You have just arrived at Charles de Gaulle, and now you’re heading to Val d’Europe. Perhaps it’s the shopping centre beckoning you, or perhaps it’s a hotel for a trip to Disneyland Paris, or perhaps you have business out there. Either way, the distance between the airport and one of the more convenient hubs in the eastern Paris suburbs, which features its own RER station, a huge outlet and retail complex, and a collection of hotels for families and business travellers, is about 40 kilometres.
There are three good ways to narrow that divide. Booked a taxi or transfer service. A reliable train service operates there all day long: the RER trains, or a faster one for those whose schedules match up with SNCF. Or, a shuttle bus, which is more intended for Disneyland visitors and not really for Val d’Europe per se, but more so than you might think, depending on how you compare it with the other two. We have checked every option below and provided real timings, real costs, and a comparison chart to help you avoid any surprises on arrival day.
Option 1: Taxi or Private Transfer
When you’re coming into the country with suitcases, children in tow, just in the mood for a relaxing day, and no need for transferring, a private transfer takes the stress out of this journey! The drive takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour and is approximately 40 kilometres long on the A104 and A4. However, take into account extra time during the rush hour of a weekday or during a school holiday weekend, because traffic around Marne-la-Vallée is known to back up at the worst possible moments.
Benefits of Private Transfers
It is not about the speed on paper—it is about all that you miss in the process. No dragging suitcases up and down the escalators at Châtelet-Les-Halles. No walking on a platform with line notations, to guess if you’re on the right branch of the RER. No strolling the final distance from a station to where you’re actually staying. When you arrive, you will be met by a driver who will load your bags and lead you directly to your door. The convenience is far more valuable for the children, elderly relatives, or if you’ve just had one of those flights.
It is also the most predictable of the three wetsuits in terms of what will occur on the day. Trains get delayed. Fixed shuttle bus departure times may not match up with your arrival. Around a flight, however, a private car is booked and not the other way around. Flying with decent operators, you won’t have to worry about the pickup time at the end of your trip as they monitor your flight and adjust it accordingly if you arrive too early or too late.
Estimated Taxi & Private Car Costs
It is not about the speed on paper—it is about all that you miss in the process. No dragging suitcases up and down the escalators at Châtelet-Les-Halles. No walking on a platform with line notations, to guess if you’re on the right branch of the RER. No strolling the final distance from a station to where you’re actually staying. When you arrive, you will be met by a driver who will load your bags and lead you directly to your door. The convenience is far more valuable for the children, elderly relatives, or if you’ve just had one of those flights.
It is also the most predictable of the three wetsuits in terms of what will occur on the day. Trains get delayed. Fixed shuttle bus departure times may not match up with your arrival. Around a flight, however, a private car is booked and not the other way around. Flying with decent operators, you won’t have to worry about the pickup time at the end of your trip, as they monitor your flight and adjust it accordingly if you arrive too early or too late.
Booking Your Private Transfer
This is the time to use a taxi booking service that is operated by a specific person, not just the first taxi in line. T2 Transfer specializes in these routes from the Paris airports to the Disneyland area, so the driver already knows the fastest route to Val d’Europe if you tell him/her where you’re going. They offer child and booster seats, and luggage allowance is included in the quoted rate; nothing will come as a surprise, and all drivers speak English, eliminating one more stress after the long haul flight.
It only takes a few minutes to book. You provide pickup and destination information, get confirmation via email, and pay cash on the day or online beforehand. As the driver already knows your flight details, delays are automatically tracked, and you won’t have to worry about your car disappearing if the plane arrives late. If you are on a tight sleep schedule – if you have kids with you – or just need one less thing to think about, this is the easiest way to get those 40 kilometres behind you.
Reservation Form – Book Taxi with T2 Transfer
Option 2: Train
If you’re willing to read a few signs and pick up your own bags for a while, this train is a perfectly good way to do this trip, and for many of the locals who come up to Val d’Europe, it is indeed the mode of transport. Here, there are two versions of interest: the standard RER line and the more frequent (but quicker) SNCF alternative.
Pros & Con
The regular line first connects CDG to central Paris on the RER B, then switches to the RER A line and arrives at Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy station, which is one stop short of the centre, near the shopping centre and the hotels. The downside is that they’re frequently, they’re cheap, and you don’t have to wait in line for the right exit at the terminal. The disadvantage is that it entails moving from one platform to the next at a very busy interchange station with your own bags, and at rush hour, those trains can be quite full, so I wouldn’t really want to be traveling with jet lag when I had to lug my bags from one platform to the next.
The faster version is for travellers whose time is right. The distance between Aeroport CDG2 TGV and Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy TGV stations is approximately 10-15 minutes by train, via a direct inOui service. It is certainly a smoother run service, but the service is less frequent than the RER and sometimes only a few times a day, so it only really works if the time of your arrival matches the time of a train’s departure.
