We have already booked a reservation to Avignon TGV from Paris CDG but have not booked a connecting train to Arles. I've noticed there are several options from Avignon TGV. Is the route walkable from Avignon TGV to Avignon Centre in order to catch the train to Arles??
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
154 posts
The Avignon TGV station is a fair distance away from the center of Avignon or the older station. They do have a very frequent bus that connects the two stations. It would be too far to walk in my opinion but again that bus is easy to use if you do have trains arriving and leaving from the two stations.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Unfortunately, there are no train tracks between Avignon TGV and Avignon Centre thus the frequent bus between the two train stations. It's a 10-12 minute bus ride. If you are serious about walking between the two stations, be sure to determine if there are sections of the journey that are not passable as a pedestrian (i.e. highways, fences, etc.). The bus is so much easier.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4085 posts
As of last December, rails now link Avignon Centre to Avignon TGV. It's a shuttle run by the TER section of the SNCF rail system. You (maybe with Google Translate's help) can read about it here. http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/paca/Fr/Se_deplacer_en_TER/Avant_mon_voyage/Flash_actus/DetailsFlash_actus.aspx?URI=tcm:27-95959
Essentially it costs 1.60 Euros and runs frequently. To see the schedule, look at the main site http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ and type in Avignon Centre and Avignon TGV as your departure and arrival points. The answer clearly specifies "Train".
I haven't seen this thing in action and didn't mind the old bus shuttle but I suppose a railway will prefer rails.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thanks for all these tips!
Posted by
Margate, FL, USA
204 posts
hi.
we stayed in Avignon for 3 weeks in 2009. we also took the TGV from Paris. there are 2 train stations close to Avignon - the TGV which is connected by bus to Avignon, and a local train station which is walking distance and just outside of the city walls. to go to Arles, you don't have to take the TGV but the local train. we did that too - walked outside the walls to the station and took the train from there. the train ticket doesn't really have a fixed time as far as I remember because from Arles to Avignon, we took an earlier train because we were done sightseeing.
Avignon is a great base to visit Arles, Nimes, Pont du Gard. and even Provence. we took a tour to visit the hill towns Gordes and Lex Baux. enjoy.
Posted by
874 posts
Southam is correct. The connection between the two Avignon railroads is now by rail, not bus. We were there in June.