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Le Petit Train de Grasse

Cours Honoré Cresp 06130 Grasse France

Tourist Train, Grasse

Explore this historical Old Town of Grasse by train

Leaves daily throughout the summer months from the Cours Honoré Cresp plaza (across from the Palais des Congrès and main tourist office).

Runs between the hours of 11:00 and 17:00 daily from April to October and during Carnival periods. There is also the opportunity for private hire all year round.

The tour lasts around 40 minutes and passes the Old Town, Place aux Aires, Place de l’Evêché square and Bishop’s Palace (Palais de l’Evêque) and the Cathedral. It is narrated in French, English, German and Italian.

Worth knowing

This is a great way to orientate yourself in this small town. And the perfect opportunity to take a series of photos of all of the main tourist attractions as you make your way past them. Take this chance to hear and see a little of the history of the town before you explore further on foot and delve deeper into the history.

Who should go

Great way to see this beautiful and historic town at a leisurely pace. Perfect for groups and families.

What to bring

Depending on the weather you may or may not want to take a rain jacket but the train is enclosed and therefore fully protected from the elements.

How to get passes

You can get tickets as you board the train. However, if you wish to pre-book or have a larger size group that may require pre-booking then you can get in touch with them directly using the 'make an enquiry' button or calling them directly.

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Little Tourist Train

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Accessible for self-propelled wheelchairs
Pets welcome
60 Maximum number of people
From 8 April 2024 until 30 June 2024
From 1 July 2024 until 31 August 2024
From 1 September 2024 until 30 September 2024
From 1 October 2024 until 31 October 2024
06 25 47 11 ▒▒ 06 25 47 11 68

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Petit Train de Grasse

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Petit Train de Grasse - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

(0.02 mi) Ravissant Studio Avec Mezzanine en Plein Coeur de Grasse
(0.11 mi) Maison d'Hotes Les Palmiers
(0.07 mi) Hotel Panorama
(0.15 mi) the terrace of the Cathedral / 5 persons / 3 bedrooms
(0.22 mi) Mandarina Hotel by Actisource
(0.06 mi) Cafe Des Musees
(0.10 mi) Délices De L'amiral
(0.09 mi) Valalla le Paradis du Frozen Yogurt
(0.11 mi) Le Croissant Rose
(0.09 mi) Spaghetteria

Little Tourist Train

Tourist transport
Tourist trains

Description
Accessibility
Accessible for self-propelled wheelchairs
Pets welcome
60 Maximum number of people
From 8 April 2024 until 30 June 2024
From 1 July 2024 until 31 August 2024
From 1 September 2024 until 30 September 2024
From 1 October 2024 until 31 October 2024
06 25 47 11 ▒▒ 06 25 47 11 68

Pedestrian area
In the historic centre
Town location
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Petit Train de Grasse

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

Petit Train de Grasse - Things You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

(0.03 km) Ravissant Studio Avec Mezzanine en Plein Coeur de Grasse
(0.17 km) Maison d'Hotes Les Palmiers
(0.11 km) Hotel Panorama
(0.25 km) the terrace of the Cathedral / 5 persons / 3 bedrooms
(0.36 km) Mandarina Hotel by Actisource
(0.09 km) Cafe Des Musees
(0.16 km) Délices De L'amiral
(0.15 km) Valalla le Paradis du Frozen Yogurt
(0.18 km) Le Croissant Rose
(0.15 km) Spaghetteria

Petit Train de Grasse

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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PETIT TRAIN DE GRASSE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

(0.03 km) Ravissant Studio Avec Mezzanine en Plein Coeur de Grasse
(0.17 km) Maison d'Hotes Les Palmiers
(0.11 km) Hotel Panorama
(0.25 km) the terrace of the Cathedral / 5 persons / 3 bedrooms
(0.36 km) Mandarina Hotel by Actisource
(0.09 km) Cafe Des Musees
(0.16 km) Délices De L'amiral
(0.15 km) Valalla le Paradis du Frozen Yogurt
(0.18 km) Le Croissant Rose
(0.15 km) Spaghetteria

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A Visit to Grasse France: Creating My Own Perfume

Last updated: July 24, 2018 - Written by Jessica Norah 87 Comments

Grasse France might be the sweetest smelling city in Europe, widely known as the perfume capital of the world. Known for its leather tanning work in the Middle Ages, this hilly French town would eventually become the center of the French perfume industry after it began manufacturing perfumed gloves in the 16th century and farming a number of flowers used for fragrances. Grasse still enjoys an international reputation in the perfume industry and is the home of dozens of fragrance companies. Even the flowers used for making the world-famous Chanel N°5 are grown and harvested here.

In addition to the perfume industry, Grasse also provides travelers a break from the crowded Riviera coastal towns and offers a glimpse of the real Riviera away from the tourist route. We spent a full day and night in Grasse and we’ll share what you need to know to plan your own trip to Grasse as well as our own highlights, including the Galimard perfumery workshop where I got to create my own personal perfume!

Grasse France things to do in Grasse French Riviera make my own perfume fragrance

Table of Contents:

Some Basic Information about Grasse France

Getting there.

Grasse is located in the Alpes-Maritimes department of France and is part of the inland French Riviera area. It is located about 10.5 miles northwest of Cannes.

Car: Once in Grasse, follow signs for Center-Ville and then locate one of several pay parking garages near the town center. The one closest to the Fragonord perfume tour is at Place du Cours Honré Cresp.

Bus: You can get buses to Grasse from nearby towns, including Cannes and Nice. Once arriving by bus, you will then be a 5-7 minute walk from the main attractions in the Old Town.

Train: Grasse has a train station that connects with many Riviera towns. Once you arrive at the train station, you can take one of the local buses into the town center.

Tourist Information Office

Address: Place de la Buanderie, 06130 Grasse, France Phone: 04 93 36 66 66 Website: www.grasse.fr (has some good info on attractions, transportation, and car parks)

How much time should I spend in Grasse?

Personally, we enjoyed spending a full day here and staying overnight. However, if you are not very interested in the perfume industry, a half day would be very sufficient to do one of the short perfume tours and do a 1-2 hour stroll through the Old Town. Depending on your itinerary, Grasse can be a good place to combine with a visit to Cannes, other inland Riviera towns, or when heading to Gorges du Loup (the Grand Canyon of France located north of Grasse). There are plenty of scenic drives possible from Grasse as well as nearby interesting caves, such as the Grottes de Saint-Cézaire .

What to do in Grasse France?

Learn about perfume.

Whether you are interested in the history of perfume making, the state of the current fragrance industry, seeing the flower fields, or just buying some good smelling goodies, Grasse has you covered. For the history of perfume head to the Museé International de la Parfumerie (International Museum of Perfume, entrance fee), where exhibits chronicle over 3,000 years of perfume history and you can view their flower garden for an extra fee.

To explore a functioning factory, several of the perfume manufacturers give free guided tours, such as Galimard , Fragonard , and Molinard . The most popular factory tour is the Fragonard Perfumery tour which is the one we chose to do which provides free 25-minute tours regularly throughout the day in several languages. These tours all include an overview of the history of perfume making, an overview of historical and current techniques (with some demonstrations), and a visit to a gift shop where you can purchase fragrance products.

If visiting Grasse in the Spring or Summer, you’ll likely have the option to explore one of the nearby fields or gardens that contain the local flowers (such as roses, jasmine, violet, mimosa, lavender) that made Grasse famous and prosperous in the past. Tours depend on the flowering of the plants, but best bets are Le Domaine de Manon or a visit to the garden associated with the Museé International de la Parfumerie mentioned above.

Create Your own Perfume

At least three perfumeries offer regular perfume creation workshops to the public in Grasse, Galimard , Fragonard , and Molinard . Here is the situation as of December 2017: Galimard offers a 2 hour perfume workshop where you can create a 100ml (3.3 fl oz) perfume from 127 essences for €53 per person. At Fragonard you can create a 100ml (3.3. fl oz.) perfume from 9 essences in a 1.5 hour workshop for €69. There is also an optional 1 hour factory tour offered afterwards for a total of 2.5 hours. Molinard offers 1 hour perfume workshops where you can create a 50 ml (1.69 fl oz.) fragrance with a choice of 90 essences for €69. Molinard also offers a children’s perfume workshop and a 30-minute express version (no appointment needed) where you can create a 30 ml (1.01 fl oz) perfume from 9 essences for €30. The workshops at all three perfumeries (except for the 30 minute option at Molinard) are given by appointment only. Fragrances can be made for men or women.

When we did this in 2014, only Galimard and Molinard were offering perfume workshops in Grasse. We chose the one at Galimard because it offered (and still does) the best price for the most perfume and the most scent options.

NOTE: If you not planning to visit Grasse, there are other places you can also take perfume workshops in France. Fragonard offers Paris perfume workshops , Molinard offers perfume workshops in Nice and Paris, and Galimard offers perfume workshops in the village of Eze.

