The airport transfers in the area are rather longer, as Fontainebleau is on the opposite side of Paris from Charles de Gaulle. About 85-90 kilometres, and that means a lot of time spent around and through the French capital before the roads finish on the way into town in forest and boulder sandstone. Let’s face it, it’s not just a hop across the suburbs like some of the closer Marne-la-Vallée destinations. I suppose this is a proper cross-city trip; doing it with the proper attitude will save some frustration.
However, the trip is still undertaken by thousands of visitors annually to explore the Château de Fontainebleau, and to stroll through the gardens or spend a weekend in the forest, and there’s nothing particularly difficult about it once you know where to go. There are 3 options: private taxi service or pre-booked taxi service, train (2 transfers in central Paris) or bus (more transfers, but much longer). We’ll go through all three below, but not just costs – we’ll give you the true times and costs for this so you can choose which one’s right for your trip – not the one you have to guess at while at the airport.
Option 1: Taxi or Private Transfer
A private transfer becomes a more practical option than public transport in this particular case, as compared with the shorter distance covered in a suburban area. Driving time is approximately 90 kilometres, mainly along the A6 motorway past the ring roads around Paris, and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes in good traffic. It can be longer, however, when taken at the wrong time of the day – at the wrong time, this road will inevitably run past some of France’s busiest roads.
Benefits of Private Transfers
A private car is not just about comfort on this long trip; it’s about stamina. You’re not carrying two or three different means of public transport around with your bags and your body clock is not 800 miles away… not standing at Gare de Lyon trying to figure out which regional train stops at Fontainebleau-Avon… not after an overnight flight and your body clock is 800 miles away. A driver greets you at the arrival, helps you with your luggage, and you are basically done deciding on the last thing until you are outside your hotel or gîte.
There’s a true time saving too, more than a comfort saving. Under normal running conditions,s the direct drive will cover the distance in approximately an hour; public transport at best will be an hour and a half. When traveling so far, the difference does add up—particularly if you are late and don’t want to find yourself in a strange station at night.
Estimated Taxi & Private Car Costs
The standard rate for this journey is around €160 to €200, and this can increase with night fares, Sunday fares, or public holiday fares (which is likely without you knowing on many arrival days). Renting a vehicle here is quite cheap, with pre-booked private transfers proving to be a far more noticeable value, ranging between €140 and €190 depending on the vehicle and the number of you that would require to hire a van.
The disparity between metered and pre-booked fares also seems to grow with distance, just because the further away you go, the more distance traffic can have the fare increased. If you lock in a fixed price before you land it, then it’s the exact same price you’ll pay no matter what happens to the A6 that afternoon.
Booking Your Private Transfer
It’s not a luxury; it’s a necessity when it comes to booking for a trip this length to have someone who knows their way around, like T2 Transfer. It is much easier for a longer transfer to be delivered by a driver who is familiar with particular sections of the A6 that are prone to congestion and what’s a sensible alternative on a bad day. T2 Transfer offers complimentary child and booster seats; luggage space is part of the quoted price, and the drivers are bilingual in English.
The process to book is just as easy regardless of distance: with just your pickup location, destination, and flight number, you’ll get a confirmation email shortly after booking. You can pay cash when you arrive or online before you come, whichever is convenient for you. Since the driver is automatically following your flight, should you miss your landing, you are not likely to show up at the airport’s arrivals unsure if anyone landed. One less variable to deal with is a lot of value for such a trip.
Reservation Form – Book Taxi with T2 Transfer
Option 2: Train
The train is still a viable choice for this route and is actually the most popular means of travel for tourists not using a car. It does require a couple of changes, however, so it is best to know what you’re walking into before you land.
Pros & Con
The trip begins with the RER B line from CDG to central Paris, where you will transfer to Châtelet-Les-Halles. From there, you’ll head towards Gare de Lyon (either by a short RER ride or a walk through the crosspassage) and take a Transilien Line R train towards Montargis, Sens or Montereau, which all stop at the station of Fontainebleau-Avon. The good news is it’s all on well-established commuter lines, frequent and no booking required. The drawback is that there are two changes to make, quite a lot of walking through crowded stations, and the last train in the region is less frequently on schedule than the RER lines that feed into it.
Upon arriving at Fontainebleau-Avon, you have not yet reached the château. It is located a couple of kilometres out of town, so to reach the station take the local bus to the city centre (bus line 1) or walk, which may take 20 to 30 minutes depending on how heavy your bags are. It’s an additional little action, but one which surprises first-time visitors.
