Getting around Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a compact, walkable city, and most visitors find they can cover the centre on foot while using the tram and bus network for longer hops out to the suburbs, the station and the university campus. The city sits on the plain of Limagne in the Massif Central, surrounded by the Chaîne des Puys, so expect some hills and alleys as you explore.
Tram and public transport
The city has an intra-urban tramway that links key points across town, running from the northern district of Champratel south through the centre, past the Les Cezeaux campus, and on to La Pardieu Gare. This tram line is known as the A. It is the quickest way to connect the downtown with the station and the campus.
An extensive bus network complements the tram, connecting the downtown to the outlying suburbs. Stops are frequent and the network map is straightforward to follow. Note that bus service is limited on Saturdays and Sundays, so plan weekend journeys with that in mind.
Tickets and passes
Ticketing is simple and inexpensive. A one-way ticket costs €1.60 and is valid for one hour. You can also buy a pack of ten tickets for €15.00. Tickets work on the tram and on any of the bus lines, and they do not expire, so unused tickets can be kept for later.
Walking
Like most European cities, Clermont-Ferrand is very walkable: any destination or need is within about a 30-minute walk. Walking is a good way to explore the hills, the alleys and the neighbourhood shops they contain. If you want to pause and connect, public Wi-Fi spots can be found around the city, for example in the Jardin Lecoq and on the Place de Jaude.
Taxis, cars and two-wheelers
Beyond public transport, you can get around by car, scooter, motorcycle or moped. The city is also well connected by road, sitting at the intersection of the A71 from Orléans and the north, the A75 from the south and Béziers, and the east-west A89 from Bordeaux to Lyon. Be aware of tolls: the A71 and A89 charge tolls, while the A75 is free apart from the Millau viaduct well to the south.
Arriving by train or bus
Clermont-Ferrand's train station sits just on the eastern edge of the centre ville on l'Avenue de l'Union Sovietique, making it an easy walk or short tram ride into the heart of the city. Trains run every couple of hours to and from Paris throughout the day, roughly between 05:00 and 20:00, with the journey taking about 3½ hours and making four stops along the way.
The city also has a bus station, the Gare Routière, located in the parking lot across from the Casino supermarket where Boulevard François Mitterrand splits into Boulevard Pasteur and Boulevard Charles de Gaulle, a couple of main blocks south of Place de Jaude. Since France has no national bus line, all routes arriving at and departing from this terminal are international.
Getting in from the airport
Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne Airport (CFE) lies about fifteen minutes east of town. Air France flies here from both main Paris airports, and shuttles take you from the airport to the town centre. Other airlines also serve the airport, including Ryanair to London Stansted and Porto, and HOP! to Amsterdam. For most visitors, the airport shuttle is the straightforward way into the city.