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Getting Around France: 5 Routes Compared

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  • Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Getting Around France: 5 Routes Compared
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Getting around France costs less and takes less time than it does in Canada. A Paris-Marseille run takes 3h03 by train, city centre to city centre, while flying hands you two airport transfers and a check-in. What is left to work out is when the train wins, and when it loses.

We compared five routes out of Paris: Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Marseille and Nice. For each one you will see the entry price by train, coach and plane, the shortest journey time, and which mode comes out ahead. You will also see which air routes French law has scrapped, and how to pay for your tickets in euros without foreign transaction fees.

How do you get around France?

Rail carries most of the long-distance traffic in France, and it usually earns that place. For the longest trips you can still take a TGV or a plane, though French law has scrapped several short domestic air routes that the train already covers. On shorter hops, regional trains and the coach fill the gaps.

The car is also an option, although France imposes fairly high tolls on the country’s freeways. The bill can therefore be particularly high, and journey times longer than by train.

Paris 2024: how to get around France during the OG? - TGV

Trains and TGVs

The SNCF, France’s rail transport company, offers two options for travellers looking to cover long distances by train across the country: TGV InOui and TGV Ouigo. InOui is the new name for the traditional TGVs, offering premium comfort with upgrades such as power outlets, free wifi, continuous cleaning service, and an on-board manager dedicated to travellers’ well-being. Ouigo, on the other hand, is the low-cost version of the TGV. Fares are more attractive, but on-board services are more limited. In particular, you have to pay to carry luggage on OUIGO.

If you travel frequently in France, it can be worthwhile to look at the SNCF loyalty program, Grand Voyageur. It rewards you for your loyalty by earning points on each of your train trips, later giving you access to reward tickets and discounts.

For shorter distances, notably between Paris and Saint-Denis, you need to buy a train ticket to board a regional or local service. In Île-de-France, local trains carry the Transilien brand, while across the rest of France they’re called TER, for Train Express Régional. Both brands nonetheless belong to the SNCF.

Buses and coaches

In France, the coach comes in well below the train and the TGV. Two companies share most of the market: FlixBus and BlaBlaCar Bus, the former Ouibus that BlaBlaCar bought in 2019. Out of Paris, FlixBus advertises 375 destinations reachable directly, and fares from 4.98 €.

Leaving Paris, FlixBus advertises Lille from 8.98 €, Lyon from 12.48 € and Bordeaux from 17.48 €. Marseille starts at 24.48 € and Nice at 36.98 €. The price is hard to beat, but check the duration before you book: reaching Nice by coach takes 11h50, against 5h34 by train.

Paris 2024: how to get around France during the OG? - Bus

Plane

The French decree of 22 May 2023 bans domestic air routes that a train covers in under 2h30, where rail service is deemed sufficient. Three lines out of Orly have gone: Paris-Nantes, Paris-Lyon and Paris-Bordeaux. Connecting flights, for their part, remain allowed. To Marseille and Nice, the plane keeps its place: expect about 1h25 in the air with Air France, easyJet or Transavia, plus the two airport transfers on either end.

Paris 2024: how to get around France during the OG? - Air-France

Train, plane, coach or car: which to pick?

Here are the five routes compared, with the entry price each operator advertises and the fastest journey time. Those entry fares apply to a selection of trains and dates: they drop when you book early, and climb as departure nears. If you take the road instead, our comparison of gas credit cards will help trim the fuel bill.

Paris-Bordeaux

When booked in advance, TGV Ouigo tickets are especially good value for getting to Bordeaux from Paris.

Paris-Bordeaux: entry price and shortest journey time by mode
ModeEntry priceShortest journey time
Train, TGV INOUI or OUIGOfrom 10 €2h02
FlixBus coachfrom 17.48 €5h35
Planedirect route scrapped by the 2023 decreenot applicable

Book this route: the train · the coach · a rental car

Paris-Lille

To reach Lille, it’s best to board a TGV InOui and enjoy the many services on offer, such as wifi, since ticket prices aren’t exorbitant. It can be complicated to get to Paris-Charles de Gaulle from the heart of the capital.

Paris-Lille: entry price and shortest journey time by mode
ModeEntry priceShortest journey time
Train, TGV INOUI or OUIGOfrom 12 €0h58
FlixBus coachfrom 8.98 €2h15
Planeno scheduled servicenot applicable

Book this route: the train · the coach · a rental car

Paris-Lyon

To reach Lyon from Paris, TGV tickets are sometimes a bit higher because there are many passengers. Those looking to save will prefer the regular train or the TGV Ouigo, if they book well in advance to still get affordable fares.

Paris-Lyon: entry price and shortest journey time by mode
ModeEntry priceShortest journey time
Train, TGV INOUI or OUIGOfrom 16 €1h43
FlixBus coachfrom 12.48 €4h30
Planedirect route scrapped by the 2023 decreenot applicable

Book this route: the train · the coach · a rental car

Paris-Marseille

There are also many passengers travelling by TGV between Paris and Marseille. Here, the TGV InOui and the plane are good alternatives. The plane isn’t the most eco-friendly option, though, so if you choose to fly rather than take the train, don’t forget to offset your carbon footprint! Some airlines, such as Air France, offer passengers the option to pay a surcharge to reduce the carbon footprint of the flight they’re on.

