You can only take high speed trains from Marseille to Paris, but the Frecce trains, the regular TGV InOui services and low-cost, but more basic, Ouigo services share the route.
It's particularly worthwhile to click on the Train Guides below so that you can compare the three train services.
However, if you need to arrive at a specific time you will often have to take one train service or the other.
ces can plug gaps between the TGV InOui departures
When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.
3hr 20min (approx)
Daily
Mon - Thursday = 13 x trains per day
Friday = 12 x trains
Saturday = 9 x trains
Sunday = 13 x trains
Up to three additional departures per day will be available from March 26th.
Is the journey from Marseille to Paris direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is the journey scenic?
Not particularly, though 95% of the journey is on a high-speed line.
What other tourist locations are along the route from Marseille to Paris?
Avignon and Lyon*
*= These trains from Paris to Marseille bypass Lyon.
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Paris Gare De Lyon from Marseille-St Charles on this journey option?
How easy is it to travel on from the station in Paris?
The Gare De Lyon is served by two Metro lines - line 14 is now directly linked to Orly Airport. The station also has rail links to the Gare Du Nord and the La Défense business district.
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay by the Gare De Lyon.
When is the usual approximate latest departure from Marseille-St Charles to Paris Gare De Lyon on this journey option
How easy is it to travel to the station in Marseille?
It is connected from the city centre and harbor area by the Marseille Metro - See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in the neighborhood
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Marseille to Paris trains?
Up to 4 months in advance, but it varies according to when / if SNCF has a promotion in place; see the Ticket Information.
What are the child ticket terms for these Marseille to Paris trains?
The adult rate is charged for all travellers aged 12 and over.
Children aged 4-11 pay half fare
Does the ticket for these Marseille to Paris trains include assigned seats?
Yes - See the Train Guide in the Journey Information for insights on how to board the train.
Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Marseille to Paris trains?
Yes - See the rail pass guide for France for info on the multiple booking options.
Is catering available on the Marseille to Paris trains on this journey option?
Yes, there is a bar/bistro car.
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information.
What else is good to know about French rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in France.
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on SNCF Connect ticket sales. SNCF Connect doesn't charge booking fees and is the online booking service of the national rail operator in France. It also sells tickets for direct high speed trains between France and Belgium, Germany, Barcelona, London, Switzerland and The Netherlands.
SNCF is the national rail operator in France and not so long ago it recently simplified both the range of tickets and the term and conditions of using them.
Therefore the cheapest tickets also become more flexible too.
Other improvements included a simple integration of travelling with bicycles and rail pass users being able to book reservations for national journeys, without paying booking fees.
And it also recently launched SNCF Connect as replacement for its Oui.SNCF booking service.
You can set up a low price alert to let you know when the cheapest price is available for a future journey.
Something else to look out for is that simplest way of travelling with tickets is to use the SNCF Connect App, as booked tickets can therefore be stored on your mobile device, which can then be shown to the train conductors as proof of purchase.
SNCF Connect in the App (Apple) store
SNCF also operates RailEurope, which is in effect a dedicated online booking service for making bookings from outside of Europe.
If you reside outside of Europe you may discover that SNCF Connect rejects phone numbers or card numbers, but RailEurope won't do so.
Though RailEurope will add booking fees when making a purchase
Omio is an online ticket agency which offers tickets for rail journeys in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.
The three key advantages of using Omio are
The disadvantage of booking with Omio is that it often adds a booking fee to the final price; therefore when it does so without offering a price advantage, SMTJ doesn't tend to offer Omio as a booking option.
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Rail Europe ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option when booking international journeys with connections and for travellers who don't reside in western Europe. Use the easy options on its home page if you will be booking tickets with a railcard: Or purchasing rail pass reservations.
Happy Rail is a Netherlands rail ticket agency which sells tickets for both national and international journeys within a range of countries including Belgium France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland.
HappyRail doesn't charge booking fees in the conventional sense, but if you're not Dutch you can expect to pay additional transaction fees, which will be added to the total cost.
That's because the most common form of online payment used in The Netherlands is 'iDEAL' and HappyRail doesn't charge a transaction fee for 'iDEAL' payments, but only Dutch residents can sign up to 'iDEAL'.
Other forms of payment include Visa debit cards will incur a fee.
Final Destination: Paris Gare De Lyon
All trains also call at: Avignon TGV and Aix-en-Provence TGV; (the non-stop Marseille to Paris services have been removed from the current timetable),.
