How to Get from Orly Airport to Paris

Your vacation in Paris starts by landing at Orly airport? There are several options to reach the center of the French capital. Find out which one suits you best.

Ana Caballero

Ana Caballero

11 min read

How to Get from Orly Airport to Paris

Aircraft Landing | ©Nguyen Hung

Orly airport, which has two terminals (South and West), is the second largest airport in Paris, so there are many travelers who land there with their suitcases full of enthusiasm and desire to visit the French capital. If this is your case, you will be pleased to know that you have many options to get from the airport to Paris and start your trip.

Although connections, especially train connections, are not always the best, there are many alternatives, such as private transfers or buses, that will allow you to travel comfortably and quickly the 20 kilometers that separate Orly from Paris. I'll tell you what these alternatives are and which one best suits your needs.

A private transfer: the tranquility of exclusivity

Waiting for the Transfer| ©Daria Shevtsova
Waiting for the Transfer| ©Daria Shevtsova

Remember those movie scenes where the main character arrives at the airport and a chauffeur is waiting for him? Well, it is not always fiction and, in fact, the chauffeur may have your name on the sign. This is undoubtedly the great advantage of hiring a private transfer from Orly airport to Paris, the exclusivity of having someone waiting for you as soon as you land to take you to your hotel.

By hiring this service you avoid any unnecessary waiting: a professional driver will pick you up at Orly airport to take you to your hotel without delay. Can there be anything better? Moreover, if for some reason your destination is not a hotel, but a residence, a house or even a train or bus station, he will also be able to take you there. As I say, this service is exclusive, unique and personalized for you.

Do I have to book the private transfer in advance?

If you want to book a private car to go from Orly to Paris, remember to do it in advance. You will have to indicate the details of your flight and also the complete address you want to be taken to in Paris. When you land in Paris, you will only have to greet the driver and follow him to a modern and comfortable vehicle, he will even help you with your luggage!

If this is not enough, after the trip, nothing like refreshing yourself with a bottle of water offered by the driver, sleeping for a while or even reading a magazine during the trip. There is no better way to start your visit to Paris, don't you think?

What time will you pick me up?

The great advantage of hiring a private transfer from Orly airport to Paris is that the schedule is set by your needs. If you are used to take public transport and have to wait for your arrival, forget it, because the driver, knowing in advance the times of your flight, will be waiting for you when you land as long as you do it during the hours in which the service is active (approximately from 4 am to 11 pm every day of the week).

Arrival will vary depending on where your hotel is and the traffic that day, but I'll tell you in advance that the trip will take about 40 minutes, which is how long it takes to travel the distance between Orly and the center of Paris.

Practical information:

  • Travel time: it depends on the distance between Orly and your hotel, but it will take approximately 40 minutes.
  • Price: from 35 €.
  • Advantages of using this means of transport: a personalized and comfortable journey.
  • Recommended if: you want to leave your worries behind and get to Paris quickly and comfortably.

Book your transfer from the airport to Paris

A shared transfer: a comfortable and economical option

Airport entrance| ©Tilemahos Efthimiadis
Airport entrance| ©Tilemahos Efthimiadis

After the hours of travel, when you land at Orly you will be eager to head straight to the center of Paris. If you don't want to spend a lot of money on private transport or take public transport, you may want to book a shared transfer with a small group of other tourists.

This option is undoubtedly comfortable and economical. On the one hand, it allows you to rest after the trip without worrying about when your stop arrives, whether or not there is space for your luggage or having to walk to your hotel.

On the other hand, by sharing the cost of the transfer with more travelers, the price is more affordable. And at most you will wait around 15 minutes until you leave and the route will be designed in detail so that there are no unnecessary intermediate stops or stops where no one gets off, as can happen in a public transport with a pre-established route.

How do I book a shared transfer?

Once you know the flight schedules and the hotel where you will be staying, you can book a shared transfer. As you will already know the time of landing and also where you are going, you will be able to indicate this information and when the reservation is confirmed, you will be sent a voucher so you can show it to the driver at the meeting point. In addition, the route will be designed to be efficient and waiting times and stops will be kept to a minimum.

However, you will not be able to choose the time of departure and arrival, as they will do it for you. When the route is created, the time you arrive will be taken into account to place you in a group with other tourists landing at Orly at a similar time. This way, no one will have to wait too long and you will be able to get to Paris as soon as possible.

