This station is on the small side making it very manageable. It is a bit vintage but well…read moremaintained. The access from the road is limited but adequate. My experience was that it was not crowded and therefore low stress. The convenience in my case was the fact that this was an efficient stop on my southbound train ride to grab a taxi to the Marseille Airport.

A short bus or car ride from the center of Aix-en-Provene, Sainte Victoire is the perfect one day…read moreexcursion. There are several hikes to chose from, ranging in difficulties and different terrain. The hike I did took about four hours, two up and two down. Not having much experience in hiking I found the route well marked and fairly accessible, it did pose some difficulties but it was one of the harder routes. Once at the summit the views are breathtaking across the Provence country side. To the south the sea and to the north the Alps. Well worth the two hour climb. Be aware of the cooler temperatures at the top of the mountain and make sure to stick to the suggested routes or you may find yourself in difficulty.

Quality/Quantity - As cautious travelers, we always stop by the train station on our first day in…read morethe city to buy our tickets for the next leg of our trip. This is an especially good suggestion for people that do not speak the language. After asking and stopping by 3 full service ticket booths, we finally found ours, Inoui! We were also willing to pay more for reserved seats. So while all the other ticket counters had lines out the door, we were the only customers here and received FULL service. Easy to buy our tickets, ask and get educated about their train system, etc. See you all in Nice, France. :) Ambiance - It is a major public train station, so come early if you are not experienced. Crazy busy as expected. Pay to use toilets - 1 Euro. Several floors. There are actually good views of the city from some parts of the station. Service - Overall good. The best service was our train station, Inoui. Price - 45 Euros per person to Nice. $53 USD. Owner Comment - Thanks for having affordable and smooth transportation with Inoui to Nice.

Reliable transport around France from region to region. The First Class coach is comfortable on all…read moretrains but the quality of coach varies from one line to another. The train from Marseille to Bordeaux was a little on the old side of the spectrum, offers food and beverage service.

Left of the island for 2 hour after the returning boat told us we couldn't get on. We were the…read morefirst in line. We then were told we had to get off the boat that eventually came and left us in les îles. So we waited some more and finally got back to the mainland.

When you find yourself in Marsaille and feel the urge to visit nearby island, the Frioul If Express…read moreyour best bet in any weather. -Château d'If -Îles du Frioul (archipelago) -€10 return, 20 minutes -Wave cutting boats I had the pleasure of riding the Edmond Dantes through rough seas to visit Îles du Frioul. The boats cut right through the waves, but watch out for the resulting splash if you sit outside on the second level. I was a victim of the "soak zone" while trying to snag a photo of the Château d'If as we cruised by. Frioul If Express boats leave for Château d'If from the Vieux Port at the corner of quai de la Fraternité and quai de Rive Neuve by the ferris wheel. There are over 15 daily departures in summer, fewer in winter. Be warned! Monday there are no trips to the Château d'If so if your schedule is limited, skip this day for your trip.