When making a train journey from Marseille to central Paris, you now have a choice of travelling by these standard TGV InOui services or by alternative low-cost, but more basic Ouigo services.
Also if you want to set off from Marseille in the late morning, two Ouigo departures plug a three hour gap in the departures of these InOui services between 09:02 and 12:02.
These TGV InOui trains travel on to the high speed line around 10 mins into the journey and then don't leave it until it reaches the outskirts of Paris.
Most of the wow factor comes from travelling at more than 285 km/h for most of the journey, though the part of the journey between Lyon and Le Creusot is particularly pleasant
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: up to 4 months ahead of the travel date - see the ticket guide for more info.
When booking 2nd class tickets only one type of ticket will be available per departure, discounted 'Prems' tickets or 'Seconde' tickets; though the price of Seconde tickets are also typically cheaper when they are first placed on sale.
When booking 1st class tickets there will be a choice of Premiere tickets and Business Premiere tickets.
The key T&Cs of booking Prems, Seconde, or Premiere tickets are:
Though if you book Business Premiere tickets, the key T&Cs are that tickets can be exchanged and refunded free of charge up to 30 minutes after departure, so if you get to the station just too late to miss the train you were originally booked on to, you won't lose out financially.
Seats will automatically be assigned when booking tickets for this journey, but rail pass users will need to be pay a reservation fee prior to boarding -more info is available on our guide to using rail passes in France.
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
The price is dictated by demand per departure and not speed, so book ahead and try and be flexible re: departure and arrival time
Travelling with Eurail and Interrail passes:
Rail pass users will need to pay a rail pass reservation fee before boarding these trains.
Rail passes cannot be used on the Ouigo trains, but if you will be travelling with a 2nd class pass, our guide to using rail passes in France, explains why taking a Ouigo train can be worth considering.
Or if you have a rail pass and want to avoid paying the reservation fees or booking separate tickets, the alternative routing is:
Train 1:
Depart: Marseille St Charles at 11:10
Arrive: Lyon Part-Dieu at 14:40
Train 2:
Depart: Lyon Part-Dieu at 15:16
Arrive: Paris Bercy at 20:24
3hr 24 min - 3hr 38min
Daily
3 x trains per day
Is the journey from Marseille to Paris direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is the journey scenic?
Not particularly, though 95% of the journey is on a high-speed line.
What other tourist locations are along the route from Marseille to Paris?
Avignon and Lyon*
*= These trains from Paris to Marseille bypass Lyon.
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Paris Gare De Lyon from Marseille-St Charles on this journey option?
Before 11:20 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to travel on from the station in Paris?
The Gare De Lyon is served by two Metro lines - line 14 is now directly linked to Orly Airport. The station also has rail links to the Gare Du Nord and the La Défense business district.
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay by the Gare De Lyon.
When is the usual approximate latest departure from Marseille-St Charles to Paris Gare De Lyon on this journey option
Before 17:35 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to travel to the station in Marseille?
It is connected from the city centre and harbor area by the Marseille Metro - See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in the neighborhood
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Marseille to Paris trains?
Up to 6 months in advance, but it varies according to when / if SNCF has a promotion in place; see the Ticket Information.
What are the child ticket terms for these Marseille to Paris trains?
The adult rate is charged for all travellers aged 12 and over.
A price of €8 is charged for children aged 11 and under.
Does the ticket for these Marseille to Paris trains include assigned seats?
Yes - See the Train Guide in the Journey Information for insights on how to board the train.
Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Marseille to Paris trains?
Rail passes are not valid on Ouigo services.
Is catering available on the Marseille to Paris trains on this journey option?
No
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information.
What else is good to know about French rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in France.
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on SNCF Connect ticket sales. SNCF Connect doesn't charge booking fees and is the online booking service of the national rail operator in France. It also sells tickets for direct high speed trains between France and Belgium, Germany, Barcelona, London, Switzerland and The Netherlands.
SNCF is the national rail operator in France and not so long ago it recently simplified both the range of tickets and the term and conditions of using them.
Therefore the cheapest tickets also become more flexible too.
Other improvements included a simple integration of travelling with bicycles and rail pass users being able to book reservations for national journeys, without paying booking fees.
And it also recently launched SNCF Connect as replacement for its Oui.SNCF booking service.
You can set up a low price alert to let you know when the cheapest price is available for a future journey.
Something else to look out for is that simplest way of travelling with tickets is to use the SNCF Connect App, as booked tickets can therefore be stored on your mobile device, which can then be shown to the train conductors as proof of purchase.
