Bordeaux-Merignac Airport to the city: what you actually need to know

Bordeaux-Merignac Airport is about 12 km west of Bordeaux city centre, and the tram goes there. Line A was extended to the airport and opened on 29 April 2023, with a terminus called simply Aéroport. It reaches Pey-Berland in the city centre in about 35 minutes, with a tram roughly every 10 minutes. A lot of older advice — including, until recently, this page — still says Bordeaux has no tram link. It is out of date.

Your other options are the 30'Direct shuttle to Gare Saint-Jean (about 30 minutes, non-stop, 9 EUR online or 10 EUR on board), a taxi (the airport indicates roughly 35 EUR by day and 45 EUR at night to the centre, as an indication only — the meter decides), or a pre-booked transfer at a price fixed when you book.

Bordeaux-Merignac has two terminals: Hall A (mostly low-cost carriers and domestic flights) and Hall B (international and some Air France services). Both are connected and walkable. If you arrive from within the Schengen zone, you walk straight through to baggage claim without passport control.

For non-Schengen arrivals, immigration is typically quick. Bordeaux does not handle massive volumes of international traffic, so queues rarely exceed 15-20 minutes. Baggage claim is straightforward with a few carousels. Trolleys are free.

Once through, you are in the arrivals hall with car rental desks, a small tourism info point, and ATMs. The exit doors take you to the bus stop, taxi rank, and pickup area. The airport is manageable and does not require a map to navigate.

Tram line A is the main public-transport option and it comes right to the airport. The extension opened on 29 April 2023, branching off the existing line at Quatre Chemins and running five new stops — Mérignac Soleil, Chemin Long, Cadéra-Issartier, Caroline Aigle — to the Aéroport terminus. Bordeaux Métropole puts the airport 35 minutes from place Pey-Berland in the city centre, with a tram every 10 minutes. It runs on a standard TBM ticket; buy it from the machines in front of the terminal, at any tram stop, or in the app. We are not quoting a ticket price here because we could not confirm the current one from TBM directly, and TBM revises its fares — check infotbm.com, and note that a TBM ticket normally covers transfers within the network for a set period, so one fare should carry you to your final stop.

The 30'Direct shuttle is the fast option to the train station. It runs between the airport and Gare Saint-Jean in about 30 minutes with no intermediate stops, every day including public holidays. Fares (operator tariff, in force since 31 March 2025): 10 EUR bought on board, 9 EUR as an e-ticket online, 8 EUR reduced, and 16,20 EUR for a full-fare return bought online. Children under 5 travel free. If you are connecting to a TGV, this is usually the sensible choice over the tram.

Taxis line up at the rank outside arrivals. They are metered — despite what many guides claim, this is not a regulated flat-rate zone system. Bordeaux Airport itself indicates roughly 35 EUR to the city centre during the day and 45 EUR at night, and is careful to add that these are "given for information only" and "may vary depending on traffic". Treat them as an order of magnitude, not a quote.

Uber and other rideshares operate in Bordeaux. The app shows your price before you confirm and it moves with demand — that quote is the only reliable figure. Pickup is from the designated rideshare area. Availability is generally good, though less so during very early morning or late night hours.

Pre-booked transfers offer a fixed price with a driver meeting you in the arrivals hall. The price is set when you book and does not move with traffic. Useful for groups, wine country destinations (Saint-Emilion, Médoc), or anyone wanting door-to-door certainty.

Bus Corol 39 links Le Haillan and Pessac via the airport, connecting with Tram A at Haillan Rostand and Tram B at Pessac Alouette. It runs Monday to Friday 6am-8:30pm and Saturdays 7am-8:30pm, every 20 minutes at peak times and every 30 off-peak, from the stop at Gate 7, Terminal B. Useful for the Mérignac and Pessac business areas rather than for reaching the centre.

Car rental desks are in the arrivals hall. If you are heading to the wine regions or the coast, a car makes sense. For just the city, parking in Bordeaux centre is expensive and limited.

Getting to Bordeaux city centre:

• Tram A: a standard TBM ticket — see infotbm.com for the current fare
• 30'Direct shuttle to Gare Saint-Jean: 9 EUR online, 10 EUR on board, 8 EUR reduced, under-5s free
• Taxi: metered. The airport indicates approximately 35 EUR by day and 45 EUR at night, "for information only"
• Uber/rideshare: quoted in the app, moves with demand
• Pre-booked transfer: fixed at booking

For destinations outside Bordeaux — Saint-Émilion, Arcachon, the Médoc — there is no published tariff and no public transport that goes there directly. A taxi runs on the meter over 50-70 km, which is why a pre-booked transfer with a price agreed in advance is usually the better comparison on those routes. Get a quote rather than trusting a range printed on a website.

Bordeaux-Merignac handles flights until around midnight, with some seasonal charters arriving later. The tram and the 30'Direct shuttle both stop well before the last flights land — check infotbm.com and 30direct.com for the final departure on your date, because that is what decides whether you have a cheap ride into town. After they finish, you are limited to taxis, rideshares, or pre-booked transfers.

Taxis are usually available at the rank for the last flights, but availability can thin out after midnight. If your flight is delayed and you are arriving after midnight, a pre-booked transfer is the safest bet. The arrivals hall stays open for the last arriving flights but closes overnight. There is nowhere comfortable to sleep at this airport.

The tram works for families and the stop is at the terminal, but at 35 minutes to the centre with a stroller and bags at peak hours it can be a squeeze. Taxis are more practical door-to-door, though they are metered rather than flat-rated, so traffic does affect what you pay. Child seats are not guaranteed in French taxis. By law, children must use appropriate restraints, but enforcement in taxis is loose. If you need a child seat, arrange it through a pre-booked transfer. The airport terminal has baby-changing facilities and is fully accessible.

Taxis line up at the rank directly outside the arrivals exit in both Hall A and Hall B. Follow the taxi signs. Pre-booked transfer drivers wait inside the arrivals hall, usually near the exit with a name sign. The airport is small enough that finding your driver is straightforward. Rideshare pickups are from the designated area in the short-stay car park or the departures drop-off zone. The app will guide you.

Choose tram line A if you are on a budget, travelling light, and are not in a rush. It leaves from the terminal every 10 minutes and reaches the centre in about 35.

Choose the 30'Direct shuttle if you are heading for Gare Saint-Jean or a train connection — 30 minutes, non-stop, 9 EUR online.

Choose a taxi if you want to get to the city quickly with no booking needed, accepting that the fare is metered.

Choose a pre-booked transfer if you are heading to a specific wine region, have a lot of luggage, need child seats, or are arriving late at night.

Choose a rideshare if you want something between bus prices and taxi convenience, and you are comfortable with the app.