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I have a connecting flight in CDG and I would like to shop in the departure area of Terminal 2E. I will arrive at terminal 2E and then I will depart at terminal 2F so I am wondering whether it is possible for me, once I land in Paris, to go to the shopping area of terminal 2E or if I must go to terminal 2F.

Moreover, can I still claim tax-free? My next destination is always in Europe but I will be leaving the EU ten days later and I already have the flight ticket for that.

Thank you!

4 Answers 4

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CDG is quite huge and confusing as per my experience. So, if you have more time then only do your shopping.

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As you can see you have to go through Security while going to 2F. Thus, if you have a proper time you can.

Regarding taxfree, You can claim your tax back before you head home (you can't claim now while entering Europe). If you find yourself inside Paris Charles de Gaulle Terminal 2F, here's where you should head.

Remember: Non-EU shoppers must bring a completed and stamped Tax Free Form in order to request a tax free refund

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    I don't think someone landing at 2E but connecting to a flight from 2F will be able to go to the shopping area of 2E: they will probably get rejected when attempting to go through security for the wrong terminal/concourse. The inter-concourse people mover is airside for immigration but landslide for security. Even if they let OP through, you would need to exit 2E airside, and they probably don't like this much.
    – jcaron
    Feb 6, 2020 at 11:07
  • @jcaron I've never been asked for the boarding pass at security, but the PAF does demand it at exit control (along with my ID)
    – Crazydre
    Feb 6, 2020 at 18:06
  • @Crazydre In CDG 2E at the K gates (the concourse that is attached to the check-in area) they most definitely do, to redirect you to the people mover if you are departing from L or M gates. But IIRC they actually ask for it at all security checks, at the very least for the waiting time stats. They have scanners mounted on top of the conveyor belts right before your hand luggage enters the scanner.
    – jcaron
    Feb 6, 2020 at 19:26
  • @jcaron Fair enough, the transfer I've done is 2F to 2A and vice-versa, and that was in 2016
    – Crazydre
    Feb 6, 2020 at 20:01
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I don't think this is possible:

  • When you land at either of 2E's concourses, you are airside for immigration purposes, but landside for security purposes.

  • To enter either of 2E's shopping areas, you need to go through security. I would be surprised if they let you go through (they check and scan boarding passes). I know they will at least tell you it's the wrong terminal, I don't know if they would actually prevent you from going through (but I would be surprised if they didn't).

Depending on the exact combination of the concourse you land at and the concourse you may want to visit there may be some special cases where you could enter the departures area, but I highly doubt so.

Also remember that you will have to go through immigration, and this can be very, very, very long at times in CDG, especially if you have a non-EU passport and do not have status. Even the boss of Paris airports has publicly complained about it. You want to make sure this is sorted out as quickly as possible, and once you have done that, you definitely won't be able to enter the 2E departures area. You'll also have to go through security to reach 2F departures.

It's probably a better option to shop anywhere else in the EU (outside of airports, I mean) and claim a tax refund. There are related conditions (including minimum amounts), but it should be relatively straightforward.

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The answer to this question is - yes you can within terminal 2, but only upon departure.

The reason is that I have done this before. Once you are inside the airport, it is possible to board a shuttle bus between the subterminals. In my particular case, the trip was from 2B to 2E (Gate K).

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You can only buy tax-free if you have a boarding pass for an international flight with you; they want to see it. Therefore, it is mostly irrelevant if you can make it to that area or not, but my guess is you can't.

You claim you are flying on internatioanlly after ten days, you will be able to shop then.

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