Getting to Marseille for the football

Fly direct to Marseille Provence (MRS): both Manchester and London Gatwick and Heathrow run non-stop, so no hub is needed. From the airport take the L91 shuttle to Saint-Charles, then Metro Line 2 to the Orange Vélodrome. Away fans sit in the lower tier of the Virage Nord's north-east corner.

Fast facts

Getting there from the UK

Marseille is one of the easier away trips, because you do not need a hub: there are direct flights into Marseille Provence from both Manchester and London, so you fly straight in rather than routing through Paris. The main alternative most fans weigh up is the no-fly train: there has been no direct Eurostar since 2020, so you change at Lille or Paris onto a TGV, but it lands you right in the city centre at Saint-Charles with no airport transfer. Costs below are estimates and swing with dates and how early you book.

Getting into Marseille

The simplest route from the airport is the L91 shuttle bus straight to Saint-Charles station. Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) sits about 27km north-west of the city at Marignane, and the L91 takes around 25 minutes.

The L91 runs every 10 minutes during the day and every 20 minutes outside those hours. An adult single is €10, under-25s €7, ages 6-11 €5, and a return is €16. Buy at the Terminal 1 counter, online, or by contactless card on board.

There is no direct train from the airport. The rail alternative is the free LeBus+13 shuttle to Vitrolles-Aéroport Marseille Provence station, then a short train into Saint-Charles.

Saint-Charles is the main station, in the 1st arrondissement, and is well served by metro, tram and bus. It handles TGV INOUI and OUIGO services. If you come by rail from London you change at Lille or Paris.

Getting to the ground

Take Metro Line 2. The Orange Vélodrome is roughly 3.5km south of the Old Port, and Line 2 is the direct route: alight at Rond-Point du Prado or Sainte-Marguerite Dromel, which sit on different sides of the ground. Both are a short walk from the turnstiles.

Line 2 also serves Saint-Charles station and runs extra trains on matchdays. Various bus services stop beside the stadium, with additional matchday services.

It is walkable from the centre. Reckon on about 30-45 minutes from the Old Port down Rue de Rome and Avenue du Prado.

For higher-risk fixtures, police have required ticketed away fans to use a free escorted coach from Place de la Joliette direct to the visitors' turnstiles, banning other transport to the ground for that section. Check your own club's official travel guidance for the specific match.

Getting around the city

For a short trip, a day pass is usually the best value. Marseille's RTM network covers two metro lines, three tram lines and buses. A single ticket is €1.50, plus €0.10 the first time for the reloadable card, valid one hour with connections but only one metro trip.

The 24-hour XL pass is €5.20 and the 72-hour XL pass is €10.80, both unlimited across the network. Your match ticket does not include public transport, so buy a pass or single separately.

Where visiting fans stay and drink

The Old Port is the natural base. The Vieux-Port and the surrounding streets are central, well connected on Line 1, and close to bars and restaurants. Football ground guides point fans to city-centre spots such as La Caravelle, La Part des Anges and Bar de la Marine.

Near the stadium, guides name O Brady's Irish pub as closest to the ground, along with Pub Black Stone for a pre-match drink and food.

Reckon on around €5.50 to €6 for a pint in a central bar, less for a demi (25cl) or during happy hour.

For segregated high-risk games, some clubs have instead directed away fans to base themselves in the La Joliette district near Place de la Joliette rather than the Old Port. Follow your club's match-specific instruction where one is issued.

Inside the stadium and allocation

Expect a loud, hostile ground. OM has one of Europe's most vocal fanbases, driven by ultra groups including Commando Ultra 84, South Winners and Marseille Trop Puissant, with matchdays featuring constant singing, flags and choreographies.

Away fans are mostly placed in the lower tier of the Virage Nord's north-east goal-end corner, with some spaces in the Tribune Ganay along the eastern side. Unusually, that is a lower tier rather than the top of a stand, so you are close to the pitch and close to the home Virage Nord. Expect an intense environment and behave accordingly.