The Galimard Perfume Creation Workshop:

The thought of being able to create my own scent was a big factor in why we included Grasse on our itinerary when visiting Provence and the French Riviera. The thought of being able to learn more about how perfumes are constructed and being able to actually create my own was very exciting. Ethan and I don’t buy many souvenirs, partially to save money and partially because we don’t have the room in our luggage, so we generally each try to get one or two things from each trip that will be memorable. On this trip, the custom perfume I created was my souvenir.

Before we left for France, I had booked an appointment online at the Galimard “Le Studio des Fragrances” workshop to create my own perfume. We arrived at the Galimard studio (5, Route de Pégomas) for my 10:00am appointment ( Note : the actual perfumery is located nearby but not at the same location as the studio). I was greeted by a woman who might have been the receptionist.

After saying goodbye to Ethan who drove to a café, I was taken back to be seated at a perfumer desk (also known as a perfume organ). The desk was filled with rows of over 120 color scent bottles with various labels and French names. Many of these bottles also had a male or female symbol on them to denote more feminine or masculine scents.

After being seated, a male perfumer or “nose” (French “le nez”) came over and introduced himself and began to explain the process. He was nice and his English was good, but it was clearly awkward for him as he was clearly a bit out of his element in instructing tourists in the art of perfume making. Noses are a rare and interesting group of people as they study and train for almost as long as someone with a medical degree or PhD, must have exceptional abilities to identify scents, and must refrain from any activity (drinking alcohol, smoking, eating spicy food, etc.) that might interfere with their olfactory abilities. I was the only one with a morning studio appointment that day and was lucky to witness a group of them quietly working in the room next door separated by a wall of glass, they looked like a group of scientists.

Anyway, the nose explained to me that there are 127 possible notes that I could choose from and that over the course of the next 2 hours, I would choose scents for the Peak Note (top note), Heart Note (middle note), and Base Note. After bit of explanation about the various types, or families, of scents, the nose had me smell several perfumes and pick out the two I like the most.

Based on this selection, the nose was able to get a sense of my preferred scent types (I believe mine was a floral and a fruit scent) and then he gave me a group of scents that I could choose from to construct my base scent. I did this by simply smelling each of the selected scents…over and over again, as I often had a hard time narrowing down the choices. Once I chose the scents, I poured the scents directly into a glass beaker to the right measurement and recorded each scent on the provided worksheet. After each note, the “nose” came back over and explained the next note and told me the types of scents I could choose from and how many.

During the process, I was able to test the smell of the in progress perfume using a perfume paper tester, but the fragrance changes with each added scent so it is difficult to tell what it would smell like until the end. Even after all the scents had been added, I was told that I should wait a couple of weeks before wearing it until the finished perfume “really comes together”. My scent has a very floral base and fruity top notes, and I really love the scent.

After I was done they poured the perfume into a bottle, added a custom label with my chosen perfume name, and gave me a personalized certificate. If you really like your scent, they keep the formula and you can order more of it online in the future. The only minor complaint I had about the workshop was that there was much less teaching and interaction with the nose than I had expected. Overall though, It was a unique and really nice experience and I would definitely recommend it to someone interested in creating their own perfume as it makes for a unique and memorable souvenir.

Explore the Old Town of Grasse

If you have visited other Provençal or Riviera towns, you’ve likely stopped at many fixed up and postcard perfect little towns scattered all over the Luberon and Côte d’Azur. However, Grasse offers a refreshingly “more real” look at a French Riviera town. While the perfumery tours are a popular stop on the tourist route, most visitors don’t take the time to investigate the rest of the town and even fewer spend the night in Grasse.

While it is not chock-full of blockbuster attractions, the Old Town in Grasse is a collection of large squares, narrow alleys, medieval ruins, 17th and 18th century buildings, and steep staircases. I would recommend getting a self-guided walking map from a guidebook or the tourist information office and use it to guide your stroll. The main highlights are the Cathedral Notre-Dame-du-Puy which includes paintings inside by Rubens and Fragonard, and some great views of the nearby countryside from various viewpoints such as the Place du Cours and the viewing point behind the cathedral.

Other sights include the Hôtel de Ville (current City Hall, former Bishop’s Palace), square Sacaren tower, Monument aux Morts (war memorial), and the Jardin de la Princesse Pauline (garden). For those who have difficulty walking around the hilly Old Town, there is a seasonal tourist train available that goes by many of these attractions.

Take in Some Art and History

In addition to Museé International de la Parfumerie, there are several other little museums in town that might be of interest. While we did not have time to visit any of these museums and none of these are must-see stops, they may make for interesting detours during a walking tour, especially given that many allow free entrance.

For history lovers, the Museé d’Art et d’Histoire de Provence , houses a collection of exhibits in a 18th century mansion tracing the art and history of eastern Provence, and the small Musée Provençal du Costume et du Bijou offers an authentic collection of Provençal clothing and jewelry dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. To get a glimpse of some historical local art, check out the Jean-Honoré Fragonard Villa-Museum , which was the home of famous French artist Fragonard and includes many of his works, visit the Musée Fragonard for a number of paintings by Fragonard as well as works by Marguerite Gérard and Jean-Baptiste Mallet, and don’t forget to take a look inside the Cathedral Notre-Dame-du-Puy for works by Rubens and Fragonard. For those interested in maritime history, Museé de la Marine traces the life and career of the 18th century Grasse seaman François-Joseph Paul, including his involvement in the American Revolution, and has 30 model ships on display.

Some Final Thoughts on Grasse France

We had a lovely visit in Grasse, and it stands out in Ethan’s mind as one of the more relaxing stops on our 3-week trip to France in 2012. We both found Grasse’s history and perfume industry interesting and I enjoyed being able to create my own perfume. While in Grasse, I kept thinking about the dark but strangely captivating movie Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (based the book by Patrick Süskind) about a murderous creepy perfumer, which includes a scene where the townspeople of Grasse are induced into a crazed orgy by the perfect fragrance.

But aside from the perfume industry, part of the appeal of our stop in Grasse was that it was a welcome break from hot and crowded Provençal hill towns and popular Riviera coastal towns. Ethan and I shopped and got gas at the giant Leclerc, stopped at the local boulangerie, and strolled the early morning alleys of the Old Town of Grasse, virtually alone on a Sunday morning. We stayed in a room we booked online at Airbnb and spent a wonderful evening in Grasse eating and chatting with the lovely French couple who owned the apartment. We may even see this couple again this summer on their own trip to the United States.

Overall, while Grasse is not full of blockbuster sights, I think it is a must-see stop for those interested in perfume, and a good place for a welcome break for others who find themselves in the area.

What do you think? Have you been to Grasse, France or attended a perfume creation workshop? Feel free to ask us any questions below!

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Charlene Post author

January 21, 2022 at 2:33 pm

How do i book a workshop for perfume making in Grasse?

Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author

January 25, 2022 at 3:29 am

Hi Charlene,

It depends on which perfume creation classes or perfume making workshop you want to do, as there are a few of them offered in Grasse as noted in the artcile. If you don’t have a specific one in mind, you can book and read review for different perfume workshops and other tours in Grasse here online or here online .

Hope that helps, and just let me know if you have further questions.

Best, Jessica

Renata De souza Post author

July 13, 2019 at 5:29 am

May i ask if you know if Chanel is open for the public to have a perfume tour in Grasse? Thank you

July 17, 2019 at 11:08 am

Hi Renata, No, I don’t think Chanel’s factory or gardens are open to the public in Grasse. However, there are a a few perfumeries that are open to the public for tours as noted. You can see more local tours here and here . Best, Jessica

Tom from Nice Post author

March 13, 2019 at 4:19 am

When in Grasse it is worth visiting the beautiful village of Gourdon, which is relatively nearby. Another cool place in the area is the Mougins village, where Pablo Picasso lived. Greetings from Nice!

March 13, 2019 at 7:52 am

Hi Tom, I believe we stopped in Gourdon, but not Mougins. I have been to the Picasso house museum in Antibes but I did not know there was also a place to visit in Mougins, we will have to stop there next time we are in the Grasse / Nice area. Thanks for the great suggestions. Best, Jessica

Nadia Post author

June 2, 2017 at 12:15 pm

Hi. I would like to visit Grasse France this summer. When is the best month to visit?

June 3, 2017 at 2:22 pm

Hi Nadia, I would say May/June or Sept/October – the whole French Riviera area is very busy (and can be hot) in July and August so if you can go another month that would probably be best. But any month is a great time to visit as things will be open and the days are long in the summer. Enjoy your time in Grasse! Best, Jessica

Violy Post author

April 12, 2017 at 7:49 am

Hi this is very helpful for me especially that I want to have my own perfume business soon. Just want to ask how and where to book for the workshop at Galimard? thanks in advance.

