We plan to rent a car in Avignon to explore surrounding areas, while staying in St. Remy. Rental choices are either TGV or Center city train stations. We are arriving TGV but eventually leaving Center City, so would need to take the connecting train in either scenario, either at pick-up or drop-off. How difficult is driving in the city (not the old city), near the Center train station? Is it much easier to pick-up/drop-off at the TGV, or it doesn’t matter? Rental cost appears the same, although we assumed TGV may have more inventory. If we need to park for 1/2 day, are there reasonable lots in either location?
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
11657 posts
TGV is the easiest. I've driven both.
Edit:
There's a big ring road around Avignon. Somehow, I missed the turn off for parking near the Avignon city station twice last August, but then I miss these train station garages about 95% of the time no matter where I am: Paris, Toulouse, Lyon. The large surface parkings for renting cars at the TGV stations are easier for me. But other people may have not trouble at all.
As balso writes below, outside of August, there's abundant parking all around the outside of the city walls with shuttle buses to take you through the center. There's no need to park in a train station garage unless you are returning a car.
Posted by
NY
612 posts
Having done this, I think driving and parking is significantly easier at the TGV vs the Avignon Centre station. The TGV station is essentially on the outskirts of town and cars are mostly parked in the large surface lots around the station -- just easier to handle generally than the Avignon Centre station.
Posted by
Paris
11299 posts
The one time I did this, I too rented at the TGV station. Much easier in and out than in the city center (and, as you note, more inventory too).
Posted by
Paris
7779 posts
You might be able to rent the car at the TGV station and return it at Avignon Centre. I wouldn't pay more than ~20€ for this privilege, but it would be convenient.
Parking is not an issue in Avignon outside of festival time (most of July).