How to get Avignon from Marseille

Marseille and Avignon are two of the most interesting destinations on the French Riviera. For this reason it is very likely that you will be interested to know the means at your disposal to go from one place to the other.

Keyvis Montilva

Keyvis Montilva

10 min read

How to get Avignon from Marseille

In Avignon | ©Henri Sivonen

Learning how to move between the different cities of the French Mediterranean coast is an excellent idea if you are planning a sightseeing tour around the region. To get from Marseille to Avignon there are different alternatives that are available for a variety of budgets as well as for different types of travelers.

Although there are many things to see in Marseille, if you have enough days you may want to visit Avignon. I invite you to continue reading this article that will help you plan your trips, which will allow you to feel much more at ease and choose the option that best suits your needs.

1. The best way to get there: a private transfer

Streets of Avignon| ©Karoly Lorentey
Streets of Avignon| ©Karoly Lorentey

It may sound a bit disconnected from reality, but the truth is that the best way to get to Avignon from Marseille regardless of the time of year or the number of tourists is a private transfer. This has to do with the fact that it is an experience centered on exclusivity and privacy, as well as the comfort of the travelers and above all the speed of the service.

This type of transfer can come in two forms. It is possible that there is a pick up directly at the international airport of Marseille or also that the vehicle goes to your accommodation in this city to take you to your new hotel in the town of Avignon. The service fee includes the driver who will be fully available to solve any eventuality that may occur with you or your group of companions.

This type of transfer is usually designed for a maximum of six people, as they are usually carried out in small vans that ensure the comfort of each passenger. In fact, the rate per person is designed according to a group with this number of participants.

You should know that this alternative is also one of the best ways to get around to enjoy the best things to do in Marseille during the summer, as trains, buses and other shared trips are in high demand due to the high tourist influx that the region has at this time of year.

Details of interest

  • Price: the approximate fare for a private transfer from Marseille to Avignon is usually around 150 to 160 euros per person. This means that the transfer for 6 people is around 900 euros.
  • Duration: the private transfer between these two cities usually takes about one hour. This is assuming that you leave from the airport of the city. In case it happens from the city center it may take an hour and a half due to city traffic.
  • Advantages: it is an experience that you can cancel for free if you notify in advance and at the same time it is a more exclusive way of traveling that can satisfy the needs of the most demanding.

2. How to get from Marseille to Avignon with a sightseeing tour?

Palais des Papes in Avignon| ©Fred Romero
Palais des Papes in Avignon| ©Fred Romero

Another alternative available to you if you wish to travel from Marseille to Avignon is to join a sightseeing tour. These are usually available during most of the year, as Avignon is a very interesting destination for those who are staying in and around Marseille.

The disadvantage of this option is that it is a transfer that is designed for people who want to return to Marseille the same day and therefore has a very different cost structure.

However, in case you just want to get to know the city without staying overnight, then it is ideal for you. Especially because it offers you the accompaniment of a guide specialized in the history of the city, as well as an excellently planned tour of the main attractions of this historic town, which stands out within the region of Provence for having been the seat of the Catholic papacy for several decades of the fourteenth century.

This type of transfer is part of one of the best day trips in Provence from Marseille. Moreover, this is an activity that usually lasts about 10 hours in total, which means that you can complement it with other activities such as the best gastronomic tours in Marseille, which will allow you to explore the culinary world of this city.

Interesting details

  • Price: the usual price per person for an excursion that allows you to go from Marseille to Avignon with return trip included is usually around 100 euros. If the experience also includes meals and special activities, the price is likely to be higher.
  • Duration: the transfer as such from the center of Marseille usually takes an hour and a half at the most, as the tourist bus usually takes the same highway as a private car or a public bus.
  • Advantages: this transfer alternative is very favorable especially for those who intend to return to Marseille on the same day of their visit to Avignon and want guarantees that they will have a suitable means of transport for their return.

3. How to get by plane from Marseille to Avignon?

Marseille Airport| ©Steve Miller
Marseille Airport| ©Steve Miller

Unfortunately, it is impossible to reach Avignon by plane from the city of Marseille, as both cities share the same airport. In fact, it is located halfway between the two cities in a commune called Marignane.

This does not mean that you cannot use air means to go from Marseille to Avignon because a helicopter trip can be an interesting alternative if your budget allows it and especially if the number of companions is limited enough.

You have to remember that most of these trips are reserved for a group of a maximum of four people and it can easily be an experience that exceeds 1000 euros per person, depending on the time of year and the amount of demand for this tourist service.

So the most advisable is that if you have a tight budget you invest that money in other ways of getting around that allow you to see the city up close like the Marseille Hop On Hop Off buses that are considered to make the best tours in Marseille.

That is a recommendable plan because the fares do not exceed 30 € per person and the remaining money you could perfectly invest it in a trip that is given in other alternatives of public transport that would take you to your destination surely in a faster way. Especially considering that for such a trip you would have to travel to a heliport that is probably quite far from the center of Marseille.

4. How to drive from Marseille to Avignon?

Driving a car| ©Jackson David
Driving a car| ©Jackson David

Going by private car from Marseille to Avignon can be one of the best options especially for those who enjoy driving along the French roads.

Renting a car to go from town to town and city to city along the French Riviera is an alternative that many people propose to save money on tickets. Also to be able to enjoy the beautiful landscapes that define this Mediterranean region. Alamo Rent a Car, Europcar and Sixt are some of the best car rental alternatives that stand out for their wide offer and competitive rates.

