Charles de Gaulle (CDG) wheelchair accessibility

Terminal 1 is the older circular building on the north side of the airport. It serves Star Alliance carriers (Lufthansa, United, Air Canada, ANA, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines) plus a handful of others. The terminal is multi-level with a central core and seven satellite piers; PRM staff escort wheelchair users between the check-in hall, security, and the satellite via the dedicated lifts and the tunnel walkway.

Terminal 2 is the larger and more modern terminal, divided into seven halls (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G). Air France, KLM, Delta, and the SkyTeam alliance use halls 2A, 2C, 2E, and 2F; British Airways, Iberia, and the Oneworld alliance use 2A and 2D.

The TGV high-speed train station and the RER B suburban rail station sit between halls 2C/2E and 2D/2F. Hall 2G is on the airport's eastern edge and is reached by a free shuttle from the main 2A through 2F core.

Terminal 3 is the smallest and is used mainly by low-cost airlines (easyJet, Vueling, Wizz Air, Pegasus, Sun Express) and charter operators. It is connected to the rest of the airport by the CDGVAL shuttle. PRM service is available in Terminal 3 as in the others, but the shorter walking distances mean less terminal-internal escort time.

Book PRM assistance through your airline when you make the reservation, then again at check-in. The 48-hour pre-booking deadline is in the EU regulation; missing it does not legally block you from getting assistance, but it does mean the ground-handler cannot guarantee staffing on arrival or at the gate.

Specify the level of assistance you need. The IATA codes are WCHR (can climb stairs, needs wheelchair to and from aircraft), WCHS (cannot climb stairs, needs wheelchair through the terminal and aisle chair to seat), and WCHC (cannot self-mobilise, needs full transfer to and from seat). The airline relays the code; the ground-handler arranges the right equipment.

If you are travelling with your own wheelchair, declare it as mobility equipment at booking. It travels free under EC 1107/2006 in addition to your standard baggage allowance. Declare battery type for power chairs (lithium-ion, lithium polymer, or lead-acid) so the airline can confirm dangerous-goods handling.

Disembark first or last (the airline will tell you which). A PRM staff member meets you at the aircraft door with the equipment you booked. They escort you through immigration (queue priority is offered at most desks), to baggage reclaim, and to your onward transport: rail platform, taxi rank, Le Bus Direct stop, or arrivals hall.

If your assistance does not arrive within 10 to 15 minutes of disembarkation, ask cabin crew to call the Saphir desk. If you are already in the terminal and the escort has not appeared, find the nearest Saphir freephone (they are signed throughout) and request the assistance referenced by your booking number.

Plan an extra 30 to 60 minutes for the assisted route compared with the standard arrivals walk. Long-haul early-morning arrivals are the busiest, especially in Terminal 2E (the SkyTeam transatlantic terminal); allow more buffer if you have a tight onward connection.

Identify yourself at a Saphir reception point as early as possible after arrival at the airport. The kerbside drop-off has the closest desk to your taxi or transfer; the check-in halls have a desk near the priority counters. Staff escort you through check-in, security, and passport control, with priority queues at each step.

At the gate, your wheelchair is tagged and either gate-checked (loaded into the hold) or stored in the cabin if it folds and the airline has space. You transfer to the airline's onboard chair or are wheeled to the seat in your own chair, depending on aircraft type and your booked code (WCHR / WCHS / WCHC).

Allow at least 3 hours before a long-haul flight and 2 hours before a short-haul flight, on top of the airline's standard recommendation. The escort process adds queue time even with priority access, especially during peak departure waves (early morning long-haul, early evening short-haul to the rest of Europe).

Accessible toilets are signed at every concourse, before and after security, in every terminal. The standard layout follows French regulations: door clear width 90 cm, grab bars, transfer space, and an emergency call cord. Toilet locations are mapped on the airport's internal screens and on the Paris Aéroport mobile app.

Free wheelchair loans are available at every Saphir desk. Stock includes manual airport wheelchairs and folding chairs; power chairs are not loaned. If you forgot or cannot bring your own chair, request the loan when you book PRM through your airline.

Pet relief areas (signed "Pet Relief Area" or "Espace Animaux") for service and assistance dogs are in every terminal, near the gates after security as well as at the kerbside before check-in. The areas have grass surfaces, water bowls, and waste-disposal bags.

