Two different numbers people confuse
Movement time is how long it takes to get from one gate area to another: walking, shuttles, shuttle trains. Connection time is what your itinerary actually needs — movement, plus queues, plus checks, plus reaching your gate before boarding closes. Only the second number decides whether you make your flight; the airport publishes advised minimum times for some routes, and no single number fits all routes. Note that the ranges we publish on route pages can include more than pure walking — each route page states exactly what its own range covers.
What goes into your real connection time
- Movement between terminals or halls — from a few minutes (2E–2F airside walk) to 15+ minutes (2F–2G shuttle) or longer for landside changes via CDGVAL.
- Passport control queues when your direction crosses the Schengen border. This is the hardest part to predict at CDG and no schedule can predict it.
- Another security check where your connection requires it.
- Baggage reclaim and re-check-in if you are on separate tickets and your bag is not checked through — this turns a short walk in the transit area into the full arrivals and departures process.
- Boarding closes early — many airlines close gates 20–40 minutes before departure; long-haul flights often board 45–60 minutes early.
The ranges we can actually quote
These are the ranges shown on each route page in our transfer guides. What a range includes depends on the route: some are plain walks, others add security or border processing when your direction crosses into the Schengen area. Queue time is not included in any of them, and each route page states exactly what its own range covers:
| Route | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Terminal 2E → 2F (airside) | 25–50 min depending on hall |
| 2E Hall K / L / M → 2F | ~35 to ~50 min (hall-specific) |
| 2F → 2G | 15 min free airside shuttle + transfer time |
| Terminal 1 ↔ Terminal 2 / 3 | CDGVAL automated metro, runs ~every 4 min |
| Within 2A–2D (landside) | 5–15 min on foot, connected corridors |
Official advised minimum times — and their limits
Paris Aéroport publishes advised minimum connection times for some terminal routes, labelled “for information only”. There is no single advised time that covers every route — your direction, ticket type, baggage and queues change what you actually need. The airport’s advised values (walking-focused):
| Route type | Airport advises |
|---|---|
| Within Terminal 1, or within Terminal 2 (2A–2G) | around 90 min |
| Within Terminal 3 | around 60 min |
| Terminal 1 ↔ Terminal 2 (2A–2F), or ↔ Terminal 3 | around 120 min |
| Terminal 1 ↔ 2G, or Terminal 2 (2A–2F) ↔ 2G | around 120–150 min |
These airport values are deliberately generous compared with our route estimates above, because they cover the whole connection. The route estimates are not a complete allowance on their own: check what your route estimate includes, then allow time for queues, boarding deadlines and any steps it does not cover. Airlines and ticket types add their own rules: some airlines protect passengers who miss a connection on one booking — check your airline’s rules — and airlines publish guidance for their own routes. Treat any single number — from a forum or anywhere else — as a guess for your specific journey.
How much extra time to allow
- Same booking, same/nearby terminal, Schengen inside: a little extra time is usually enough.
- Terminal change + border crossing: allow real room for queues — especially at busy arrival times.
- Separate tickets: you are self-transferring; allow extra time in hours, not minutes, because nothing protects the second ticket.