Transportation in Toulouse
At the heart of the ‘pink city' of Toulouse – the Ville Rose, so-called for its brick buildings – the lively, attractive historic centre rises from the right bank of the Garonne river.The picturesque Old Town, quartered by traffic-free shopping streets, climbs from the airy River Garonne and is enclosed by the main boulevards. At its centre, the area around the impressive main square, Place du Capitole, is bursting with entertainment and sights.Parts of the city centre outside the boulevards, and across the river on the modern Left Bank, also have some attractions. Residential, academic and industrial zones surround central Toulouse. Venture into high-tech east Toulouse to see the unmissable Cité de l'Espace.
Read more about transport from and to the airport
Bus
The principal form of transport for locals is the bus. A comprehensive bus network operates more than 80 routes throughout the city, including within the Old Town, and across to the Left Bank.
Foot
Almost everything worth seeing in Toulouse is within the Old Town, which is small enough to explore easily on foot, and where it is a pleasure to stroll among the charming lanes and squares and pedestrianised main shopping streets thronging with shoppers.
Metro
The city has two metro lines linking the suburbs to the centre. Line A runs roughly northeast-southwest and Line B northeast-southwest. They intersect at Jean-Jaurès station, in the centre. Fast and inexpensive, they can be useful for getting from the Old Town to the Left Bank or east Toulouse.
Taxi
Taxis may be hailed but are usually picked up at cab ranks throughout central Toulouse at places such as Place du Capitole. Alternatively, call for a taxi, day or night, from firms such as Capitole Taxi (tel. 05 34 250 250, http://www.capitole-taxi.com). Fares (no tip required) vary according to distance and time.
Rent your car
Roads radiate from the heart of Toulouse and connect with the A620 outer ring road and other major routes. There are several city centre car parks but you can park for free at underground station car parks; you just need to validate a bus or metro ticket within 60 minutes.
Transportation Tips
The relatively expensive ordinary single tickets are valid for one hour on the buses or metro. In addition, there are useful discount tickets, including the Journée (valid for a full day), and the pre-pay carte Pastel Tisséo.
