CDG airport fire: flights, RER B and transfers

File photo from February 16, 2012: ProtoplasmaKid via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This image shows the RER B station at CDG Terminal 2, not the August 11 fire.

A large fire broke out on August 11 at an industrial and parking site on avenue de la Gare in Louvres, about 10 kilometers from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Two CDG runways were temporarily closed as a precaution. Le Parisien reported that landings on the northern runway pair later resumed, while Anadolu reported that air traffic was not significantly affected.

Those reports describe the airport-wide position on August 11, not the status of every flight on August 12. Check the Paris Aéroport live flight page and the operating airline before leaving for CDG.

The short answer: the fire was near Louvres station, not inside a CDG terminal. Louvres is on RER D. The airport train is RER B, which has separate planned engineering work through August 16. Do not cancel a flight or abandon the airport train because a headline says a station or two runways closed. Check the exact flight and the official RER B traffic page first.

What is affected now?

This guide was checked at 21:47 Paris time on August 12. The position can change, so use the table as a starting point rather than a live operations board.

Louvres RER D is not the CDG airport RER B station

Early reports used phrases such as "airport station closed" without always naming the line. That distinction matters.

Louvres station is on RER D. The two airport rail stops, Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 1 and Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV, are on RER B. A closure at Louvres therefore does not automatically close the airport's RER B stations.

There is still a real RER B problem, but it is planned engineering work rather than a consequence of the fire. The official central-sector notice says RER B is interrupted between Gare du Nord and Bourg-la-Reine through August 16. The north-east notice says service between CDG and Gare du Nord is reduced during the same period.

Use the RATP RER B traffic page or the Ile-de-France Mobilites app on the day. A screenshot of an old alert cannot tell you which branch or time period is affected.

What to do before going to CDG

1. Find the operating flight number rather than relying on the booking reference or codeshare number.
2. Check the airline app and the Paris Aéroport flight page.
3. Confirm the terminal. CDG 1 and CDG 2 are different RER B stops, while Terminal 3 is reached from the CDG 1 and Roissypole area.
4. Plan the journey in the Ile-de-France Mobilites or Bonjour RATP app with the actual departure time.
5. Add a second route in case the reduced RER B service becomes crowded or delayed.
6. Save the boarding pass, route and airline contact details offline.
7. Leave more time if you have checked luggage, children, reduced mobility or a separate onward ticket.

Do not rely on the scheduled time in an old confirmation email. A flight can keep the same number while its terminal, gate or departure time changes.

If you are connecting at CDG

The fire did not create a general instruction for connecting passengers to leave the airport. Stay airside and follow the airline's transfer route unless staff tell you otherwise.

If the inbound flight is late, check whether the onward journey is on the same ticket. On one protected booking, the airline normally controls rerouting when the first flight causes a missed connection. Separate tickets create more risk because the second carrier may record a no-show.

Before buying a replacement flight:

• ask the operating airline whether it is rerouting the complete itinerary;
• save the delay or cancellation notice;
• confirm where checked baggage will go;
• ask whether a hotel, meal or ground transfer is being arranged; and
• keep itemized receipts for reasonable expenses.

The EU air passenger rights page separates reimbursement, rerouting, care and compensation. They are not the same remedy. A temporary runway restriction can affect the compensation analysis without automatically removing refund, rerouting or care rights when the rules apply.

RER B from CDG during the August works

RER B still connects the airport with Gare du Nord during the day, but service is reduced. Trains do not continue through the closed central section in the usual way.

The official notice warns of heavy demand at Gare du Nord and on Metro lines 4 and 5. With large luggage, the theoretically fastest connection may not be the easiest one. Follow station staff and live signs because platforms can change during engineering work.

From August 17, the all-day central closure changes, but another restriction begins. The north-east notice says weekday RER B service between Chatelet Les Halles and CDG 2 TGV or Mitry-Claye is interrupted from 22:45. Recheck the exact travel date instead of assuming the August 12 route will still apply.

Train, bus or taxi: which route fits?

RoissyBus no longer runs. Ile-de-France Mobilites says it ended on March 1, 2026. Search results and old travel blogs can still suggest taking it from Opera, so remove that route from saved plans.

The replacement is not a like-for-like Opera bus. Express line 9517 runs between Argenteuil and Roissypole via Saint-Denis Pleyel, where travelers can connect with Metro 14. It operates daily, carries luggage and runs until around 00:30, but check the current timetable before using it as a late-night rescue plan.

Tickets, terminals and luggage

The Paris Region Airports ticket covers an airport rail journey when a qualifying pass does not already include it. Check the current price in the official app before purchase because fare screenshots age quickly.

At the airport:

• use Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 1 for Terminal 1, then take CDGVAL, and for Terminal 3 or Roissypole;
• use Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV for Terminals 2A through 2G, then follow the terminal signs;
• keep the ticket or phone ready until after the exit gate;
• do not board a train for Mitry-Claye when the destination display should say Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV; and
• keep one hand free on escalators and avoid blocking doors with luggage.

For an early departure, work backward from the airline's bag-drop or boarding deadline, not the scheduled takeoff. A traveler asking whether the first train reaches CDG at 06:00 for a 07:00 flight is already leaving almost no recovery time for a delay, terminal transfer or security queue.