CDGVAL is the free automated people-mover that connects Terminal 1, Terminal 2 (the CDG2 TGV / RER B station), Terminal 3, and the long-stay car parks PR and PX. Trains run every 4 minutes by day and every 8 minutes at night. The whole system is fully step-free: the platforms have screen doors, the stations have lifts to all platform levels, and the trains have level boarding.

Use CDGVAL for any inter-terminal transfer at CDG. The walking distances between terminals are otherwise long (Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 is around 3 km on foot). PRM staff escort wheelchair users through the CDGVAL on assisted transfers; if you are travelling unassisted, the system is designed for self-service with clear sightlines and station-by-station signage.

The RER B station (Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV) is at the centre of Terminal 2. Access from Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 is via CDGVAL. The station itself is step-free at the entry level and has lifts to both platforms. Trains run every 10 to 15 minutes from around 04:50 to around 23:50; the trip to Gare du Nord takes 30 minutes, to Châtelet 35, to Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame 38.

There is a platform-train gap of 5 to 10 cm at most stations on the line. For wheelchair users, board with the PRM team's portable ramp (request through your airline assistance booking, or call RATP Acces Plus). At your destination station, confirm step-free access in advance, because central Paris stations vary in lift availability and some require staff assistance to deploy a ramp.

Standard fare to central Paris is 11.80 EUR one-way (May 2025 tariff; check the RATP site for current pricing). Accessible single-journey tickets are sold at the Saphir desk and at the staffed station booth on the concourse. Avoid the standalone vending machines if you cannot reach the touch screens.

Le Bus Direct (operated by the airport coach company) runs two lines from CDG to central Paris. Line 2 stops at Porte Maillot, Étoile (Champs-Élysées / Arc de Triomphe), and Eiffel Tower. Line 4 stops at Gare de Lyon, Gare Montparnasse, and Bercy. Both run every 30 minutes by day; the journey is 60 to 80 minutes depending on traffic.

Most coaches are low-floor with a retractable ramp at the front door, but not every departure has the ramp. Confirm wheelchair accessibility when you board, or pre-book through the operator. The fare is around 18 to 22 EUR one-way; tickets are sold at the kerbside booth and on the coach.

The official airport taxi rank is at every terminal's arrivals hall. Fixed-rate fares apply to central Paris: around 60 to 65 EUR to the Right Bank, 65 to 70 EUR to the Left Bank, both quoted before tip. The fixed rate covers up to four passengers and standard luggage; surcharges may apply for additional luggage or oversized mobility equipment.

Walk-up accessible taxis (rear-loading or side-loading wheelchair-accessible vans) are not always at the rank. Pre-book G7 Access (08 26 63 00 03) or Taxis Bleus (08 91 70 10 10) at least 24 hours ahead, or longer for early-morning weekend arrivals. The driver meets you at the standard taxi rank or at the Saphir desk if you arranged that with the dispatcher.

A pre-booked PMR transfer through Groupe ADP's contracted operator is the fourth option. It is door-to-door (terminal to your hotel), uses an accessible van, and is bookable through the airport's accessibility page or on the day at the Saphir desk. Pricing is set by the operator; budget around 90 to 120 EUR to central Paris.

Service dogs travel free in the cabin on every airline serving CDG, in compliance with EC 1107/2006. Bring the EU pet passport or third-country annex IV documentation, the rabies vaccination certificate, and the airline's own service-animal form. The dog stays at your feet during the flight; on arrival, the pet relief areas are signed from the gates.

Your wheelchair travels free as mobility equipment in addition to your standard baggage. Manual chairs go in the hold; folding power chairs may be cabin-loaded if the cabin space allows. Lithium-ion and lithium polymer batteries up to 300 Wh are accepted on most carriers; declare the battery type at booking and again at check-in. Lead-acid batteries (older power chairs) require dangerous-goods packaging and should be declared 72 hours ahead.

Save the Saphir freephone number on your phone before you travel. The number is published on the Paris Aéroport accessibility microsite and is the fastest line to the airport's PRM service if your airline-arranged escort fails to materialise.

Take a photo of your wheelchair at the gate before it is loaded. If anything is damaged in transit (the airline is liable under EC 1107/2006), the photo is your evidence. File a damage report at the Saphir desk on arrival before you leave the airport.

Allow extra connection time if you transit at CDG. The minimum connection time at CDG is officially 60 minutes for international-to-international and 90 minutes for non-Schengen-to-Schengen, but for assisted transfers add at least 30 minutes on top. Long-haul to short-haul connections through Terminal 2E and 2F are the most time-pressed at peak hours.