The route is also created by avoiding too many stops and grouping people going to the same hotel or the same area. Thus, when you enter Paris, we will try not to make more than 4 or 5 stops approximately. In total, it will take you about an hour and a half to get to Paris from Orly.

Practical information:

  • Travel time: depending on the distance between airport-accommodation and the number of stops, the journey can take between one hour and one hour and a half approximately.
  • Price: from 25 € (the price may increase if you carry more than one piece of luggage per person).
  • Advantages of using this means of transport: economic and very comfortable option.
  • Recommended if: you want to get to Paris with the comfort of a private transport, but at a more affordable price.
  • One last tip, if you are traveling with children to Paris, add it as an observation so that child seats are available.

Book your airport transfer to Paris

The train: a fast option but requiring transfers

Waiting for the train| ©Chris Yunker
Waiting for the train| ©Chris Yunker

Orly airport is not always well connected, especially when it comes to trains. Although it is fast transportation, there is no commuter train station at Orly airport. Still, there are several options that, by making a short transfer, we can assess to get from Orly to Paris by train in about 40 minutes.

Streetcar 7 + metro 7

If on your arrival in Paris you do not mind making transfers, I recommend this alternative: take Tram 7 from Orly airport and, after a journey of approximately 30 minutes, arrive at Villejuif-Louis Aragon station, where you can take metro line 7, which has stops such as Chậtelet and Opera.

Although the total travel time takes about an hour, it is a very economical option, as the full price is around 4 € (you will only need two single Paris transport tickets). Its frequency is also quite high (between 8-15 minutes) and it is available from 5:30 to 00:30 throughout the week, making it a very accessible and affordable alternative.

Practical information:

  • Travel time: about one hour.
  • Price: about 4 €.
  • Advantages of using this means of transport: it is the cheapest option.
  • Recommended if: you are not in a hurry to get to the center of Paris and you want to save money.

Orlyval + Line B of the RER (Paris regional train)

The Orlyval is undoubtedly one of the great transport advances that the city of Paris has opted for. Incredible as it may seem, it is an automatic train without a driver. In about 6 minutes and for an estimated price of 9 €, the Orlyval will take you from any of the terminals of Orly to Antony, a stop where you can take the RER B, which stops at different places in the center of Paris.

My advice is to value this option, since for a total price of approximately 12 € you can reach stations such as Luxembourg, Saint Michel Notre Dame, Châtelet Les Halles or Gare du Nord in about 35 minutes.

In addition, the frequency is quite high (the Orlyval every 8-15 minutes approximately and the RER B every 5). Mind you, the service is only available between 6:00 and 23:35.

Practical information:

  • Travel time: about half an hour.
  • Price: approximately 12 €.
  • Advantages of using this means of transport: speed and good connections to the center.
  • Recommended if: you don't mind making a transfer and you want to be able to reach different points in the center of Paris.

Bus 183 + Line C of the RER (Paris regional train)

Line C of the Parisian suburban train does not stop at Orly airport, but from Orly airport you can take bus 183 to the Pont de Rungis stop, which connects to the suburban train in about 10 minutes. Once you take the train, in about 50 minutes you can reach such central points as the Eiffel Tower or Saint-Michel Notre Dame. The total price of the journey is around 6 € and both tickets can be purchased in combination at the machines at the airport or on bus 183.

The frequency is adequate (approximately every 15 minutes) and the service closes more or less between 23:22 h. and 4:50 h.

Practical information:

  • Duration of the trip: about one hour.
  • Price: from 6 €.
  • Advantages of using this means of transport: affordable price.
  • Recommended if: you don't mind making a transfer before reaching the center of Paris.

Book your transfer from the airport to Paris

The bus: an economical option

Orlybus bus departing from the airport| ©ParisO
Orlybus bus departing from the airport| ©ParisO

Undoubtedly, the different Parisian bus lines are a great option if you arrive at Orly airport, as they connect Paris with the two airport terminals. In addition, the price, although variable depending on the line chosen, ranges from 2 ¤ to 12 ¤ approximately, which makes the bus a very interesting alternative to get to Paris.

The Orlybus

This shuttle bus connects the two terminals of Orly airport with the south of Paris, so if you are staying in that area, the Orlybus is a great alternative that, in about 30 minutes, will take you there. In addition, its price is also quite affordable, as the trip costs about 9 €.

The Orlybus route runs from Orly to Denfert-Rochereau station which, although located in the south of Paris, is well connected by metro and regional train (RER).

You can easily buy a single ticket at the airport ticket office or on the bus when boarding, although if you are buying a Navigo Zones 1-4 card (the Paris transport voucher) I warn you that it includes the Orlybus.