Train Tickets & Booking
The regular line first connects CDG to central Paris on the RER B, then switches to the RER A line and arrives at Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy station, which is one stop short of the centre, near the shopping centre and the hotels. The downside is that they’re frequently, they’re cheap, and you don’t have to wait in line for the right exit at the terminal. The disadvantage is that it entails moving from one platform to the next at a very busy interchange station with your own bags, and at rush hour, those trains can be quite full, so I wouldn’t really want to be traveling with jet lag when I had to lug my bags from one platform to the next.
The faster version is for travellers whose time is right. The distance between Aeroport CDG2 TGV and Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy TGV stations is approximately 10-15 minutes by train, via a direct inOui service. It is certainly a smoother run service, but the service is less frequent than the RER and sometimes only a few times a day, so it only really works if the time of your arrival matches the time of a train’s departure.
Train Travel Time & Frequency
The first leg from CDG to the city centre on the RER B trains is usually a short wait as they run around every 10 to 15 minutes from early in the morning until late at night. After a change at Châtelet-Les-Halles, trains to Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy run regularly, at about every 15 to 20 minutes during the day. When someone travels from the airport to the station on this route, it is usually around 60 – 75 minutes, and that is a bit longer than a private transfer, but not too much, especially if you’re not in a rush to check in at the moment you arrive.
Option 3: Bus
This particular bus service is not really about Val d’Europe per se, but Disneyland Paris as a whole, which is something that you should be aware of before booking one and thinking that it will drop you off right outside your hotel.
Bus Routes & Stops
The Magical Shuttle service is the primary service offered, which picks up at Terminal 2E/2F at CDG and delivers passengers to the Disneyland area hotels, including Newport Bay Club, but not directly to Val d’Europe train station. Although Val d’Europe is not connected directly to this route, most people opt to take a taxi or walk for 10-15 minutes from the last point on the shuttle to get there, which isn’t quite a door-to-door mode of travel, as it sounds at first glance.
Bus Fares & Schedules
Most of the time, Magical Shuttle services run at 1-hour intervals, usually between about 9 am and8 pmm, and if your flight comes out of this window, then it is not an option anyway, and you’ll have to take a taxi or train anyway. The fares are at a reasonable price, from €20 to €25 per adult one way, but not a lot less than a private transfer with a taxi or a walk at the end of the ride. This is by far the slowest of the three, as journey time (including the time waiting for the next scheduled departure) is generally 85 minutes to just over one and a half hours, although the duration may be lower than this due to the lower price.
Comparison Table: Cost, Time, Convenience
| Mode | Travel Time | Cost | Convenience | Best For |
| Private Transfer / Taxi | 35 – 45 minutes (up to 60+ in traffic) | €75 – €120 | Highest — door-to-door, no transfers | Families, tired flyers, heavy luggage |
| RER Train (B + A) | 60 – 75 minutes | €13 – €15 | Moderate — one change, frequent trains | Solo travellers, budget-conscious visitors |
| Direct TGV/SNCF Train | 10 – 15 minutes (plus wait for departure) | €30 – €50 | High, but limited daily departures | Travellers whose schedule lines up with departures |
| Shuttle Bus | 85 – 100 minutes | €20 – €25 | Lower — fixed hours, indirect drop-off | Budget travellers not in a hurry |
If you are considering the options side by side, it is typically about what is most important for you on the day of your arrival. For ease of getting to your room, the private transfer is clearly the best choice as it is quicker than the bus, more comfortable than the train,n and the extra cost is worth the time and effort.
The RER is a great and cost-effective option for travelers who don’t mind changing trains to arrive at the station, especially for those traveling alone or with light bags, and are willing to make the trip several times a day. This direct train from the SNCF is only recommended if the time is right for you, as if you wait for a train that leaves at a time that suits you, then you’re only waiting for it to go away. The cheapest, the shuttle bus, is only really worth it if you’re on a budget and willing to take the extra effort of taking the bus from the Disney hotel area to Val d’Europe.
The key rule to travel from Charles de Gaulle to Val d’Europe is that there is no single correct way, only the way you are travelling. Families with small children and a load of suitcases will virtually always save money by arranging a private hire. Anyone travelling alone or as a couple will not have a problem using the RER. For budget travelers who are willing to be flexible with their travel time, the shuttle bus will work if they plan accordingly.
When it comes to comfort and simplicity above the saving of a few euros, the pre-booked private transfer with an operator such as T2 Transfer makes a transfer of 40 kilometres the easiest rather than the most stressful part of your travel day. In no time at all, you’ll have arrived in Val d’Europe, and Disneyland Paris is just around the corner.
Editorial Staff at T2 Transfer is a team of experts who have vast knowledge on Paris transportation.