Paris-Marseille: entry price and shortest journey time by mode
ModeEntry priceShortest journey time
Train, TGV INOUI or OUIGOfrom 16 €3h03
FlixBus coachfrom 24.48 €9h10
Plane, Air France, easyJet or Transaviavaries by dateabout 1h25 in the air

Book this route: the train · the coach · the flight · a rental car

Paris-Nice

Nice is the one route of the five where the plane keeps a real edge: about 1h25 in the air against 5h34 on the fastest train. If you would rather stay on rails, start from Marseille instead, which puts the French Riviera a little over two hours away. Once there, the coast is easy to cover by regional train, with no car needed.

You could rent a car from one of the Sixt agencies in Marseille with your Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite + Card, which carries theft and damage coverage on rental cars. Read the limits before you decline the counter's own cover: vehicle category and rental length both matter.

Paris-Nice: entry price and shortest journey time by mode
ModeEntry priceShortest journey time
Train, TGV INOUI or OUIGOfrom 25 €5h34
FlixBus coachfrom 36.98 €11h50
Plane, Air France, easyJet or Transaviavaries by dateabout 1h25 in the air

Book this route: the train · the coach · the flight · a rental car

Bottom line

There are dozens of ways to cross France, and that is a real difference from Canada, where the options stay limited and expensive. On the same route, you often get to choose between four modes. Remember the simple rule: under 2h30 by train, the plane has disappeared from the timetables, and the TGV wins anyway once airport transfers are counted. Beyond that, the plane takes back the advantage on time, while the coach keeps its edge on price. That leaves paying for the ticket, and this is where your points can take over.

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What is the difference between a TGV INOUI and a OUIGO?

INOUI is the name of SNCF's standard high-speed trains. You get wider seats, power outlets, wifi and onboard service. OUIGO is the same operator's low-cost offer: fewer services, stricter baggage limits and, sometimes, an outlying station such as Massy or Marne-la-Vallée. On the same route, the price gap runs into tens of euros.

How much does a train ticket cost in France?

It depends almost entirely on when you book. Leaving Paris, SNCF advertises tickets from 10 € to Bordeaux, 12 € to Lille, 16 € to Lyon and Marseille, and 25 € to Nice. Those entry fares apply to a selection of trains and dates. Booked the day before, the same journeys cost several times that.

Can you still fly between Paris and Lyon or Bordeaux?

Not on a scheduled direct flight. The French decree of 22 May 2023 bans domestic air routes that a train covers in under 2h30 when rail service is deemed sufficient. Paris-Lyon, Paris-Bordeaux and Paris-Nantes are affected out of Orly. Connecting flights remain allowed.

Which cities does the TGV serve in France?

TGV INOUI links Paris to most major French cities: Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes, Brest, Toulouse, Montpellier, Grenoble, Strasbourg, Metz, Nancy, Dijon, Biarritz and Nice, among others. Direct services also run between regional cities, such as Lille-Lyon or Strasbourg-Marseille, without going through Paris.

Is the coach really cheaper than the train?

At the ticket counter, often yes. FlixBus advertises Paris-Lille from 8.98 €, Paris-Lyon from 12.48 € and Paris-Bordeaux from 17.48 €. The real cost is time: expect 4h30 to Lyon and 5h35 to Bordeaux, against 1h43 and 2h02 by train. On Paris-Nice the gap widens to 11h50 versus 5h34.

Do you need to rent a car to visit France?

Not to travel between major cities: the train is faster there, and tolls add up quickly. The car wins back its advantage as soon as you leave the main corridors, for the countryside, villages and regions without a TGV station. If you do rent, check the insurance already included with your credit card before buying the counter's coverage.

Can you eat and drink on board a TGV?

Yes. You can bring your own food, and TGV INOUI trains have a bar car. OUIGO trains also sell snacks on board, but without a dedicated space to sit down.

How do you avoid foreign transaction fees on your tickets?

SNCF tickets are charged in euros. With an ordinary Canadian card you pay foreign transaction fees on top, usually 2.5%. A card with no foreign transaction fees removes that charge. On a single ticket the difference is small, but it adds to what you save on hotels, restaurants and museums across the whole trip.

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Welcome offer
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After $2,000 in 3 months
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on Scotiabank's website

With this welcome offer for the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card +* CardMC, you’ll earn 25,000 welcome bonus Scene+ points after charging $2,000 in purchases to your account within the first three months.

Plus, every year, earn an annual bonus of at least 10,000 Scene+ points when you charge at least $40,000 in purchases to your account. In total, the offer represents up to 35,000 Scene+ points and a value of up to $1,250 in the first year, including rewards, savings on foreign transaction fees and airport lounge access.

With the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card, you earn 3 points per $1 spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland and participating Co-ops, and 2 points per $1 spent at other grocery stores, restaurants, eligible entertainment and eligible daily transit. You earn 1 point per $1 on all your other everyday purchases.

These points can be redeemed against any travel purchase at a rate of 1,000 points = $10 (flights, hotels, all-inclusives and even Airbnb), or as cash back with Scene+ at the same rate.

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card also offers:

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Annual fee

Primary card$150
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Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

0%

Earning rate

  • 2xGroceries
  • 2xRestaurants
  • 2xTransit
  • 2xEntertainment
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$650
2nd Year Value$397

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$240

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $1,000,000 / 3 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

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