An international event begins at the arrivals hall. Airlines and terminals, discounted fares for attendees, venues within reach of Charles de Gaulle and the particular case of those who travel with their animal.
Which carrier lands at which CDG or Orly terminal, the March 2027 renaming, and airline programmes for event fares.
Seven venues within 30 minutes of Charles de Gaulle arrivals, for fly-in board meetings and offsites.
Set session times that stay reasonable for attendees who have just crossed several time zones.
When attendees fly in from New York, Singapore and Dubai for the same event, the way they arrive shapes the programme long before the venue does: the terminal they land at determines where the welcome desks go, the time of the last long-haul arrival sets the start of the first session, and a fare negotiated with an airline can decide whether a company approves the trip at all. This section gathers what we check with planners at that stage of the brief.
Some travellers also bring their dog or cat, whether they are relocating to Paris or extending their stay after the event. Airline rules, entry requirements for France and the conditions for returning home are then decisive, and for those cases we refer them to MyDogCanFly, our sister publication, which compiles those rules with their official sources for more than 100 airlines.
Most long-haul attendees land at Charles de Gaulle, north-east of Paris. The RER B line runs from the airport to Gare du Nord and Châtelet, but it is crowded at peak times and poorly suited to travellers with large luggage. Paris taxis charge a regulated flat fare between the airports and the city, with one rate for the Right Bank and another for the Left Bank, which makes transfer budgets easy to forecast. The CDG Express, a direct train between Gare de l'Est and the airport in about twenty minutes, is due to open on 28 March 2027 according to its operator. Orly, south of Paris, has been served since June 2024 by metro line 14, which links the airport directly to central stations such as Châtelet and Saint-Lazare. For groups, a private coach or a meet-and-greet service remains the most reliable option, provided the drop-off point at the venue has been checked beforehand.
Transatlantic flights mostly land at Charles de Gaulle early in the morning, while flights from Asia and the Middle East arrive at various times of day. Allow at least an hour and a half between landing and arrival at a central hotel, and more during rush hour or when a large group has to collect its luggage. That is why many international events start with an afternoon session or a welcome dinner rather than a morning plenary, and schedule a welcome desk at the hotel rather than at the airport when arrivals are spread across several terminals. Check the terminal of each airline before sending joining instructions, since the Charles de Gaulle terminals will be renamed on 16 March 2027.
For individual travellers, a taxi at the regulated flat fare is the most predictable option; the RER B is cheaper but crowded at peak times. From 28 March 2027, the CDG Express is due to link the airport and Gare de l'Est in about twenty minutes. Groups are better served by a private coach.
Since June 2024, metro line 14 has linked Orly directly to central Paris stations such as Châtelet and Saint-Lazare. Taxis also apply a regulated flat fare between Orly and the city.
At least an hour and a half between landing and reaching a central hotel, and more during rush hour or for a large group. Many international events therefore open with an afternoon session or a welcome dinner.