Toulouse Train Station

About Toulouse Train Station

Toulouse Train Station, also known as Toulouse-Matabiau Station, is the main station serving the French city of Toulouse. It's located on the Boulevard de Marengo in the Haute-Garonne district, in a monumental place-like building that was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century. 

While the ornate structure of Roman stone may look like a mausoleum, it's a bustling transport hub dealing with around ten million passengers a year. There are several types of services operating from the station including high speed to cities like Paris and Bordeaux, regular intercity, overnight trains, and ones to small local towns. Trains run on a twelve track system and there is also an underground track for the Toulouse Metro accessible from the station.

While Toulouse Train Station may appear archaic externally, inside it's all modern with a double concourse lined with thirteen individual platforms. The two concourses are connected by tunnels where there is a variety of cafeterias and small stores offering books, newspapers, and snack foods as well as souvenirs. The station closes for four hours every evening from one twenty to five twenty in the morning. During the station's working hours departures and arrivals are announced in French only, so keep an eye on the digital display boards for train information if you don't speak the language.

Things to do at Toulouse Train Station

While there may be a few places to browse around in Toulouse Train Station they're not enough to keep you occupied for long. There are some great things to do in Toulouse too that you won't see if you spend your time sitting on the station concourse. Whether you choose to visit a museum, gaze at stars in a planetarium or chill out in a Japanese garden, it'll be much more fun than sitting on a platform.

• Get totally starstruck at the Cite de l'Espace, a space-oriented theme park where you can go into a real spaceship, the Mir space station which orbited the earth for fifteen years.
• Enjoy a peaceful stroll along the towpath of the Midi Canal which runs through the city.
• Take a leisurely cruise along the River Garonne to see the beautiful Pont Neuf, a scenic 16th century stone bridge.
• Muse over the rarities in the Musee Georges Labit where the collection of artifacts the explorer picked up on his travels are displayed.
• Spend an hour sitting at a table on the terrace of a cafeteria in the Placa du Capitole while watching the world go by.
• Get a dose of Zen among the flowerbeds in the Jardin Japonais before watching koi carp feeding time.
• See fish out of water and more than two million other natural history exhibits, including fossils and dinosaurs, at the Museum of Toulouse.
• Visit the crypt of the St Sernin Basilica and peer at the creepy relics kept in this 12th century UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Transit options at Toulouse Train Station

The closest airport to Toulouse Train Station is the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport which is nine kilometers away.

Toulouse Train Station is directly accessible from the Gare Marengo Station on the Toulouse Metro Line A.

The nearest stop on the city's Tisseo bus network is right outside of the station. The service also operates a shuttle service from the airport to the station.

Luggage storage at Toulouse Train Station

There is high security in French public places like museums, galleries and theme parks so going there with large baggage is not a good idea. Restaurants and coffee shops are also wary of people with suitcases. Ensure you receive the welcome you're expecting and are permitted entrance to where you want to go by depositing your bags at a Bounce luggage locker near Toulouse Train Station. Bounce suitcase storage is low-priced, convenient and secure.

Attractions and activities near Toulouse Train Station

Buzet-sur-Tarn: Escape from the busy streets of Toulouse to the quieter ones of Buzet-sur-Tarn. The rural town sits on the edge of the Buzet Forest, a tranquil four-hundred and fifty-hectare woodland recreation area. It's a natural wonderland of shady glades where you can eat a picnic under the trees, and spot frogs in the many ponds. After the forest, head into Buzet-sur-Tarn to see the historic Castelrives, a chateau on the banks of the River Tarn, and take a walk over the impressive and exceptionally scenic pedestrianized suspension bridge there.  

Muret: Take a train ride through the countryside from Toulouse to Muret and you'll be in the city which was the home to the pioneer of French cycling road races. There's no museum dedicated to Clement Ader, but take a wander around and you'll discover an attractive medieval church tower as well as getting a glimpse of the Chateau de Rudelle. If you want a real diversion though go to the eXtreme Ride Park. The theme park is on the Lake des Bonnets and a haven for adrenaline junkies seeking an escape from French history. At the park you can let loose by going cable wakeboarding, water skiing over jumps or try flyboarding. If that's too adventurous, then you can just relax on the white sand beach.

Pibrac: Pibrac is a town in southern France with more churches, castles, and monuments than it has residents. Dominating the town is the imposing Basilique Sainte-Germaine de Pibrac. Inside the basilica in a golden casket are the embalmed remains of the saint who the church is named after. If you're traveling with children they'll probably enjoy a day at the Pribac Monkey Park more. There they can literally monkey around on the swings, slides, twisting chutes and video games until they've forgotten ever having been shown the decomposing remains of St Germaine.