Marseille airport would consider having a cable car? Indeed, the airport of the second largest French city is difficult to access by public transport.
In 2020, the town hall had commissioned a feasibility study to consider a cable car connection from Vitrolles station to the airport terminal, the implementation of which would cost around 30 million euros. The one-kilometre-long journey from Vitrolles train station, located 41 meters above sea level, to the airport at sea level would take six minutes.
According to daily information 20 minutes, the project has just taken a new step: the municipal assembly of Marseille has approved a first tranche of investment of three million euros. The opening is scheduled for 2025.
Currently, the airport has a rail connection with the city. However, from Vitrolles-Aéroport-Marseille-Provence station, there is a 35-minute walk to the terminal. It only takes about five minutes by shuttle, but the schedules are irregular, as the wait time between shuttles can be up to 20 minutes. Alternatively, travelers can take a bus from the center which connects to the airport in around 25 minutes. But buses are often stuck in traffic jams on congested streets…
However, the cable car will not be direct to the airport, as a stopover is planned at the Airbus Helicopters site, where around 8,000 employees work. The manufacturer of helicopters and aircraft components is the region’s largest employer.
As always, the project is met with criticism: some point out that the cable car can only be useful if more frequent train connections are added.
