Bus from Nice to Marseille

This message relates to works in the town of Brignoles, not Marseille. No cause for concern!

Awesome, thanks! So we would have no issue taking the bus Nice to Marseille and we understand the bus station is by the train station? We are rearranging our schedule to get to Nice earlier and still include Avignon on our trip. Since there are no trains on 4/23 we were going to bus to Marseille then pick up the train there to Avignon, unless anyone has an easier option! Car rental was over $600 as they are charging a drop off fee from Nice to Avignon.

And is the Zou Bus the best way or is there another bus line? We have only done flix bus before and their schedule doesn't fit.

There is Flixbus from Nice to Avignon. That would be better. Or, look into buses to Aix, and change in Aix for a bus to Avignon - no need to go into Marseille.

The problem with Aix is that the train station is way away from the bus station - like 10 miles. The Flix bus says it goes to Avenue de l'Arc de Meyran (Parking Relais KRYPTON), quai n°2,13100 Aix-en-Provence which have no idea how far that is from the TGV station. Flix bus did have decent times to Aix, just don't know how easy it is to get from wherever it stops to the train station to pick up the TGV for the rest of the way. In Marseille, the bus leaves at 7:10 AM on Flix from the airport and arrives in Marseille at 9:55 am. Under the assumption, you just walk next door to the train station in Marseille and we can catch a TGV to Avignon that leaves at 10:24. If you or anyone has any idea about how close the bus stop in Aix is to the TGV would love to hear. The direct bus to Avignon from Nice does not have decent times at all.

The bus stop in Aix is indeed 10 miles from the TGV station, but there are relatively frequent onward buses to Avignon from Aix (LER 23). And Aix isn't the worst place to spend a few hours between buses, anyway.

So, in a nutshell, you have three options:
- direct bus from Nice to Avignon, but the times do not work
- bus to Marseille followed by train (TGV or local) to Avignon
- bus to Aix, followed by bus to Avignon

Options 2 and 3 take about the same time if the connection is timed OK, but option 2 is probably easier to manage. And while the TGV looks faster, it takes you to a station in the outskirts of Avignon (a train shuttle is needed to get to central Avignon) and often costs a bit more, so the regional train to Avignon Centre is just as good in my opinion!

If there's no train that day, a lot of people will be trying to take the bus. It could be mobbed.

The Marseille bus station shares the same building with the train station.

Thanks Balso and Bets. We are thinking the connection thru Marseille is going to be the easiest. Just walking next door to the train station is easier, and hopefully the bus follows the coast, but it looks doubtful. Flix bus to Marseille with a 45 minute wait then the train. Should we book the train ahead of time or just wing it? We will take the TGV to the Avignon TGV station then the regional train to City Center. In Nice, we will have to get back to the airport T2 for the bus. We are thinking we need to allow at least 30 minutes for the Tram from Nice to Airport. Should we catch the Tram at the train station or is there a place along Jean Medecin? Right now we are looking at the Best Western Roosevelt (mixed reviews), the Paganini and the Ibis Styles Centre Gare as our hotel. We aren't sure how far the closest tram station is to the hotel and if it even goes to the Airport from there. There is a Tram stop L2 on Victor Hugo about a block from the Hotel. Crazy, but we have never had so much trouble in selecting a hotel in a city before! We had narrowed it down to the BW Roosevelt, Hotel Du Centre or

If you're thinking of taking the TGV then book. If it's the local train to Avignon Centre, it does not take reservations, so you can buy tickets in advance but it does not get you a specific seat.

The Flix bus gets in to Marseille at 9:55 (Leaving at 7:10 AM) and the next TGV is at 10:24 taking 49 minutes to get to Avignon Center (with a switch at the TGV Avignon to a TER). Is this cutting it too close or doable? Otherwise there is a TER train taking 10:40 or 11:40 taking 1:22 to get there. The cons of the TER are no assigned seating, and who knows how crowded the train will be.

This is clear as mud. Are you going to Avignon and then backtracking to Nice!?

No - sorry for the confusion. We fly into Nice, spend 3 nights then want to get to Avignon on Saturday (no trains running from Nice that day - track work). Our best option looks to take the Flix bus Saturday morning to Marseille arriving at 9:55 AM in Marseille, then pick up the train to Avignon from there. The next TGV train leaves Marseille at 10:24 for Avignon. Question is whether or not 30 minutes is enough time as we aren't sure how on schedule the Flix bus would be. So if we don't buy a ticket ahead of time on the TGV there are two TER trains leaving after that. I would prefer the faster TGV and the shorter connection. Would you purchase a train ticket ahead of time or wait? From Avignon we head to Paris.

Personally, I wouldn't buy a non-changeable train ticket that depended on the prompt arrival of a bus; I'd plan to take the TER. But I'm cheap and take long trips, so I'm OK with that kind of transportation plan. It's not uncommon for me to choose a slower TER to save money even when there is no risk of missing a train.

Do TER trains even fill up or is it pretty safe to say waiting is ok.

The TER trains work like subways: an unlimited number of tickets is sold, and you just grab a seat if you can. You usually can.
My experience is that the Marseille-Avignon route is quiet! And if all goes well, you will be at the station long before departure, so you can head to the train as soon as it is announced and grab a seat.
And I agree that buying a TGV ticket 40 minutes after a scheduled bus arrival in a high-traffic part of France is a bit too risky.

Thanks! We will just wing it and purchase the next available after arrival and not pre-purchase. Thanks for your help!!