April 12, 2017 at 10:06 am

Hi Violy, Glad that this article was useful to you! To book the same perfume workshop I took, you can call them or book online now, all the information you need is here: http://www.galimard.com/index.php/en/creez-votre-parfum/a-grasse.html Just be sure to book for the workshop in the right location (they have workshop and class options in both Grasse and Eze). If you are interested in a more advanced workshop as someone wanting to create a perfume business they also offer more hand-on advanced masterclasses. Enjoy! Jessica

Cara Post author

February 8, 2017 at 1:06 pm

Thank you for this article – extremely useful and I will be booking the 2 hour perfume making course – many thanks for taking the time! Cara in Essex, UK

February 8, 2017 at 2:20 pm

Hi Cara, Thanks for taking the time to comment and I am glad you found our Grasse guide useful. I hope you have a great time at the perfume making class! Happy travels, Jessica

Sarah Post author

January 27, 2017 at 8:50 pm

Love this article! I am getting married at a chateau in Grasse this coming summer and am trying to organize a tour for all of our guests coming in from out of town (mostly US). We will be staying at the chateau in Grasse for 3 nights, so will most likely get to know the area fairly well. By car, is it pretty easy to reach from Nice and Cannes? We have been to the coast but haven’t been as far inland as Grasse. We are so excited!

January 28, 2017 at 1:57 am

Hi Sarah, How exciting! Yes, Grasse is further inland but it is about a 30 minute drive from Cannes and an hour drive from Nice. There are also bus and train options. However, if you are getting married in July or August, the coast will be packed with both international and French tourists as this is the most popular time of the year for tourism and the traffic and crowds can be quite bad. So do take that into account when making your plans as getting from Point A to Point B can take longer than expected, and if guests are coming from the coast for them to allow extra time and be prepared. Wishing you a wonderful wedding and enjoy your time in Grasse! Best, Jessica

Ashley Post author

August 8, 2017 at 11:06 am

Hi Sarah – I would love to connect with you to discuss other ideas for your wedding itinerary. I am getting married in Grasse next June at a chateau and am trying to scope out activities for the group so maybe we can share some ideas?

Lexington Post author

January 23, 2017 at 10:17 am

Hi – I am planning to visit Grasse France in the near future… What is the best time of the year to go? And are you a “nose or perfumer here in the the U.S. and if not can you refer any? I am seeking some assistant in creating this fragrance I am passionate about .. It is a one of a kind, and not on the market.

January 25, 2017 at 11:20 am

Hi Lexington, I would suggest visiting in Spring if you have the chance as it is a lovely time of year, but Grasse is also nice to visit any time of year. You should be able to do the perfume tours or perfume creation workshops at any time of year, just be sure to book the workshops in advance. I am not a nose, just a travel blogger, and I don’t know of any places you can make your own perfume in the U.S. but I am sure it is possible for a price. But you probably should be able to make a one-of-a-kind perfume at Galimard as they have over 120 scents that you are able to combine as you wish. I would highly recommend that workshop while you are in Grasse. Enjoy your trip to France. Best, Jessica

Galimard Post author

November 11, 2016 at 6:18 am

Amazing to see that this article is still very much alive in the comments!

Anyone asking how to get to Galimard by public transport, you can find all necessary information, including bus numbers and timetables, on our website: http://www.galimard.com/index.php/en/getting-there.html

Any help or advice needed, please contact us on [email protected] , we’re always happy to help!

Kind regards from sunny Grasse,

Delphine Roux Parfums Galimard

travelcats Post author

November 11, 2016 at 6:24 am

Hi Delphine, Indeed, many people are still finding and using this article to plan their time and Grasse and to figure out which perfume museums and fragrance workshops to visit. Thanks for the added details! Best, Jessica

Trevor Post author

November 5, 2016 at 8:24 am

My wife and I recently visited Grasse a part of a three month “immersion” in France – mostly in the Dordogne. I wanted to do a perfumery course (my wife was happy to be a spectator) but was unsure of which to do. After reading your post I decided on Galimard and was not disappointed – it was great fun and I now have a lovely bottle of Galimard perfume to take back to Oz with me, The unfortunate thing is that their ingredients are such high quality but they don’t sell them individually. I have tried sourcing good fragrance oils online but the quality is patchy at best, and it can be a very frustrating experience, Still, it was a pleasure to sit at one of their “organs” and with the help of an expert create something that I can enjoy forever.

November 5, 2016 at 9:26 am

Hi Trevor, I am so happy that our post helped you decide on a perfumery class in Grasse and that you had such a lovely experience. Yes, the companies there only tend to sell oils and such in bulk to other companies, but the great thing is that you can simply order your fragrance any time online or via phone from Galimard. They keep the name and formula in their computer system for reordering which is fantastic and probably a better option than trying to recreate it on your own with oils purchased online. Glad you had such a great time in France – my husband’s parents currently live in the Dordogne so we visit about once or twice a year. Best, Jessica

Emeka Ezekwe Post author

August 18, 2016 at 9:18 am

A beautiful post about Grasse France. l visited Grasse 2 year ago and had a real life experience in perfume making like you, its an experience of a life time and l shall treasure it forever because l really never knew much about perfumes and its production until my visit….most intriguing was the encounter with the Nose and how a little village like Grasse decided to put herself on the world map because of her expertise. l also visited Eze village and Biot where l saw glass making prowess dating more than 300 years, and l experimented with glass making using fire heaters, wow………Traveling remains the best form of education,you can never disown the testimonies of your own eyes……

Lindly Otte Post author

July 16, 2016 at 12:14 pm

Thank you for this great advice! We are headed out next week to Paris, then to Nice. Do you know how to get to Molinard or Galimard from Nice? I assume bus or train, but can we then walk to the perfumeries from the bus or train station? Thank you.

July 17, 2016 at 4:36 am

Hi Lindly, you can easily get to Grasse by either bus or train from Nice. Both options are going to take approximately one hour and most buses stop at the Grasse train station ( gare in French). From the Grasse train station, you can reach either of the perfumeries in about a 20-30 minute walk or catch a local bus or get a cab if you would rather not walk. If you are walking I’d recommend downloading a map before your trip or picking one up at the local tourism office once you arrive so you can better explore the town on foot. Wear comfortable shoes for the old town. Be sure to book any perfume courses in advance. Enjoy your trip to France! ~ Jessica

Jillian Phillips Post author

May 10, 2016 at 11:23 pm

Great share.. I have recently attended this perfume workshop and got really impressed as how they prepare perfumes.

May 11, 2016 at 4:29 am

Hi Jillian, Yes, this was one of my favorite experiences from that trip along the French Riviera and I still use that perfume! It was really fun and interesting to learn about the scents and how to combine them, and what a great souvenir. I was just looking up how to re-order my custom scent which is easy to do online or by phone. ~ Jessica

Triin Post author

May 6, 2016 at 11:29 am

Thanks I’m in Grasse now and my friend sent me the link to your blog. Was contemplating whether to do the perfume experience especially as the ones with Fragonard were already full.

May 7, 2016 at 5:39 am

Hi Triin, Glad someone send you my blog post. I really enjoyed the perfume making workshop at Galimard. As far as I know (at least during my visit) Fragonard does not do a perfume making workshop, they just do tours of their perfume factory and museum. Galimard and Molinard both offer perfume creation workshops in Grasse. Galimard offers the one we describe in the article and Molinard offers a few options ranging in price depending on the number of essences available and length of workshop. I hope you are able to do one or the other during your trip. If you do one, I’d love for you to share your experience in a follow-up comment! Best, Jessica

Vorranida Post author

January 11, 2016 at 1:47 am

I’m going there this coming Summer tho I’m wondering if there is a half day trip that cover visiting museum and perfume workshop?

January 12, 2016 at 6:49 pm

Hi Vorranida, I don’t know of any half-day tour trips that would include both of these things. I would decide which perfume workshop you want to do and then make a reservation if needed. There are regular trains and local buses to Grasse, as well as taxis, and you can easily put together you own half-day trip. Have fun in Grasse! ~ Jessica

Barbara Post author

October 22, 2015 at 7:54 am

Traveling in France with two companions earlier this month, we had planned to visit Molinard to create our own perfumes. Unfortunately, I had to return to the US early for a family emergency, and didn’t get to visit Grasse or Molinard. My faithful friend built a fragrance for me based on my preferences for light, clean, non-sweet scents. The perfume turned out beautifully. It’s so cool that I can order more of it online!

October 24, 2015 at 7:02 am

Hi Barbara, I am sorry to hear that you had to end your trip early due to a family emergency but it is so nice that your friends made you a perfume. It is indeed great that you can always re-order your personal fragrance online! Thanks for taking the time to comment. ~Jessica

Angie Post author

September 29, 2015 at 12:19 pm

I was at Grasse just about two weeks ago for my perfume trip. Unfortunately, didn’t know we need to make reservation for the workshop, so didn’t get chance to creat my own perfume. But it was a very unforgettable trip and I love the little town a lot! I took train there from Nice. If I ever came back to Grasse, would love to spend a night there.

