Marseille to Paris train

Train Marseille Paris

Trains from Marseille to Paris are a comfortable and eco-friendly way to travel between these cities and a popular choice for many visitors. Paris is possibly the most visited city in France, and thanks to this, there are several services every day. The train schedule from Marseille to Paris is the same from Monday through Saturday, with a slight drop on Sundays. These start early in the morning and run until late in the evening, with the last train of the night being a night train with onboard sleepers. All services between these cities are operated by the same company and run between Marseille-St-Charles and Paris Gare de Lyon railway stations. The distance between the two stations is around 775 km (481 miles) and the average travel time on a train takes around 3h 20min, if there are no changeovers and around 3h 50min with a changeover en route.

Marseille to Paris Train Time: Daily Departures

Trains from Marseille to Paris are one of the most popular choices when moving between these cities, which is why there are various services every day. If you're travelling during the work week, you'll find at least 21 trains every day, which start around 5:20 a.m. and run every hour from then until the last departure at around 10:00 p.m. Trains start a little later on Saturdays and Sundays, at around 7:00 a.m. and run until just before 8:00 p.m. on a Saturday, while the last trip on a Sunday is a night train departing just before 10:00 p.m. These routes are either direct trips or a train with a single stopover in Lyon, Valence or Nimes. The easiest way to get to the daily schedules is to navigate to the top on this page and add the departure and arrival stations and select your travel dates. Click on the Search button and you'll be redirected to the results page with all of the consolidated information on display.

Boarding your train Marseille Paris

You'll need to arrive at Marseille-St-Charles at least 30 minutes before your train from Marseille to Paris is scheduled to depart. This will give you enough time to check in and board. Keep your mobile or printed ticket in hand to scan at the boarding gates. If it doesn't scan, there will be an SNCF employee to help you scan the ticket. Once your service has arrived, make sure you board the train at least 2 minutes before departure. Doors will be closed 2 minutes before and you won't be allowed on once they close.

Marseille: Port Saint Jean. Source: Shutterstock

Where do trains from Marseille to Paris depart and arrive?

All trains from Marseille to Paris depart from the same station in Marseille and arrive at the same station in Paris. The departure station is Marseille-St-Charles, the city's major railway station and also the intercity bus station. Marseille-St-Charles is located about a 10 minute drive away from the city centre and is well connected to the rest of the city by buses and taxis. This station is home to various facilities and amenities designed to make your trip as comfortable as possible. You can grab a bite to eat at one of the restaurants or cafes, or do a little shopping before your trip at one of the retail stores. You'll also have access to WiFi, ATMs, ticketing offices and information centres.

Paris Gare de Lyon is the arrival station for every train to Paris from Marseille and is the northern terminus in Paris. It's one of the busiest stations in the city and operates services heading southeast out of the city or into the city from that direction. The station offers level access between the platforms and the concourse and provides numerous connections to the city centre, including buses and taxis. The station is home to various facilities and amenities that include toilets, baby-changing facilities, shops, cafes and more.

When is the best time to book your train ticket Marseille Paris?

If you're looking for a cheap train from Marseille to Paris, the cheapest services are usually available on Saturdays. The schedule is the most frequent from Monday to Saturday, while Sunday has fewer services. If you want to experience the best of Paris, the city is usually at its best over the weekend, so consider booking tickets on Friday or Saturday morning. Connecting routes are usually more expensive than direct routes. One of the most expensive tickets is the night train at the end of the evening, but this is also considered the most comfortable.

What to see between Marseille and Paris

If you're on a direct train Marseille - Paris, there won't be any chance to explore other parts of the country. If you want to see other parts, consider booking tickets with a stopover en route. Lyon is one of the most popular stopover spots. It's the capital of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and sits along the Rhône and Saône rivers. A few things worth doing while you're in Lyon include walking around Vieux Lyon, visiting the Traboules and checking out the Fourvière Basilica before carrying on the route to Paris. Another popular stopover spot is Nimes, in southern France in the Occitanie region, which once stood as an important outpost of the Roman Empire. You can jump out and explore things like the Les Arènes and Maison Carrée, or go walking around the 18th Century gardens, Jardins de la Fontaine.

Information on Gare de Lyon

Paris Gare de Lyon is one of the main railway termini in Paris that's located in the east-central part of the city. The station serves the high-speed train from Marseille to Paris and other parts of south and eastern France, as well as regional trains, and international trains to parts of Italy, Switzerland and Spain. It's one of the busiest railway stations on the continent. It's connected to the rest of the city via buses, taxis, regional trains and the Metro, and is home to various facilities, including ticketing offices, cafes, restaurants, shops, cash machines, car hire desks and others.

