Marseille metro guide
Marseille: CityPass (24, 48 or 72 hours) with public transport
How do I use the Marseille metro?
Buy a 1.80 EUR single ticket or 5.20 EUR day pass at any station machine. M1 serves Gare Saint-Charles–Vieux-Port–Noailles; M2 serves Joliette–Notre-Dame du Mont–Prado. Last service Monday–Thursday around 21:30.
Two lines, one city
Marseille’s metro is compact by major-city standards — just two lines, 25 stations, and roughly 21 kilometres of track — but those two lines cover precisely the territory that visitors care about. The M1 threads through the historic city centre from west to east. The M2 cuts north-south, connecting the cruise terminal and MuCEM to the Prado and beyond. Together they form a functional cross that reaches every main tourist site except Notre-Dame de la Garde (served by bus, taxi, or the petit train).
The system is rubber-tyred (pneus), which makes it unusually quiet for a metro and gives the cars a smoother, slightly cushioned ride. Trains are fully automated on new rolling stock, and the signage is in French with line maps visible from every platform.
The RTM (Régie des Transports Métropolitains) operates both lines as part of a unified ticketing system that also includes trams, buses, and the Vieux-Port cross-harbour ferry. Any RTM ticket is valid across all modes for 1 hour 30 minutes from first validation.
Ticket prices and where to buy
| Ticket | Price | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Single ticket | 1.80 EUR | One or two trips |
| Carnet of 10 | 15.20 EUR | Spread across several days |
| Pass 24h | 5.20 EUR | 3+ trips in a day |
| Pass 72h | 10.80 EUR | 3-day stay |
Tickets are sold at yellow vending machines inside every metro station — they accept coins, notes, and contactless bank cards. You can also buy tickets at tabac shops (tobacconists) displaying the RTM logo, or via the RTM smartphone app loaded to an Andante card.
Validation: Insert your ticket in the validator gate before passing through — it is clipped and returned. Keep the ticket for the duration of your trip; inspectors board occasionally and check. Fines for travelling without a valid, validated ticket are significant.
Free travel: Passengers aged 65 and over, and children under 11, travel free on all RTM services since September 2025. Show ID if asked.
Line M1: the tourist backbone
Direction and key stations:
The M1 (blue line on maps) runs from La Rose in the north to La Fourragère in the east, passing through the city centre.
For visitors, the relevant stretch is:
Gare Saint-Charles → the main railway terminus for TGV and TER trains. This is where you arrive from Paris, Aix-en-Provence, Cassis, and Avignon. From here, one stop on M1 brings you to the Vieux-Port in under 4 minutes. The M1 platform is directly beneath the station concourse — follow signs for Métro.
Vieux-Port → the most important station for tourism. Exits directly onto the Quai des Belges, the eastern end of the Old Port where the fish market operates every morning. This is the city’s central reference point. From here: Le Panier is 10 minutes uphill on foot, MuCEM is 15 minutes on foot, and Notre-Dame de la Garde is best reached by bus 60 from the nearby stop.
Noailles → the edge of the city’s central souk-like market district, where Rue Longue and Cours Belsunce concentrate North African food shops, bakeries, and budget restaurants. Also an interchange with M2. Pickpocket risk is higher at this station — be aware during busy market hours.
Castellane → the main transfer hub for the southern arrondissements, and the starting point for bus 21 to Luminy (Calanques hiking trailhead). If you are heading to the Calanques on foot, you change here for the bus.
Rond-Point du Prado → the primary stop for the Prado beaches and Plage du Prado. From here, bus 83 continues along the Corniche.
Line M2: north to south
The M2 (red line) runs from Bougainville in the north to Sainte-Marguerite-Dromel in the south. For tourists, the key segment is the central section.
Joliette → the station nearest to MuCEM, the Fort Saint-Jean, the cruise terminal, and the Euroméditerranée business district. If you are arriving by cruise ship at the MPCT, the nearest metro station is Joliette (or the tram T2, which runs directly from the Joliette waterfront). From Joliette station, MuCEM is approximately a 10-minute walk west along the waterfront.
Noailles → interchange with M1 (see above). The station structure here is a double-level underground hall shared between the two lines.
Notre-Dame du Mont – Cours Julien → the bohemian quarter. Above ground, this station opens directly into the Cours Julien square, surrounded by bars, record shops, terrace cafés, and the beginning of the street-art trail. This is where Marseille’s evening scene concentrates.
Hours and service patterns
Standard hours (Monday–Sunday): First departures from terminal stations at approximately 05:00. Service runs continuously at 3–5 minute frequencies during peak hours.
Evening closure (Monday–Thursday): Due to the NEOMMA metro modernisation project (upgrading rolling stock infrastructure), the metro closes earlier on weekday nights — last departures from terminals at approximately 21:30. This is a temporary measure; check the current schedule at rtm.fr before planning a late-night return.
Friday–Sunday: Last departures at approximately 00:30.
What happens after the metro closes: RTM relay buses (Bus Relais) operate on the M1 and M2 corridors from approximately 21:30 until 00:30, Monday through Thursday. These are regular buses that follow the metro route and accept standard RTM tickets. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, Night Bus lines N1 and N2 depart from the Vieux-Port at 01:30, 02:30, 03:30, and 04:30 — covering the main urban corridors through the small hours.
If you are out late Monday through Wednesday and need to return to a hotel in a non-central area, budget for a taxi or VTC rather than depending on the relay bus, which can be slow.
