Orly Airport

Orly Airport (ORY) is located midway between the towns of Orly and Rungis on the southern edge of the department of Val-de-Marne (94), bordering Essonne (91), in Ile-de-France (see map).

Orly Airport complex
(click to enlarge)

The distance from Orly to central Paris (75001) is roughly 19 km or 12 miles (consult travel times for each arrondissement). From Orly to Roissy/CDG is approximately 41 km (26 miles), and Orly to Disneyland is about 49 km (30 miles).

Transport to and from Orly

There are a number of options for transferring from Orly to the City of Paris, or to Roissy/CDG for connections with international flights. A few will also offer transport to certain suburbs and/or Disneyland area hotels.

Taxis

Since Orly is so close to Paris, taxis can be a quick – if somewhat expensive – way to go. We do not recommend this method at rush hour, since fares can mount quickly while stuck in traffic!

The rates, which are regulated by the Paris Prefect of Police, vary according to the time of day and the zone of travel (urban, suburban, and beyond). In normal traffic and excluding supplements, expect a fare between Orly Airport and Paris to range from €30 to €45, depending on the arrondissement.

In addition to the metered amount, there is a supplement of about €1 for each piece of luggage, as well as €3.00 for a fourth passenger. Families traveling with infants should keep in mind that taxis will not have a child seat available.

When you phone for a taxi to return from Paris back to the airport, the meter starts running from the point where the taxi was dispatched – which could be anywhere in the city. Consequently, the fare showing on the meter may already be €7-10 by the time you board the vehicle at your hotel.

It is your responsibility to have the correct amount of money (in Euros) for the fare. The use of credit cards in Parisian taxis is rare, and personal checks are usually not accepted. It is also customary to tip the driver about 10% of the fare, if service was good and the cab is clean.

Shared and Private Shuttle Vans

An affordable alternative to the high cost of taxis and other private transportation, various airport shuttle companies offer air-conditioned, non-smoking, 7- and 8-passenger minivans with comfortable seating and ample cargo space.

Volkswagen minivan – shared or private shuttle.
Also available, for private transfers only:
9-15 pax minibus & 16-49 pax coach.
(click to see other views)

Courteous English-speaking drivers will assist you with your luggage, then drive you safely from either Orly terminal directly to your hotel or other address in Paris. Some companies also provide transport to outlying suburbs and the Disneyland-Paris Resort area.

While Orlybus and Air France shuttle fares may be somewhat cheaper, they do oblige you to walk, navigate the Métro with your luggage, or take a taxi from their limited drop-off points in Paris to your hotel, thus increasing your final cost and time to your destination. By contrast, the minivan shuttles provide "door-to-door" service, combining convenience and the shortest travel time at reasonable rates.

Ideal for couples, small groups, or families with children (some operators offer child seats for added safety) – these shuttles plan their passenger loads so that no more than 3 stops are made on any one trip into the city (private shuttles are also available). Advance reservations are required. You will be asked to provide your arrival time, flight number, and airline; the operator monitors your flight's arrival status by Internet, assuring that a driver will be there to greet you – even if your flight is delayed.

Orlyval + RER-B (express commuter train)

The airport is indirectly connected to Paris downtown by the Orlyval (automatic, driverless light rail), a short 8-minute hop to the RER station 'Antony' in the suburb of Arceuil. From there you can take the RER-B rail line (regional express métro system) north, directly into the heart of Paris.

The journey takes about 35 minutes to reach the Châtelet–Les Halles RER/métro complex (1st arrondissement). There are seven stops on RER-B within Paris; four of these offer connections (fr. correspondances) to certain métro lines, as follows:

• Cité-Universitaire
• Denfert-Rochereau (métro lines 4 & 6)
• Port-Royal
• Luxembourg
• St-Michel Notre-Dame (métro lines 4 & 10; RER line C)
• Châtelet–Les Halles (métro lines 1, 4, 7, 11, & 14; RER lines A & D)
• Gare du Nord (métro lines 2, 4, & 5; RER lines D & E)

Orlyval operates between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., leaving every 4 to 7 minutes from each Orly terminal (Orly Sud and Orly Ouest). Tickets for this service can be purchased in all métro and RER stations, and also at a special Orlyval sales desk in Orly airport.

The one-way Orlyval fare is €8.30 for adults and €4.15 for children (ages 4-10) just to reach the 'Antony' station, or €10.75 for adults and €5.35 for children to head into the center of Paris – rather expensive in light of the short distance involved! Another valid fare, when purchased for Zones 1-4, is the Paris Visite pass (1, 2, 3 or 5 days) – a much better choice if you'll be traveling often on the métro and/or buses during your stay.

Transport between Orly and Roissy-CDG airports:
To get to Orly airport from CDG airport, take the RER-B (direction Massy Palaiseau or Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse) to Antony station, and then take the Orlyval. The combined fare is €19.40 for adults and €11.55 for children. Once again, the Paris Visite pass (Zones 1-4) is valid for this trip.