For European fixtures the away allocation follows the UEFA minimum of 5% of capacity, which is roughly 3,000 seats. Domestic allocations vary by fixture and by any policing restriction. The ground regularly runs near capacity, with a football attendance record of 66,312 against Montpellier in April 2025.

Money and safety

France uses the euro, and contactless cards are widely accepted on transport and in bars. The single Europe-wide emergency number is 112, free from any phone with English-speaking operators.

Street crime and organised pickpocketing occur in Marseille. Stay alert on the metro, around Saint-Charles station late at night and in crowds. Carry only one card and minimal cash, keep your passport or photo ID secure, and take out travel insurance.

For heightened-risk fixtures, clubs and police have warned visiting fans not to display club colours around the city, to avoid moving in large groups, and in some cases have declared the Old Port off-limits to the visiting section on matchday with fines for breaches. Treat these as match-specific police measures and check your club's official guide.

Where to drink

Not everyone travels for a heavy session, but if you want a pint the Old Port is where to aim. Fold in the ground-side pubs already covered (O Brady's and Pub Black Stone near the Vélodrome) and these are the central options.

• La Caravelle: first-floor bar above Bar de la Marine on the Vieux-Port, big windows over the harbour, occasional live jazz, more characterful than cheap at roughly €6 a pint.
• Bar de la Marine: the classic quayside cafe-bar beneath La Caravelle, relaxed and central, a steady pre-match meeting point.
• La Part des Anges: busy wine bar on Rue Sainte near the port, natural wines and small plates, better for a civilised drink than a big group.
• O'Malley's: Irish pub near the Old Port with beer, live rock and a boisterous crowd, the safest bet if you want somewhere that feels familiar.
• Bar Marengo: a rare affordable spot right on the pricey Vieux-Port, large terrace and a harbour breeze, good for a cheaper round.

Avoid the tourist tables right on the Quai des Belges, where you pay a premium for the view. On heightened-risk fixtures, follow any club instruction that puts the Old Port off-limits to the away section and drink near Place de la Joliette instead, and do not wear colours around the port.

Where to eat

Marseille runs from very cheap street food to a proper sit-down, and the one dish to try is bouillabaisse, the Provencal fish stew, though the good versions want ordering 24 hours ahead.

• Marché des Capucins, Noailles: the cheapest feed in the city, a bustling market district where a large pizza slice, a kebab or a bowl of couscous runs about €5 to €12.
• Panisse stalls: the local street snack, fried chickpea cakes, crisp outside and soft in, found round Noailles and the port for a couple of euros.
• Le Four des Navettes, near the port: the oldest bakery in Marseille for navettes, the orange-blossom boat-shaped biscuits, good to grab and go.
• Chez Madie Les Galinettes: a terrace on the Old Port for a mid-range sit-down, well regarded for its bouillabaisse.
• Le Miramar: a founding member of the Bouillabaisse Marseillaise charter on the Vieux-Port, the benchmark version and priced to match, book and order the stew ahead.
• Chez Fonfon: a fifty-year institution tucked into the Vallon des Auffes fishing cove, seafood by the water for a special one.

What to do

Plenty here for anyone making a day or two of it either side of the match.

• Notre-Dame de la Garde: the hilltop basilica that crowns the city, mosaic interiors and the best panoramic view over Marseille and the sea.
• MuCEM: the striking waterfront Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations, linked by a high walkway to the old Fort Saint-Jean.
• Le Panier: the oldest quarter, a maze of stepped streets, street art and artisan shops above the port.
• The Vieux-Port and L'Ombrière: the historic harbour itself, worth a wander for the morning fish market and Norman Foster's mirrored canopy.
• Château d'If: the island fortress of Count of Monte Cristo fame, a short boat from the Old Port.
• Calanques National Park: the white limestone cliffs and turquoise coves south of the city, reached on foot, by kayak or by boat trip.
• Palais Longchamp: a grand 19th-century fountain and colonnade with two museums and a park, a calmer half-hour away from the crowds.

