Buses to and from Montpellier Airport (MPL)

The airport is located approximately 7km east-southeast of Montpellier, and in the Hérault department of France. Montpellier is part of the Languedoc Roussillon region of the country, and its airport is the largest air gateway for tourists and business professionals in the area. It is also the tenth busiest airport in France, handling over 1.1 million passengers per annum. The airport is recognised by its official code of MPL, and has been appointed the official name of the Montpellier-Méditerranée Airport. Montpellier Airport Buses are frequently available for arriving passengers, and for passengers travelling to the airport as well, and are part of the city’s extensive range of transport services.

Passengers will arrive on the ground floor of Montpellier Airport’s terminal building, and will find various useful facilities, including cash machines, a restaurant, tourist information, business meeting rooms and car hire companies in the arrival area. For those who have decided to travel by bus from the airport, can collect their luggage from the baggage reclaim area, go through the main concourse of the building and out of the main doors in order to find the bus stop. The Aeroport Navette is white in colour, and its times generally correspond to the arrival and departure flights of the airport. Once in the city, visitors have access to many other bus routes, as well as the extensive tramway system of Montpellier, and even the main train station for railway connections to various other towns and cities in the region and beyond.

The Montpellier Buses

The airport shuttle, known as the Ligne 120, departs from outside of the arrival hall, and is available about every hour, or in accordance to the arrival flights. They are also available seven days a week. The airport bus takes passengers to the Place de l’Europe, which is the fourth stop after the tramway station, and the Antigone Quarter. The Place de l’Europe is located on the Montpellier tram lines 1 and 2, and very nearby to the main railway station of Montpellier, known as the Saint-Roch Railway Station, or as the Gare de Montpellier. The stations and bus stops are also found in the centre of city, which is convenient for many passengers of the airport.

The bus trip to the city centre takes about fifteen to twenty minutes, since that the airport is located so nearby, and tickets can be purchased from the bus driver for around 1.50 Euro for a single trip, or 2.40 Euro for a round-trip ticket. Passengers who plan to travel more often on the buses can also buy a booklet of ten tickets, which are cheaper than buying single tickets. The following times can be used as a general guideline as to when the buses depart from the airport: 08:35, 09:30, 10:25 12:55, 14:20, 15:00, 17:25, 18:55, 19:55, 20:30, 21:00 and 23:00. However, always be sure to check the latest timetable for the buses before planning your travel itinerary, or contact the airport for more information.

Buses are available in the opposite direction as well, from the Place de l’Europe, and their times of departure are as follows: 06:00, 07:20, 08:00, 09:00, 09:50, 12:20, 14:00, 14:45, 16:45, 18:20, 19:20 and 21:15.

The TAM transport services in Montpellier

TAM stands for the Transports de l’Agglomération de Montpellier, and is the comprehensive public transport service for the city. There are thirty bus lines which cover the suburban districts of the city, and two commonly used by visitors are Line 28, from the Port Marianne tram station to the beach at Palayas les Flots, and the L’Amigo late night bus, which provides transport to the nightclubs on the outskirts of the city from the train station. The Amigo bus is available on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, and operates from midnight to 05:00 in the morning.

By tram is also a very popular way to travel in Montpellier, and there are currently two tram lines in use and a third under construction. The trams form an ‘X’ across the centre of town, and are considered as a comfortable way to get from one place to another. They are also clean and prettily designed with colourful flowers. They are available approximately every three to five minutes during the busier daytime hours, and about every fifteen minutes later at night. Tram Line 1 is called the blue line Mosson Odysseum and tramway 2 is known as the Line flowers of St. John of the Vedas Centre Jacou. It has thirty-three stations and covers 19km, linking four towns of the Montpellier Agglomeration. In terms of buses and trams, twenty-five of the tram stations are directly served by buses. Tickets can generally be used on both the trams and buses, and they will need to be validated on board the vehicles of transport at the start of your trip. Further details for TAM are found at http://www.montpellier-agglo.com.

Further buses are available from the Hérault Transport company, and these are regional bus services which travel to towns and cities throughout the department. There are 64 regular lines driven by 450 vehicles. Their website can be found at http://www.herault-transport.fr.

Montpellier buses are the cheapest way to travel to and from the city, however, taxis are also available from the airport. If special transport or assistance is required for a disabled passenger, it is best to contact the airport in advance of your arrival, however, most buses used nowadays are equipped with lower floors to accommodate passengers in wheelchairs. The information desk can be reached at 04 67 20 85 00.