Night trains Marseille Paris

Over the last few years, night trains have become more and more popular with train passengers because of the comfort level. These trains offer a place to sleep during your journey and are usually quieter than regular trains because they have fewer passengers. There is a night train between these destinations every day except for Saturdays. SNCF INTERCITÉS offers a low-cost journey with maximum comfort. You can choose the Standard tickets, which come with seats with a footrest and adjustable headrest, or you can choose a First Class or Second Class bunk, which makes sleeping a lot easier. The average travel time for one of these services is around 9 hours, so not exactly a fast train from Marseille to Paris, but certainly one of the most comfortable.

SNCF Marseille to Paris

SNCF is the only provider of services from Marseille to Paris and offers 2 different trains. The majority of the routes are operated by their high-speed TGV trains, which have an average travel time of around 3h 20min. There are close to 20 of these trains every day. Every evening, except Saturdays, there is at least one night train, which leaves around 10:00 p.m. and takes close to 9 hours to make the trip. This service is called the SNCF INTERCITÉS and is specifically designed with your comfort in mind.

Trains from Marseille to Paris: Sustainability Travel

When talking about sustainable travel, many climate professionals will encourage you to choose more eco-friendly ways of travelling. When it comes to long-distance travel, trains are one of the most sustainable ways to move between destinations. Trains only produce about 3% of global transport emissions and can lower your CO2 emissions by up to 70% compared to planes, buses and cars. High-speed electric trains produce almost no CO2 and contribute almost nothing towards noise pollution. These services also offer more efficient use of space, so more people can travel on one route than in any other mode of transport, meaning fewer emissions per person, per trip.

Train Marseille to Paris: Services on Board

All train services between these destinations are operated by the same company and offer the same services.

• Both the standard high-speed train and night train offer First and Second Class tickets. First Class gives you access to better seating and more legroom, or room to lie down on the sleeper trains.
• You're free to bring your food and drinks onboard, or you can purchase from the onboard cafe. There is WiFi on the trains, so you can order from the cafe online and have food brought to you.
• There are no luggage limits but you must be able to carry your own luggage without help. You may travel with foldable bicycles free of charge if they fit in the luggage compartment. Non-foldable bikes are subject to availability
• Pet travel is permitted if your animal is kept in a carrier
• In terms of accessible travel, all SNCF trains have space for wheelchairs and have accessible onboard facilities. You must contact them ahead of time to arrange any help you need.
• Seat reservation is available on these routes.

When to book your train tickets from Marseille to Paris

There are a couple of ways to ensure you pick up the best Marseille to Paris train price. Firstly, search with flexible dates in mind to pick up on random deals on different days that companies might offer. Book your tickets as far in advance as you can as they go on sale months in advance and gradually increase in price. Saturdays seem to be the cheapest days to travel, and choosing connecting routes is usually more costly than direct routes. Take advantage of the student discount if you have a student card, and if you're a senior citizen you may qualify for other discounts.

To Paris by train — travel tips

Paris is a city unlike any other, steeped in history with an unmistakable modern feel to it. This city is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world and widely considered a place of romance and love. You can spend your days sipping on French champagne and trying some of the local cuisines or you can spend time exploring ancient monuments. The city is home to some of the most visited art galleries and museums in the world and offers visitors a wealth of artistic performances from live music shows to nights at the Opera. Our Paris Window Seat article offers some tips and tricks on things to do in the city, which include:

• The Louvre
• Eiffel Tower
• Musée d’Orsay
• Hôtel des Invalides
• Palace of Versailles
• Musée de l’Orangerie
• Centre Georges Pompidou
• Sainte-Chapelle

Paris: Luxembourg Gardens and Palace. Source: Shutterstock

What are the other cities you can go to from Paris?

Paris is a transportation hub in Europe and a popular tourist destination for many, so there's no surprise it's well connected to many other major cities. One of the most popular train routes is the Eurostar from Paris to London which runs multiple times a day and takes less than 2h 20min. Paris to Manchester is another sought-after route and takes around 1h 20min. If you want to visit Milan in Italy, there are daily trains that take just over 7 hours. Paris to Nice is a well-travelled local route that only takes about 7 hours, or you could head through to Lyon in under 2 hours.