Wanderlust World Wanderlust World When you arrive at CDG, follow the crowds through the terminal to the public transport area on the lower level of the airport near baggage claim. Choose the bus line you want and wait for yours to pull up. Depending on the bus you choose to take to the Eiffel Tower, you won't have to wait more than 15 to 30 minutes to catch one. Routes and schedules are posted in the terminals; and if you have a question, you can ask for help at one of the nearby information desks.
The best reason to choose the Roissy bus is that it's a nonstop trip from CDG to the Paris Opera, which is on the corner of Scribe and Auber and surrounded by some of the biggest department stores in Paris. The trip takes between 45 minutes and an hour, and you can catch the Roissy every 15 or 20 minutes from Terminals 1, 2 and 3. While this bus takes you to the center of Paris, it drops you off about 2 1/2 miles from the Eiffel Tower, so unless you're wearing good walking shoes, catch a taxi for a more convenient trip to the tower.
The Air France bus is more like a coach or a shuttle, and it will take you from CDG to the center of Paris, near the Arc de Triomphe. From there, you can catch a city bus right to the Eiffel Tower or jump in a taxi. This is an ideal bus line to choose if you have a lot of luggage, because bags and suitcases can be stowed under the bus. You don't have to worry about hailing a cab either; taxis are waiting to take you to the Eiffel Tower once you get off the bus. Take Air France Bus Line 2, which picks up passengers every 30 minutes from Terminals 1 and 2.
Neither the Roissy Bus nor the Air France Bus takes you directly to the Eiffel Tower, and if you'd rather avoid taxis, you can catch a city bus from either the Opera or the Arc de Triomphe to your final destination. From the Opera, catch bus 42 to the Eiffel Tower. The bus stop is on the corner of Scribe and Opera. When you get off the Air France Bus, look for bus 92 to the Ecole Militaire stop for the Eiffel Tower. Your bus stop is on Marceau Avenue, past the Champs Elysses.
You can buy bus tickets on the bus, directly from the driver. If you'd rather purchase them in advance, you can do so at vending machines and ticket terminals at the airport. If you will be taking a bus back to CDG after you see the Eiffel Tower, buy a roundtrip ticket and save yourself some euros. If the idea of bus travel in Paris makes you nervous, you can also take a taxi from the airport straight to the Eiffel Tower, or use one of the metro lines to get from CDG to the center of Paris.