September 30, 2015 at 6:28 am

Hi Angie, Yes, unfortunately, the workshops are given by appointment only but I am glad you still enjoyed your visit to Grasse. You don’t need a reservation to do the perfume tours, but you do need them if you want to create your own perfume. Thanks, Angie, for taking the time to write about your visit to Grasse and I hope you make it back here some day! ~ Jessica

Allison Post author

August 1, 2015 at 3:45 pm

Thanks for such a detailed post on Grasse! You helped me narrow down our choices! I think we will do the Fragonard tour and maybe the 30 min perfume making at Molinard — I would love to do the 2 hour workshop but with a 14 month old – it would probably be a bad idea! Haha!

August 11, 2015 at 11:55 am

Hi Allison, the tour is great and I hope you enjoy it. Yes, unless you have someone else with you not doing the workshop, it would be challenging to do it with a young child. The workshop at Galimard is set within the workplace and lab for the perfume creationists, so it is not the best place for children. But I am sure you will have a lot of fun in Grasse no matter what you choose to do! ~Jessica

sally Post author

August 1, 2015 at 5:02 am

What a wonderful blog you two; well written and certainly informative. Off we go for the day!

August 11, 2015 at 11:53 am

Thanks Sally, glad it was helpful and hope you have a great trip!

June 19, 2015 at 7:12 am

Bonjour! I was glad to discover your (very thorough!) review of Grasse and of our perfume creation workshop. So nice you enjoyed it and that it became a happy memory from your trip! And you’re doing a great job in replying to each comment individually and as best you can, you’re doing the work better than the Grasse Tourist Office 🙂 Our workshop in Grasse is still available of course, and we also offer private workshops with our Parfumeur, for anyone wanting an even more personalised and unique experience (in Grasse or Eze-Village, also great for anyone wishing to come close to an old favorite fragrance!) ; http://www.galimard.com/index.php/en/creez-votre-parfum/haute-parfumerie.html

Regarding the polemic about brown/clear glass bottle : it is true that perfume keeps better away from the light, but this can be done by keeping the bottle in its box, or in a cupboard. At Galimard, we use brown bottles to keep essences in our lab, and this is also why we offer this brown bottle at the workshop (also, we like the “authentic” look!). Now, a lot of people prefer a more classic bottle, and also find it more convenient to use a spray, this is why we have a selection on spray bottles on offer for sale. Another important thing to keep perfume stable is to avoid humidity and big temperature changes. So really ideally avoid the bathroom! We would be happy to help with any question regarding our tours or workshops at [email protected] Hope to see you again sometime on the French Riviera!

Best regards, Delphine Roux Parfums Galimard

July 1, 2015 at 11:16 am

Thank you very much Delphine for taking the time to provide more information to our readers about your company and perfume creation workshop! We’d love to visit again in the future when we are in France.

Chrissie Post author

June 16, 2015 at 7:45 am

Hi I enjoyed your post about Grasse as we planned a holiday in the area. We are staying in a village near Grasse called Speracedes and have visited Grasse several times. I had the perfume experience at Galimard yesterday and it was great fun! I was interested to read that you were told not to keep your perfume in a clear bottle because they sold me a beautiful clear bottle to put my perfume in for an extra €12!

I can’t wait for the two weeks to be up to smell it properly. I shall keep it in a dark drawer just in case the light spoils it. It’s a shame because it is such a pretty bottle.

June 16, 2015 at 6:24 pm

Hi Chrissie, glad you found our article helpful in planning your trip around Grasse France. Yes, it is better to store a perfume in a opaque or dark glass bottle rather than a clear bottle as sunlight can quickly degrade a perfume. I was told this by one of the noses actually during the process, and then at the end I was surprised when asked if I wanted to purchase a more expensive clear glass bottle (instead of the included dark glass one). It is a shame they sell them to be honest as your perfume will last most longer if it is stored in a dark place. For clear bottles, I would just keep them in a drawer as much as possible and it should be fine. Hope you love the perfume when you finally get to open it up in 2 weeks! It seems like a long time to wait, but it is worth it:) ~Jessica

Lucy Post author

November 13, 2014 at 10:00 pm

Thank you so much for this wonderful post. Been reading up on Grasse for some time now because am planning on starting my perfume line. You post was very helpful to me, Thanks

November 16, 2014 at 8:19 am

Hi Lucy, thanks for taking the time to post and let us know you enjoyed our post on Grasse France. I wish you the best of luck with your own perfume line! Sounds exciting.

Henoch Post author

November 13, 2014 at 12:46 pm

I’m living in South Africa Johannesburg, I’m doing perfume business buying from local markets, but now l want to start buying from your company. So I like to know more about you guys, even to travel to France for business. Thanks a lot. Best regards Henoch

November 16, 2014 at 8:18 am

Hi Henoch! Your perfume business sounds exciting but we do not actually own or work for a perfume business. We are travel bloggers, but you can contact perfume companies in Grasse directly but getting the phone numbers or emails directly from the companies you are interested in contacting. Good luck!

marietta mejia Post author

October 23, 2014 at 6:15 am

I loved your trip description. I am going to Grasse the 28 october. I am looking for a room to stay 1 night. Do you know someone? I will be going with my daughter. I will be arriving to nice. What do you recomend to take a bus, train or rent a car. Thank you Marietta

October 23, 2014 at 9:13 pm

Hello Marietta!

I am so glad that our post was helpful in planning your trip to Grasse. We used Airbnb.com to book a private room in an apartment in Grasse and we specifically stayed in this room and loved our host couple. There are many other options through Airbnb as well as local hotels, B&B’s, lodges, and private villas.

As far as transportation, getting from Grasse to Nice is possible by any of those means (train, bus, car). I think I would base it on your preferred way to travel and where you will be going before Grasse or after Nice. During our trip, we spent over a week in Provence visiting many small towns not served by trains so we had a rental car when we arrived in Grasse but then dropped it off on our arrival in Nice as it was fairly easy to get around Nice and the French Riviera area without a car. The drive from Grasse to Nice is less than one hour.

Have a lovely trip and feel free to let us know how you enjoy your trip to Grasse France!! ~ Jessica

October 23, 2014 at 10:14 pm

Thanks a lot. Very helpful!

Rhodenid Post author

September 25, 2014 at 4:01 pm

I just learned about this place from my principal, who had a sweet yet manly scent that could be smelled as he walked about. Your article and experiences are so well explained, that I felt that I was there myself. What a great place to visit vicariously through you. God bless!

September 26, 2014 at 6:29 pm

Thanks so much for commenting Rhodenid as we love to hear from our readers. I am glad that this article made you feel like you were in Grasse!

Isabel Post author

July 29, 2014 at 1:16 pm

I’m very happy with your review of your visit to Grasse. In two weeks I’ll stay there too. and I’ll create my own perfum in Galimard like you. I’ll stay a day and half and I want to visit Fragonard factory and perhaps Le Domain de Manon. Did you visit this garden? I like very much your blog.. Congratulations! I’ve discovered it today. I like travel when I’ve got time and money. And I’ve got a lovely cat: Kiss Thanks for your post. It’s very useful for me. And sorry for my english (I’m spanish)

August 2, 2014 at 8:10 am

Hello Isabel, glad you found the article useful. We did not visit that particular garden as we found out about it after we left But if you have a full day and a half you should have time for a perfume factory tour, time to make perfume (be sure to make a reservation), do a walking tour of the old town, and visit the garden. Have a great time and feel free to let us know what you thought about Grasse and the Galimard perfume creation workshop.

Eric Kinman Post author

July 28, 2014 at 8:19 am

Hey. We’re just taking off for Grasse this week. I’m wondering if you had any luck finding a local art scene around the area — not high-end.

July 29, 2014 at 9:49 am

Hi Eric, no, we didn’t specifically search out any art, although there are some great art museums in Nice, Antibes, etc. I would ask at the tourist information office in Grasse once you are there. Good luck and enjoy your time in Grasse and France!

Ricardo Lopez Post author

May 13, 2014 at 10:57 am

Hi, Thank You for your in depth and enjoyable post about Grasse. My wife and I are planning a trip to France early September 2014, and just as you have suggested, a half day trip to Grasse is on our itinerary primarily to tour the Fragonard perfumery and the town. My main concern is transportation from the train station to the Fragonard factory. Are buses regularly available to and from?

May 16, 2014 at 1:31 am

Hello Ricardo, yes, you should have no problem getting a shuttle or bus from Grasse train station to the city center (some stop at Fragonard). You can check the line schedules at http://www.sillages.eu or check transport options on the Grasse tourism website. Glad you found the article useful and hope you have a wonderful time in France!

Wandering Carol Post author

May 30, 2014 at 12:24 pm

Hi Ricardo, I just toured Grasse today. When we got out of the train, we went directly across the street, asked a bunch of people who told us we were at the right stop for the town. The fare is 1.5 Euro. It was a bit confusing, but as long as you ask around you’ll be all right. It was fun to read this blog – it sounds as if the workshop was the highlight and it’s the one thing I didn’t do. Now I’m thinking I might go back! You’re right. Grasse is a lovely stop.

