My Trip: Toulouse to Toulon
Alright, let me tell you about this trip I took, getting from Toulouse over to Toulon. It wasn’t exactly next door, so I had to figure out how I was gonna manage it.
First off, I looked at the map. Yeah, it’s a fair distance across the south of France. My options were basically driving or taking the train. Flying felt like overkill, you know? By the time you get to the airport, wait around, fly, then get from the Toulon airport into town… probably takes just as long and costs more hassle.
So, driving. I thought about it. Load up the car, go at my own pace. But honestly, it looked like a solid 5, maybe 6 hours behind the wheel, plus fuel costs, tolls… and finding parking in Toulon? Sounded like a headache waiting to happen. I wasn’t really in the mood for that kind of stress.
That left the train. Seemed like the most sensible choice. Let someone else do the driving, I could just sit back, maybe read a bit or watch the world go by. So, I decided, train it is.
Getting it Sorted
I went online and started looking for tickets. Found a few options. Booked one a couple of weeks early to try and get a decent price. Picked a train that left Toulouse mid-morning. Figured that would get me into Toulon late afternoon, which was fine by me.
The day came. I packed my bag the night before, just the essentials. Got up, had some breakfast, and made my way to the main station in Toulouse, Matabiau. It was pretty busy, lots of people coming and going. Found my platform number on the big board, headed over there.
The Journey Itself
Waited maybe 15 minutes, then the train rolled in. Found my carriage, located my seat. It was okay, standard train seat, nothing fancy. Dumped my bag overhead. The train left pretty much on time, which was good.
- Leaving Toulouse: Pulled out of the city, watched the buildings give way to countryside.
- The Ride: Scenery was nice enough. Rolling hills, vineyards here and there. The train stopped at a few places along the way, places like Carcassonne, Montpellier, Nîmes. Standard stuff.
- Changing Trains: Now, this was the slightly tricky part. My journey involved a change. I think it was at Marseille Saint-Charles. Had about 20 minutes to get off one train, find the platform for the next one to Toulon, and get on. It’s always a bit of a scramble in big stations, but I managed it. Just followed the signs and the crowd heading the same way.
- Final Leg: The last bit from Marseille to Toulon wasn’t too long. Maybe an hour or so? Scenery got a bit more coastal as we got closer.
Arrival in Toulon
Finally, the train pulled into Toulon station. Gathered my stuff, hopped off. Stepped onto the platform, could definitely feel I was further south, closer to the Med. The station itself seemed alright, not too massive. Found the exit easily enough and stepped out into the city.
So, to sum it up: The train journey from Toulouse to Toulon worked out fine. Took a good part of the day, maybe 5 hours total travel time including the change. Was it super exciting? Nah, it’s a train ride. But it was practical. Got me from A to B without the stress of driving or the faff of flying. If I had to do it again, I’d probably take the train again. Just simpler that way, you know?
