We will be arriving by cruiseship at the port of Marseilles for a day. Would like to go to Aix and wondering if a cab is a viable way to get there. If so, how long a drive and what would we expect to pay for the fare? <BR>Any other suggestions would be appreciated. <BR> <BR>Thanks for your thoughts.

Pat, <BR> <BR>It's viable to hire a cab, since Marseille/Aix is a short, no more than half an hour drive. I don't have a clue on how much the driver will charge you, sorry. <BR> <BR>Surlok

We took a train, not very far, can check with www.raileurope.com. We also noticed that buses ran often. Aix-en Provence was lovely with a great main blvd with many cafes for people watching.

The train is the cheapest way to go, of course, I've taken it from Marseilles to Aix and the Aix train station is very central to things to see. I imagine there are runs all day long about hoursly; it's only about a 1/2 hr train trip. I think it's about 20 miles by car and as a guess, I think you might pay around $40 one way, but that's just a guess based on distance and what I pay for cab fare in Paris. That's really not too bad split between two people and might be worth the convenience compared to trying to navigate the train system if you aren't familiar with it and are short on time. I'd guess the train fare is probably about US$10 one way and I think the Marseille train station is probably about 1/2 to 3/4 mile from the port.

Pat, <BR> <BR>If you want to visit Cezanne's Atelier, the taxi ride all the way from Marseille would save you time, since you'd have to hire one in Aix, anyway, to get you there. <BR> <BR>Or maybe a better idea would be getting there by train, and hiring a guide with a car in Aix. We didn't do this, and I felt that we didn't see all that Aix has to offer. We just visited Cezanne's atelier, then strolled by Cours Mirabeau, had lunch, and drove back to Marseille, which, BTW, I don't think is worth visiting. If you decide to hire a taxi, go to Cassis ( 10 miles from Marseille and much more "French" flavor), instead, and then just drive back to Marseille to board the ship. <BR> <BR>In fact, while I'm writing, another idea just came to mind. A driver born in Marseille won't likely know, anyway, the region so well as a taxi driver from Aix itself. So, why don't you take the train up to Aix, and hire whether a guide, or a taxi there, to drive you and show you around, and have him driving you back ( I'd go to Cassis, as I wrote before) to Marseille? I guess this would make more sense... <BR> <BR>Surlok