Note that although the frequency of the Orlybus is quite good (it runs every 10 minutes or so), it is only available from 5:30 am (when approximately the first departure from Denfert-Rochereau takes place) until 00:30 am (when it leaves Orly for the last time). Therefore, if your flight arrives outside these hours, this is not an option for you.

Practical information:

  • Travel time: about half an hour.
  • Price: about 9 €.
  • Advantages of using this means of transport: value for money and speed.
  • Recommended if: you want to go directly to the center without the need for transfers.

City bus line 183

If you want a cheap alternative, you can take bus 183, which for a price of approximately 2 euros and in 40 minutes or so takes you from the south terminal of Orly airport to the Porte de Choisy stop.

The disadvantage of taking bus 183 is that you will have to transfer to the Porte de Choisy metro to get to your final destination, which means more travel time and also the purchase of another ticket.

If you prefer, you can also go to Pont de Rungis station in about 10 minutes by bus and from there take the RER C (regional train), which connects to the center of Paris.

Practical information:

  • Travel time: about 50 minutes.
  • Price: about 2 €.
  • Advantages of using this means of transport: very economical alternative.
  • Recommended if: you want to save money and you can make a transfer later.

Book your transfer from the airport to Paris

Cab or VTC: a more expensive option but very comfortable

Cab in Paris| ©joiseyshowaa
Cab in Paris| ©joiseyshowaa

Being one of the major airports in Paris, Orly has a large cab rank that will be waiting for you to take you to the center of Paris, and you can tell them where you want to go. My advice is to go directly to exit L of the South terminal or B of the West terminal, to make sure you take an official cab. Another option, also very fast and safe, is to book a VTC service in advance, as Uber is available in Paris, as are other French apps such as Marcel or LeCab.

The journey time, as well as the price, depends on the final destination. Generally, I remember that getting to the center of Paris costs between 30 € and 40 €, since it is around these amounts that the general price of the transfer was fixed, although you can always check with the cab driver or, if you take an Uber, check it on the app itself. Be careful, also consider that the price may increase if you carry a lot of luggage. As for the time, taking into account the Parisian traffic, the journey can take between 40 minutes and an hour.

In any case, it seems to me that the cab is a great option if you are traveling in a group and you do not know the specific time at which the plane lands or if you suffer some delay that prevents you from reaching another means of transport such as train or bus.

Practical information:

  • Duration of the trip: approximately 40 minutes.
  • Price: from 30 €.
  • Advantages of using this means of transport: no intermediate stops and you go straight to Paris.
  • Recommended if: you do not know when your flight will arrive and you are traveling in a group.

Do you already know how to get from Orly airport to Paris? The city of lights will be waiting for you, so choose the means of transportation that best suits your needs and go enjoy it.

Book your airport transfer to Paris

Compare the different options

Here is a summary of the different options available so you can quickly choose the one that suits you best:

  • Private transfer
  • Schedule: from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. in the evening
  • Duration: approximately 40 minutes
  • Price: from 52 €.
  • Advantage: exclusive, unique and personalized service
  • Shared transfer
  • Schedule: similar to private transportation
  • Duration: between one hour and one hour and a half approximately
  • Price: from 25 €.
  • Advantage: economic and very comfortable option.
  • Streetcar 7 + metro 7
  • Schedule: from 5:30 am to 00:30 am
  • Duration: about one hour
  • Price: approximately 4 €.
  • Advantage: very economical option
  • Orlyval + RER Line B
  • Schedule: from 6 a.m. to 11:35 p.m.
  • Duration: about half an hour
  • Price: about 12 €.
  • Advantage: very fast, but includes a transfer
  • Bus 183 + RER Line C
  • Schedule: from 5 a.m. to 11:20 p.m.
  • Duration: about 50 minutes
  • Price: from 6 euros
  • Advantage: cheap but includes transfer
  • Bus (Orlybus)
  • Schedule: from 5:30 a.m. to 00:30 a.m.
  • Duration: about half an hour
  • Price: about 9 €.
  • Advantage: value for money and speed.
  • City bus line 183
  • Timetable: it is convenient to check before your trip.
  • Duration: about 50 minutes
  • Price: approximately 2 €.
  • Advantage: very cheap
  • VTC or Taxi
  • Schedule: it is convenient to consult it before your trip.
  • Duration: About 40 minutes
  • Price: from 30 €
  • Advantage: it is direct