CDG Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Layover in Paris: what fits in your hours
From Charles de Gaulle, the RER B reaches Gare du Nord in about 25 minutes and Châtelet in 40, right next to the islands in the Seine. A Paris layover usually works from about six hours, as long as your passport lets you enter Schengen and you allow for the RER B, which has works and strikes more often than most lines.
How much time you really get
We count 40 minutes each way on the RER B train to Châtelet-Les Halles (25 min to Gare du Nord), plus 20% for waiting, 45 minutes from landing to the exit, and 120 minutes back at the airport before departure. Bags checked through.
CDG Time in Paris
| Layover | In the city | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 h | 35 min | Stay airside |
| 6 h | 1 h 35 min | Tight |
| 8 h | 3 h 35 min | Go |
| 10 h | 5 h 35 min | Go |
| 12 h | 7 h 35 min | Go |
| 16 h | 11 h 35 min | Go |
| 24 h | 19 h 35 min | Go |
Plan with your own flight times and passport
Can you leave the airport?
Leaving the airport means entering the Schengen area. Of the 13 passports we cover, India, China (mainland), South Africa and Philippines need a visa; the others can go without one. Rules for every passport, with official sources →
Two hours: the islands
Layover of 6 h 30 min or more
From Châtelet, walk south across the Pont au Change.
- Notre-Dame. Reopened in December 2024 after the fire; entry to the cathedral is free, with a queue.
- Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis. Walk the two islands and the riverbanks, then back to Châtelet.
Four hours: the Louvre or the Marais
Layover of 8 h 30 min or more
Both are a 10-minute walk from Châtelet, in opposite directions.
- Louvre. Book a timed ticket and pick one wing: two hours inside is a good visit. Closed on Tuesdays.
- Tuileries Garden. Straight out of the Louvre towards the Place de la Concorde.
- Le Marais. The alternative: old mansions, the Place des Vosges, falafel on the Rue des Rosiers.
Seven hours: the Eiffel Tower and the Seine
Layover of 11 h 30 min or more
Metro to Trocadéro, or a boat along the river.
- Eiffel Tower and the Trocadéro. The best view of the tower is from the Trocadéro across the river; going up needs a timed ticket.
- A Seine boat. The sightseeing boats pass most of the landmarks in about an hour.
- Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Cafés and bookshops on the Left Bank, walking back towards Châtelet.
Good to know
- RER B works until 11 December 2026 stop trains between Châtelet and the airport after 22:45 on many days; a replacement bus runs from Gare du Nord.
- Check which station serves your terminal: CDG 1 or CDG 2-TGV; the free CDGVAL shuttle links the terminals.
- Non-Schengen arrivals pass passport control and are registered in the EES on the way out of the airport.
Opening hours and ticket prices change: check them on Paris je t’aime (official tourism site) before you go.
Before you go
Going into Paris
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Leave your bags in Paris
Radical Storage
Book a luggage locker near the station or your sight, so you can walk the city light.
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Short tours in Paris
Klook
Skip-the-line tickets and short guided tours that fit a few hours.
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Fixed-price transfer from CDG
Kiwitaxi
A driver waiting at arrivals, useful when trains are not running or you travel in a group.
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Mobile data for the layover
Saily
An eSIM you install before you fly, for maps and your airline app in town.
Staying at CDG
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Lounge passes at CDG
Klook
Pay-per-visit lounge access where your card or ticket does not get you in.
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Missed your connection?
AirHelp
Check whether a delay or a missed connection entitles you to compensation.
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Questions
How long a layover do I need to leave Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport?
About 5 h 55 min or more for 90 minutes in Paris. That counts 40 minutes each way on the RER B train to Châtelet-Les Halles (25 min to Gare du Nord) plus a margin, 45 minutes to get through arrival, and 120 minutes back at the airport before departure.
What can I do on an 8-hour layover in Paris?
About 3 h 35 min in the city: enough for “Two hours: the islands”.
Do I need a visa to leave the airport in Paris?
Leaving the airport means entering the Schengen area. Of the 13 passports we cover, India, China (mainland), South Africa and Philippines need a visa; the others can go without one. Check your own passport in the planner.