Marseille port: getting to central Marseille after midnight
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.
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With 2 travelling, take a taxi: €17–€25 for the group, about 20 min, straight to your door. Not running at this hour: RTM bus 35 or 35T, then metro, Free port shuttle to Joliette.
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
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
Bus
RTM bus 35 or 35T, then metro
Not running at this hour
For the group-
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
- Not running at this hour (05:08–21:08)
- Frequency
- every 15 to 20 min on weekdays
- Board at
- Terminal Croisieres stop outside Gate 4
- Suitcases
- Awkward
Shuttle
Free port shuttle to Joliette
Not running at this hour
For the group-
Free port shuttle to Joliette
Port of Marseille Fos · free · ship days only
- Per person
- Free
- Door to door
- 55 min
- Runs
- Not running at this hour (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
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.
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
Marseille port at 00:30: what still runs?
At 00:30 these options run: Taxi (€17–€25 per vehicle, 20 min); Pre-booked private car (€48 per vehicle, 20 min). Fares are per person unless marked per vehicle. Not running at that hour: RTM bus 35 or 35T, then metro (05:08–21:08); Free port shuttle to Joliette (09:00–17:00).
Marseille port: what is the cheapest way after midnight?
The cheapest option running at 00:30 is Taxi: €17–€25 per vehicle, about 20 min door to door.
Marseille port: how much is a taxi at night?
Taxi: €17–€25 per vehicle, counted for up to 4 people, about 20 min door to door. The price is an estimate. Pre-booked private car: €48 per vehicle.
Marseille port: when do trains and buses run?
Scheduled services: RTM bus 35 or 35T, then metro 05:08–21:08; Free port shuttle to Joliette 09:00–17:00. Times can change, so check with the operator before you travel.
Marseille port: what is the best option for two people with two bags at 00:30?
With 2 travelling, take a taxi: €17–€25 for the group, about 20 min, straight to your door.
Marseille port: where do these prices and times come from?
Prices and times were checked on October 4, 2026 against RTM, Marseille Tourisme, Légifrance, linked in the list of options on this page.
