Saint-Charles station to the Vieux-Port: metro, walk, taxi
Saint-Charles sits on a hill above the city, so the Vieux-Port is a short trip downhill. Metro M1 is the simple answer at 1.70 euros, with the station entrance inside the building. The walk down the big staircase is pleasant but awkward with a suitcase, and a taxi costs a little more than the metro for a group.
- Cheapest
- FreeWalk down the steps · 20 min
- Fastest
- 12 minTaxi · €10–€15
- Taxi
- €10–€15Taxi · 12 min
Metro M1: €3.40 for the group, about 15 min. No booking needed.
Metro
Metro M1
15 min
For the group€3.40
Metro M1
RTM · 1.70 euros · direct to the Vieux-Port
- Per person
- €1.70
- Door to door
- 15 min
- Runs
- 04:30–21:30
- Frequency
- every 4 to 6 min
- Board at
- Metro level below the station hall, reached by escalator or lift
- Suitcases
- Fine
Taxi
Taxi
12 min
For the group€10–€15estimate
Taxi
Licensed taxis · metered, no fixed fare
- Per person
- €10–€15 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 12 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Rank by the metro level of the station
- Board at
- Taxi rank beside the metro escalator, on the lower level
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
On foot
Walk down the steps
20 min
For the groupFree
Walk down the steps
Downhill, about 1.5 km on pavements
- Per person
- Free
- Door to door
- 20 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Any time
- Board at
- Main staircase at the front of the station
- Suitcases
- Awkward
Every option in detail
MetroMetro M1
- €1.70
- 15 min
- 04:30–21:30
- → Vieux-Port (Quai du Port side)
Take the escalators or the lift from the hall down to the metro level and follow the M1 signs. The Vieux-Port is two stops away, about 4 minutes of riding, and the stop names are shown on the platform board. A single ticket costs 1.70 euros plus 0.10 euros for the card the first time, valid for 60 minutes with one metro entry. Buy it at the machines at the metro entrance. The metro closes early on some nights while the new trains are installed, so check the evening hours below.
On footWalk down the steps
- €0
- 20 min
- 24 hours
- → Vieux-Port via Boulevard d'Athènes and La Canebière
Leave by the main exit and go down the wide stone staircase to Boulevard d'Athènes, then follow La Canebière straight down to the harbour. It takes about 20 minutes with a suitcase, all downhill after the steps. The staircase has no ramp, so with big bags use the lift or escalator inside the station instead. The route is straightforward but the Canebière is busy, so keep an eye on pockets.
TaxiTaxi
- €10–€15 per vehicle (estimate)
- 12 min
- 24 hours
- → Vieux-Port or any hotel
Marseille taxis use a meter on a prefectural tariff, and there is no fixed price for this short hop. We estimate 10 to 15 euros to the Vieux-Port, which depends on traffic on the Canebière and the luggage supplement. The ride takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Use the official rank, where the queue is usually short outside rush hour.
The same trip in a different situation
Arriving late at night
The metro does not run late on every night at the moment. It closes at about 21:30 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday while the new trains are installed, runs until about 00:30 on Thursday, and runs until about 01:00 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If you arrive after those times, the taxi rank by the metro level is the way to go, with a meter that runs all night. The walk is possible late in the evening but the Canebière is not the most comfortable street at night.
See the comparison →4 people, 4 suitcasesTravelling as a group of four
Four people on single tickets pay 6.80 euros, and RTM sells a 4-person ticket at 4.90 euros which is cheaper still. A taxi at about 10 to 15 euros works out at 2.50 to 3.75 euros each, so for a group with bags it is only a euro or two more than the metro, and it saves the stairs and the platform. For one or two people the metro is much cheaper.
See the comparison →Practical tips
- The metro entrance is inside the station. From the hall, follow the Metro signs down by the escalators or the lift to the M1 and M2 platforms.
- The taxi rank is on the lower level beside the metro escalator, not on the forecourt at the top of the steps.
- There is a staffed left-luggage office on the same lower level near the taxi rank, open daily from about 07:00 to 21:00, later in summer.
- The 4-person RTM ticket costs 4.90 euros and is the best value for a group of three or four.
- The staircase out front has no ramp. With a large case use the lift and escalator inside the station.
- For the cruise terminal, take metro M2 toward Gèze to Joliette and change to bus 35, or 35T on cruise days.
Questions travellers ask
How do I get from Saint-Charles station to the Vieux-Port?
Take metro M1 from the lower level of the station, two stops to Vieux-Port. A ticket is 1.70 euros and the trip takes about 15 minutes door to door. You can also walk down the steps and La Canebière in about 20 minutes.
How much is a taxi from Saint-Charles to the Vieux-Port?
The fare is metered. We estimate 10 to 15 euros, depending on traffic. There is no fixed price for the journey.
Does the Marseille metro run late?
Not every night at present. It closes at about 21:30 on Monday to Wednesday, runs until about 00:30 on Thursday and until about 01:00 on Friday to Sunday. After that take a taxi from the rank by the metro level.
Can I walk from Saint-Charles to the Vieux-Port?
Yes. It is about 1.5 km and takes around 20 minutes. You go down the staircase at the front of the station, then straight down La Canebière to the harbour.
