Are you flying Ryanair from Paris soon?
Buget airlines rules. They make traveling around Europe so much cheaper than it used to be. For backpackers not using trains to get around, budget airlines in Europe are a godsend.
Recently, when flying from Paris to Barcelona, we purchased tickets on a Ryanair flight two weeks in advance for $60.00 on Skyscanner. That price was approximately 75% cheaper than the least expensive train ticket we were able to find and cheaper than taking a bus or renting a car as well. It was also about $25.00 less expensive than what any other budget airline was offering.
However, there were a few things we did not know before choosing Ryanair that came as a bit of a surprise. Here is what we learned and would like to to pass on to you guys to help you plan your future trips.
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6 Things You Should Be Aware of When Flying Ryanair out of Paris, France.
Ryanair does not fly out of the two main airports in Paris, Charles de Gaulle or Orly.
Instead the airline flies from Beauvais Tille, an airport located 85 kilometers (53 miles) north of Paris. This can throw a wrinkle into your plans as getting to Beauvais from Paris requires a bit of extra effort. The cheapest way to get to Beauvais is by train from the Gare du Nord station. So when booking a flight and comparing prices online make sure to take into account the following:
- You will need to take a taxi or the metro to the Gare du Nord station.
- A train from Gare du Nord to Beauvais costs about €12.00 ($16.32) and takes approximately an hour. Check train schedules before booking your flight to make sure you can get to the airport in time.
- Once you arrive in Beauvais by train you will need to take either a taxi for €11.00 ($15.00), public bus for €0.90 ($1.22) or the airport shuttle for €4.00 ($5.40) from the train station or city center to the airport. The public bus takes about 20 minutes and a taxi takes about 10 minutes.
Print Your Boarding Pass
Remember to print your boarding pass before you get to the airport or you will be charged a rather ridiculous €15.00 ($20.25) for the privilege of having that piece of paper printed for you.
Double Check the Checked Luggage Fees
Checked luggage fees are not included in the price of your ticket. This is standard practice for budget airlines but is certainly not designed with a backpacker in mind. As long as your bag in under 15 kilos (33 lbs) you pay an extra €15.00 ($20.25) if you pay in advance and €30.00 ($40.50) at the airport. Anything over 15 kilos (33 lbs) will cost you more.
Check Your Booking Information Carefully
Triple-check your information when booking the ticket as a spelling mistake in your name can cost you up to a €100.00 ($135.00) charge. If you spot a mistake in your boarding pass call customer service and try to get them to change it. We have heard you can do this for €10.00 ($13.50) if you do it in advance over the phone. If you show up to the airport with a mistake on the boarding pass chances are you will be spending a chunk of change to correct the mistake.
Forget about reserving seats
There is a hidden cost in that as well. It doesn’t really matter on short flights, however. If you MUST sit in a window or an aisle seat, remember to tack on another €10.00 ($13.50) when booking or €15.00 ($20.25) at the airport to the total cost of the ticket when comparing prices.
Carry-on Bags
There is a rather ominous sign at the boarding gates of Beauvais Tille Airport. Only the first 150 carry-on bags are guaranteed a spot on the plane. This took us totally by surprise but it didn’t seem to be enforced as we boarded near the end of a fully booked flight. We recommend getting to your gate early enough to not stress about it.
We hope this list helps! Safe and happy travels all!
For more information, click here for a list of all Ryanair fees.
And if you’re visiting Paris, be sure to check out our list of Top Ten Things to Do in Paris On a Budget.
Want to book accommodations in Paris, France? We recommend using the following sites:
Disclaimer – We have included a few handy little affiliate links in case any of our readers want to book accommodations. We receive a small commission for any sales made, without any additional cost to you, our dear reader.
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So much for a budget airlines. I’m now going on a commercial one where I can get a cheaper rate (which is cheaper in the end than all the add ons Ryanair has) if flexible and be much better assured of landing.