This is public transportation and it is very popular in France and even by visitors seeking to see something different. I came here once by train and once by plane, then many trips by car ,simply the best way to come in and out. Once in do the walking and if tired take the bus,can’t beat it. Toulouse is no different when it comes to public transportation and very heavily use as it is a huge university town as well with over 100K students. Let me tell you briefly on getting around in and out of Toulouse !!, Hope you enjoy the post as I.
First thing first, came here by train !!! Yes : it was a trip to meet alumnus from my aeronautical university working on the Airbus A380 plane, We met in J’Go resto by the Place Victor Hugo (see post), You have a wonderful train station Gare Matabiau located in the district of Matabiau near walking distance to city center; there are other stations to serve the TER Occitanie trains., A very nice train station, just crossing the allées Jean Jaurés or rue Raymond VI and you are in the center in 5-10 minutes.The main regular intercité train lines are from Paris Gare d’Austerlitz , and the TGV from Gare Montparnasse, whic is from where I came.
The Toulouse-Matabiau train station is located at 64 Bd Pierre Sémard, It sits on the lines from Bordeaux-Saint-Jean to Sète-Ville, from Toulouse to Bayonne and from Brive-la-Gaillarde to Toulouse-Matabiau via Capdenac. The primitive station was inaugurated on October 16 1856 , Since 1990, it has received TGVs from Paris-Montparnasse via the LGV Atlantique; this LGV ending near Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, the trains continue their journey on the classic Paris – Bordeaux line and serve Bordeaux-Saint-Jean. This route brings Toulouse back to 5 h 30 min from Paris in 1990, and since 2017 to 4 h 17 min ! Next to it in 1995, the Toulouse bus station was built. A major redevelopment of the station for the arrival of this LGV and the 3rd metro line and a project for a vast business center with a metropolitan vocation (Grand Matabiau, which will be located around this train station) are planned. The construction of the Halle des Transports is planned between 2026 and 2028, after the extension of the renovated North and South underground passages. The building will have access to the respective metro stations of lines A and C, as well as two accesses to the platforms. Connected to the Marengo-SNCF metro (line A) and buses from the Toulouse Tisséo network, it is close to the bus station which serves Toulouse-Blagnac airport in particular. The LGV Sud-Europe-Atlantique and Bordeaux-Toulouse (2024) will put Bordeaux at 1 hour, Paris at 3 hours and Lille at 5 hours. Toulouse has 9 other TER stations, including Toulouse-Saint-Cyprien-Arènes and Gallieni-Cancéropôle. A bit of history I like in all of this is on the name of the Matabiau district that gives the name ,it comes from the Occitan mata buòu (“to kill the ox”). According to a popular legend, in the year 250, the bull responsible for the death of Saturnin, the first bishop of Toulouse, was killed nearby. In reality, it seems that the name of the district comes rather from the presence, in this place, of the slaughterhouses of the City.
And in between car rides visits , I came by plane just to try it as again friends were waiting for me, The airport is at Blagnac easy to city center Toulouse and therefore, the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport , There is good navette bus from airport, to the City and train station , easy in and out. First you now have the tramway line 2 direct access with automatic machine for ticketing at Hall C – niveau Arrivées (porte C2) this is arrival levels at gate C2 best to Fer de Cheval by Pont St Michel. The navette bus which is the one I used is taken at street level stop gate or porte C2 arrivals. Take it direction Gare Routiére bus terminal which is at Matabiau next to train station and you can get on metro ,bus or walk as I do into city center along Allées Jean Jaurés. And of course, there is always the taxi they are at street level arrivals between gates or portes B3 in Hall B and C1 in Hall C; but the navette bus is nicer me think. On the traditional lines you can take metro line A arrêt/ stop Arénes connection towards Basso Cambo and Balma Gramont then towards the train and bus station Matabiau, Metro line B arrêt/stop Palais de Justice, connection towards Ramonville and Borderouge, With the train you go airport from arrêt/stop Arénes connection with line C (TER SNCF linking to Colomiers, With the bus on tram lines T1 and T2 several connections with the bus network TISSEO, From Beauzelle to Toulouse passing by Blagnac, the line T1 service 24 stations. The itinerary is long of 14.4 km allowing you to connect the Aéroconstallation to the Palais de Justice. The T2 tram line connects Toulouse city center to Toulouse-Blagnac airport. Tram Line 2 is made up of a joint section with line T1 from Palais de Justice to Ancely and a new track connecting line T1 at the Jean Maga roundabout to the terminus located at the terminal. The course, 2375 meters long, is made up of three stations: Airport: near hall C, Arrivals level, and the bus station. Didier Daurat: near rue Jean Dufour, near the eponymous avenue. Pierre Nadot: halfway between the Dewoitine roundabout and the A 621 crossing viaduct in contact with the Airbus bridge.
