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Marseille to Montpellier by train
How to take a train from Marseille to Montpellier
There is a choice of train services when taking a train from Marseille to Montpellier.
The express trains; the Intercités trains, are not only faster, they can be cheaper too, if you can book ahead of the travel date.
Though when the discounted tickets have sold out, or if you will be booking walk-up tickets at the station, the slightly slower TER trains become the cheaper option.
If you will be making this journey with an InterRail or Eurail pass, you can save €10 by taking the TER trains.
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Routes
Option 1: taking the express trains
Journey Summary
1hr 26 min - 1hr 35min (approx)
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Bordeaux (the IC trains) and Madrid (the RENFE-SNCF train)
These trains also call at: Nimes
The train service between Marseilles and Montpellier is split between:
- express Intercités trains.
- a daily RENFE-SNCF train (a Spanish high-speed train which will be heading to Spain)
- regional TER trains
Though despite this, there are fewer trains between Marseille and the Occitanie region than you might expect, so even if you will be buying tickets last minute, look up this journey online before heading to the station.
Intercités:
Mon - Fri = 7 x trains per day
Sat/Sun = 6 x trains per day
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date.
When looking for tickets on Oui.SNCF tick the 'direct trains' box -on Trainline tick the 'fastest journeys' box.
If you're booking ahead and the limited number of discounted tickets for these IC trains are still available - they can be more than €15 cheaper than the alternative TER trains.
So if you're booking ahead target these express trains, they're faster and can be cheaper.
If you will be booking at the station on the day of travel then those TER trains will be cheaper, but as the difference in price is only around €4, it makes sense to take the next available train, particularly as the service isn't particularly frequent, no matter what train you will be taking.
Rail pass users should only take the TER trains, thereby avoiding the €10 rail pass reservation fees payable on these trains, for such a comparatively short journey.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| SNCF Connect | * | |
| Download the SNCF Connect App | * | |
| Save A Train | * | |
| Rail Europe | * | |
| Trainline | * |
Option 2: taking the TER trains
Journey Summary
1hr 55min - 2hr 10min (approx)
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Narbonne or Perpignan or Montpellier
These trains also call at: Nimes
The train service between Marseilles and Montpellier is split between these TER trains and faster express Intercités services.
If you can book ahead, you can make a substantial saving, by targeting the Intercités trains.
Mon-Fri = 5 x trains per day
Sat/Sun = 4 x trains per day
Tickets
Book early and save: No (not on these TER trains)
Tickets will cost the same price if purchased at the station immediately before departure.
If you're booking ahead and the limited numbers of discounted tickets for the alternative express trains, particularly the Intercites trains are still available, they can be more than €25 cheaper than these TER trains.
These TER trains have a fixed price; o you won't save by booking the TER trains online.
However, when the discounted tickets for the IC trains have sold out, these TER trains are then cheaper, but only by around €4.
If you will be booking last minute at the station, then these TER trains will be cheaper.
Although, as the difference in price compared to the express trains will only be around €4, it makes sense to take the next available train, particularly as the service isn't particularly frequent, no matter what train you will be taking.
Rail pass users should take these TER trains.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| SNCF Connect | * |
On this journey
Travelling On
Good to Know
There are fewer direct trains between Marseille and the Occitanie region than you might suppose, so even if you will be buying tickets last minute, look up this journey online before heading to the station.
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