In fact, planning a week to tour Provence as well as the different towns that compose it, including Avignon, Arles and Nimes, is one of the best things to do in and around Marseille in summer.

You can choose between the A7 highway or combine the A7 with the A54, which is ideal to have the opportunity to pass through the town of Arles. If you combine the A7 and the D7N you will pass through Aix-en-Provence, another of the great treasures of the region.

Either way, this means of transport is quite fast and allows you to make a short stop at the Alpilles Regional Natural Park, a nature reserve located in a mountainous terrain halfway between Marseille and the ancient city of Avignon. It is also very close to the airport that serves both cities.

Details of interest

  • Price: it all depends on the car rental company you choose as well as the area in which you hire this service within Marseille. However, the trip usually costs about 100 euros in total taking into account that the daily rental of the vehicle can be about 60 euros depending on its characteristics and you have to add the fuel charge.
  • Duration: the duration of the trip will always be between 1 hour and 1 hour and a half depending on the highways you choose and the stops you make.
  • Advantages: it is the best option if you want to have free mobility in Avignon or in the whole Provence region to explore its attractions on your own terms.

5. How to get by bus from Marseille to Avignon?

Bus from Marseille| ©Gbus25
Bus from Marseille| ©Gbus25

From the Saint-Charles transport station you have the possibility to travel by bus from Marseille to Avignon.

This alternative is rather slower because there are several stops along the route. In addition, the journey time depends significantly on the traffic between Marseille and Avignon.

However, this can be one of the best things to do in Marseille at Christmas since the tourist demand is lower and this means that buses will have unbeatable fares. It also means that fewer people will be traveling inside the vehicle and this will give you more comfort and privacy on the trip.

There are several companies that can offer trips for the date of your visit, but Ouibus and Flixbus Marseille are the most popular choices because they tend to maintain a more significant frequency of trips even in the low season. This means you can have peace of mind that when you arrive at the Saint-Charles bus station there will be buses running the route that day.

Details of interest

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  • Prices: bus travel is the cheapest alternative and can cost you around 10 euros per trip. It is possible that the same trip may go up to 20 or 30 euros in high season.
  • Duration: bus trips between Marseille and Avignon usually last a little longer because of the stops that are having in the various locations that exist between the two cities. The average time is two hours.
  • Advantages: it is an experience that is usually more economical especially for those traveling alone and renting a car is too expensive.

6. How to get by train from Marseille to Avignon?

Train from Marseille| ©i_yudai
Train from Marseille| ©i_yudai

Traveling by train from Marseille to Avignon. is an option that many consider the most convenient of all from an economic and logistical perspective. This has to do with the fact that there are high speed trains that make this journey directly.

It is an entertaining experience for the simple fact that traveling by train is interesting for many people and also because the French train system is of excellent quality and impresses most of its foreign users. In fact, it is one of the best things to do in Marbella with children, as it is the shortest trip of all and at the same time one of the most comfortable for both adults and children.

The Saint Charles train station is a very charming place and the best thing about it is that it is right in the center of Marseille. In the case of Avignon the TGV train station is a bit far from the city center, but you could pay for a cab to your accommodation or to the first stop on your itinerary. This is never more than 10 euros.

Details of interest

  • Prices: prices are changeable because they depend on the time of year and what train travel is on offer. It is possible to find a ticket for 10 euros while it is also likely to go up to 40 euros if you buy it at short notice.
  • Duration: the trip usually takes about 40 minutes in total, but it may take a little longer depending on waiting times and train departure times.
  • Advantages: a train trip is the fastest alternative of all and at the same time it is an excellent way to familiarize yourself with this transportation system that will help you travel all over France in record time if you wish.

Other means of transport from Marseille to Avignon

Bike tour| ©jean luc moreau
Bike tour| ©jean luc moreau

There are other means of transportation that can take you from Marseille to Avignon in much more time but in a much more entertaining way depending on your interests. I'm talking about bicycles and one of the best bike tours in Marseille are those that have to do with a trip from this city to the towns that are in its surroundings.

In this case we would be talking about a trip that usually lasts about four and a half hours in total. You have to keep in mind that assuming that you leave from the center of Marseille the routes would be quite similar to the highways recommended for car travel. However, the big difference is that in this case you will be riding through a cycle path frequented by the cycling enthusiasts of the Provence region.

Anyway, if you are still interested in the idea of touring Marseille and its surroundings in other equally peculiar means of transport then you can participate in some of the best boat tours in Marseille, as many of them will take you to other nearby towns such as Cassis or La Ciotat, or at least give you the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of this Mediterranean corner.

The best bike tours in Marseille

  • A private transfer
  • Duration: about one hour.
  • Price: about 150 euros per person.
  • Highlight: exclusive and private experience.
  • A sightseeing tour
  • Duration: approximately 8 to 10 hours.
  • Price: about 100 euros per person.
  • Highlight: you can go and come back in one day with the accompaniment of a guide.
  • Private car
  • Duration: about an hour or an hour and a half.
  • Price: about 80 or 90 euros per trip.
  • Highlight: ideal to explore a little more of Provence.
  • A bus trip
  • Duration: can take up to 2 hours.
  • Price: about 15 euros approximately.
  • Highlight: it is a very economical alternative.
  • A trip by train
  • Duration: usually 40 or 50 minutes.
  • Price: about 25 euros on average.
  • Highlight: it is the fastest and most modern option.