Getting around · Bordeaux · France
Getting around Bordeaux
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Central Bordeaux is flat and compact, and most sights are within a 30-minute walk of Place de la Bourse. Four tram lines (A, B, C and D) run by TBM cover the centre, the quays, Gare Saint-Jean, the Cité du Vin and the airport, backed by buses, river shuttles and a bike-share scheme. Not for the city, where trams and walking cover everything and parking is expensive.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- BOD
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
- Travel pass
- TBM tickets and Tickarte
Ways to get around
Walking
The old town, the Triangle d'Or and the riverfront are close together and largely pedestrianised; Rue Sainte-Catherine runs for about a kilometre through the centre.
The riverside promenade is the most pleasant way to walk between Saint-Michel, Place de la Bourse and Chartrons.
Tram
Tram B runs along the quays from the centre to Chartrons and the Cité du Vin; tram C serves Gare Saint-Jean and the Quinconces; tram A crosses the Pont de Pierre and runs to the airport.
Validate your ticket on the platform machine or in the tram each time you board.
Bus
TBM buses fill in the gaps, including routes to the Basilique Saint-Seurin area and outer districts; the same tickets work on trams, buses and BatCub boats.
Boat
BatCub river shuttles cross and run along the Garonne between stops such as Quinconces, Stalingrad and Lormont, and use standard TBM tickets.
Cycling
A TBM bike-share scheme and many dedicated lanes, including along both riverbanks, make cycling easy on the flat terrain.
Train
Gare Saint-Jean has TGVs to Paris in about two hours and regional TER trains to Saint-Émilion, Arcachon and Biarritz.
Tickets and passes
TBM tickets and Tickarte
Single tickets are valid for about an hour with transfers across trams, buses and BatCub; the rechargeable Tickarte card or the TBM app avoid paper tickets, and day tickets are available.
Bordeaux CityPass
Sold by the tourist office for 24, 48 or 72 hours, it combines unlimited TBM transport with entry to many museums and a guided walk; it pays off with two or three paid visits a day.
From the airport
Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport is about 12 km west of the centre. Tram A runs from the airport to the city centre in roughly 40 minutes, and an express shuttle bus runs to Gare Saint-Jean. A taxi takes about 20–40 minutes depending on traffic.
Do you need a car?
Not for the city, where trams and walking cover everything and parking is expensive. A car or an organised tour is the easiest way to visit Médoc and Sauternes châteaux, but Saint-Émilion and Arcachon are reachable by train.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Saint-Émilion | About 35 minutes by train | TER from Gare Saint-Jean to Saint-Émilion station, then a 2 km walk |
| Médoc wine route | About 1 hour by car to Pauillac | Car or organised tour along the D2 'Route des Châteaux' |
| Arcachon | About 50 minutes by train | TER from Gare Saint-Jean to Arcachon |
| Dune du Pilat | About 1 hour 20 minutes by train and bus | TER to Arcachon, then a local bus to the dune |
| Sauternes | About 45 minutes by car | Car or organised wine tour |
| Biarritz | About 2 hours by train | Train from Gare Saint-Jean to Biarritz |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Bordeaux?
Not for the city, where trams and walking cover everything and parking is expensive. A car or an organised tour is the easiest way to visit Médoc and Sauternes châteaux, but Saint-Émilion and Arcachon are reachable by train.
+How do you get from the airport to Bordeaux?
Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport is about 12 km west of the centre. Tram A runs from the airport to the city centre in roughly 40 minutes, and an express shuttle bus runs to Gare Saint-Jean. A taxi takes about 20–40 minutes depending on traffic.
+What is the best way to get around Bordeaux?
Walking: The old town, the Triangle d'Or and the riverfront are close together and largely pedestrianised; Rue Sainte-Catherine runs for about a kilometre through the centre.