May 30, 2014 at 6:55 pm

Thanks Carol for providing this very up to date information regarding the bus to Grasse city center from the train station. Yes, I really enjoyed the perfume creation workshop and I think that would definitely be worth another visit:) Just make sure to make reservations in advance.

marnie droppelman Post author

March 29, 2014 at 9:14 am

I am planning a trip to Grasse and would like to try and have a perfume that I used many years ago re-created, if possible. It was called Replique by Raphael, Paris. I still have an empty bottle of it, but you are able to detect the original smell. Please advise me if this is a worthwile pursuit. Sincerely, Marnie Droppelman

March 29, 2014 at 2:38 pm

First, it appear you can buy vintage bottles of this perfume and newly remixed formulas online of Replique by Raphael, including on Amazon, ebay, http://www.perfumeemporium.com and http://www.longlostperfume.com

I doubt you would be able to recreate the exact scent of course as not all the same essential oils/scents/ingredients will be there, but you can probably create a personalized scent that is similar. Here is the formula for Replique I found online and you can certainly share it with the nose and tell them you would like to create a similar scent. “Replique perfume has top notes of Italian bergamot, Sicilian lemon, cardamom, neroli, coriander, clary sage and fresh aldehydes. Mid-notes of ylang ylang, lily of the valley, Egyptian jasmine, mimosa, tuberose, heliotrope and coumarin. Base notes of oakmoss, olibanum, powdery amber, musk, vetiver, patchouli.”

Good luck and would love for you to come back and tell us about your visit to Grasse!

Adrian Mendoza Post author

March 27, 2014 at 2:48 pm

I have learned a lot from this article. Thanks to you! I love perfumes. I wish I could as well experience making my own perfume someday. I’ll be listing this place you tackled in my “must-see” places.

March 27, 2014 at 6:23 pm

I think for perfume lovers, this definitely belongs as a must-see place to travel.

MightyTravels Post author

March 26, 2014 at 3:20 pm

Awesome idea – will add that to my list 🙂

Btw just followed you on Twitter as well – great travel blog you have 🙂 Looking forward to connect!

March 27, 2014 at 11:21 am

Yeah, thanks so much for following us! We look forward to connecting further. Feel free to e-mail us (just check our Contact page) or chat via social media.

Megan C. Stroup Post author

March 25, 2014 at 7:50 pm

I have never heard of this! I actually don’t wear perfume, but I might if I could make it myself. 🙂 Thanks for linking up again!

March 25, 2014 at 9:11 pm

Yes, it makes it special when you create it yourself. Of course, you’re welcome.

Charlotte Post author

March 25, 2014 at 10:08 am

What an incredibly neat experience that must have been! I’ve always wanted to make my own perfume, and would love to go to the city of perfume itself 🙂 Also I have a thing for France. And “The Nose” sounds like an incredibly prestigious title to have… and talk about sheer devotion–no spicy foods, no alcohol?! Not sure I could do this personally 🙂

March 25, 2014 at 9:08 pm

Thanks for stopping by Charlotte. Yes, I don’t think I could do that training either. I went to school for a long time but didn’t have to give up things like wine and spicy food!

bevchen Post author

March 24, 2014 at 12:34 pm

Making your own perfume sounds like such a cool and unique experience! I’ve never even heard of Grasse.

March 24, 2014 at 11:33 pm

I don’t think most people have unless you happen to be from France or are really interested in fragrances. I first heard of Grasse from watching the creepy German movie Perfume: The Life of a Murderer, perhaps not a good first introduction:) I would definitely give making perfume a try if you ever have the opportunity!

Meghan Post author

March 24, 2014 at 9:03 am

What a unique experience! I’ve heard about “le nez” and understand that it takes a lot of work and dedication to get into that position. It’s so cool you got to interact with one and have his help in designing your own perfume. So cool. Thanks for sharing!

March 24, 2014 at 11:30 pm

Yes, the training and life of perfumers, or the noses, is so interesting, isn’t it?! A dedicated life for sure, but I imagine one that might be a bit socially isolating.

Meredith Post author

March 23, 2014 at 3:05 pm

This sounds like a lovely stop! I’ve always been curious about the create-your-own perfume experience. I have to say it looks a bit intimidating, but worthwhile for the end product. As always, good information to note for the future 🙂

March 24, 2014 at 11:27 pm

Thanks Meredith for stopping by! There are not a lot of these studios out there that I know of and I imagine very few, if any, give you as much selection as Galimard (127 scents). But I think any perfume creation workshop would be a lot of fun for the information and the experience.

regina Post author

March 23, 2014 at 9:36 am

wow, very interestings post. I am absolutely perfume addicted, so grasse is on my list for the next 2 years, Hopefully I will find the opportunity to get there. regina

March 24, 2014 at 11:24 pm

Hope you get here soon. If you are addicted to perfumes, you’ll love the factory tours, museum, and perfume creation workshop. I believe you can also do the perfume workshop at Galimard’s location in Eze (on a slightly smaller scale), but I would do it in Grasse if you can.

Christine Post author

March 23, 2014 at 6:23 am

Thank you for showing more of this town, We passed through there in the early 1990’s but only toured the Fragonard Perfume Factory. It was quite interesting though….CHRISTINE

March 24, 2014 at 11:22 pm

You’re welcome Christine, we enjoyed our Fragonard tour too. Maybe you’ll get back someday to take in more of the town:)

Seana Turner Post author

March 23, 2014 at 4:42 am

I really enjoyed this post because I’ve never even heard of Grasse.. it was all new to me. I didn’t even know there was a perfume capital. It looks like a pleasant place to relax. Your story about the nose was familiar because as a student I toured IFF (International Flavors and Fragrances), and I learned about the nose there. I think their skill is so interesting and unique. I’m kind of surprised no one has ever tried to commercialize the “create your own” fragrance idea (at a much simpler level, of course).

March 24, 2014 at 11:20 pm

I don’t think you’re alone as I don’t think most people outside the fragrance world knows too much about Grasse. But is a really interesting place, particularly if you enjoy fragrances. They also do a lot of the food flavor stuff too. I bet it is pretty expensive to run these studios unless you can buy the essential oils relatively cheaply and in bulk like giant perfumeries can.

Kaelene @Unlocking Kiki Post author

March 23, 2014 at 3:11 am

How interesting this sounds like a fun trip!

March 24, 2014 at 11:11 pm

It really was a fun day, so great to go back and think about past trips!

Wendy@BlushandBarbells Post author

March 22, 2014 at 10:15 pm

Oh wow that sounds like an amazing experience. Two years on, do you still like the scent that you created?

March 23, 2014 at 9:59 am

Hi Wendy, yes I do, and I even have some left! I don’t wear perfume a lot, daily just deodorant and a body spray, so perfume lasts forever for me. At 3.3. fl oz I still have about half of the bottle left. I think the smell has faded a bit, but because they put it in a dark glass bottle (I learned one should not keep perfume in clear glass as the light/heat affect it) and I keep the bottle in the box, it still smells pretty similar to when I got it!

Jen Post author

June 5, 2016 at 11:12 am

This is Wonderful! I booked my 2 hour workshop after reading your review! Thank you! I’m so excited!

June 5, 2016 at 11:34 am

Hi Jen, I am sure you are going to love the Galimard performe workshop in Grasse. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, it makes our day!! Happy travels in France, Jessica

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Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

2-hour tour $87: 10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
3-hour tour $137: 20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off.
Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
Have fun time with a very friendly local;
+ Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

Drop-off at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
+ Russian lunch in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

Every day each car in Moscow metro passes more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
Moscow subway system is the 5th in the intensity of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is 90 seconds .

What you get:

+ A friend in Moscow.
+ Private & customized Moscow tour.
+ An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
+ An authentic experience of local life.
+ Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
+ Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
+ A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
+ Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
+ Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

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The Most Beautiful Stations on the Moscow Metro

You might have heard that there are some beautiful metro stations in Moscow. Soviet decorations, chandeliers, mosaic painting and statues are common in many of the stations. The good news is that the Moscow Metro does not cost a lot of money and many of the most beautiful stations on the Moscow metro are on the same line, so you can almost get on and off at each station to visit these. Over the New Year holidays, I had a free afternoon and decided to visit some of these stations. Check out what I found below…..

The main stations that you will want to visit are on the Number 5 line, also known as the Circle Line. An advantage of this line is that you can get to it very easily and quickly no matter where you are in Moscow. The announcements on the metro are in Russian as well as English so you don’t need to worry if your Russian language skills are not good.

If, like me, you arrive in Moscow via train from Kyiv , then you will arrive at a metro station which many Muscovites believe to be the most beautiful of them all…..

Kievskaya metro station was opened in 1954 and features white marble walls which curve upwards and have with large mosaics surrounded by a gold trim in a very classical style. The mosaics depict life in Ukraine and was designed by a Ukrainian who wanted to display Ukraine’s influence and contribution to Soviet Russia.

