The cheapest way to get from Paris to Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) is by regular public buses, but they are slow and rarely the best option. For most travelers, the RER B train to CDG is faster and easier.
Transport from downtown Paris to Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) is always a bit of an ordeal. The best public transportation options, the fast and frequent RER B trains to CDG, have a hefty airport surcharge. The cheapest bus services to Charles de Gaulle are the two night bus lines (Noctilien N140 and N143) and daytime buses 350, 351, and 9517. However, these buses are slow and risky, especially when traveling to Charles de Gaulle Airport from Paris. (Roissybus was canceled permanently in March 2026).
Best Way to Get to CDG (Quick Decision)
- 🚆 RER B → best for most travelers
- 🚌 Bus → cheapest but slow
- 🌙 Night bus → best after midnight
- 🚖 Private transfers → comfort, direct
For most travelers, the RER B to CDG is the best option unless traveling late at night or with heavy luggage, when private transfers are certainly a more pleasant choice.
Cheapest Noctilien Night Bus to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport
The cheapest transportation between downtown Paris and Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) is the night buses that run only from after midnight to around 5 am. These Noctilien night bus lines N140 and N143 require only a standard Bus-Tram ticket and not the airport surcharge Paris Region <> Airports ticket or Roissybus ticket.
Both Noctilien night bus lines N140 and N143 connect Paris-Gare de l’Est (via Gare du Nord) with Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG):
- Bus N143 makes the journey around twice per hour in 45 minutes to an hour.
- Bus N140 is less frequent and follows a different route to the airport that takes well over an hour from Gare de l’Est.
Both bus N140 and bus N143 stop at all three airport terminals (at Terminal 2 only at the Gare TGV and not at various gates as with many other buses).
The night buses are the best option after midnight when RER B trains to CDG are not running. However, note that the terminals and stations at Charles de Gaulle Airport are mostly closed at night (between around 01:00 and 5:30). Travelers who have checked in or are transferring may remain in the departure halls throughout the night.
Basic Paris Public Transportation Ticket Prices in 2026:
Single tickets: €2.55 for Metro-Train-RER, €2.05 for Bus-Tram, €14 for Paris Region <> Airports, and €12.30 for a day pass. See Guide to Paris Public Transport Tickets for prices and details.
Cheapest Public Transportation Buses 9517, 350, or 351 from Paris to Charles de Gaulle Airport
These buses are mainly a budget option and are rarely the fastest or most convenient way to reach CDG.
The cheapest daytime transportation to Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) is on public transportation buses. However, from downtown, traveling time is much longer if traveling by bus rather than the RER B trains to CDG. These buses are without special space for luggage and follow slow routes with many stops.
For cheap transportation from downtown Paris to Charles de Gaulle Airport, the following three bus lines are of interest:
- Bus 350 from Porte de la Chapelle (Métro 12), sometimes stopping at Parc des Expositions (RER B).
- Bus 351 from Nation (RER A, Metro 1, 2, 6, 9).
- Bus 9517 from Gare d’Argenteuil via Stade de France – Saint-Denis (RER D), Saint-Denis Pleyel (Metro M14), and Carrefour Pleyel (Metro M13).
These cheap bus routes are rarely recommended by transportation apps, but are easy enough to check. At the IdF Mobilités or RATP apps, simply specify bus routes only, or even easier, check the full itinerary and then request that certain lines, such as RER B, be avoided.
Bus 350 from Charles de Gaulle Airport
→ Best budget option only if the bus stops at Parc des Expositions (rare for most of the day).
Bus 350 is sometimes a great savings option, but only for the buses stopping at Parc des Expositions, where it is possible to transfer to the RER B train for Paris. Such a connection requires a Bus&Tram ticket and a Metro-Train-RER ticket, which together are only about a third of the Paris Region <> Airports ticket.
Unfortunately, line 350 buses stop at Parc des Expositions only at off-peak times. When they do, this option adds only a few minutes to traveling time compared to taking the RER B directly from the airport. From Terminal 1, the bus takes only 10 minutes to Parc des Expositions and may even be quicker than taking the CDGVAL shuttle to the airport train station. However, double-check that bus 350 stops at Parc des Expositions before setting out.
The details make it sound more complicated than it is, but if the bus doesn’t stop at Parc des Expositions, your only recovery option is back to the expensive airport surcharge ticket.
Bus 350 runs between two and four times per hour. The traveling time all the way to Porte de la Chapelle is around an hour. Metro 12 provides transportation further into central Paris from Porte de la Chapelle.
Bus 351 from Charles de Gaulle Airport
→ Not recommended when time is important.
Bus 351 travels around two to four times per hour from Nation (RER A, Metro 1, 2, 6, 9) to Charles de Gaulle Airport. Travel time is around 60 to 80 minutes and could exceed the 90-minute limit of the Bus&Tram ticket if traffic is heavy.
These buses are rarely the best option for traveling to the airport. The standard recommendation of RER B is far more convenient, if more expensive. Especially when traveling to the airport, taking a bus can be risky if traffic is unexpectedly heavy. Bus 350 via Parc des Expositions, especially from Terminal 1, is a great savings option, but unfortunately, most 350 buses do not stop at this RER B station.
Bus 9517 from Charles de Gaulle Airport
Bus 9517 connects the airport with Gare d’Argenteuil. It runs through the northern suburbs of Paris. Along the way, it has stops at stations with good train connections to Paris, including Stade de France – Saint-Denis (RER D), Saint-Denis Pleyel (Metro M14), and Carrefour Pleyel (Metro M13).
This bus route is sometimes advertised as the replacement Roissybus service, but that claim is very misleading. It has none of the convenient flat floor, direct transportation to central Paris that made the discontinued Roissybus a popular choice.
Bus 9517 is a sensible choice for the northern suburbs, but for most travelers, RER B to CDG is an easier option to central Paris.
Public Transportation to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) in 2026
Public transportation to CDG airport is easiest using the Paris Region <> Airports Ticket, valid on metro, RER, and trains.
- Best option: RER B train from Paris to CDG (fast and frequent).
- Budget option: public buses (slow).
- Private transfers for comfort and convenience.
- Transfer to Paris-Orly Airport (ORY) by train.
- Also see: transportation to Orly Airport (ORY).
→ Check routes at RATP or IDF Mobilités.