Is 4:30 enough time to transfer from Orly to CDG?
- By
- Aparna Patel
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- 25 Jul, 2023
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If both flights are on the same ticket and Air France are willing to sell that connection, that means they think you can do it.
If you are arriving directly from Bucharest (or another non-Schengen airport) you would have to go through passport control first.
Then, in all cases, you would have to pick up your luggage, and get to CDG. There are multiple options for this, the easiest one using public transport is probably to take the bus “Le Bus Direct” line 3 operated by ADP directly from Orly to CDG. This would take about 1h15, possibly more if there’s heavy traffic, plus time to buy your ticket and wait for your bus. It also depends on which terminals you use.
You could also take Orlyval then RER B. It’s slightly longer, but is less dependent on traffic. Note that at peak hours the RER can be very very busy, so not the most comfortable ride.
The other options are of course a taxi or some private hire service like Uber, but it’s probably going to be more expensive, though it may be worth it if you are 3 or 4 (you might have a problem with space for luggage in that case though, make sure you get a large car or minivan).
You then have to drop your luggage (before the check-in deadline), go through passport control, security, and get to your gate.
I think the whole thing is doable, with a bit of margin to spare. If your incoming flight is late then it becomes more difficult, but (as long as it’s all on a single ticket), it’s Air France’s responsibility to take care of you if you don’t make it (provided you didn’t go shopping or sightseeing en route of course), rebooking you on the next available flight, and paying for meals and hotels if necessary.
If however the two flights are booked on separate tickets, then you are on your own. It’s definitely doable if everything goes as planned, but if your incoming flight is late or you have issues en route between the two airports, you’ll be considered a no show on the second flight, and your ticket will be cancelled (including the return flight). It will be up to you to rebook (and pay) for a new ticket.
Edit
Also forgot to mention that you will obviously need the right to enter French territory in this case, which may mean a visa depending on your nationality and status.
The two airports are on opposite sides of the city and the minimum journey time seems to be around an hour, depending on the transfer type (bus, private taxi etc). https://www.paristoolkit.com/airport/paris_cdg_orly_bus.htm Personally I don’t think it’s a safe option.
Credit:stackoverflow.com‘