A note of caution – Senior citizens, travelers with heavy luggage, disabled persons, or families with small children in tow are forewarned that navigating from Orly to one's hotel in Paris may require considerable effort:

• It requires a first transfer from the Orlyval shuttle to an RER-B train at Antony station.
• A second transfer from subterranean RER platforms to connecting métro lines in Paris can involve several steep sets of stairs and some very long walks, particularly at the gargantuan Châtelet–Les Halles complex.
• Since RER-B does not connect directly with five of the métro lines (3, 8, 9, 12, 13), a third transfer is required to reach hotels situated near those lines.

Orly Bus

More economical than the Orlyval is the Orlybus, which goes from Orly-Sud and Orly-Ouest to the métro/RER station at Denfert-Rochereau (14th arrondissement), with stops at Jourdan Tombe Issoire, Parc Montsouris, and Alésia - René Coty (all in the 14th). On the route back to the airport, the stops are Dareau Saint-Jacques, Glacière-Tolbiac, and Stade Charléty (Porte de Gentilly). Hours of operation are 5:35 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., with departures every 15-20 minutes, and travel time is about 30 minutes.

The one-way Orlybus fare from the airport to Paris is €6.90. Other valid fares (when purchased for Zones 1-4) include the Paris Visite pass (1, 2, 3 or 5 days), the weekly or monthly Navigo Découverte, and the yearly Imagine R student pass (valid on weekdays only).

Paris City Bus

The bus lines 183 and 285 serve the Orly airport south terminal (Orly Sud). Bus #183 travels to the Porte de Choisy métro station (13th arrondissement; approx. 40-minute trip), while bus #285 goes to the Villejuif - Louis Aragon station (94800, just south of Paris; approx. 15-minute trip); both of these stops are served by métro Line 7.

• Bus 183 starts running around 6:00 a.m. Mon. - Sat., 7:00 a.m. Sun./holidays (every 28-40 minutes Mon. - Sat., every 34-51 minutes on Sun./holidays); the last bus leaves Orly Sud at 9:40 p.m. Mon. - Sun. (see PDF route map)
• Bus 285 starts running shortly after 5:00 a.m. Mon. - Sat., 5:40 a.m. Sun./holidays (intervals vary from 7 to 38 minutes, depending on time and day); the last bus leaves Orly Sud at around 1:30 a.m. Mon. - Sun. (see PDF route map)

Fares depend on the number of zones traversed during one's trip. A one-way fare on #183 from Orly (zone 4) to Porte de Choisy (zone 1) is €5.10 (€5.70 when purchased on-board) – or three (3) t+ tickets. A one-way fare on #285 from Orly to Villejuif (zone 3) is only €1.70 (€1.90 when purchased on-board) – or one t+ ticket. In any case, bus tickets are not transferable to the métro system.

Other valid fares – when purchased for Zones 1-4 – include the Paris Visite pass (1, 2, 3 or 5 days), the one-day Mobilis, the weekly or monthly Navigo Découverte, and the yearly Imagine R student pass.

Noctilien (Night Bus)

The night-time bus lines N31 and N131 (each terminating at Gare de Lyon, 12th arrondissement) serve Orly's south terminal (Orly Sud); N131 also serves the west terminal (Orly Ouest).

Both lines run 7 days a week. N31, with 45 stops (14 in Paris), takes about 56 minutes to reach the terminus; N131, an "express" with only 11 stops (5 in Paris), takes about 25 minutes. From the Gare de Lyon, one can connect with 14 other Noctilien lines, plus the métro (lines 1 & 14, after 5:30 a.m.), RER (lines A & D, after 5:00 a.m.), and SNCF trains.

• Bus N31 departs from Orly Sud at 1:15 a.m. and hourly thereafter until 5:15 a.m., plus a final 5:56 a.m. departure (see PDF route map)
• Bus N131 departs from Orly Sud at 1:00 a.m. and hourly thereafter, with the last bus leaving at 4:00 a.m. (see PDF route map)

The one-way N31 or N131 bus fare from Orly to Paris is €5.10 (€5.70 when purchased on-board) — or three (3) t+ tickets (not transferable to another bus or the métro).

Other valid fares — when purchased for Zones 1-4 — include the Paris Visite pass (1, 2, 3 or 5 days), the one-day Mobilis, the weekly or monthly Navigo Découverte, and the yearly Imagine R student pass.

Hotels at Orly

We do not recommend that you stay in a hotel at Orly. After all, it would be a pity to spend a lot of your time each day commuting from your base to the sights in the City of Light. Instead, we suggest you have a look at our exclusive selection of typically Parisian hotels.

On the other hand, if you are planning to attend a business meeting at or near the airport, and will be flying out again immediately thereafter – then you might wish to consider staying at the Hilton or Ibis hotels within the Orly airport complex, or the 3-star Mercure hotel just a half-mile away. (Mercure offers a complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport's terminals. Rooms are air-conditioned and soundproofed; other amenities include six meeting rooms and wireless Internet access.)

Services at Orly

Lost & Found, Orly Sud: +33 (0)1 49 75 34 10; Orly Ouest: +33 (0)1 49 75 42 34
Orly Airport Information: +33 (0)1 49 75 15 15
Web site: aeroportsdeparis.fr.

If you have other questions regarding public bus or rail transportation (including the Paris métro), you can also call the RATP English Information Center at +33 8 92 68 41 14; the call will cost you €0.34 per minute in France.

Return to Part 1: Intro to Paris Airports, Transport to and from CDG