See Marseille St Charles station information

This page explains how to buy train tickets from Marseille to other European cities at the cheapest prices, buying online direct from the operators, usually with print-at-home tickets.  Click here to buy tickets starting in another city.  See Marseille St Charles station information.

I want to go from Marseille to...

Before you buy your tickets...

Take a moment to read these important tips for buying European train tickets.  It answers all the usual questions, "Do I need to book in advance or can I just buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or just buy a €35 point-to-point ticket online?".  And most important, click here to understand how far ahead you can buy train tickets.

European train travel FAQ...

Marseille to Paris from €20...

• High-speed TGV trains link Marseille St Charles station with Paris Gare de Lyon in around 3h20 more or less hourly through the day.

  TGVs travel at up to 300 km/h (186 mph), with 1st & 2nd class & cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Many are double-deck TGV Duplex, see the TGV page for photos & travel tips.

• Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.  It costs over €115 full-flex bought on the day.

• Buy tickets at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in multiple currencies, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, a little more fiddly, but no booking fee).

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

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Marseille to Lyon, Nice & anywhere else in France...

• Simply check times and buy tickets at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, a little more fiddly, no fee).

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

  Irregular Intercités link Marseille St Charles with Nimes, Montpellier, Narbonne, Toulouse and Bordeaux.

  TGVs and TER regional trains link Marseille St Charles with Toulon, St Raphael (for St Tropez), Cannes, Nice & Monaco-Monte Carlo.

  There are also several daily TGVs which by-pass Paris, linking Marseille with Marne la Vallée (for Disneyland), CDG Airport and Lille.

• Remember that TGV high-speed trains & (on these routes) Intercités are all-reserved so can in theory sell out (though in practice usually have places even on the day) and they have dynamic pricing, cheaper in advance, more expensive on the day.  TER regional trains have one fixed price and no reservations, you can buy on the day, tickets cannot sell out.  See the Train Travel in France page for more information.

• Marseille to Lyon...

  There are direct TGVs between Marseille St Charles and Lyon Part Dieu at least every hour taking around 1h50, check times & buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com looking for a direct train with 0 changes.  These TGVs use the high-speed line, tickets include a seat reservation and TGVs have dynamic pricing, cheaper in  advance, expensive on the day.  You print your own ticket.

  Tip:  It's worth knowing that there are also TER regional trains between Marseille St Charles and Lyon Part Dieu roughly every 2 hours.  These use the original classic line and take 3h30.  But seat reservation is unnecessary, tickets cannot sell out, there's one fixed price that doesn't change so this can be a cheaper option at short notice when TGV prices become expensive.  These TERs also take bikes.  Journey planners show the fast TGV service by default, so to find these slower cheaper trains simply go to www.raileurope.com and run a Marseille to Lyon enquiry, but click More options and add Avignon Centre as a via station.

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Marseille to Brussels, Bruges & Belgium...

Option 1, Marseille to Brussels by direct TGV in 5h50.  The fastest & easiest option...

• Every day, 3 or 4 direct TGV trains link Marseille St Charles with Brussels Midi in around 5h50 at up to 300km/h (186 mph).   These TGVs by-pass Paris on the high-speed avoiding line through Marne la Vallée (for Disneyland) and CDG airport.

• TGVs have 1st & 2nd class and a cafe-bar, see the TGV page for photos & travel tips.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, a little more fiddly).  Look for the direct journeys with 0 changes.

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

Option 2, Marseille to Brussels via Paris.  Means changing stations in Paris by metro or taxi, but more frequent, sometimes cheaper...

• Step 1, take a TGV from Marseille St Charles to Paris Gare de Lyon in around 3h20, they leave every hour or two.

  The TGVs have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seat & free WiFi.  Most are double-deck TGV Duplex.

  Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Change trains and stations in Paris by metro or taxi.  Allow at least 60 minutes between trains for this.

• Step 2, take a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) from Paris Gare du Nord to Brussels Midi in 1h22, they leave every hour or so.

  Eurostars run at up to 300 km/h with 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more information about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €55 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Change in Brussels for a Belgian domestic train to Bruges, they run twice an hour.  No reservation is necessary or possible for these, you just sit anywhere you like.  10 Minutes is enough to change in Brussels, if the Eurostar is late and you miss one, you catch the next one.  Belgian domestic tickets are good for any train that day.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, a little more fiddly).

