Making the most of Marseilles
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Getting there:
Marseille-Provence airport is 30 km from central Marseille.
An airport shuttle runs to St-Charles railway station for 8,50€, from where a taxi can take you directly to the cruise terminal.
Marseille's cruise terminals are widely separated, so confirm with your cruise company which dock is being used.
Joliette cruise terminals serve small and medium-size ships and are close to town.
MPCT, Marseille Provence Cruise Terminal, handles most larger vessels.
From St-Charles rail station, take a taxi to your terminal. GPS users should enter Place de la Joliette, Marseille.
MPCT is 8 km from central Marseille and unsuitable for walking. Take a taxi or the 11 Euro shuttle to and from Vieux Port. Alternatively, walk 20 minutes along the green ground line to RTM city bus no: 35, leave at Joliette terminus and take bus 55 to Old Port. The fare is 1.90 Euro, paid to the driver.
A free shuttle leaves just outside the port gate for the city every 20 minutes. Paid cruise shuttles go a little farther into the city, but the free option is worthwhile despite a slightly longer walk.
Sun Princess travellers have a dedicated shuttle at Gare Maritime de la Major, in front of the major cathedral. It runs from 8:00am to 4:30pm and costs $16 (USA) for a day pass. Buy tickets on the Princess app or Stateroom TV.
A taxi to the old port costs about 17 Euro.
Bring a printable map with you.
Marseille is by far France's most visited cruise port.
Villefrance ranks number 2, followed by Le Havre in 3rd place.
Getting around
There is no need to pay for an expensive cruise-organised shuttle into town.
The free cruise-port shuttle ends a 300m walk from Petits Trains Touristiques, which circle central Marseille with commentary. From Quai des Belges by the Office de Tourisme, Train 1 goes to Notre-Dame de la Garde via Vieux Port and Abbaye de St-Victor, a 50 min trip, Jan-Nov from 10h and every 30 min in summer. Train 2 explores Vieux Marseille via Cathedrale, La Vieille Charite and Quartier du Panier, a 40 min ride, Easter-Oct from 10h15 and hourly in summer.
From 12h-14h, trains operate only with at least 10 passengers.
Marseille Le Grand Tour tourist hop-on/hop-off buses also begin at the same point for sightseeing.
Taxis offer tours as well.
Nearby places
For Aix-en-Provence, take the Old Port shuttle, then walk or use Métro to the station and catch a train: Aix is 45 minutes away twice hourly, 9 Euro one way; Arles is 1.5 hours; Avignon is 1 hour. Bus 50 also runs from the station to Aix in about 35 minutes for around 6 Euro one way, every 5 minutes or so. Tickets are sold onboard. Map of Aix-en-Provence.
Château d'If's sun-bleached turrets rise from a 16th-century island prison made famous in Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo. Seagulls and salamanders now replace convicts. Ferries take about 20 minutes, leave hourly from Vieux Port's quai de Belges, officially quai de la Fraternité.
Food and shopping
The city is known for bouillabaisse, a fish stew among its many typical dishes.
Money
The currency is the Euro.
Staying connected
Dial the local emergency number: 112.
Opening Hours and
Most French shops, businesses, museums, banks and information services remain open all day. Smaller shops may close for lunch between 12.30pm and 2pm. Larger shops usually trade 8 or 9am to 6.30 or 7.30pm Monday-Saturday; smaller shops typically Tuesday-Saturday, with some opening Monday afternoon. Boulangeries and food shops can still be found open on closure days, usually Sunday until noon.