Getting Around In Marseille

Marseille has a great transportation system which is well integrated. There is a metro and city bus service that provides transportation from dawn to midnight. The city also has a few short ferry routes that take passengers across the old port or to the two offshore islands. 

By metro

Marseille’s subway system is very simple and east to navigate. There are only two lines and trains run from 05:00 to 21:00. The metro system is integrated with the city’s bus system and you can get great value for money by purchasing various kinds of passes depending on your plans. The passes are valid for both the metro and the city’s buses.

By bus

Buses leave the Gare Routiere bus station frequently for destinations around the city, and there is also an extensive network of bus routes crisscrossing Marseille and linking with the metro stations. As the bus and metro system is run by the same authority, day passes and the like can be used for either bus or metro journeys. There are special night buses that run from 21:00 to just after midnight, which substitutes for metro services.

Taxis

There are numerous taxis around Marseille which are available for both short and long distance hire, and are generally used to travel to places not serviced by the metro or city buses. Taxis can either be found at designated taxi stands or hailed from the side of the road. Additionally, taxis can be pre-booked for a pick up from your lodgings.

Tourist services

In addition to guided tours of the old town, there are short ferry rides across the old harbour as well as to the two offshore islands of Isle d'If and the Isles du Frioul. If you intend to visit many museums, you can get a City Card from the tourist office that gives you free entry to all of Marseille’s museums, Parc Borely gardens and Château d'If (including the ferry ticket to the island). The City Card can be purchased for durations of one, two or three days. The card is available from the tourist office. In winter, there is a dedicated coach service between Marseille and many of the ski resorts in the southern French Alps, known as the ‘Snow Shuttle’. The Snow Shuttle operates between mid-December and mid-April.

From the airport

It is very easy to get from Marseille Provence Airport into the city. There is a dedicated airport motorway which allows the 20km distance to be travelled very quickly in most traffic conditions. The airport shuttle links the airport with the main train station, Gare Saint Charles, and there are plenty of eager taxi drivers outside the terminal awaiting arriving passengers.