Getting Around Marseille

When arriving in the city, air travel and all international flights arrive in the Aeroport Marseille-Provence and then travelers can utilize a variety of options for getting into the heart of the city. Travelers visiting from locations a little closer to Marseille have a few more options. Arrivigne by boat, train, or bus is easy and makes transferring to Marseille from other destinations in Europe easy and economical. The ferry system offers access to an from many destinations in the Mediterranean while the intricate Eurail system and partnering bus system provide land access to the heart of this historic continent.

After arriving in Marseille, travelers have a variety of options for navagating the city. The metro system, while providing access to some areas of city, seems simple compared to other European cities. Broken into two different lines, Metro 1 and Metro 2, the metro system is not as extensive and does not provide as many stops on its own as cities like London do. However, the metro system partners with an extensive bus system providing access to all areas of Marseille. Tickets and fare prices are good for both metro and bus rides and signs are well marked with route information and a schedule making planning a Marseille adventure easy.

The bus system in Marseille is extensive and its use is encouraged of both visitors and locals. Traffic can be quite heavy in the city and parking can be a challenge, so the city's urban initiative was created to encourage all people to utilize the public transportation systems. Improving the bus network and partnering with the metro system and the newly created tram have aided in making the city traffic problem more tolerable.

A Tram system opened in 2007 providing additional access to the city. Known as the Urban Transport, this network of above ground trams has extended the reach of the current metro and bus networks providing an easy and economical way of reaching all areas of Marseille. Frequent stops and well planned terminals make using this new tram system simple.

Using all aspects of the urban transport system is made easy with the Transpass. The Transpass is a contactless, reloadable card useful for paying fares on all methods of public transportation in Marseille and the surrounding area. The Transpass is even good on several ferry lines, bicycle rentals, and transportation networks in the outlying regions. Easy to use, the Transpass is the way to travel like a local while visiting Marseille.