Station facilities
Gare Saint-Charles (M1): Lifts, full accessibility, baggage storage connections, exits to the main station concourse and to the bus station (gare routière) below the train station.
Vieux-Port (M1): Multiple exits; the main exit opens to the Quai des Belges. Another exit connects to Rue de Rome toward the Canebière. Lifts available.
Joliette (M2): Directly linked to the T2 tram. Lifts available. Wide platforms that serve both metro and tram passengers.
Notre-Dame du Mont – Cours Julien (M2): Steps at some exits. Not all access points have lifts — check the RTM accessibility planner if this matters for your group.
Pickpocket reality on the metro
Pickpocketing on the Marseille metro is a real issue, concentrated at a few specific points:
- Noailles station and the M2 between Noailles and Joliette — busiest stretch, most distraction opportunities
- Gare Saint-Charles station — high luggage-carrier traffic, prime for distraction theft
- Crowded peak-hour trains — standard urban metro risk
The tactics are the same as any major city metro: someone bumps you (or creates a distraction), an accomplice takes advantage. Counter-tactics: bag across the chest rather than on the back, phone in a front pocket, be alert to anyone standing unnecessarily close on an uncrowded platform.
This risk should not deter you from using the metro. Tens of thousands of people ride it daily without incident. It is just an honest picture of where common urban theft occurs — the same reality you would accept without comment in Paris or Rome.
Using the metro with luggage
Arriving at Gare Saint-Charles with a large bag, the M1 metro to Vieux-Port is one stop and under 4 minutes. If your hotel is near the Vieux-Port, this is the logical choice over a taxi. For heavier luggage situations, the platforms have lifts at Saint-Charles, making the connection manageable.
If your hotel is in a neighbourhood not served directly by M1 or M2, check the tram or bus options in the RTM app before defaulting to a taxi — the tram T2 to Joliette, for example, has more generous space for luggage than a crowded metro car.
Connecting from the metro to other transport
To the Vieux-Port ferry: Exit Vieux-Port station main exit, walk to Quai des Belges. The ferry landing is at the eastern quai end. The ferry is free.
To ferry services for Frioul/Château d’If: Exit Vieux-Port station, walk to Quai du Port (north side). Ferry kiosk is signposted.
To Calanques hiking (Sugiton): Take M1 to Castellane, then bus 21 to Luminy terminus. About 35 minutes total from Vieux-Port station.
To the cruise terminal: Take M2 to Joliette, or T2 tram to Joliette. Walk about 10–15 minutes west to the MPCT terminal, or take a taxi from the station.
To Notre-Dame de la Garde: From Vieux-Port station, board bus 60 (direction Notre-Dame de la Garde) or take a taxi (approx 10–15 EUR). The petit train from the Vieux-Port is the tourist-friendly option.
Buying and validating tickets: step by step
For visitors unfamiliar with the RTM system, here is the complete sequence:
Buying at the machine:
- At any metro station entrance, approach the yellow vending machine
- Select your language (English is available on all machines)
- Choose ticket type — “1 journey” (1.80 EUR) or “Pass 24 hours” (5.20 EUR) for most tourist uses
- Insert coins, notes (up to 50 EUR accepted), or tap your contactless bank card
- Collect your ticket from the slot below — keep it throughout your journey
Validating at the gate:
- At the platform entry barrier, insert your ticket into the slot
- The machine clips a small notch in the ticket (perforation) and returns it
- Pass through the turnstile gate
- Keep the ticket in your pocket — inspectors board and check periodically
On the tram or bus: RTM tickets validate the same way on the tram (machines at the tram stop, not on the vehicle) and on buses (machine inside the bus door). The 1h30 multi-ride validity begins at first validation.
If you have an Andante smartcard: The Andante is the RTM’s NFC smartcard. Loaded via the app or at machines, it allows tap-and-go entry rather than physical ticket insertion. For travellers spending 3+ days in Marseille, the Andante is more convenient than individual tickets. Load a Pass 72h (10.80 EUR) at a machine or online.
The NEOMMA project: what it means for tourists
The NEOMMA project (Nouvel Espace Opérationnel pour le Métro Modernisé et Automatisé) is Marseille’s metro modernisation programme — replacing the existing rolling stock with newer, fully automated trains and upgrading station infrastructure.
The practical consequence for visitors in 2026 is the earlier Monday–Thursday evening closure on M1 and M2 (last departures around 21:30 rather than the historical 00:30). This is temporary — when modernisation completes, full hours are expected to return. Check the current schedule at rtm.fr or the RTM app before planning any late-evening travel.
Outside this evening window, the metro runs normally. Station closures for works are announced in advance at rtm.fr and posted at affected stations.
Using the metro as a navigation anchor
For first-time visitors, the metro network provides a useful mental map of Marseille:
- Gare Saint-Charles is your arrival point and always your reference — if lost, the metro takes you back to the station in minutes
- Vieux-Port is the city’s social centre and tourist anchor — one stop from Saint-Charles
- Joliette marks the northwestern cultural zone (MuCEM, Euroméditerranée)
- Noailles is the crossroads between the commercial city centre and the bohemian south
- Notre-Dame du Mont marks the entry to Cours Julien and the evening bar scene
- Rond-Point du Prado marks the start of the beach and Corniche zone
Everything you want to see radiates from these six stations. Once you have ridden between them once, the city’s geography becomes intuitive.
For the full network picture including trams and buses, see our complete getting around Marseille guide. For planning your overall visit, the Marseille for first-timers guide covers the logical sequencing of sites.
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