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

  Tip:  You can book this as one journey, but make sure it gives you an hour between trains in Paris, it sometimes gives less than this.  It can be better to book from Marseille to Paris first, add to basket, then book Paris to Brussels, add this to your basket and check out.  The latter method gives you more control and allows you to build in stop off in Paris, perhaps to have lunch there - maybe at the Train Bleu Restaurant at the Gare de Lyon or at one of these restaurants at the Gare du Nord.

A Eurostar high-speed train.  See panorama photos inside the train.  More information about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).

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Marseille to Amsterdam & the Netherlands...

Option 1, Marseille to Amsterdam with one easy change in Brussels.  The easiest option...

• Every day, 3 or 4 direct TGV trains link Marseille St Charles with Brussels Midi in around 5h50 at up to 300km/h (186 mph).  Change in Brussels for a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high-speed train to Amsterdam Centraal taking 1h50 more.

• TGVs have 1st & 2nd class and a cafe-bar, see the TGV page for photos & travel tips.  Eurostar trains have standard, comfort & premium classes, see more information about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).  These TGVs by-pass Paris on the high-speed avoiding line through Marne la Vallée (for Disneyland) and CDG airport, so there's no need to cross Paris.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, a little more fiddly, no fee).

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

  Tip:  Websites will show lots of 1-change journeys, some via Paris some via Brussels.  Look through the search results carefully, click to see details and find a journey with a change in Brussels not Paris.

Option 2, Marseille to Amsterdam via Paris.  Means changing stations in Paris by metro or taxi, but more frequent, sometimes cheaper...

• Step 1, take a TGV from Marseille St Charles to Paris Gare de Lyon in around 3h20, they leave every hour or two.

  The TGVs have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seat & free WiFi.  Most are double-deck TGV Duplex.

  Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Change trains and stations in Paris by metro or taxi.  Allow at least 60 minutes between trains for this.

• Step 2, take a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) from Paris Gare du Nord to Amsterdam Centraal in 3h20, they leave every hour or two.

  Eurostars run at up to 300 km/h with 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more information about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).

  Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, a little more fiddly, no fee).

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

  Tip:  You can book this as one journey, but make sure it gives you an hour between trains in Paris, it sometimes gives less than this.  It can be better to book from Marseille to Paris first, add to basket, then book Paris to Brussels, add this to your basket and check out.  The latter method gives you more control and allows you to build in stop off in Paris, perhaps to have lunch there - maybe at the Train Bleu Restaurant at the Gare de Lyon or at one of these restaurants at the Gare du Nord.

A Eurostar at Amsterdam Centraal.  See panorama photos inside the train.  More information about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).

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Marseille to Luxembourg...

• Check times & buy tickets from Marseille to Luxembourg at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  But look carefully at the search results!

• There is normally one direct TGV high-speed train from Marseille St Charles to Luxembourg every day leaving around 15:58 and taking around 7h36 with fares from €35 upwards.  This is the best train to take.

• However, there's another good option just after 09:00 with one easy change at Lyon Part Dieu.  To find this option, use www.raileurope.com, but you need to click More options, enter Lyon Part Dieu and a minimum 30- minute stopover duration.  Otherwise it may not show up.

• Other journeys shown in the search results are usually via Paris, shown as 1-change, but they in fact involve transferring by metro or taxi between Paris Gare de Lyon and Paris Gare de l'Est.  If you can, stick to the direct train, or to the 1-change option via Lyon.

• Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

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Marseille to London...

• This is explained in detail for both directions on the London to France page.

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Marseille to Switzerland...

Option 1, Marseille to Geneva, Lausanne, Montreux, Gstaad & Western Switzerland...

• Check times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com.

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead, unless you're going beyond Geneva when a Swiss domestic ticket is involved as these only open 60 days ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

  You'll see lots of 1-change options using a high-speed TGV from Marseille St Charles to Lyon Part Dieu then a TER regional train from Lyon Part Dieu to Geneva through great scenery.  Change in Geneva for Swiss domestic trains to anywhere in Switzerland.

• Tip:  The station in Geneva is sometimes called plain Geneva, sometimes Geneva Cornavin, sometimes Geneva main station.