SNCF Connect in the App (Apple) store
SNCF also operates RailEurope, which is in effect a dedicated online booking service for making bookings from outside of Europe.
If you reside outside of Europe you may discover that SNCF Connect rejects phone numbers or card numbers, but RailEurope won't do so.
Though RailEurope will add booking fees when making a purchase
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Final Destination: Paris Gare de Lyon
When making a train journey from Marseille to central Paris, you now have a choice of travelling by standard TGV InOui trains or by these Ougio trains.
So you can now opt to save money, but have a much more basic on board experience, and travel on a Ouigo.
Also if you want to set off from Marseille in the late morning, two Ouigo departures plug a three hour gap in the departures of those InOui services between 09:02 and 12:02.
If you do opt to travel from Paris to Marseille by these Ouigo trains, you should aim to be at St.Charles station, 30 mins before the train is due to depart.
And that's because you need to pass through 'reception' before boarding a Ouigo train; staff need to verify that all passengers are abiding by the 'rules' of travelling on a Ouigo train, no additional un-booked luggage, no bikes etc.
These Ouigo trains travel on the same high speed line between Marseille and Paris which those alternative TGV InOui trains services take.
So you should be travelling at more than 270 km/h for more than 90% of this journey.
Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date - see the ticket guide for more info.
Tickets for the alternative service of TGV InOui trains are usually made available 4 months ahead, so if you look up this journey more than 4 months ahead on SNCF Connect, you may only see these Ouigo services, but they are not the only option on this route.
What is particularly worth being aware of when booking tickets for journeys by Ouigo train services, is that:
The two key T&Cs of booking either of the two types of ticket available for journeys by Ouigo trains are:
Though these factors, and more, are why you can make big savings by opting to travel by these Ouigo trains and not on the standard TGV InOui trains.
Eurail and Interrail Pass Users:
Rail passes cannot be used on Ouigo trains, but if you will be travelling with a 2nd class pass, our guide to using rail passes in France, explains why taking a Ouigo train can be worth considering
3hr 15min - 3hr 25min
Daily
Is the journey from Marseille to Paris direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is the journey scenic?
Not particularly, though 95% of the journey is on a high-speed line.
What other tourist locations are along the route from Marseille to Paris?
Avignon and Lyon*
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Paris Gare De Lyon from Marseille-St Charles on this journey option?
How easy is it to travel on from the station in Paris?
The Gare De Lyon is served by two Metro lines - line 14 is now directly linked to Orly Airport. The station also has rail links to the Gare Du Nord and the La Défense business district.
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay by the Gare De Lyon.
When is the usual approximate latest departure from Marseille-St Charles to Paris Gare De Lyon on this journey option
How easy is it to travel to the station in Marseille?
It is connected from the city centre and harbor area by the Marseille Metro - See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in the neighborhood
Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Marseille to Paris trains?
Yes
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Marseille to Paris trains?
Typically around 4 months in advance.
What are the child ticket terms for these Marseille to Paris trains?
The adult rate is charged for all travellers aged 15 and over.
Children aged 5-14 pay half fare
Does the ticket for these Marseille to Paris trains include assigned seats?
Yes - See the Train Guide in the Journey Information for insights on how to board the train.
Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Marseille to Paris trains?
Rail passes cannot be used on these trains on this route.
Is catering available on the Marseille to Paris trains on this journey option?
Yes, there is a bar/bistro car.
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information.
What else is good to know about French rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in France.
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Trenitlalia is the national rail operator in Italy and in addition to its cheaper types of ticket; it also typically offers other discounts available to non-Italians, which include:
Final Destination: Paris Gare De Lyon
All trains also call at: Avignon TGV and Aix-en-Provence TGV and Lyon-St Exupéry
Final Destination: Marseille (or Toulon)
Most trains also call at: Avignon TGV, Aix-en-Provence TGV
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 6 months ahead of the travel date - Note that tickets for travel by the Frecce trains can be placed on sale more than two months sooner than the alternative services.
Frecciarossa 1000 trains on the domestic routes within Italy convey 4 classes of accommodation, but the Standard Premier service is seemingly not available on this French route.
Also 'Allegro' has been introduced as the branding for the Business Class, SMTJ isn't certain as to the reason for this, other than to make a distinction with the tickets on the domestic routes.
The price and departure times of the Frecce, InOui and Ouigo trains can be directly compared on Trainline.
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