Est. 2006
Shining a light on the green and gorgeous
Produced by Green Traveller Media
What is green travel?
Under 5 hours
by train from London:
Amsterdam
Brussels
Cologne
Ghent
Lille
Paris
Arrive same day by train from London:
Antwerp
Avignon
Barcelona
Basel
Bayonne
Bordeaux
Brive
Geneva
Hamburg
Interlaken
Lausanne
Marseille
Milan
Munich
Nantes
Nice
Toulouse
Turin
Valence
Zürich
Snow Trains to French Alps
Require overnight stopover from London:
Copenhagen
Florence
Lisbon
Naples
Rome
Sicily
Venice
West Sweden
Train + Ferry:
Corsica
Formentera
Greece
Ibiza
Morocco
How to travel by train and ferry from London to Corsica, France
It is possible to travel from London to Corsica by train and ferry in about 24 hours if you take the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Lille (the quickest option) or Paris (often this is the cheapest option) and then change to a train south to Marseille (or Nice) and catch the ferry the following morning to Corsica.
Corsica is one of the 18 regions of France and the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean that's famous for its beaches and mountains, including the epic GR20 long distance hiking trail that heads high up across this spectacular island.
Flight-free travel by train and ferry from London to Corsica
Routes: Train from London to either Marseille, Toulon or Nice, then ferry across to Corsica
Journey Time: About 24 hours
Sample timetable: Depart London 7.19am, arrive Marseille at 2.45pm then overnight ferry departs from Marseille at 7pm, arrives Ajaccio, Corsica at 06.15
Changes: Change in Lille or Paris for Marseille (or Nice) then transfer to ferry terminal for overnight ferry to Corsica
Frequency of Departures: 3-4 times per week
Carbon emissions (train leg): 15kg (flight would be 311.1kg)*
Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available.
How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation
If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries.
On Board Eurostar
For ticket types (Standard, Plus and Premier) and information on what it's like on board, see our Guide to Eurostar
What's the journey like?
Take the Eurostar train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Lille or Paris then change for Marseille St Charles station – in Lille, the train for Marseille leaves from the same station that you arrived whereas in Paris you have to change from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon (see our How to Transfer Across Train Stations in Paris) .
It’s about 30 mins from London to the Channel Tunnel, then, after about 20 minutes, you emerge for the onward journey to Lille or Paris from where you take the train down through the beautiful countryside of France, passing picturesque French villages and along the Rhône Valley to Marseille or Nice where you catch the ferry over to Corsica.
Miss your connection?
Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager.
Stopover in Paris or Lille 🏠
If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris or Lille while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay conveniently near the two railway stations (ie the station you arrive at on the Eurostar in Paris – Gare du Nord, and the station that you depart from Paris – Gare de Lyon), and near Lille Europe.
Hotels close to Gare du Nord 🚉
Grand Hotel de Paris and Hôtel Kabanel are just a few minutes walk from Gare du Nord (and Gare de L'Est so also great if you're heading out east). Rooms from about €100 per night.
Hotels close to Gare de Lyon 🚉
citizenM Paris Gare de Lyon is one of 5 citizenM hotels in Paris that aim to provide 'affordable luxury' in central city locations. Billed as 'hybrid hotels', they're as much about places to work as they are to sleep, with the idea that you can meet local people in a smart, cozy environment.
Green Traveller's Top Pick in Paris 💚
Mob Hotel is a particularly environmentally friendly and socially conscious hotel that's in the heart of St Ouen, just a few miles north of Gare du Nord and close to the Garibaldi metro station (line 13). The hotel is all about being socially engaged within its neighbourhood (the artistic creations of local craftspeople are everywhere), but it also has strong eco credentials, such as water jugs rather than plastic bottles, refillable toiletries and organic cosmetics in the rooms. The restaurant is fully organic with a seasonal menu that draws on produce from farming cooperatives or direct from local producers (they also make their own honey and beer).
Eco-certified hotels in Paris ✔️
If you're looking for other green hotels in the French Capital, then these have all been certified by an accredited ecolabel: Hotel Gavarnie (near the Eiffel Tower and Les Invalides Museum) | Hotel Le Pavillion (a former convent in the Saint-Dominique area) | Amélie Hotel (2-star) | Hôtel Malar (10 minutes from the Champs Elysees) | Hôtel Du Printemps, about a mile from Gare de Lyon.
Hotels near Lille Europe Railway Station 🚉
B&B Hotel Lille Centre Grand Palais (see below) and Le Chat Qui Dort are just a few minutes walk from Lille Europe Station (where Eurostar arrives). Rooms from about €100 per night.
Green Traveller's Top Pick in Lille 💚
B&B Hotel Lille Centre Grand Palais is a comfortable budget hotel very conveniently situated in a quiet residential neighbourhood close to the Lille-Europe station. The 127 rooms are slightly small, but size is mitigated by keen pricing and useful add-ons such as free wifi. The hotel has recently earned Clef Verte accreditation for its measures in conserving energy and water.
Hotels in Marseille
Green Traveller's Top Pick 💚
Hotel Bellevue is in the Old Port of Marseille overlooking the busy harbour and Notre Dame de la Garde, just a few minutes’ walk from the city’s main railway station and a stone’s throw from the ferry departure point for services to several ports on Corsica and Algeria. It was the first hotel in the city to be certified by Green Key and has a magnificent, listed iron staircase.
Alternatively, there are lots of hotels near to the Marseille St Charles station, see Hotels near Marseille St Charles station
Ferry from Marseille to Corsica
Corsica Linea operate an overnight ferry service from Marseille to Ajaccio, departing at 7.15pm. You can book either a seat or a cabin with beds. The journey takes 11 hours and you'll arrive at Ajaccio at 6.15am.
Ferry tickets provided by Direct Ferries, which allows you to search and compare prices for the different operators and routes from the mainland ports in France to Corsica.
On arrival in Corsica
The main ports in Corsica are all served by public transport, including a train line that runs through the centre of the island and several buses.
Hotels in Corsica