munchies.

 

Mura

[janmitch]

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions and the links to the maps. "First Time 2008", I appreciate your detailed guide to walking through the airport. I sure hope I can follow it once I finally arrive in my sleep-deprived state. :)

 

JimandStan - sorry, it's been too many years since college French. I could only make out a few of the words. I hope you weren't insulting me. :) I really do appreciate how people help each other on these boards!! Let me know, please, if it's something I should know before I leave.

 

Jan :)

[JimandStan]

JimandStan - sorry, it's been too many years since college French. I could only make out a few of the words. I hope you weren't insulting me. I really do appreciate how people help each other on these boards!! Let me know, please, if it's something I should know before I leave.

 

LOL, that earlier message started out as a caution against making duty free purchases when your flight to Europe involves a "through airport".

 

It came across as so officious in French that I just had to give it that twist at the end.

The distance between Insanity and Genius is measured only by success.