Marseille City Guide - Getting Around

Régie des Transports de Marseille (RTM) (tel: (04) 9191 9210; website: www.rtm.fr) provides public transport throughout the city and some of the suburbs. There are two metro lines (blue and red) and over 80 bus lines. The metro runs from 0500 until 2100 every day and from 0500 until 1230 from Friday to Sunday and when there is a football match at the Velodrome Stadium. Buses run from around 0500 until 2100 every day, consult the RTM website (above) for exact timetables for various bus routes.

Tickets can be bought in any metro station, at the RTM office on 6 rue des Fabres, or any shop displaying the RTM sign (blue on white) in their window.

Major roadworks are currently under way to build a new tram system, which will become operational by spring 2007.

Day passes are available for one day (Carte Journée) or three (Carte 3 Jours). There are also a weekly pass and various money-saving cards for groups (ask for more information at any station). Tickets have to be validated, or you might incur an on the spot fine. You can travel on the same ticket for up to one hour. After that, another ticket must be validated. 

Major taxi providers include Taxi Blanc Bleu (tel: (04) 9151 5000), Taxis Plus (tel: (04) 9103 6003), Taxi Radio Marseille (tel: (04) 9102 2020; website: www.taximarseille.com) and Taxi Tupp Radio (tel: (04) 9150 3793). Tips are welcome but not expected.

Parking in Marseille has always been a problem, especially in some of the ‘quartiers' where narrow streets are the norm, and over the past few years this has become even more of a headache, so the advice is to leave the car behind if you can. The city centre is compact enough to explore on foot, and public transports links are good.

To make matters worse, major roadworks are currently under way to build a new tram system, so traffic disruptions are unavoidable until completion (scheduled for spring 2007). For more information, log onto www.metro-tramway-marseille.com (French only).

Driving in Marseille (as anywhere else in the south) can be a nerve-racking experience, as drivers do not always abide by the Highway Code and have their own take on right of way. The use of the horn is also popular. Take it all in your stride if you are behind the wheel, it's all part of the local colour.

The minimum age to hire a car varies from 21 to 25 years. Drivers must possess a national driving licence, which they must have held for at least one year. Third party insurance is mandatory for driving in France and this should be covered in the hire price. Additional insurance is optional.

Providers in the city centre include Ada (tel: (04) 9164 9059; website: www.ada.fr), Avis (tel: (04) 9164 7100; website: www.avis.fr), Europcar (tel: (04) 9110 7490 or 0825 825 680; website: www.europcar.fr), Hertz (tel: (04) 9179 2206; website: www.hertz.com), National/Citer (tel: (04) 9105 9086; website: www.citer.fr) and Thrifty (tel: (04) 9195 0000; website: www.thrifty.com). All of the above have desks at the airport. So do Budget (tel: (04) 4214 2455; website: www.budget.com) and Sixt (tel: (04) 4214 3530; website: www.sixt.fr).

Cycles Do, 72 cours Lieutaud, 6e (tel: (04) 9154 3314; website: www.mbk.fr) hires out motorbikes, scooters and bicycles.