Common questions

How do I get from the airport to the stadium?

From Marseille Provence take the L91 shuttle to Saint-Charles station, about 25 minutes, €10 for an adult single, running roughly every 10 minutes in the day. At Saint-Charles switch to Metro Line 2 and ride south to Rond-Point du Prado or Sainte-Marguerite Dromel, both a short walk from the turnstiles. Allow about an hour airport to ground.

Which airport do I fly to for Marseille?

Marseille Provence (MRS). You do not need a hub for this one: Manchester runs direct in about 2h10, and London flies direct in about two hours from Gatwick and Heathrow. The airport sits about 27km north-west of the city at Marignane, with the L91 shuttle into Saint-Charles station.

Where do away fans sit at the Orange Vélodrome?

In the lower tier of the Virage Nord's north-east goal-end corner, with some additional spaces in the Tribune Ganay on the eastern side. Unusually for a big European ground, that is a lower tier rather than the top of a stand, so you end up close to the pitch and close to the home Virage Nord ultras.

What is the away allocation?

For European fixtures it follows the UEFA minimum of 5% of capacity, which is roughly 3,000 seats at the Vélodrome. Domestic French allocations vary by fixture and can be cut further by policing decisions on high-risk games. Always buy through your own club's official away-ticket channel rather than the open sale.

What time should I get to the ground?

Aim to arrive at least an hour before kick-off. Metro Line 2 runs extra trains on matchdays but gets very busy, and various bus services add matchday runs beside the stadium. For higher-risk fixtures a free escorted coach may run from Place de la Joliette to the visitors' turnstiles, with other transport banned for that section, so leave extra time.

Can you drink in the ground?

French stadiums restrict alcohol sales in the stands, and for many high-risk fixtures alcohol is not on general sale in the away section at all. Do your drinking before you get to the turnstiles. Central bars and the pubs near the ground such as O Brady's are the usual pre-match option, subject to any matchday restrictions your club flags.

How much is a beer in Marseille?

Reckon on around €5.50 to €6 for a pint in a central bar, less if you order a demi (25cl) or drink during a happy hour, which several Old Port bars run in the early evening. Prices climb closer to the tourist strip on the Vieux-Port and drop in the side streets behind it.

Is Marseille safe for away fans?

It is fine with normal city caution, but treat OM games as high-profile. UK government advice flags street crime and organised pickpocketing, so stay alert on the metro, around Saint-Charles late at night and in crowds, and carry minimal cash. For heightened-risk fixtures, police have restricted where away fans can go and banned colours in parts of the city.

Which areas and pubs are away-friendly?

The Old Port is the natural base, central and well connected, with city-centre spots such as La Caravelle, La Part des Anges and Bar de la Marine, plus O Brady's and Pub Black Stone closer to the ground. For segregated high-risk games some clubs instead direct away fans to base up near Place de la Joliette rather than the Old Port.

Does my match ticket give free public transport?

No. Unlike some German and Swiss clubs, an OM match ticket does not include RTM travel, so buy a single at €1.50 or a day pass separately: the 24-hour XL pass is €5.20 and the 72-hour XL pass is €10.80, both unlimited across the network. For a short trip the 72-hour pass usually pays for itself.

How far is the stadium from the centre?

About 3.5km south of the Old Port, and roughly 4.5km from Saint-Charles station. Metro Line 2 is the direct route, or it is a walkable 30-45 minutes from the Old Port down Rue de Rome and Avenue du Prado. On a dry day the walk is a decent way to avoid the matchday crush on the metro.

Where should away fans stay?

The Vieux-Port and surrounding streets are the natural base: central, on Line 1, and close to bars and restaurants. It is a straightforward hop to Line 2 for the ground. For segregated high-risk games, follow any club instruction to stay near Place de la Joliette in La Joliette instead.