Kievskaya, one of the most beautiful stations on the Moscow metro

Soviet era artwork between the arches

Mosaic with golden trim

People carrying flags is a common theme

Going into battle

Belorusskaya

If you look at a map of the metro , you will want to go in a clockwise direction on the circle line. So you will want to get on the train going in the Barrikadnaya direction and not Park Kultury. Stay on this line until you reach the 2nd station, Belorusskaya. This station was built in 1952 and like Kievskaya also features white marble pylons and a plaster ceiling.

The ceiling features 12 mosaics in an octagonal shape depicting Belarusian life, while the tiling on the floor is said to resemble a Belarusian quilt. One of the passageway exits of the station has a statue called ‘Belarusian Partisans’ of three men wearing long coats, holding guns and carrying a flag.”

Belorusskaya metro platform

Soviet artwork on the roof

The hammer and sickle features prominently in the metro artwork

Three men carrying guns, holding the flag…

Mayakovskaya

To get to the next station, we need to change onto the green line (line 2) and go just one stop to the station of Mayakovskaya. This station has an art deco theme and, for some, resembles an elaborate ballroom. The columns are faced with stainless steel and pink rhodonite while the marble walls and ceiling have 34 mosaics with the theme “24-hour Soviet Sky. Apparently, Stalin resided here during the 2nd World War as the station was used as a command post for Moscow’s anti-aircraft regiment.

Mayakovskaya metro

24-Hour Soviet Sky mosaic

Bomber planes

It looks like planes flying over Red Square

Novoslobodskaya

It’s time to get back on the metro and return to Belorusskaya. At Belorusskaya, change to the circle line again and continue clockwise to the next station, Novoslobodskaya. With its 32 stained glass panels, this station reminds me of a church. The panels were designed by Latvian artists and are surrounded by a brass border.

Novoslobodskaya metro

The platform of Novoslobodskaya metro

Stained glass artwork

The golden trim around artwork is also very common

Prospekt Mira

Back on the metro and again just one stop until our next station, Prospekt Mira. This station was originally called Botanichesky Sad after the nearby Botanical Gardens of the Moscow State University. The pylons are covered in white marble and decorated with floral bas-relief friezes. The ceiling is decorated with casts and several cylindrical chandeliers.

Prospekt Mira metro station

Notice the floral decoration

Komsomolskaya

On the metro once more and once more we are going just one stop to the next station – Komsomolskaya. This station is famous for its its yellow ceiling. The chandeliers in this station are huge. The photos below do not do this station justice. For me, this station resembles a presidential palace. You hace to see it for yourself to truly appreciate it.

Because of it’s location, this is one of the busiest stations in the Moscow metro as it serves three of the main train stations in the city – Leningradsky, Yaroslavsky, and Kazansky so be prepared for a lot of people.

Komsomolskaya metro

The yellow ceiling seems to go on forever

Yellow ceiling and artwork

One of the ceiling mosaics

Elektrozavodskaya

When you are ready to leave Komsomolskaya metro station behind, then get back on the circle line and go one stop to Kurskaya and change to the blue line (line 3) and go to two stops to the Elektrozavodskaya station. This station gets it’s name from a nearby electric light bulb factory and has a somewhat industrial but also futuristic style, with 6 rows of circular lamps (there are 318 lamps in total). I think this is one of the most beautiful stations on the Moscow metro for how unique it is. The station was opened in 1944 after a delay because of the 2nd World War and features 12 marble bas-reliefs of the struggle on the home front during the war.

The Komsomolskaya metro station

The struggles of war at home

Fixing machinery

Hard at work

Making weapons

Building a tank

Even the station sign is elaborate

Ploschad Revolyutsii

Back on the metro line 3 (but in the other direction), getting off at the 3rd stop – Ploschad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). This is located underneath the square in Moscow of the same name and is a short walk from Red Square in the city centre. It is the perfect place to end a visit around Moscow’s metro. The station features red and yellow marble arches with a total of 76 sculptures in between each arch. The sculptures are supposed to represent the people of the Soviet Union and include soldiers, farmers, industrial workers, children etc… I noticed a lot of people touching the golden chicken in the photo below as well as the show of the woman. I am assuming that this is for good luck.

Industrial worker

Touch the chicken for good luck

Sculpture of the people of the Soviet Union

Woman reading a book – touch the shoe for good luck

In education

Parent and child

These are some of what I think are the most beautiful stations on the Moscow metro. Which ones are your favourite? Would you add any to this list?

The Oldest Whiskey Distillery in the World

A stream of water flowing on the hike to Kjerakbolten

Kjeragbolten: Scary, Exhausting and Exciting!

Mamayev Kurgan Memorial in Volgograd

19 comments.

Kievskaya definitely caught me off guard. Didn’t know Moscow metro stations were THIS extravagant! Mayakovskaya is gorgeous too with the marble walls and mosaics. I might just need to book a flight over to admire all of these!

Do it! Kievskaya was my first introduction to the Moscow metro as I got an overnight train from Kyiv.

You know, in the States, all we ever hear is bad stuff about Russia. It’s nice to see other (and lovely!) dimensions of such a controversial place.

It’s the same in the UK which is why I prefer going to see somewhere and making up my own mind. It’s all ‘politics and bullshit’ as I say

I went to Moscow about 13years for Christmas and went to train stations, so I can see these amazing mosaics and chandeliers. I agree with you that are beautiful Stations for sure and I could of wandered around for days. I think Kievskaya is definitely my favourite out of them all and I even have some similar pictures as you.

I imagine Moscow would have been a little different 13 years ago but these stations have probably always looked beautiful

Food and Footprints

You chose some great stations for this write up! Beautiful details in these stations and would love to visit them sometime. Particularly like the Komsomolskaya station with that yellow ceiling!

Thank you very much. Komsomolskaya seems to be a lot of peoples favourite stations too

Sumit Surai

Wow! Without the text I would have thought them to be some museum or gallery.

I know exactly what you mean!

Rosie Fluskey

Wow, it is just stunning! How does anyone get to work with so much to look at. I’m surprised at the very bourgeois-looking Komsomolskaya station. I would have thought it was all too Tzarist looking, but then I haven’t been to Russia yet lol. This has just made me want to go more!

Wow, that’s a lot of artwork. I wonder how old some of these pieces are?

Generally most of the stations are from 1940-1960 approximately. The later stations are more functional than style.

My mother-in-law was in Moscow fifty years ago and still raves about the metro stations. So far, I could not imagine much. But now! The pictures are great and I think it’s almost a pity that this splendor is underground. But for every user of the Metro can enjoy a free trip to the world of art. Susanne

True. It is like having a free trip to an art museum/gallery. I hope that you can one day visit Moscow and see for yourself.

Oh wow, I would never have known that these were metro stations. The ceilings remind me of how you need to look up sometimes, even in the commuter rush!

It is true about life in general, we just go from A to B looking directly in front of us instead of around us

Wow, I would have never guessed that these were stations. The decor is so pretty and not one I’m used to seeing at metro stations. Love the ceiling at The Komsomolskaya metro station.

They certainly don’t look like metro stations. The ceiling there is one of my favourites too!

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow. Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

The Maya Train Will Get You to All of Yucatán’s Best Spots. But Not Yet.

In December, the train began running on its first route through Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. On a five-day journey a few months later, the author encountered enthusiasm, and scheduling hiccups.

A singular train track, with one short train, cuts through a lush deep forest.

By Elisabeth Malkin

Elisabeth Malkin has been visiting the Yucatán Peninsula for three decades.

I stepped off the platform at the gleaming new Maxcanú train station, eager to see the magnificent Maya archaeological site of Uxmal. All I needed was a taxi to take me there, a trip of about 30 miles away.

There are no taxis, said the stationmaster, as we stood on the polished limestone floors of the high-ceilinged station, which was cool and breezy despite the brilliant late-morning sun outside. And I was the third person in two weeks to get off at Maxcanú expecting to reach Uxmal, he said.

I was midway through a five-day trip to explore the brand-new Maya Train and several of its destinations in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico . Designed to run 965 miles (1,554 kilometers) around a loop of 34 stations when completed, the train will whisk passengers in cool comfort through colonial cities, archaeological sites, splashy resorts and tropical forests.

Now I was stunned. Wrangling a taxi has never been a problem in Mexico. But the drivers gathered in the main square of Maxcanú offered only beat-up vans that hopscotch through small towns, where I might or might not find a taxi to Uxmal. The next van was leaving in 45 minutes.

Yucatán’s layers of history have long held me spellbound. During earlier car trips, I have clambered up deserted Maya temples and palaces, stepped into the cool naves of massive 16th-century churches and visited restored haciendas, testaments of the ostentation — and hardship — of the peninsula’s 19th-century plantation economy. Traveling by train, I thought, would allow me to steep myself in more of that history.

But as I found in Maxcanú, a train won’t necessarily get you to where you want to go.

During my February trip, I traveled on the only route then available, an east-west leg that opened in December and runs from Cancún to Mérida, and then south through the port city of Campeche to the Maya site of Palenque (a short route between Cancún and Playa del Carmen opened last month, with three trains a day). I encountered scheduling confusion, unfinished stations and a dearth of trains — just two operating daily each way between Cancún and Campeche, and only one to Palenque. Overnight sleepers and special dining trains seem years away.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador considers the Maya Train his showcase development project, and wants to inaugurate the rest of the train before he leaves office on October 1. Based on my experience, that goal seems elusive.

