Overview
Marseille's public transport is run by the Régie des Transports Métropolitains (RTM), which operates the city's métro, trams, buses and the Old Port ferry-boat. The network is compact and easy to use: you buy a ticket or pass, validate it on the reader at the entrance to each mode, and ride. A single validated ticket gives you 60 minutes of travel across bus, tram and métro, and you simply revalidate each time you change mode within that hour — the reader will show an unchanged balance and charge you nothing extra.
One important rule to remember: a standard "solo" ticket allows only one métro entry. You can change lines inside a station (for example at Saint-Charles or Castellane), but if you exit and want to re-enter, you need a new ticket. Contactless bank cards are accepted directly at validators across the whole network, which makes riding simple if you don't want to buy a card.
The network
The RTM network comprises 2 métro lines, 3 tram lines and 74 bus lines, plus the ferry-boat across the Old Port and seasonal maritime shuttles.
- Métro (subway) — two lines, partly underground, serving 31 stations over 22.7 km. Line 1 opened in 1977 and Line 2 in 1984. The two lines interchange at Saint-Charles and Castellane. The trains (MPM 76) use rubber-tyred technology developed for the Paris Métro. Note that almost every métro station involves steps and stairs, so if you have mobility difficulties, a wheelchair or a pushchair, buses and trams are the better option.
- Tram — three tram lines, running until 00:30 seven days a week.
- Bus — 74 bus lines. Most routes stop running after about 21:00, after which a limited Noctambus night-bus network takes over until around 00:30, with infrequent service (roughly every 45–60 minutes).
- Ferry-boat — the small ferry crossing the Vieux Port (Old Harbour), often described as the shortest commercial boat ride in Europe and a tourist attraction in its own right. It is included in unlimited passes.
- Maritime shuttles (summer season) — boat-buses linking the Old Port with l'Estaque, the Old Port with Pointe Rouge, and Pointe Rouge with Les Goudes.
- Regional rail (TER) — the TER network connects Marseille with nearby towns; holders of the 7-day pass can use TER trains as far as Estaque, Septèmes-les-Vallons and La Barasse.
Tickets & fares
Fares below are approximate and change; always check current prices with RTM before you travel.
- Solo — €1.70 for one 60-minute trip, rechargeable at terminals in métro stations, tram stops or RTM retailers, plus €0.10 for the card holder. Allows one métro entry.
- Solo secours — €2, a single trip sold on board buses by the driver (pay with exact or extra money).
- 10-trip card — €15 for ten 60-minute trips on bus and métro, rechargeable twice and shareable by several people at once, plus €0.10 for the card holder.
- Group ticket — €4.90 for four people for one hour, validated once for the whole group.
- 24-hour pass — €5.20; 72-hour pass — €10.80. Individual, non-nominative, valid from first validation, and giving unlimited travel on RTM buses, métro, trams and the ferry-boat.
- 7-day pass ("all") — €15.50, valid seven days from first validation, covering the whole RTM network plus seasonal maritime shuttles, TER trains as far as Estaque, Septèmes-les-Vallons and La Barasse, and buses outside Marseille in the BLUE zone. It requires a free personalised photo ID card, which you can create at an RTM reception with a recent colour photo and proof of identity.
- Maritime shuttles — tickets bought on boarding, cash only: €5 one-way, or €8 one-way from the Old Port to Les Goudes (with a connection at Pointe Rouge). Holders of a nominative card with a 7-day, monthly or annual subscription ride unlimited, subject to available seats.
- CityPass Marseille — a separate tourist pass valid 24, 48 or 72 hours, priced at €36, €47 and €55 respectively. It includes attractions as well as transport, so check whether it suits your plans before buying.
Where to buy: contactless bank cards work directly at validators on all modes. Bus drivers sell only the solo secours ticket. Tram-stop machines take credit cards only; métro-station machines take cash or card depending on the station, and some gates have card-only payment terminals. Around 150 RTM-approved vendors across the city also sell tickets. RTM welcome points are in four métro stations — Saint-Charles, Noailles, Vieux-Port and Castellane — open seven days a week, 6:50 a.m.–7:40 p.m. Information desks at Gèze, La Rose and Sainte Marguerite-Dromel are open Monday–Saturday, 6:50 a.m.–7:40 p.m., and the Bourse customer service centre (6 rue des Fabres, 1st arrondissement) is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m.
Operating hours: the métro opens at 5:30 a.m. and, since 23 October 2023, closes at 9:30 p.m. Monday–Thursday (an exceptional early closure linked to the train renewal project); it runs until 12:30 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, holiday eves and event evenings. Buses run 5:30 a.m.–8:45 p.m., with Noctambus night buses 9 p.m.–12:30 a.m.; trams run 5:15 a.m.–12:30 a.m.
From the airport
Marseille-Provence International Airport (MRS) lies about 30 km from the city. Your main public-transport options into the centre are:
- Airport shuttle bus — the easiest option, running directly to the Saint-Charles bus/train station, where you can pick up the métro or walk to your hotel. It leaves roughly every 15–20 minutes and takes about 25 minutes. The fare is around €15 one-way or €25 return (approximate; check current prices). Tickets can be bought at the cabin between Halls 1 and 3/4 of the main terminal and at a kiosk in the Gare Routière at Saint-Charles. The bus is marked "Navette Aeroport Gare St Charles" and departs at 10, 30 and 50 minutes past the hour.
- TER train — a cheaper option (around €5.70) via the Vitrolles Marseille Provence Airport station, reached in about 5 minutes by bus #13 from platform 5 of the bus station; free shuttle buses connect to the railway station. The train leg takes about 20 minutes to Gare St Charles.
- Taxi — the airport website indicates around €50 to Marseille during the day and €60 at night.
Etiquette & customs
- Validate every time — you must validate your ticket on the reader at each entry and each mode change, even within your 60-minute window. It is the local habit and inspectors expect it.
- Queuing — board in the order you arrive and let passengers off before you get on.
- Priority seating — give up priority seats to older passengers, pregnant travellers and people with reduced mobility; keep noise down in quiet areas.
- Eating and drinking — keep food and drink off the métro and trams; it is not the done thing on board.
- Rush hour — trains run every 3 minutes at peak times and every 10 minutes in the evening, so be patient and move down the platform rather than crowding the doors.
- Stairs — most métro stations have several flights of stairs, so allow extra time and travel light where you can.
Official links
Survival terms
- Métro (métro) — subway/metro
- Billet / ticket (billet) — ticket
- Ligne (ligne) — line
- Entrée (entrée) — entrance
- Sortie (sortie) — exit
- Correspondance (correspondance) — transfer/connection
- Ticket unitaire (ticket unitaire) — single fare
- Pass journée (pass journée) — day pass
Keep a contactless bank card handy for the validators and remember the one-métro-entry rule on a single ticket, so you never get caught out at the gates.