How to get to Avignon: a local's arrival guide
Avignon is one of the best-connected cities in the south of France. High-speed trains from Paris, a major international airport less than an hour away, and motorways running right past the door - you have options. But there’s one quirk that trips up more first-time visitors than anything else, and it’s worth understanding before you book a single ticket.
The one thing you must know: there are two stations
Avignon has two train stations, and they are not the same place.
- Avignon TGV is the sleek high-speed station where fast trains from Paris and beyond arrive. It sits in the Courtine district, roughly 4km south of the old town - out among the roundabouts, not in the city.
- Avignon Centre is the small, charming station right on the doorstep of the walled city, a two-minute stroll from the Porte de la République and the main street.
Book blindly and you can easily end up at the wrong one, stranded 4km from your hotel with your luggage. So the golden rule: know which station your ticket says, and plan the last leg accordingly.
The shuttle link - and a very French quirk
The good news is the two stations are connected by a little shuttle train the locals call la navette or la virgule (“the comma,” after the shape of the track). It takes just 6 minutes, costs around 3.50€, and is genuinely the most convenient way into the centre if you don’t mind a short walk at the other end.
One insider warning, though. Although the mighty SNCF runs the national railways, the high-speed TGV and the local TER shuttle are operated by two different companies that don’t coordinate their timetables. The result: you can step off your TGV and face a wait of 45 minutes or more for the connecting shuttle. It’s a small, very French absurdity - so check the shuttle times before you count on a seamless hop.
Arriving at Avignon TGV: pick your route by profile
If your train drops you at Avignon TGV, here’s how I’d choose the last leg into the centre, depending on who you are:
| Your profile | Best option | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family with kids | The virgule shuttle | 6 min + wait | ~3.50€ pp |
| Backpacker / on a budget | The virgule shuttle | 6 min + wait | ~3.50€ pp |
| Bus lovers / no rush | City bus | ~25 min | ~3€ |
| Business, couples, comfort-first | Taxi | ~15 min | 15-25€ |
The shuttle (virgule) is the sweet spot for families and budget travellers - cheap, quick, and it drops you at Avignon Centre. Just mind those timing gaps.
The bus is the slowest at around 25 minutes, but it’s safe, comfortable and inexpensive at roughly 3€. A fine choice if you’re not in a hurry.
The taxi is the most reliable and comfortable option, at 15-25€ depending on the time of day and about 15 minutes door to door. There’s usually a rank of taxis waiting, because they coordinate with train arrivals. If the rank happens to be empty, the taxi company’s number is posted at the stand, and a car will normally turn up within about 15 minutes. (Fair warning from experience: that 15 minutes can feel very long at 10:30pm on a winter night with the Mistral howling. But a car does come.)
Two mistakes to avoid at the TGV station
Do not try to walk into town. On paper it’s “only 4km.” In practice, the route from Avignon TGV to the centre takes you through some unwelcoming, unscenic neighbourhoods, and it is not a pleasant or advisable walk with luggage. Take the shuttle, bus, or taxi. Every time.
Do not hire a car just to get from Avignon TGV to the centre. It’s pointless - you’ll pay for a hire car and then struggle to park it inside the walls. Save the car rental for the day you actually want it: for day trips out into Provence, or if Avignon is simply your first stop before driving on elsewhere. (For more of these, see our guide to the crucial mistakes to avoid when visiting Avignon.)
Getting here by train
Avignon is a star turn on France’s high-speed network.
- From Paris: TGV INOUI trains run from Paris Gare de Lyon to Avignon TGV in about 2 hours 40 minutes - one of the great rail journeys in France, and often faster and calmer than flying.
- Budget option: OUIGO, SNCF’s low-cost high-speed service, also serves Avignon at cheaper fares if you book ahead and travel light.
- Direct connections: You can reach Avignon directly by TGV from Lyon, Marseille, Nice, and even straight from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport without going into central Paris - handy if you’re flying into CDG.
- From London: Take the Eurostar to Paris or Lille and connect onto a TGV south. In summer there have historically been limited direct services, but the Paris connection is the dependable route.
Book trains through the official channels (SNCF Connect, TGV INOUI, or OUIGO) and aim to reserve early for the best fares.
Getting here by air
Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) at Marignane is your best bet. It’s about 45 minutes down the autoroute, easy to reach, with ample parking, and it connects well with most of Europe and much of the world. To get from the airport to Avignon: if you’re watching the budget, there’s a shuttle-bus-plus-train combination (via the Vitrolles Aéroport TGV station) - reliable, but expect the usual timetable gaps. A taxi all the way is comfortable but pricey, in the region of 250-300€. And for the adventurous, a BlaBlaCar ride-share can work nicely.
Avignon-Provence Airport (AVN) exists, but has almost no scheduled commercial flights, so it’s rarely useful for ordinary travellers. It does, however, handle private jets - which is exactly how the Obama family arrived, discreetly but in style, when they holidayed near Avignon in 2019. So if you happen to be travelling by private jet, AVN is very much an option.
Other airports worth a look depending on fares are Nîmes, Nice and Lyon, though all involve a longer onward journey than Marseille.
Getting here by car
Avignon sits right on the A7 and A9 autoroutes, so arriving by car is straightforward. The question is what you do once you get here.
Driving into the centre is feasible, but plan ahead. There is parking inside the walls (intramuros) as well as several Park-and-Ride sites just outside, such as Parking des Italiens and Parking de l’Île Piot, both with free shuttles into town. Whether you park inside or out is genuinely a matter of personal preference.
The one hard exception: the Festival. During the Festival d’Avignon in July, driving into the centre is a firm no. Large parts of the old town are cordoned off and require a special permit, so if you’re visiting in festival season, use a Park-and-Ride or leave the car well outside.
Getting around once you’ve arrived
Here’s the reassuring part: once you’re inside the walls, you won’t need any of this. Avignon’s historic centre is compact and eminently walkable - most of the great sights are within a 15-minute stroll of one another. There’s a city bus network (Orizo) if you need it, and taxis are easy to find, but honestly, the best way to experience Avignon is on foot.
Which is rather the point. Once the journey’s behind you and you’re standing inside those medieval walls, the only real question is how to spend your time - and if you’re still deciding, our guide to how long to spend in Avignon is the perfect next read.
And if you’d like someone who knows the city to take care of that first afternoon for you, that’s exactly what we do. Our self-guided walks and treasure hunts turn your first few hours in Avignon into the best possible introduction to the city - no planning required, just follow the clues and let Avignon reveal itself.
