Marseilles Airport ----> Aix en Provence ----> Avignon
Oct 13th, 2011, 06:56 AM
#1
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Marseilles Airport ----> Aix en Provence ----> Avignon
Going from Marseilles Airport to Aix Center.
I understand there's a convenient shuttle bus from the airport that arrives at the bus station. Is the bus station near the center of town or is it somewhere outside?
Also,
Going from Aix to Avignon I understand there's a bus to/from the TGV stations in each place and the TGV in between. Is there one bus that goes between both places or is the double transfer somehow more convenient?
No cars involved.
I understand there's a convenient shuttle bus from the airport that arrives at the bus station. Is the bus station near the center of town or is it somewhere outside?
Also,
Going from Aix to Avignon I understand there's a bus to/from the TGV stations in each place and the TGV in between. Is there one bus that goes between both places or is the double transfer somehow more convenient?
No cars involved.
Oct 13th, 2011, 07:25 AM
#2
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I've taken the bus from Marseille airport to Aix before. It drops you off slightly outside of the city center, but it's a walkable distance if you don't have much luggage. Otherwise you can get a taxi to your accommodation.
Oct 13th, 2011, 07:36 AM
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You leave for the TGV station in Aix from that bus station; as I remember, the airport bus stops at the TGV station, but there may well be others.
Have not taken a bus from the TGV station in Avignon, but it is a fair bet that it would drop you off at the city SNCF station, which is just outside the walls at the end of the principal street. It is a simple and interesting walk to the square where the Palace is.
Have not taken a bus from the TGV station in Avignon, but it is a fair bet that it would drop you off at the city SNCF station, which is just outside the walls at the end of the principal street. It is a simple and interesting walk to the square where the Palace is.
Oct 13th, 2011, 10:14 AM
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There is indeed a easy-to-find and -use bus from Marseille-Provence Airport into Aix. It's clearly marked as you exit the airport terminal. Buy tickets from a kiosk right at the bus stop, or on board the bus.
A few years ago Aix moved its gare routière (bus station) from a location quite close to the center to one a bit more distant. I would say you are 10 minutes on foot from the current station to the Rotonde, the big fountain at the bottom of the Cours Mirabeau and adjacent to the Tourist Office. This could be considered the heart of Aix. As already noted, if you don't want to walk, there are taxis at the bus station.
There are indeed intercity buses from the Aix gare routière to the one in Avignon. In fact, here is information from a TripAdvisor exchange a couple of years ago:
"There is a direct service between town centres (Aix and Avignon) using the autoroute, details on www.lepilote.com/Img/_info/ler/LER-23.pdf
"The only service on the normal schedule which does not run on a Saturday (sauf samedi) is the 07.00 departure. The summer schedule is alongside and they run every day except Sundays and holidays.
"Takes about 1 hour 15 minutes, costs 13.30€ one way. lepilote.com/img/_info/ler/LER-23_infos.pdf"
Finally, you could take the bus from Aix to the TGV station (which is quite distant from central Aix), take the TGV to Avignon, then take a local bus into the center (as the Avignon TGV station is also distant from the center). That may be faster than the direct bus linking the two cities, but it strikes me as being less convenient. Taking a local train from Aix to Avignon is likewise not recommended, as you would have to change in Marseille.
A few years ago Aix moved its gare routière (bus station) from a location quite close to the center to one a bit more distant. I would say you are 10 minutes on foot from the current station to the Rotonde, the big fountain at the bottom of the Cours Mirabeau and adjacent to the Tourist Office. This could be considered the heart of Aix. As already noted, if you don't want to walk, there are taxis at the bus station.
There are indeed intercity buses from the Aix gare routière to the one in Avignon. In fact, here is information from a TripAdvisor exchange a couple of years ago:
"There is a direct service between town centres (Aix and Avignon) using the autoroute, details on www.lepilote.com/Img/_info/ler/LER-23.pdf
"The only service on the normal schedule which does not run on a Saturday (sauf samedi) is the 07.00 departure. The summer schedule is alongside and they run every day except Sundays and holidays.
"Takes about 1 hour 15 minutes, costs 13.30€ one way. lepilote.com/img/_info/ler/LER-23_infos.pdf"
Finally, you could take the bus from Aix to the TGV station (which is quite distant from central Aix), take the TGV to Avignon, then take a local bus into the center (as the Avignon TGV station is also distant from the center). That may be faster than the direct bus linking the two cities, but it strikes me as being less convenient. Taking a local train from Aix to Avignon is likewise not recommended, as you would have to change in Marseille.
Oct 21st, 2011, 09:36 PM
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The French rail system SNCF will sell you a ticket from Aix centre to Avignon which includes the bus shuttle -- a navette -- to Aix TGV station. It doesn't, for some reason, include the ticket for shuttle from Avignon TGV into the city, where the navette stops at the post offfice, a block outside the local train station. It's never any use stewing about the mysteries of SNCF; usually things work out okay. The navette runs frequently from outside the Avignon TGV station at 1.20 euros when last checked. Train info and tickets at http://www.tgv-europe.com/en/choose-country/index.php which is the SNCF English site; choose your location as any English-speaking country other than the United States.
