Minibus Hire Across France

Montpellier-Méditerranée pickups for small groups heading south

Montpellier's airport is close to the city, about 15 minutes from the Place de la Comédie on a quiet day. It also has firm limits on vehicle size, so choosing the right vehicle comes first.

Why eight seats is the magic number

Montpellier's public car parks accept nothing with more than 8 passenger seats or weighing 3.5 tonnes or more. A car with driver or a small van fits; a coach or a larger minibus does not. On top of that, barriers cap height at 2.50 m almost everywhere and 1.90 m under P2, and width at 2.10 m.

For a family or a group of friends of eight or fewer, that makes the pickup very simple. For a bigger group no coach pickup point is published, so the operator confirms the meeting place and where the vehicle will stop.

Passenger van rear compartment loaded with luggage
Passenger van rear compartment loaded with luggage

What the drop-off zone is for

The kerbside drop-off outside the terminal belongs to private motorists; drivers working for hire are strictly banned from using it. Cars with driver can hold an annual airport card, but no waiting zone is published for them. Agree the meeting point with us before you fly, and keep a phone on when you land.

The terminals

  • Single passenger terminal

Handy to know at Aéroport Montpellier-Méditerranée

  • Coaches and minibuses entering a French low-emission zone (ZFE-m) need a Crit'Air sticker; check the current Montpellier rules before travel.
  • Height limits: 2.50 m in general and 1.90 m in the basement of car park P2, with a maximum width of 2.10 m.
  • The drop-off zone in front of the terminal is for private individuals only; the first 10 minutes are free.
  • The taxi rank is in front of the arrivals hall; 6 places on the upper level of car park P2 are reserved for pre-booked taxis while they load or unload.
  • Airport shuttle line 620 runs to Montpellier Sud de France railway station in about 25 minutes; tram line 1 links that station with the city centre, and a combined shuttle-and-tram ticket exists.

On to the city centre

It is roughly 10 km from the terminal to the Place de la Comédie. Montpellier's low-emission zone runs day and night, and a Crit'Air sticker is compulsory for anything driving in it; according to the métropole's guide, the coaches it bars are diesel ones registered on or before 31 December 2013. Those rules can change, so check them before travel.

The tourist office lists three city-centre drop-off points, each with a single coach space, which is another reason a smaller vehicle is handy in town.

Sea, salt marshes and Roman stones

Aigues-Mortes and Sète are each about 35 minutes from the city, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert and Nîmes about 45, and the Pont du Gard about 1 h 10. Carcassonne's Cité is about 1 h 40 away, which makes a full day.

Your questions, answered

Is there public transport?

Line 620, the airport shuttle, takes around 25 minutes to Montpellier Sud de France station; from there tram 1 carries on to the centre, and one combined ticket does both legs.

And what about booked taxis?

Pre-booked taxis have six reserved places upstairs in P2 for loading and unloading, and the taxi rank is outside the arrivals hall.

What if our group is 12 people?

Then you need a vehicle the public car parks cannot take, so the operator plans the stopping point. Two cars with driver are another option if you prefer the simplicity of the car parks.

More places to explore

Other vehicles with a driver