How to take the train from Paris to Aix-en-Provence

Note that these trains depart from the Gare De Lyon in Paris.

Final Destination: Marseille or Nice or Menton

Connecting to Aix-en-Provence town centre

Note that the TGV from Paris will arrive at Aix-en-Provence TGV station.

This station is 16 km from Aix-en-Provence town centre and there are no direct trains from the TGV station to Aix-en-Provence Ville station; which lives up to its name with a central location in the town.

If you'll want to head to the town centre by public transport , you'll have two options -

(1) Buses link the station and the town.

(That link connects to a page on the Marseille-Provence Aeroport website because Bus Line 40 runs on a route between the Aeroport and the bus station (Gare Routiére) in Aix-en-Provence town centre - and that route calls at the TGV station).

For more info you can click the 'Download Schedules' link and be taken to a PDF brochure which gives more info on the line 40 route (the info is in French, but the fares and schedule are easy to ascertain).

(2) OR book a ticket from Paris to Marseille St Charles station online; and then on arrival in Marseille purchase a separate ticket for a TER train from Marseille St-Charles to Aix-En-Provence Ville.

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date - but bookings can open sooner when SNCF is running a promotion.

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 two key T&Cs of booking Prems, Seconde, or Premiere tickets are:

1. Up until two days prior to departure, these types of tickets can be refunded for no additional charge (big tick), but a €15 fee will be payable for making a refund in the two days prior to departure.
2. It's also possible to exchange tickets to an alternative departure on the same journey, but you will have to pay any difference in price between the cost you paid and the cost at the time of the exchange.

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.

Final Destination: Nice or Marseille

When making a train journey from central Paris to Aix-en-Provence TGV station, you can now opt to save money, but have a much more basic on board experience, and travel on a Ouigo service.

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings usually open: up to 9 months ahead of the travel date

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:

• Premiere/1st class tickets are not available.
• Reservations are included when booking, as they are on the TGV InOui trains, but you can opt to pay additional fess, or book a more expensive type of ticket to select a specific seat (more info is available on the Ouigo 'Train Guide').
• The more expensive type of tickets also include an additional luggage allowance, click the Ouigo 'Train Guide' to access more info on the luggage allowances on Ouigo trains; they're more restrictive than on a TGV InOui train.
• You cannot book or collect tickets for Ouigo trains at stations.
• The two key T&Cs of booking either of the two types of ticket available for journeys by Ouigo trains are:

1. The tickets are not refundable.
2. Exchanges to alternative departures are possible until 1 hour before the beginning of the boarding procedure, but they incur a fee of €10 per passenger, with any price difference between the old and new ticket(s) also added to this fee.

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.