The answer
Taxis from CDG to central Paris have a legally fixed flat fare: €56 right bank / €65 left bank — luggage and tolls included, 24/7. Anyone quoting more, or offering "the meter instead", is running a scam. Prefer cheap? The RER B train is €14, 35 min to Gare du Nord.
The flat fare is set by law, not by the driver. Know which side of the Seine your hotel is on and you know your price before you get in.
Landing late or very early? RER B stops around midnight; the flat-fare taxi works at any hour with no surge.
⚠️ The traps (walk past these)
The terminal-door touts
Men inside arrivals asking "Taxi? Taxi?" are illegal, unlicensed drivers. The famous CDG fake-meter scam has charged tourists €360 for a €56 trip. Licensed taxis never solicit inside the terminal.
Do this: say nothing, follow the official "Taxis" signs to the marked rank outside. The queue is the point.
"The meter is better for you"
For airport→Paris trips the flat fare replaces the meter by law. A driver who insists on metering — or claims the flat fare "doesn't apply today" — is setting up an overcharge.
Do this: state your destination side (right/left bank) and the price — €56 or €65 — before the car moves. Card payment must be accepted.
Outdated RoissyBus / CDG Express advice
RoissyBus (the old €16.20 direct bus to Opéra) was discontinued 1 March 2026, and the CDG Express rail link doesn't open until March 2027. Most blogs and even some official-looking pages still recommend both.
Do this: RER B or flat-fare taxi are your two real options. This guide tracks the CDG Express opening.
The RER B bag lift
The RER B between CDG and Gare du Nord is where jetlagged travelers lose phones and passports — distraction teams work the crowded airport-bound trains.
Do this: bag in front, zipped, hand on it. Phone away near the doors. Or take the flat-fare taxi.