Option 2, Marseille to Basel, Zurich & central Switzerland...

• Check times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com.

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead, unless you're going beyond Basel or Zurich when a Swiss domestic element is involved as these 60 days ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

• You'll see several 1-change options using a high-speed TGV from Marseille St Charles to Mulhouse then a TGV-Lyria high-speed train from Mulhouse to Basel SBB & Zurich HB.  Change in Basel or Zurich for Swiss domestic trains to anywhere in Switzerland.

Option 3, Marseille to Switzerland via Milan.  A round-about route, but scenic, interesting and can be good to southern Switzerland...

• This is a more round-about route, but especially if you're going to southern Switzerland such as Lugano or Brig, it can be an interesting option.  Travel from Marseille to Milan Centrale as shown in the Marseille to Italy section below.  Then take a EuroCity train from Milan Centrale to Switzerland as shown on the Trains from Milan page.

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Marseille to Italy...

• Step 1, travel from Marseille to Ventimiglia on the Italian border on TER regional trains, leaving Marseille St Charles at 09:58, changing at Nice Ville and arriving Ventimiglia at 14:03.

  There's great scenery along the Côte d'Azur, past rocky headlands, yacht-filled harbours and millionaires' villas.

  The fare is €41, though promotional fares of €25 are sometimes available.  It's 2nd class only between Nice & Ventimiglia

  Buy a ticket at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com.  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.  Allow at least 45 minutes between trains in Ventimiglia.

• Step 2, travel from Ventimiglia to Genoa & Milan by Intercity train, leaving Ventimiglia at 15:10 arriving Genoa Piazza Principe at 17:05 & Milan Centrale at 18:55.  There's great scenery along the Ligurian coast.

  Change at Genoa for La Spezia, Cinque Terre & Pisa.  Change at Milan Centrale for an onward Frecciarossa high-speed train to Verona, Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples.  See the Nice to Italy by train page for connections.

  Fares from Ventimiglia to Milan start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €26.90 in 1st class.  Milan to Venice or Florence then starts at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class.  Milan to Rome starts at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy a ticket from Ventimiglia to anywhere in Italy at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com.  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

  You'll find full details of the journey from Nice to Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples with photos & tips on the Nice to Italy by train page.

• Later departures are possible fro Marseille to Genoa & Milan.  See the Nice to Italy by train page for Nice-Milan connections, then find a Marseille-Nice connecting train using www.thetrainline.com, allowing at least half an hour between trains in Nice.

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Marseille to Spain...

Marseille to Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Alicante, Malaga, Seville...

Option 1, Marseille to Barcelona by direct AVE train - the recommended option...

Option 2, Marseille to Barcelona, late morning departure...

• Step 1, travel from Marseille to Barcelona, leaving Marseille St Charles at 11:24, change at Montpellier St-Roch, arriving Barcelona Sants 16:24.

  You travel from Marseille to Nimes by Intercité and from Nimes to Barcelona by double-deck 320 km/h (199 mph) TGV Duplex with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck.

  The TGV Duplex passes Beziers cathedral, flamingos on the lakes between Montpelier & Narbonne, the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks before Perpignan, with great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, see more photos & information about the journey.

  Fares from Marseille to Barcelona start at around €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this journey at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (more fiddly, in €).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid, Malaga, Cordoba, Seville, Valencia or Alicante and so on by high-speed train...

  A high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:25, arriving Madrid Atocha 20:55, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  A fast EuroMed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:15 arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 21:02 & Alicante 23:14.

  For Granada, Seville, Cordoba & Malaga you'll need to stop in Barcelona overnight, I recommend the Hotel Barcelo Sants located at the station.

  Check times & buy tickets using either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or Spanish railways own site www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it) or www.petrabax.com (in $, small mark-up).  You print your own ticket.

  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens only 60 days ahead, but this varies.  Allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Barcelona.

Option 3, Marseille to Barcelona, later departure...

• You can also leave Marseille St Charles at 15:27, change at Nimes, arriving Barcelona Sants 21:25.

• The route, sights, fares & booking are the same as option 1.

Mt Canigou & the Pyrenees, seen from the train...  One of the highest peaks in the mighty Pyrenees, the 2,784m (9,137 feet) high Mt Canigou dominates the skyline on the right all the way from Perpignan to Girona, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canigou.