Train Tickets & Booking
A single ticket is usually valid for the entire trip from CDG to Fontainebleau-Avon as all three legs are not on the separate main lines, but on the Ile-de-France regional network. There is a machine available in the terminals of the CDG airport to purchase this ticket at the point of sale, and it is possible to book it in advance using the Ile-de-France Mobilités app; the price is generally between €18 and €26 per adult. No seats need to be reserved on any of these services, which makes things easier than a booking on any of the mainline SNCF services, but of course, means standing room only during busy periods, especially on the Transilien leg heading out of Gare de Lyon.
Prices are usually reduced and/or free for children, depending on their age; check for current rates at the machine and do not assume that they are the same as the previous year.
Train Travel Time & Frequency
The opening leg of the RER B service from CDG is usually fairly frequent, operating from 05:40 to 22:45 with service every 10 – 15 minutes most of the time, so you will likely not have to wait a long time. The Transilien R service from Gare de Lyon is, however, less frequent (usually every 30 minutes or an hour depending on the time of day), and it is this last stretch that has the greatest variance in total journey time. All in all, the average door-to-station trip is about 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes depending on the combination of legs, though the faster end of the range is those where the timing of the legs is optimal.
Option 3: Bus
This one area of Fontainebleau is not particularly clean, and it’s best to be honest about it rather than to pretend it’s otherwise. The bus route is actually two buses joined together because there is no direct bus service from CDG to Fontainebleau.
Bus Routes & Stops
The first point is the airport shuttle into central Paris from terminals 1 or 2: Le Bus Direct, from terminal 3: RoissyBus. It drops you at a central location, usually around Opéra, where you would walk to a coach station, most often Paris-Bercy, for the next leg. Then BlaBlaCar Bus service goes on to Fontainebleau, where it is possible to walk to the town centre for a few minutes. It works, but it does require two bookings, two operators, and a bit of navigating in the middle of Paris with luggage between two appointments.
Bus Fares & Schedules
The airport leg usually ranges from €12 to €18, and is fairly common during the day. The journey to Fontainebleau from the onward coach costs significantly less (usually €7 to €14 if booked in advance; check timetables before booking) but services are not running on a regular rolling service so check the timings before booking this route. The total journey time with the transfer through Paris is about 2 hours 30 minutes – 3 hours, which is a comfortable time though the price is attractive. It’s a good idea when your time is limited and your wallet is empty, but it’s not the right one when you’re pressed for time and have a lot of bags to coordinate two changes with.
Comparison Table: Cost, Time, Convenience
| Mode | Travel Time | Cost | Convenience | Best For |
| Private Transfer / Taxi | 1h 15m – 1h 30m (up to 2 hrs in traffic) | €140 – €190 | Highest — door-to-door, no transfers | Families, tired flyers, heavy luggage |
| Train (RER + Transilien) | 1h 30m – 1h 45m | €18 – €26 | Moderate — two changes, steady frequency | Solo travellers, budget-conscious visitors |
| Bus (Airport Shuttle + Coach) | 2h 30m – 3h | €20 – €30 | Lowest — two separate bookings, longest ride | Budget travellers with plenty of time to spare |
When compared side by side, it’s more obvious than on a shorter suburban ride, and largely because the distance magnifies all of the trade-offs. The private transfer is the most expensive by far, but it also saves nearly an hour over the train and much more than an hour over the bus, which is of little consequence on this long a journey.
The train falls somewhere between the extremes: not particularly cheap but not particularly expensive; it’s not so fast that you can’t wait an hour or two for the changes, and it’s good enough that most travellers who travel alone or on a shoestring budget manage just fine. You win on the price, but it’s demanding a double booking, a transfer in central Paris, and nearly three hours for the return.
When you’re looking to save as much hassle as possible, and you’re willing to pay for it, the transfer is the obvious choice. The train is very good for the couple of changes in station if you are comfortable with that and do not want the costs to be high. Unless it is more important for you to save every euro you can than to save time, then the bus doesn’t make any sense.
Conclusion
It’s a long distance from Charles de Gaulle to Fontainebleau, so your decision here has more importance than it would have if you’re traveling a shorter distance. That isn’t enough to make it worth the extra cost, but when you’re very tired or traveling with children, a private transfer is also welcome. The train is a reliable middle ground option for those who are comfortable with a few transfers and a brief local bus to the end. It works, but only for the very flexible bus schedule and for people who do not need to be anywhere at a moment’s notice.
When traveling this distance, a pre-arranged private transfer in advance with an operator such as T2 Transfer will make a stressful cross-Paris journey easy and hassle-free, as you will have a single door-to-door transfer. Whatever method you opt for, the forest, the château and the tranquil streets of Fontainebleau are a worthwhile trip out from CDG.
Editorial Staff at T2 Transfer is a team of experts who have vast knowledge on Paris transportation.