Flight cancellation, delay and missed connection checklist

If the airline changes the trip:

1. Save the airline message and a screenshot of the live flight status.
2. Ask whether the flight is delayed, cancelled or diverted.
3. Confirm whether rerouting covers the whole booking.
4. Do not select a refund until you understand whether it ends the rerouting option.
5. Ask what care the airline is arranging while you wait.
6. Keep receipts for meals, accommodation and transport that were necessary and reasonable.
7. Contact the next carrier immediately if the flights are on separate tickets.
8. Tell the hotel or car-rental desk before the no-show deadline.

A headline about two closed runways is not enough evidence for a compensation claim. The operating carrier, route, delay length, cause and assistance offered all matter.

Phone and offline preparation

Save these before leaving reliable Wi-Fi:

• the airline app and booking;
• the Paris Aéroport flight page;
• the Ile-de-France Mobilites and Bonjour RATP apps;
• an offline map around CDG, Gare du Nord and the hotel;
• the replacement route and ticket receipt;
• the accommodation address in French; and
• the European emergency number, 112.

One phone should not hold the only copy of the itinerary. Send it to a travel companion or save a second offline copy. Keep a power bank in cabin baggage under the airline's rules; the power-bank flight guide explains the common limits.

Estimate maps, airline notifications, messaging and calls with the travel data calculator. Check whether the phone supports eSIM and install before travel while a stable connection is available.

Where Roaming eSIM fits during a CDG disruption

Compared with relying only on terminal Wi-Fi or waiting to find a SIM shop after arrival, Roaming eSIM can be bought and installed before the trip on an eligible, unlocked phone. The data line remains useful after leaving the terminal, which is when airline chat, RER changes, taxi pickup messages and hotel directions matter most.

The public France catalog returned 18 live plans when checked on August 12. It included fixed allowances and daily options. Top-up eligibility, validity, high-speed allowance, reduced-speed continuation and supported network combination vary by package, so use the selected card as the source of truth. The public catalog listed Bouygues, Free Mobile, Orange and SFR across many choices, but no single network or signal level is guaranteed at every location.

Roaming eSIM also publishes a 24/7 support hub with a WhatsApp route. That is useful if installation or connection fails, but support cannot reopen a runway, change a rail closure or guarantee service during local congestion.

Keep the usual SIM available for calls and SMS if needed, and prevent it from using expensive home-carrier data. France-only data fits a Paris trip. A regional plan can make more sense when the same itinerary continues to Belgium, Germany, Spain or another covered country. The France family guide owns broader destination planning, while the France 2G shutdown guide explains the legacy-network change.

CDG traveler questions after the fire

1. Is Charles de Gaulle Airport closed because of the fire?

No airport-wide closure was reported when this guide was checked. Two runways were temporarily closed on August 11, and reports said traffic continued. Check the exact flight with the operating airline and Paris Aéroport.

2. Are CDG flights cancelled today?

There is no reliable yes or no answer for every flight. Search the operating flight number on the airline and airport pages. A route can be delayed or cancelled even when the airport remains open.

3. Where did the CDG fire happen?

The fire started at an industrial and parking site on avenue de la Gare in Louvres, about 10 kilometers from the airport. It was not reported inside a passenger terminal.

4. Did the fire close the RER B airport train?

The incident disrupted local transport around Louvres, which is on RER D. CDG's airport train is RER B. Check RER B separately because planned works are reducing its service.

5. Is RER B running between CDG and Gare du Nord?

Yes, with reduced service during the current August works. Through August 16, it terminates at Gare du Nord rather than continuing through central Paris in the normal way.

6. Can I take RER B from CDG to Chatelet?

Not as one through train during the all-day closure through August 16. Travel to Gare du Nord, then follow the official alternative route in the live journey planner.

7. What replaced RoissyBus in 2026?

RoissyBus ended on March 1. Express bus 9517 links Roissypole with Saint-Denis Pleyel and continues to Argenteuil. It does not recreate the old direct Opera route.

8. Should I take a taxi instead of RER B?

A taxi can be more practical with several people, heavy bags, young children, limited mobility or a very early flight. Road traffic and pickup queues can erase the time advantage, so compare the live route and use an official rank.

9. How early should I leave for CDG during the works?

Add time for the reduced train service, an extra transfer and the terminal journey. Start from the airline's check-in, bag-drop or boarding deadline. Do not plan to reach the terminal only one hour before an international departure.

10. Can Roaming eSIM keep working if airport Wi-Fi is busy?

Roaming eSIM uses supported local mobile networks rather than airport Wi-Fi, so it gives the phone another data path after arrival. Coverage, speed and congestion still vary, and no mobile plan can guarantee a connection during a local surge.

This page was checked against Paris Aéroport, RATP, Ile-de-France Mobilites, EU passenger-rights guidance, current French reporting and public traveler questions on August 12, 2026. The fire report, runway position and RER works can change independently.

We will update this URL if the airport publishes a material operational change, the RER B works move to a new phase, or official transport options change. Live flight, platform, road and safety decisions remain with the airport, airline, transport operator and local authorities.