Marseille Airport to City Centre: The Full Guide

Marseille Provence Airport (often shortened to MRS) sits about twenty kilometres northwest of downtown, near Vitrolles, not in the city itself. You have a few options for reaching the centre, with price and time differences worth comparing before you land.

The direct shuttle, the simplest option

The official shuttle connects the airport to Saint-Charles station, right in the centre of Marseille, in about 25 minutes. Expect around €10 for an adult one-way, with reduced fares for ages 12-25 and children. Departures are frequent, every 15 to 20 minutes during the day, with an early-morning first departure and a fairly late last one, handy if your flight lands at an odd hour. It's the option we recommend to most visitors: simple, reliable, no transfer.

The train, slower but cheaper

An alternative exists via the regional TER: a free shuttle connects the airport to the small Vitrolles-Aéroport Marseille Provence station in a few minutes, from where a train continues to Saint-Charles station. It's a bit longer and requires a transfer, but can work out cheaper depending on schedules and current fares. We'd mainly suggest it if you're traveling light and not on a tight schedule.

Taxi and rideshare

Expect around €55 for a taxi to the city centre, for a 25-30 minute ride depending on traffic. It's the most comfortable option if you're traveling as a group (the cost is split) or with a lot of luggage, and the only really practical one if you land when shuttles are less frequent. Standard rideshare apps also serve the airport, with fares generally comparable, sometimes slightly better if you book ahead.

Quick comparison

• Shuttle: ~€10, ~25 min, frequent departures, the best trade-off for most visitors.
• Train (TER): often cheaper, one transfer, worth it if you're not in a hurry.
• Taxi/rideshare: ~€55, ~25-30 min, door to door, the most comfortable for a group or heavy luggage.

Our advice

If you're staying near Saint-Charles station or downtown, the shuttle is plenty and drops you steps from everything. If your accommodation is further out (Corniche, Endoume, Calanques side), a direct taxi to the door skips a second transfer by tram or bus from the station while lugging bags. And always keep the shuttle's last departure time in mind if your return flight is early morning, better to check the schedule the night before than get stuck at the airport for lack of early transport.