There’s a moment every parent will recognise. You’ve just landed at Charles de Gaulle after an early flight. The toddler is melting down. The buggy has somehow ended up on a different baggage carousel. And you’re staring at the RER B signs wondering how, exactly, you’re meant to wrangle three kids, two suitcases, a car seat and a nappy bag through the Paris Metro. 

I’ve done the Paris public transport thing with children. More than once. And whilst the RER from CDG is technically efficient — around 45 minutes to the city centre for about €12 a head — the reality with a young family is rather different. The stations aren’t buggy-friendly. The stairs are everywhere. The carriages get rammed at rush hour. And if you’ve ever tried to keep an over-tired five-year-old amused whilst standing up on a packed Metro, you’ll know exactly what I mean. To be honest I even wrote a full post about why I really do not like the Paris Metro.

So it probably won’t surprise you that more and more families I speak to are quietly ditching public transport for Paris visits altogether — and booking a private chauffeur Paris service instead. 

The hidden costs of “saving money” on transport 

The argument for public transport is always the price. A family of four on the RER B from CDG will spend around €50 return — roughly a third of what a private transfer might cost. On paper, it’s a no-brainer. 

But here’s what the paper version doesn’t tell you: 

• The taxi from your hotel to the Metro station when your toddler refuses to walk one more step.

• The second taxi on the way back when everyone’s wrecked and can’t face the RER. 

• The €30 you’ll spend on emergency ice creams and treats to bribe the children through three changes on the Metro. 

• The hour you lose on arrival faffing with tickets, lifts, stairs and platforms — time that could’ve been your first proper meal in Paris. 

• The stress, which admittedly doesn’t cost money, but arguably costs more than anything. 

When I did the sums on our last trip, the “cheap” option wasn’t as cheap as I’d told myself it was. And it definitely wasn’t the most enjoyable start to a holiday. 

What a private chauffeur actually gets you 

I’d always assumed private chauffeur services were the preserve of honeymooners and business travellers on expenses. But when we tried one for a long weekend with the kids last year, a few things genuinely surprised me. 

The car was a Mercedes V-Class — which basically means a huge black people-carrier with proper leather seats, a massive boot, and enough room for three children to not touch each other on the journey. (If you have three, you know why that matters.) 

The driver was waiting for us at arrivals with a sign. Not the sweaty scramble through the taxi queue, not the mild panic of trying to find the Uber pickup point. Just a smiling chap in a suit who took our bags, offered the girls water bottles, and led us calmly to the car park. 

Child seats were provided — we’d booked in advance and mentioned we needed one for our youngest. They fitted it properly before we arrived, which is more than I can say for most Parisian taxis I’ve squeezed children into over the years. 

The price was fixed before we booked. No meter. No “the fare is higher because of the luggage, madame”. No wondering whether the driver is taking the scenic route. You pay what you were quoted, and that’s that. 

It’s not just about the airport run 

The other thing that surprised me was how useful a chauffeur service is for everything else — not just the airport transfer. If you’ve ever tried to get four people from the 6th arrondissement to Versailles and back on a Saturday, you’ll know what I mean. The RER C to Versailles sounds simple. In practice, with children, on a hot day, carrying lunch, it is not. 

A private driver meant we could:

• Leave the hotel when the kids were actually ready (not trying to hit a train time). • Stop in Saint-Germain-en-Laye for lunch on the way because someone was hungry. 

• Sleep in the car on the way back — which is an absolute gift when you’ve walked 14,000 steps around the Palace gardens. 

The same applies to day trips to Disneyland, or Giverny if you fancy something more cultured, or the Champagne region if your husband’s birthday falls during the school holidays (hypothetically). 

When it makes sense — and when it doesn’t 

I’m not going to pretend this is the right option for every family, every time. If you’re on a tight budget, staying near a Metro station, happy walking everywhere and travelling with older children who’ll manage a crowded RER without complaint — public transport is absolutely fine, and it’s part of the experience. 

But there are moments when the maths genuinely flips: 

• Arriving at CDG or Orly with small children or lots of luggage. The start of your holiday sets the tone. A stressful arrival bleeds into the rest of the first day. 

• Leaving at an awkward hour. If your flight is at 7am, you don’t want to be wrangling kids onto a 4.30am Metro. 

• Day trips outside Paris. Versailles, Disneyland, Giverny, Fontainebleau — all much easier with a car and driver. 

• Groups of more than four. Try fitting five people and their bags in a standard Paris taxi. Go on. 

What to look for 

Not all services are equal. If you’re considering one, here’s what I’d look for based on our experience: 

1. Fixed pricing with VAT and tolls included — no nasty surprises. 

2. A Mercedes V-Class or similar if you’re travelling as a family — boot space matters. 

3. Free waiting time at the airport (ideally 60 minutes) in case immigration is slow.

4. Flight tracking so the driver adjusts to delays without you having to message.

5. Child seats available on request. 

6. Reviews from actual families, not just business travellers.

Would I use one again? Yes — and I have. For arrivals, departures, and the Versailles trip we’d otherwise have abandoned halfway. It’s not the cheapest way to do Paris with children. But it’s turned out to be one of the best decisions we’ve made for our sanity on holiday. 

And honestly? Our first hour in Paris is no longer spent arguing with a ticket machine.