Transportation
The first public transport system in the world was created in Nantes, in 1826, by Etienne Bureau.
Getting in
By plane
Nantes Atlantique Airport (IATA: NTE)
- This international airport is located 8 km southwest of Nantes, in Bouguenais.
- There is a 30 minute connection with the city centre (Place du Commerce, Cité des Congrès, Gare SNCF Sud) by a shuttle bus (Navette Tan Air). Tickets are available aboard the bus, which also allow access to the whole public transportation system in the city of Nantes for one hour.
- Other connections to the airport are provided by bus 37 and 98.
By train
- Nantes is about 2 hours (depending on the number of stops) by TGV from Paris passing through Le Mans and Angers.
- There are also direct connections from Nantes to Charles de Gaulle airport and to Lille (stopping at Disneyland Resort Paris).
- It is also possible to go to
- Grenoble in 5h35
- Lyon in 4h20
- Marseille in 6h20
By car
Highways:
- A11 – Paris, Le Mans, Angers
- A83 – La roche sur Yon, Les Sables d’Olonne, La Rochelle, Niort; connection to A10 for Poitiers and Bordeaux
Express routes:
- E03 (N137) – Rennes
- E60 (N165) – Vannes, Saint-Nazaire, Brest
- E62 (N249/N149) – Cholet, Poitiers
Getting around
By tram
The Tramway de Nantes is the largest and busiest tramway system in France with 40 km of track length, 90 stations and some 200 000 people using the system every day.
The new tramway opened in 1985 and is operated by Semitan.
The network is constituted of three lines, spreading all over the city:
- Line 1 (Beaujoire - François Mitterrand) was the first line to open on 7 January 1985. It serves the Stade de la Beaujoire, the exhibition centre, Gare du Nord and the city’s main and largest library. It is one of the busiest lines along with line 2 as it serves the city’s train station and the very heart of the city.
- Line 2 (Gare de Pont Rousseau - Orvault Grand Val). Extended on 29 August 2005 towards the South, it is the tram line that transports the most passengers a day in France, being always close to saturation, especially on rush-hours, as it serves the two university campus of Petit Port and Hôtel-Dieu.
- Line 3 (Neustrie - Sillon de Bretagne) has been extended in 2007, now running on the former itinerary of line 2 towards its last station Neustrie, nearby the airport. A short distance bus shuttle links between the airport and Neustrie, giving easier access to the tramway and the city center.
Tickets
- For trams and the many bus lines, the one way ticket costs 1.20€, the daily ticket costs 3.30€ and the weekly ticket costs 11.90€.
- You can buy a 24 hour ticket valid for four people for around 4€.
- You cannot buy tickets in the tram; you must buy these from an automatic ticket machine prior to boarding or buy it in the bus.
Taxi
Nantes taxi number is 02 40 69 22 22.