I just got back from a 10-day stay in Paris. Fantastic time! The low-light of the trip (by far) was my decision to use Parishuttle (http://www.parishuttle.com/) to get from CDG to my hotel in Paris.
It seemed like a great deal...only 19 Euro instead of the alternative, a 50-ish Euro cab ride. I booked online, I pre-paid. I was ready to go.
My flight landed at 9:30am. I was out of customs, bag in hand, standing in the exact spot I was supposed to for my shuttle pick up by 10:30am. I did not get to my hotel in Paris until 1:45pm!
At least 7 Paris Shuttles came by. Each time, the driver checked his list for my name. Each time, it wasn%26#39;t there and he would say,%26#39;You%26#39;re on the next shuttle...will be here in 5 minutes%26#39;. They told me they were grouping us by district for our hotel (makes sense). Of course, the next shuttle wouldn%26#39;t arrive for ~20 minutes and I wouldn%26#39;t be on the list. In several cases, the driver called into the main office to %26#39;confirm%26#39; that I was, indeed on the VERY NEXT shuttle. So I waited (because I pre-paid and I believed them) and I was once again denied. By the time the 6th driver came around, I was very frustrated. I asked him to cancel my reservation so that I would not be charged. I planned to grab a taxi. He started yelling at me and told me that it %26#39;wasn%26#39;t his problem.%26#39; He was incredibly rude, so at that point, I was happy that I wasn%26#39;t on his %26#39;list%26#39;.
Finally, the 7th driver picked me up. I think this poor driver must have had the %26#39;stragglers%26#39; that had been waiting forever because the hotels that he had to stop at were no where near each other. I was the very last person to be dropped off.
I wasn%26#39;t the only one with this problem, there was a whole group of us waiting for the shuttle. One by one we got picked up, but everyone was extremely frustrated.
Never again will I use this service or recommend it to anyone. Definitely not the way to spend your first few hours in Paris after 16 hours of travel.
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Whether it%26#39;s this company or another, I strongly recommend against shared ride shuttles. Private shuttles are always preferable albeit more expensive.
Taxis are really the best transportation choice (and worth the cost) for someone%26#39;s first trip into Paris.
If someone really needs to economize, you can easily find detailed instructions on how to find your hotel using the RER by simply asking on this forum.
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I concur regards the RER. WE arrived after a very long overnight flight, got in at 6 am with little sleep and found it very easy to use the RER Cheap, quick and little waiting.
We did get a little lost trying to get out the right exit at Bvde St Michel but a lovely man saw us looking lost and came over to help. The funny thing about that was I am certina my husband and I hadn%26#39;t been speaking to each other at the time, we were just looking at the wall map and our map to orient ourselves. He asked if he could help in French, I replied, in French and then he said %26quot;Yeah, thought you were Aussies, I%26#39;m an expat from Melbourne%26quot; I swear we weren%26#39;t wearing green and gold, I didn%26#39;t realise we wore NEon signs screaming Aussie but obviously we do!LOL!
Long and the short, bite the bullet and take the RER.
Fiona
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I gotta agree with Fimum.
The RER is not the most luxurious way to get into the city, but it sure is the most reliable. Except when there is a strike, the RER will get you to/from the airport in about a half hour. You need not worry about unreliable car services, traffic, or anything else.
The only problems I have had with the RER is the occasional busker or dirtbag.
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Thank you for posting your comment about the shuttle bus from CDG to Paris. I almost book mine. Luckily, I found your post. You save me.
Merci
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