DebitNM

I am getting ready to book train tickets from Marseille[MRS] Airport to Gare de Lyon when the new block of reservations open next week on iDTGV.

I see 2 different options when searching for trains [using a date close to the one I need just to see what's the options are]:
#1 - VITROLLES AEROPORT MARSEILLE PROVENCE to MARSEILLE SAINT CHARLES and then MARSEILLE SAINT CHARLES to Paris Gare de Lyon. Trip time approximately 4 hours. The trip from Vitrolles Aeroport Marseille Provence to Marseille St Charles is on TER [ which I know is regional train]. It says this train "does not require seat reservations."

#2 - MARSEILLE PROVENCE AEROPORT TO AIX EN PROVENCE and then AIX EN PROVENCE TGV to Paris Gare de Lyon. Trip time approximately 3.5 hours.
The trip from Marseille Provence Aeroport to Aix says "<b>CAR 59255</b>" and this "does not require seat reservations."

I have looked at the airport website and the sncf website and am confused. I have looked at the airport website to try and figure out the difference in the Vitrolles Aeroport Marseille Provence departure vs. Marseille Provence Aeroport; other than going via Marseilles St Charles or via Aix but don't see anything that explains the slight difference in name. I know the St Charles station is the main rail station in the city of Marseilles.[We took a bus from there to the airport last time we flew out of MRS.]

I looked at this web page: http://www.marseille.aeroport.fr/acc...g/acces/trains

I have 2 questions -
#1- I do not understand what CAR means – is it a train to Aix or a bus or ??
#2 I am trying to figure out the difference in departures locations.

I have tried to not make this more complicated that need be, but fear I have done so. The easiest would be to go via St Charles as I understand the TER/iDTGV route but I prefer to go via Aix to save a bit of time and not have to go into St Charles.

Can anyone sort this out for me? Much thanks~

PalenQ

"Car" means autocar or bus - run by the railways probably - that is faster because you do not backtrack into Marseille but go toward Paris from the airport to Aix-en-Provence's TGV station.

An airport to Paris train ticket should include the bus as well IME.

And if you can avoid the congested St Charles station in central Marseille it is IME all the better - simple change at Aix's TGV station from the bus.

Southam

PQ's assessment is realistic. You certainly do not want to go in the opposite direction into Marseille. SNCF runs a shuttle bus from outside the Marseille Provence airport terminal to the SNCF TGV station on the edge of Aix-en-Provence. According to the website it takes about 20 to 30 minutes. The SNCF ticket will include the shuttle and the TGV ticket, with seat reservation, to Paris. The airport website should be helpful if you look under Access and Shuttle Buses http://www.marseille-airport.com/

DebitNM

Done! 19 euros a piece and my credit card/charge went through without any issues on idtgv.com

kerouac

Excellent! But are you going from Marseille-Saint Charles or from Aix in the end?

DebitNM

Aix. The bus is 4.10€; we can buy that either at airport or online. The only catch was the new schedule came out and on the day of the week we are going, there is no morning train from either St. Charles or Aix, so we lose 4 hours in Paris. But we have 6 days, so it's ok. Also, as we have to drive from St. Saturnin les Apts to Marseille, leaving a bit later in morning is probably safer bet, in case of bad weather. {we are dropping off a car at MRS, hence the departure from there rather than St Sat area}

Mimar

Did you have to go all the way back to Marseille airport to drop the car? Couldn't you have dropped it at Avignon's TGV station? Even now, could you drop the car at Aix's station and use your train ticket from there?

DebitNM

Not a rental car. We are house sitting and the car belongs to our friends. They fly in/home and we train out, leaving car at MRS for them.