Marseille to San Sebastian or Bilbao

 Option 1, Marseille to San Sebastian & Bilbao via Barcelona.  The fastest & easiest option...

• Step 1, travel from Marseille to Barcelona as shown above.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona:  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews include the Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 2, travel from Barcelona to San Sebastian or Bilbao on the morning Alvia train.

  Fares start at €28 in standard class or €38 in comfort class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Check times and buy tickets for this train at www.raileurope.com, looking for the direct train with 0 changes.  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but this varies.  You print your own tickets.

Option 2, Marseille to San Sebastian via Hendaye.  A useful alternative...

• Step 1, travel from Marseille to Hendaye on the Spanish border.

  There are regular departures from Marseille St Charles with 1 easy change, usually in Bordeaux, a leisurely journey taking most of the day.

  Check times & buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, looking for a 1-change option and clicking for details to see that it goes via Bordeaux not via Paris.  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 2, transfer from Hendaye to San Sebastian by Euskotren metro...

  On arrival at Hendaye, walk out of the station and turn right, walk to the little Euskotren station in the corner of the forecourt.  Buy a ticket for €2.75 and hop on the next metro train, they run every 30 minutes from Hendaye to San Sebastian-Donostia Amara station, journey time 37 minutes.  See the photos below for more tips.

  You can check train times & fares from San Sebastian to Bilbao at www.euskotren.eus.  Remember that San Sebastian is Donostia in the Basque language and the Euskotren station in San Sebastian is usually just called Amara.

• Step 3 if going to Bilbao...

  Local trains run every hour from San Sebastian Amara station to Bilbao's Zazpi Kaleak station (journey time 2h29 from Amara) or Bilbao's Matiko station (the train's final stop, 2h35 from Amara), fare €6.30, buy a ticket at the station.

  The trains used on this route are similar to the Hendaye-San Sebastian trains pictured above, along a route with some good countryside and coastal views.   In Bilbao, Matiko station is 18 minutes walk from the Guggenheim Museum, Zazpi Kaleak station is further from the Guggenheim (22 minutes walk) but closer to both the old quarter and the 19th century new town.

  You can check train times & fares from San Sebastian to Bilbao at www.euskotren.eus, remembering that San Sebastian to Bilbao will be listed as Amara to Matiko as those are the station names.  The adult one-way fare is shown as 'ida'.

At Hendaye, get off the train, walk off the platform through the SNCF station ticket hall...		...there's an Euskotren ticket machine to the right of the exit doors, you can either buy a ticket here or in the Euskotren station...

The Euskotren station is 50m across the forecourt from the mainline SNCF station.  Courtesy of Geoff Phillips.

The new Hendaye Euskotren station, for trains to San Sebastian.  Photo courtesy of Geoff Phillips.		Hendaye Euskotren station, looking back towards the station building.  Photo courtesy of Nicholas Brooke.

There is only one platform, and it's where the trains start.  So no worries, you can't get on the wrong train, they all go to Irun and San Sebastian-Donostia Amara.  These air-conditioned metro trains leave every 30 minutes, a turn-up-and-go metro service.  There's plenty of space for luggage and they even have a wheelchair-accessible toilet.

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Marseille to Lisbon & Portugal...

• Step 1, travel from Marseille to Madrid as shown above.

• Stay overnight in Madrid.  The classic Hotel Mediodia is across the road from Atocha with good reviews, or try the NH Hotel Madrid Atocha or Only YOU Hotel Atocha, also across the road from the station.

• Day 2, travel from Madrid Atocha to Lisbon Santa Apolonia by daytime trains as shown on the Lisbon to Madrid page.

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Marseille to Cologne, Frankfurt, Berlin & Germany...

Option 1, Marseille to Germany by daily direct TGV to Baden-Baden, Mannheim & Frankfurt.  The fastest & easiest option...

• Step 1, every day a direct double-deck TGV Duplex leaves Marseille St Charles at 08:11 direct to Baden-Baden, Karlsruhe, Mannheim and Frankfurt, arriving Frankfurt am Main Hbf around 15:55.