A $29-billion route through the jungle

I started my journey in Cancún, where in the pre-dawn gloom the station hovered like a glowing spaceship. An attendant scanned the ticket I had bought online and a half-dozen more pointed me toward my tourist-class car, which was about a quarter full. I planned to go to Campeche, about 300 miles away, stopping once each day. At 120 kilometers (about 75 miles) an hour, the train covers the route in about six hours, the same as a car. (When construction is complete, the train’s speed should increase to 160 kilometers an hour.)

The car’s wide windows looked out at a wall of low jungle. The blue-green seats were comfortable and there was ample space between the rows. I bought a very good cappuccino at the snack bar, but declined the plastic-wrapped sandwiches. The rest of the merchandise was fruit cups, milk boxes and junk food.

The train will ultimately cost much more than the $29 billion budgeted so far, and it’s not the first time ambitious planners have alighted on the region. Cancún was once a tiny fishing village, selected half a century ago as a tourist hub. Last year 10 million international tourists flew into its airport, more than the airports of Mexico City, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta combined.

But uncontrolled growth has stressed the Caribbean coast’s fragile environment. The Maya Train, scientists warn , will push those problems south, threatening the area’s water supply, its unique system of underground limestone caves and its vast nature reserves.

Mr. López Obrador has charged ahead, handing the train over to the military , and arguing that it will spread Cancún’s wealth and attract new visitors. Mexico received more than 42 million overseas tourists last year and they spent almost $31 billion .

Local governments see an opportunity. “The train will allow people to disperse throughout the peninsula,” said Michelle Fridman, the tourism secretary for Yucatán state, which promotes dozens of attractions far beyond highlights like Mérida and Chichén Itzá .

Now that the train is operating, transport companies will begin to connect stations with lesser-known sites nearby, she said.

It’s fair to ask whether the train is the most effective way to develop the peninsula’s tourism. Tour companies already run trips to many sites from major cities, which are well served by buses. Driving a rental car through most of the area is considered safe , according to U.S. State Department travel guidance .

Route of Mexico’s Maya Train

Canceled trip.

It took two hours (and one time-zone change) to reach Valladolid, a colonial city of handsome streets and ancient churches, where I bought the rest of my tickets at the station. A tourist-class ticket from Cancún to Valladolid costs 472 pesos (around $28) for foreigners and 355 pesos (around $21) for Mexicans. First class, with wider seats, costs 755.50 pesos and 566.50 pesos, and discounts are available for older travelers and residents of the five states along the train’s route. (A first-class bus from downtown Cancún to Valladolid costs between 222 and 344 pesos, depending on the time of day, and takes half an hour longer.)

It was impossible to run the new Maya Train tracks into dense city centers and the Valladolid station, like the rest, was outside the urban core. A waiting bus took disembarking passengers downtown, a 15-minute ride for 35 pesos.

That day I toured Ek Balam , the site of a ninth-century Maya kingdom that is dominated by a 100-foot palace distinguished by a facade of carvings depicting winged warriors, stylized animal features and geometric patterns bordered by giant fangs. Admission to the site includes entry to the X-Canché cenote, one of thousands of limestone sinkholes that were sacred to the Maya.

Later that afternoon, I was wandering through the Museum of Ethnic Clothing, a private collection of traditional dress, embroidery and hats, when a WhatsApp message from the ticket office blinked on my phone. My train scheduled for the following day was canceled.

I decided to deal with the problem in the morning and enjoy the city. As I wandered past the antique shops and boutique hotels of the elegant Calzada de los Frailes, it was clear that Valladolid’s tourism, and the infrastructure to handle it, was well established. The Maya Train is simply an alternative way to reach a city that tourists discovered years ago.

‘We’re on the Tren Maya!’

In the morning, I found that my train had not been canceled, but the station for which I had a ticket, Tixkokob, was closed. I got off instead one stop earlier at Izamal, known for its ocher streets and the giant Franciscan convent of San Antonio de Padua, built atop the ruins of a pyramid.

During the 90-minute ride, I heard widespread enthusiasm among fellow travelers who expressed a willingness to give the train time to work out the kinks. “We’re an experiment,” said Oliva Escobedo Ochoa, 64, who was vacationing from her home in central Mexico.

Leticia Iliassich, 57, who is Mexican, was traveling with her Croatian husband along with relatives from Mexico and Croatia. They had initially been scheduled on an earlier train to Mérida that had been canceled. “We knew that it was a new project,” she said. “We don’t mind.”

The group had already sent a video to friends declaring, “We’re on the Tren Maya!”

At the Izamal station I hitched a 15-minute ride into the town center with a man who had asked me to take his photo alongside the train and his father. From there I negotiated a taxi to Hacienda San Lorenzo Aké, a working hacienda that still turns the fiber from an agave plant called henequén into coarse rope. Global demand for henequén, known as Yucatán’s “green gold,” brought fantastic wealth to the region in the mid-19th century, speckling the peninsula with more than 1,000 haciendas. ( Many are now sumptuous hotels.)

Where geometry, nature and the divine merge

It was during my third day that I found myself stuck in Maxcanú, after a 90-minute train ride from Izamal. The stationmaster, an army captain, offered me a ride to Uxmal, just as he had to the stranded tourists before me.

Eying Uxmal’s 4 p.m. final ticket sale, I accepted.

My situation made it clear just how distant the Maya Train’s promises are for tourists seeking to explore more of Yucatán. In time, that will change, said Ms. Fridman, the tourism secretary. “The idea is to have more hotels along the train line,” she said. “That will happen little by little.”

But Uxmal , among the most stunning of the Maya sites, made up for the inconvenience. Uxmal’s grand buildings are faced with intricate decorative masks as well as friezes in which geometry, nature and the divine merge. New plaques at each structure offer detailed information in English and Spanish, part of the government’s investment in improving displays at Maya sites for the train project.

Most tourists either take day trips by car or bus to Uxmal from Mérida or stay at one of three nearby hotels. As I finished dinner at my hotel, the dining room began to fill up: 47 Polish tourists had arrived.

Panama hats and a cramped van

My plan for the day was to go by taxi to Bécal, a town where Panama hats are woven in limestone caves to keep the fibers soft, and then pick up the afternoon train in nearby Calkiní for the port city of Campeche.

But I spent so much time watching the hat-making demonstration and then fitting my new hat and buying gifts that we set off with little time to reach the station. To my chagrin, I missed the train, the last one of the day.

On Calkiní’s central square, I found a van that was leaving for Campeche. Cost: 65 pesos. Time: about 1 hour and 20 minutes, similar to what I would have spent on the train. Of course, I was trapped in a cramped seat and had to listen to the driver’s choice of sentimental ballads, but I was dropped off in downtown Campeche, close to my hotel.

The next day, I toured the Museum of Maya Archaeology , an expertly curated collection that included haunting jade funeral masks, glyphs and delicate ceramic figures.

José Madrigal, 45, an engineer from Fremont, Calif., was trying to make Maya pottery interesting for his twin sons. The boys had just turned 5 and their birthday present had been a ride on the Maya Train. “They love trains,” Mr. Madrigal said. Then the family moved on, keeping up a brisk clip through the museum. They had another train to catch.

Should you take the train?

Yes, if you are traveling between larger stations. The train also offers a way to get to Palenque, which is harder to reach and has roads with security concerns. Travelers can stow bicycles on board.

To see train times, check the destinations on the website . You cannot buy tickets online more than a week in advance. But when you finally board, the ride is smooth — and the coffee is excellent.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places: Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai: Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto: The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland: The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas: Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

Taking the train in Ireland – what you need to know

Apr 19, 2024 • 11 min read

Iranrod Eireann. Rosslare to Dublin line. Woodenbridge golf course

Traveling by train is one of Ireland ’s great, if under-appreciated, pleasures.

It’s a small island and the rail network is limited, so no journey is especially long – but riding the rails across the country is one of the loveliest ways to enjoy the rolling countryside.

Compared to its European counterparts, Irish trains aren’t especially spectacular, but this is a country that doesn’t need high-speed or sleeper trains: you roll along at a maximum of 160km/h (99mph) and before you know it you’re on the other side of the island.

The particular nature of Irish demographics has shaped train travel in Ireland: with around a quarter of the population clustered in the greater Dublin region, it makes sense that most train journeys begin or end in the capital. In Northern Ireland the same is true of Belfast .

Irish trains might not be especially quick or super luxurious, but they’re an efficient and eco-friendly way of exploring the island – so long as your explorations are focused on the major cities and towns. Here is our essential guide to train travel in Ireland.

Overhead shot of trains on rails at a depot

The lowdown on rail travel in Ireland

Irish trains are efficient, relatively frequent and usually on time. Irish Rail/Iarnród Éireann operates the entire network of trains in the Republic, from intercity trains linking the major urban centers to the busy commuter network that services the greater Dublin region.

