How do I get to the airport?

By shuttle, €9 a trip, every 15 minutes from Matabiau, Jeanne d'Arc, and Palais des Congrès, taking 25 to 45 minutes depending on traffic. The T2 tram no longer serves the airport while the new airport line is being built, and the shuttle is not covered by a Tisséo subscription.

Can I use +=0 and an SNCF card at the same time?

Yes, they cover different trains. +=0 applies to regional liO trains and coaches inside Occitanie, while the Carte Avantage Jeune and Max Jeune apply to the national network. Many students end up with both.

I'm 28 or older. Is there anything for me?

The youth schemes stop at 26 for +=0 and 27 for the SNCF cards, but SNCF sells equivalent Avantage and Max cards for older travellers at different prices. The regional €1 fares and promotional days have no age limit at all.

For TGV, Intercités, and Ouigo, as early as you can: fares rise as the train fills, and a Paris trip booked the day before can cost several times one booked a month ahead. Regional liO trains need no reservation, so there is nothing to gain by booking early.

Do I need to print anything?

No, an e-ticket on your phone is fine on every French operator. Carry photo ID if you travel on a youth card or an +=0 account, since inspectors can ask you to prove you qualify for the fare.

Survival Guide

Travel

Toulouse sits within a couple of hours of the Pyrenees, the Mediterranean, and most of southern France. Under 27, almost all of it costs less than you would expect, as long as you pick the right card before you book.

Travelling young, in numbers

Rail fares checked in August 2026. SNCF and the Occitanie region revise them regularly, so confirm before you buy.

€0A year of 30% off with the Carte Avantage Jeune

0Journeys a month, then regional liO trains are free

€0Per month for near-unlimited travel with Max Jeune

€9The airport shuttle, from the city centre

Booking your first trip

Work out which train you need

liO trains are the regional network: cheap, no reservation, and they cover Occitanie. TGV INOUI and Intercités are the long-distance trains and always need a reservation. Ouigo is SNCF's low-cost high-speed brand, cheapest booked well ahead and strict about luggage.

Which discount fits you

+=0, ages 12 to 26The region's mobility account for liO trains and coaches: 50% off your first ten journeys of the month, free from the eleventh, and credit towards a later month past the twenty-first. Activated through the Fairtiq app, no card and no commitment.

Carte Avantage Jeune, 12 to 27€49 for the year, 30% off TGV INOUI, Intercités, and some liO trains anywhere in France, in first and second class. It pays for itself in roughly three journeys, and you do not need to be a student.

Max Jeune, 16 to 27€79 a month for a guaranteed 30% off all year, plus €0 tickets in second class on a selection of TGV INOUI, Intercités, and Ouigo trains. Worth it only if you really do leave most weekends.

Ways out of Toulouse

liO regional trainsThe Occitanie network, out of Matabiau. No reservation, fares from €1 on the region's promotional days, and the only service to plenty of smaller towns.

TGV INOUIThe fast long-distance trains: Paris in about 4h35, Bordeaux in a little over two hours. Reservation compulsory, and the earlier you book the cheaper it gets.

OuigoSNCF's low-cost high-speed service, same tracks for less. Book early and travel light: anything beyond the luggage allowance is charged at the platform.

Long-distance coachesBlaBlaCar Bus, FlixBus, and Alsa run across France and into Spain. Slower than the train, but usually the cheapest ticket going: Barcelona is five to six hours direct, from around €16.

CarpoolingBlaBlaCar is standard practice here for intercity trips. Often cheaper than the train at short notice, and it reaches the places the railway gave up on.

Toulouse-Blagnac airportFlights across Europe, low-cost carriers included, from 25 to 45 minutes outside the centre. The shuttle costs €9 and runs every 15 minutes from Matabiau, Jeanne d'Arc, and Palais des Congrès.

Where to go for a weekend

Carcassonne, 45 minutesA walled medieval city on the UNESCO list, close enough for an afternoon. Regional trains run through the day, and the citadel is a twenty-minute walk from the station.

Albi, 1 hourThe red brick episcopal city, also UNESCO listed, with the Toulouse-Lautrec museum in the bishop's palace. Around eleven direct liO trains a day.

The Pyrenees, under 2 hoursLourdes is about 1h50 by direct train and opens onto the mountains, with regional coaches on from there. Bikes travel free on liO trains if you would rather ride.

Montpellier, about 2h15The nearest big city on the Mediterranean side, and the easiest way to reach the coast for a day on the beach.

Bordeaux, about 2 hoursAtlantic city, wine region, and the surf beaches of the Landes an hour further on. Intercités and liO trains run the route all day.

Barcelona, 5 to 6 hoursThe cheapest international weekend from Toulouse, by direct coach from around €16. Book ahead in term time, the buses fill with students doing exactly the same thing.

Useful links

Gare de Toulouse MatabiauThe main station, for every train and most long-distance coaches. Metro line A, Marengo-SNCF.64 boulevard Pierre Semard, 31000 Toulouse
Toulouse-Blagnac airportFlight information, and the airport shuttle timetable and fares.
liO OccitanieThe regional network: trains, coaches, +=0, and the region's seasonal fare offers.
SNCF ConnectBooking and youth cards for liO, TGV INOUI, and Intercités trains.
OuigoLow-cost high-speed trains, booked on their own site.

Frequently asked questions

No. liO, TGV, and Ouigo tickets are never interchangeable, and a ticket is valid only for the exact train and departure time printed on it. Check the train number on the platform board before you board, not just the destination.

Going somewhere?

Ask the community on WhatsApp

This page is written and kept current by AEGEE Toulouse, the volunteer association that's welcomed international students to Toulouse since 2025. Half of these trips are better with company, and someone in the group has usually just done the one you're planning: ask in the WhatsApp group below, and keep an eye out for our own day trips.

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