  The 320 km/h (199 mph) TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

• Step 2, change in Mannheim for Cologne, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and most other German destinations.  You can reach almost anywhere in Germany the same day you leave Marseille.

• Fares from Marseille to Germany start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets from Marseille to anywhere in Germany at the German Railways website int.bahn.de or at www.raileurope.com.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

Option 2, Marseille to Germany via Paris.  Wider choice of departures, but means changing stations in Paris..

• Step 1, take a TGV from Marseille St Charles to Paris Gare de Lyon in around 3h20, they leave every hour or two.

  The TGVs have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seat & free WiFi.  Most are double-deck TGV Duplex.

  Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, a little more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

  Change trains and stations in Paris by metro or taxi.  Allow at least 60 minutes between trains for this.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin or anywhere in Germany as shown in the Trains from Paris page.

  Paris to Cologne by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) takes 3h20 with fares from €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.

  Paris to Frankfurt by ICE train takes 3h50 with fares from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy Eurostar tickets from Paris to Cologne at www.raileurope.com, booking opens up to 4 months ahead.

  Buy all other tickets from Paris to Germany at the German Railways website int.bahn.de, booking opens up to 6 months ahead.

  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

The Marseille-Frankfurt TGV Duplex, seen at Frankfurt am Main Hbf...

The cafe-bar on the upper deck in car 4, serving tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine, beer, snacks & microwave-style hot dishes...		2nd class seats, this is upper deck seating.  There's a mix or tables for 4 and unidirectional seating.  360º photo.

1st class seats on the upper deck, with a club duo on the left, a club quatre on the right. 360º photo.		The Marseille-Frankfurt TGV, at Frankfurt am Main Hbf.  You enter on the lower deck, with 9 stairs up to top deck.

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Marseille to all other countries...

Option 1, via Mannheim.  Suitable for travel to Scandinavia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Russia...

• Step 1, take the direct TGV Duplex leaving Marseille St Charles at 08:11 for Mannheim then a connecting train to Hamburg Hbf or Berlin Hbf, arriving in the evening.

  Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy tickets from Marseille to Hamburg or Berlin at the German Railways website int.bahn.de or at www.raileurope.com.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

• Buy tickets from Marseille to Hamburg or Berlin at int.bahn.de or www.raileurope.com from €39.  You print your own ticket.

• Stay overnight in Hamburg or Berlin.  Suggested hotels in Hamburg.  Suggested hotels in Berlin.

• Step 2, take an onward train...

  Take a train from Berlin Hbf to Prague, Bratislava, Warsaw, Moscow.  You'll find more detail for this part of the journey on the Trains from Berlin page.  Book this at int.bahn.de.

  Take a train from Hamburg Hbf to Copenhagen for onward trains to Sweden & Norway, you'll find more detail for this part of the journey on the Trains from Hamburg page.  Book this at int.bahn.de.

Option 2, via Paris.  Also suitable for travel to Scandinavia, Poland, Russia, but usually a more expensive routing...

• Step 1, take a TGV from Marseille St Charles to Paris Gare de Lyon in around 3h20, they leave every hour or two.

  The TGVs have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seat & free WiFi.  Most are double-deck TGV Duplex.

  Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (French Railways own site, a little more fiddly, no fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

  Change trains and stations in Paris by metro or taxi.  Allow at least 60 minutes between trains for this, but for mission-critical connections I'd allow at least 2 hours.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Scandinavia, Austria, Slovakia, Czech republic, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and all points east as shown on the International trains from Paris page.

Option 3, via Milan.  Useful for travel to Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic & beyond...

• Step 1, travel from Marseille to Milan by Thello train as shown in the Marseille to Italy section above.  This is direct train runs daily in summer and Saturdays & Sundays the rest of the year.  On days it isn't direct, leave a bit earlier and change at Nice.  Have dinner in Milan.

• Step 2, travel from Milan to Vienna overnight by excellent Nightjet sleeper train as shown on the Trains from Milan page.

• Step 3, travel from Vienna to Bratislava, Prague, Budapest in just a few hours as shown on the Trains from Vienna page.  You can also catch direct trains from Vienna to Warsaw, Bucharest, Lviv, Kyiv, Belgrade.

• For Slovenia, travel from Marseille to Milan on day 1, stay overnight, then take a train to Trieste and on to Ljubljana on day 2.

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