Planning for April 2016. Looking for best transportation options for a day trip, returning same day. This is overall a train trip for us, but the train going from Carcassone to Albi has a transfer in Toulouse, and takes about 2 hr 30 min, apprx, each way. Can't seem to locate any possible bus/coach information for this area, which seems on the map to be far more direct. Looking for any suggestions, for a less time consuming option / Bus information / site. Really want to fit Albi into the trip, but would rather not rent a car for 1 day, and moving hotels for 1 night has never proven a great option for us. Thank You.
Posted by
Green Bay
20081 posts
Bus takes even longer. So your options seem to be train in 2 1/2 hours or rental car. Viamichelin gives 1 hour and 50 minutes basically following the train route using motorway (with tolls), or 2 hours and 10 minutes going direct through the Parc Naturel Regional du Haute Languedoc, which should be quite scenic.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10188 posts
Why don't you stay in Toulouse and make a day trip to Carcassonne and another to Albi?
Car rental in Carcassonne is out at its airport, very inconvenient.
Posted by
OP
Fullerton, CA, USA
10 posts
Thank you Sam and Bets.
There is car rental.. listed.. as available out of Carcassone train station... But either of your suggestions could work out better for us. I'll print it out, and give it some consideration. (We'd be coming to Carcassone from Lyon)
If we have to rent a car, it might even be better to keep it though to our next destination, dropping off in Arles. Then we later fly out of Marsailles. However... Originally.... We'd planned to fly out of Toulouse... But, Flight times and connections back to LAX (Los Angeles) worked far-far better for us from Marsailles / (on Frequent Flyer Miles)
I'd really like to see Carcassone at night...But.. husband is not at all a night person. That's why I'd like to stay there, use it as a base.
We've been in Avignon, Pont du Gard, St Remy, Les Baux, Nice, before.
Thanks for your input..
I'll look for any other ideas here, as well.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10188 posts
The car rental at the train station must be new. It didn't exist when we were there last year.
Indeed, the Cite of Carcassonne is beautiful to see at night, especially from outside the walls.
Posted by
Truro, NS, Canada
3941 posts
We just came from a few nights in carcassonne. It is lovely at night with the walled town all lit up. Unfortunately, it rained on us about ten min after we went up so we had to head back to our Airbnb. (Complete with thunder and lightening!). We trained from Paris to Avignon and got the car there. Europcar at the tgv (booked beforehand via auto Europe)...easy peasy. Driving is fine. Tolls aren't crazy but it can add up. We have our car for ten days heading for Nice. parking could be an expense as well...we actually left the car at our Airbnb (parking in the yard) and walked as the old town was only 10-15 min walk.
Posted by
OP
Fullerton, CA, USA
10 posts
Thank you for your additional comments.
I see no easy solution yet, & am still considering. The train fare SNCF site, RT Carcassone>Albi>Carcassone for 2 people, approx 2 1/2 hours ''each way'', is $132 in total. 5 hours travel time, plus cost, for one day... Does not sound like a good day out for us.
That's why I originally thought of rental car, and am still thinking of that solution, plus since train X-fer in later going from Carcassone to Arles / (or even Albi) can also result in 1-2 transfers as well. The rental car may be the way to go. I know there is expense in doing rental car / tolls as well, and driving time too, as Sam pointed out.
The car would give us more overall options.. Must decide if going to Albi is worth the effort, either way... But it's rated very highly, and I'd love to see Musee LaToulse-Lautrec. We only have a total of 12 full days/13nights, including Lyon 4 nights (night arrival) beforehand, Arles and finally Marsailles, at the end.
Most likely, cut time in Marsailles, and do 2 nights Carcassone/ 2 Albi, 3 Arles, 2 Marsailles. We've been to Nice/Monoco.. And feel a little shaky about Marsailles, with the influx of immigrants. Maybe skip Marsailles for Aix/or day trip at least to Aix.
Comments?