Marseille Cruise Port to Vieux-Port: bus, shuttle, taxi
The Marseille Provence Cruise Terminal sits at Gate 4 in the northern docks, about 7 km from the Vieux-Port. You cannot walk it, so the choice is a free port shuttle, the city bus 35 at 1.70 euros, or a taxi at roughly 17 to 25 euros. The bus and shuttle both end at Place de la Joliette, from where the metro or a short bus finishes the trip.
- Cheapest
- FreeFree port shuttle to Joliette · 55 min
- Fastest
- 20 minTaxi · €17–€25
- Taxi
- €17–€25Taxi · 20 min
With 2 travelling, take a taxi: €17–€25 for the group, about 20 min, straight to your door.
Taxi
Taxi
20 min
For the group€17–€25estimate
Taxi
Licensed taxis · metered, no fixed fare
- Per person
- €17–€25 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 20 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Rank at Place de la Joliette; queues at the port gate on ship days
- Board at
- Taxi stand at the Gate 4 exit or at Place de la Joliette
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Shuttle
Free port shuttle to Joliette
55 min
For the groupFreeestimate
Free port shuttle to Joliette
Port of Marseille Fos · free · ship days only
- Per person
- Free
- Door to door
- 55 min
- Runs
- 09:00–17:00
- Frequency
- about every 30 min, reported hours 09:00 to 17:00
- Board at
- Marked shuttle stop at the Gate 4 exit
- Suitcases
- Fine
Bus
RTM bus 35 or 35T, then metro
45 min
For the group€3.40
RTM bus 35 or 35T, then metro
RTM · 1.70 euros · ticket machine at Gate 4
- Per person
- €1.70
- Door to door
- 45 min
- Runs
- 05:08–21:08
- Frequency
- every 15 to 20 min on weekdays
- Board at
- Terminal Croisieres stop outside Gate 4
- Suitcases
- Awkward
Private car
Pre-booked private car
20 min
For the group€48estimateCheck price
Pre-booked private car
Driver meets you at the terminal · price fixed when you book
- Per person
- €48 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 20 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Pre-booked
- Board at
- Driver waits at the Gate 4 meeting point
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Every option in detail
BusRTM bus 35 or 35T, then metro
- €1.70
- 45 min
- 05:08–21:08
- → Joliette, then metro M2 and M1 to Vieux-Port
Walk the green line on the ground from your ship to Gate 4, which takes 5 to 12 minutes, and buy a ticket from the machine at the bus stop. A single is 1.70 euros, plus 0.10 euros for the card the first time, and it is valid for 60 minutes with one metro entry. Bus 35 takes about 9 minutes to Joliette. On ship days the extra bus 35T runs there as well, about every 20 minutes between roughly 09:20 and 16:00. From Joliette take metro M2 two stops to Saint-Charles, change to M1 and ride two stops to Vieux-Port, about 6 minutes of metro in all.
ShuttleFree port shuttle to Joliette
- €0 (estimate)
- 55 min
- 09:00–17:00
- → Place de la Joliette, next to Terrasses du Port
The port authority runs a free shuttle on days when ships are at the Gate 4 terminals, for passengers in transit, boarding or disembarking. It leaves from a marked stop at the Gate 4 exit and drops at Quai du Lazaret, between the Terrasses du Port shopping centre and the maritime station. The port does not publish a timetable we could confirm, and the 09:00 to 17:00 window with a 30 minute gap is a figure reported by cruise passengers, so check it on the day. From Joliette it is a 25 minute walk to the Vieux-Port, or 10 to 15 minutes on bus 55, 82 or 83 with a 1.70 euro ticket.
TaxiTaxi
- €17–€25 per vehicle (estimate)
- 20 min
- 24 hours
- → Vieux-Port or any address
Marseille taxis run on a meter set by prefectural tariff, so there is no fixed price from the cruise terminal. Passenger reports and journey planners put the fare at about 17 to 20 euros to the Vieux-Port and 20 to 25 euros to Saint-Charles station, which is an estimate. Expect surcharges for a third large bag and a short wait on days with several ships in port. The drive is roughly 15 minutes outside rush hour.
Private carPre-booked private car
- €48 per vehicle (estimate)
- 20 min
- 24 hours
- → Your hotel door
A pre-booked sedan starts at about 48 euros for up to four passengers on this route, with a name sign and a fixed price. It is not cheaper than the meter for one or two people, but the fare is settled before you leave the ship. A return pick-up at a set time takes the pressure off a day call.
The same trip in a different situation
Arriving late at night
Plan your return around the all-aboard time, not the sailing time. On the October timetable bus 35 leaves Joliette for the cruise terminal until about 20:55 on weekdays, and the extra 35T stops in mid-afternoon, with its last departure from Joliette around 16:20. The metro on a weekday timetable has its last departure from Joliette at about 21:40, and weekend hours differ, so check rtm.fr. After about 21:00 the realistic way back to the ship is a taxi from the Joliette rank, which costs roughly 20 to 25 euros.
See the comparison →4 people, 4 suitcasesTravelling as a group of four
Four people on single tickets pay 6.80 euros, but RTM sells a 4-person ticket, one trip for four, at 4.90 euros, which is cheaper again. A taxi at about 17 to 25 euros for four works out at 4 to 6 euros each, so it gives you the door-to-door trip for a few euros more than the bus. The free shuttle costs nothing, but you still need 1.70 euros each to reach the Vieux-Port from Joliette unless you walk.
See the comparison →Practical tips
- The cruise terminals are reached through Gate 4 on Chemin du Littoral. Follow the green line painted on the ground, a walk of 5 to 12 minutes from the quay.
- There is a ticket machine at the Gate 4 bus stop. Buying on board costs 2.00 euros for a one-trip ticket.
- A ticket is valid for 60 minutes and allows one metro entry, so you can change from M2 to M1 inside the station at Saint-Charles.
- Port to airport (MRS): take bus 35 to Joliette, M2 to Saint-Charles and the airport shuttle from the station, allow at least 90 minutes in all. A pre-booked sedan to the airport starts at about 70 euros and takes 35 to 45 minutes.
- The Joliette J4 terminal, used by small and luxury ships, is a short walk from the Vieux-Port, so none of this applies if you dock there.
- Confirm the all-aboard time on your cruise app. The extra bus 35T and the free shuttle stop in the afternoon, after which only bus 35 serves the terminal.
Questions travellers ask
How do I get from the Marseille cruise port to the Vieux-Port?
Take the free port shuttle or bus 35 from Gate 4 to Place de la Joliette, then metro M2 and M1 or bus 55, 82 or 83 to the Vieux-Port. The ticket is 1.70 euros and the whole trip takes about 45 to 55 minutes.
Is there a free shuttle at Marseille cruise port?
Yes. The port authority runs a free shuttle between the Gate 4 exit and Place de la Joliette on days when ships are in port. No official timetable is published, so ask at the stop for the last return.
How much is a taxi from Marseille cruise port to the city centre?
Taxis are metered. Expect about 17 to 20 euros to the Vieux-Port and 20 to 25 euros to Saint-Charles station, based on passenger reports rather than a published fixed fare.
How do I get from Marseille cruise port to Marseille airport?
Ride bus 35 to Joliette, metro M2 to Saint-Charles and the airport shuttle from the station, which takes at least 90 minutes. A taxi or pre-booked sedan is faster, about 35 to 45 minutes, and a sedan starts at roughly 70 euros.
What is the last bus back to the cruise port?
Bus 35 leaves Joliette for the cruise terminal until about 20:55 on weekdays. The extra ship-day bus 35T has its last departure around 16:20.