You ,also, have the Métro of Toulouse (subway/tube). It has two lines A and B. This I have taken a bit for the thrill of it but hardly ever,
The metro line A has a correspondance station at Jean Jaurés with line B as well as with the tramway T1 et T2 in stop or arrêt Arènes, A nice hub very convenient and the one I tried, Metro line A has these 18 stations : Balma-Gramont – Parking Relais, Argoulets – Parking Relais; Roseraie, Jolimont – Parking Relais, Marengo – SNCF, Jean-Jaurès – correspondance with line B; Capitole, Esquirol, Saint-Cyprien République, Patte-d’Oie, Arènes – Parking Relais – correspondance with tramways T1 and T2 – Gare St Cyprien – Arènes, Fontaine-Lestang; Mermoz; Bagatelle; Mirail-Université; Reynerie; Bellefontaine, and Basso-Cambo – Parking Relais.
The Metro line B, over nearly 16 km along a north-south axis, links some 20 stations between Borderouge and Ramonville-Saint-Agne. It offers a connecting station with line A at Jean-Jaurès station and one with lines T1 and T2 of the tramway in Palais de Justice. The 20 stations are Borderouge – Parking Relais; Trois Cocus; La Vache – Parking Relais; Barrière de Paris; Minimes – Claude Nougaro; Canal du Midi; Compans Caffarelli; Jeanne d’Arc; Jean Jaurès – correspondance with metro line A;François Verdier; Carmes; Palais de Justice -correspondance with tramways T1 and T2(towards airport) ; St Michel – Marcel Langer ; Empalot; Saint-Agne – SNCF; Saouzelong; Rangueil ;Faculté de Pharmacie; Université Paul Sabatier and Ramonville – Parking Relais.
For info only ,I put metro line C here as still under construction to be finished by 2028. Metro Line C will have 21 stations for 27 km long, It will connect line A at Marengo SNCF and connect with line B at François Verdier and La Vache, Connection with Tram line 1 and the future Airport Express line at Jean Maga in Blagnac.
The bus network has about 135 main lines in the City,too much to explain here but easy and frequent service is available. I have never use it. The complete public transporation network of Toulouse is call TISSEO, They have sales point to get tickets before your boarding at the Airport, Arénes, Basso Cambo, Borderouge, Jean Jaurés, and Marengo-SNCF, And of course this is intended to move about in Toulouse. Once arriving walking is the best way to move around, and if daring the bike. Vélo Toulouse. Which of course have no knowledge of, never done it ok.
The Toulouse-Blagnac airport : https://www.toulouse.aeroport.fr/en
The SNCF Matabiau train station :https://www.garesetconnexions.sncf/fr/gares-services/toulouse-matabiau
The TER Occitanie at Matabiau train station: https://www.ter.sncf.com/occitanie/se-deplacer/gares/toulouse-matabiau-87611004
The TISSEO bus metro tram information :https://www.tisseo.fr/en
The official Vélo Toulouse for information :https://abo-toulouse.cyclocity.fr/Les-stations/Trouver-une-station
The Toulouse tourist office on getting around public transports :https://www.toulouse-visit.com/getting-around-toulouse
The Toulouse Grand Matabiau project on transports etc :https://www.toulouse-grandmatabiau.fr/
There you go folks, a wonderful town to walk around, see the sights, eat the local cuisine ,and indulge in the future technologies, More than a City is like a second home for my visits, for family, and for the aviation alumnus in me, Again, hope you enjoy the post and help you out enjoy more the City of Toulouse, I always do !!!
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 