There are two main lines into the west and three into the south and southwest; spurs off the main lines connect to a host of smaller towns throughout the country. There’s also a line to Belfast, from where Translink services connect the city with the Antrim Coast and Derry (Londonderry) .

Within the greater Dublin region, a network of commuter services connects the capital with a host of suburbs and dormitory towns in the surrounding counties. Dublin’s coastline between the northside suburbs of Howth and Malahide, and Greystones in County Wicklow is served by DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport) trains.

There are some notable gaps in the country’s rail network, with no services in counties Donegal , Monaghan and Cavan , and no trains into West Cork . Some towns – like Buttevant in Cork or Annacotty in Limerick – are on the rail line but they’re bypassed as they have no functioning station.

Ireland’s bigger train stations – including Cork , Limerick , Galway , Sligo, Belfast and the two in Dublin – are all pretty well stocked when it comes to picking up supplies and other assorted sundries for your journey. Most other stations will have a small shop.

A train crosses a viaduct below a dramatic cloudy sky

Train tickets are relatively good value

The good news about traveling by train in Ireland is that it is relatively inexpensive compared to train travel in some places, such as the UK, for example. If you buy it online, a standard one-way fare between Dublin Heuston and Kent Station in Cork costs €30–35, and around €55 in first class.

Online is the best place to buy your tickets for train travel in the Irish Republic. Not only do you get the best fares (with savings of up to 50% compared to buying the ticket at the station), but you can purchase your ticket up to 90 days in advance and reserve a seat when you do.

You have the option of collecting your bought ticket from a machine at the station as you’re boarding, or downloading a QR code at the point of purchase. If you wait to buy your ticket at the station, you’ll pay significantly more and have to get there early to queue up at the ticket kiosk.

For travel in Northern Ireland, you’re better off buying the ticket at the station as only a limited number of tickets are available online. Show up a short time before your intended departure time and just buy your ticket there.

Only a handful of services offer first class, but upgrading is relatively inexpensive. On average, expect to pay around €20–25 more to sit in first. There are three kinds of first class service on Irish trains. CityGold is on direct Dublin to Cork services, and includes an onboard host and a complimentary newspaper on selected early morning services. The Enterprise service between Dublin and Belfast offers the same, plus a fine breakfast. Premier Class is similar, but is only available on direct services between Dublin and Tralee and some Dublin to Cork trains.

A train runs through a village near the edge of the sea

Some discounts and offers apply

There are discounted fares for children and young adults aged between 19 and 25, as long as they have a valid discount card. Under fives and those aged 66 and over travel for free.

The commuter network in the Greater Dublin area has a fare cap of €6 for travel between the capital and a host of towns in the surrounding counties.

There are two rail passes aimed at visitors. The Trekker Four Day (€88) offers unlimited travel for adults on all Irish Rail services on four consecutive days from the date of issue. The Explorer (adult/child €128/64) provides five days of travel on all services in a 15-day window.

However, before investing in either, be sure that you plan on making the most out of it. The limited rail network means that connections are limited and traveling between some destinations involves backtracking: Cork and Waterford are both on the south coast, but to get from one to the other means travelling to Limerick, while Sligo and Westport are only 140km (87 miles) apart along the west coast, but to go between them by train you’ll have to travel through Dublin – which is on the other side of the country.

In Northern Ireland, the Sunday Fun Day Tracker ticket gives passengers unlimited train travel on a Sunday for £9 (£4.50 for children). Tickets are available from all ticket offices, the mLink ticketing app and from the conductor on the train.

These are the busiest times to travel by train

Unsurprisingly, peak times for train travel coincide with busy rush hour periods. Early morning services to Dublin from cities including Cork, Galway and Limerick can be busy, especially if the train is due to arrive in Dublin around the start of the working day. Friday evening trains departing Dublin can also be quite busy. However, as online bookings also include the option of booking a seat, you’ll never have to stand.

The commuter network is busiest on weekdays from 7am to 9am and from 4:30pm to 6:30pm as thousands of people travel in and out of work. You can’t prebook seats on these services, so plenty of people do end up standing. Keep an eye out on changing schedules, especially for weekend and holiday travel, as frequencies diminish.

The train network is limited, but it has some benefits over road travel

There are no rail links to any Irish airport, which means you’re relying on taxis, private cars or buses once you arrive in the country. Irish ferry ports are better connected to rail lines, however, and you can catch trains in Rosslare, Dublin and Larne; there is no rail link to Belfast Port.

If you want to reach the more remote corners of the island, then the Irish rail network is quite limited, and a car will give you the flexibility you need. However, rental fees can be very expensive and fuel is another considerable cost, with the price of unleaded and diesel hovering between €1.75 and €2 a liter. Parking is also pricey in all urban centers, especially Dublin.

Traveling by bus is the cheapest way to get around, but it can be a slow business, as most make lots of stops along the way. There are some direct express services, but they are at the mercy of traffic, which can also add considerable time to a journey compared to traveling by train. Plus, buses don’t have bathrooms, with those traveling longer distances relying entirely on rest stops.

A train passes through autumnal countryside

On board facilities vary depending on the type of train

There are two kinds of Irish trains: InterCity and commuter. InterCity trains are all the same – relatively modern with comfortable seats in standard class and fancier recliners in first – and they travel at speeds of up to 160km/h (99mph). There’s no journey in Ireland that is longer than 2½ to 3 hours. Commuter trains are slightly older, with less comfortable seats; older trains are used on some small-distance spur lines in rural areas and are very basic (facilities include seats and a toilet).

While Ireland’s flagship service is the one between Dublin and Cork, the fanciest train is the Enterprise service between Dublin Connolly and Belfast Lanyon Place, which is a joint venture between Irish Rail and Translink. This train is on a par with most services you’ll find in mainland Europe and first class is the most luxurious of any in the country.

All InterCity trains have three-pin sockets at every row where you can plug in a charger or a laptop. Most commuter trains in the greater Dublin area also have sockets. All trains have toilets and there is a cross-network wi-fi service operated by Irish Rail, but it is patchy and inconsistent. Translink has its own wi-fi network, which is accessible on all bus and rail services in the north, but, like in the Republic, you’re at the mercy of signal strength and contention levels.

Food options are pretty limited. There is a trolley service on the Dublin to Cork service, while the Enterprise between Dublin and Belfast operates a full service menu in a dedicated dining car; first class passengers also get a pretty good breakfast as part of their ticket.

Some trains on the Dublin to Cork route have a “quiet carriage” (usually Carriage G, marked in purple when booking) where the use of phones is prohibited and passengers are encouraged to keep noise levels down.

You can bring a bike on any Irish Rail train for free, although there are some restrictions during busy periods (such as sporting fixtures and concerts). The Dublin to Cork line is the only one to have a dedicated bike storage area; all other InterCity trains have (very) limited bicycle spaces within the passenger compartment – it’s not unusual for only two bikes to be allowed into the compartment, so be sure to book in advance. Bikes are not allowed on commuter and DART services during peak hours – before 10am and from 3:30pm to 7pm Monday to Friday.

A train follows a scenic route by the sea

There are many scenic train routes: here are the best

No matter where you are in Ireland you’re going to find a beautiful landscape or two, but some journeys are worth keeping your eyes wide open for.

Dublin to Sligo

Once you’ve gone past the huge suburban sprawl of the greater Dublin area, the landscapes get quite gentle; beyond Mullingar the train skirts alongside the edge of beautiful Lough Owel. For the best views, sit on the left-hand side of the train.

Dublin to Belfast

The Enterprise service is the best in the country, with the most comfortable seats and the best food options – especially in first class. The train skirts alongside the Irish Sea between Malahide and Balbriggan, so be sure to sit on that side as you travel (on the right-hand side if you’re traveling to Belfast).

Derry (Londonderry) to Coleraine

The Translink service between Northern Ireland’s second city and Coleraine is a stunner, a 40-minute journey along the Causeway Coast that comes with beautiful beaches, huge cliffs and unimpeded views out over the North Sea.

Downpatrick to Inch Abbey

It’s only a 10-minute journey, but the trip from Downpatrick in County Down to the monastic ruins of Inch Abbey takes place in a vintage steam train (or a 1960s diesel train) that chugs its way along the line, over the River Quoile and past the drumlin-specked landscape.

Cork to Cobh

One of Ireland’s most scenic trips is the 25-minute trip from Cork City to the seaside town of Cobh , which takes you along the river (sit on the right for the best views), past marshy Harper’s Island and over the bridges on Lough Mahon and the Slatty Water. You can always stop off at Fota and visit the wildlife park there.

Book in advance for wheelchair access to trains

All InterCity services are nominally accessible, but if you do need assistance you will need to book it in advance so that suitable arrangements can be made. This usually means that a conductor will have a ramp ready for wheelchair access, but we have also heard plenty of anecdotal evidence of staff simply lifting a wheelchair onto a train, which depending on the individual can either be a help or an annoying hindrance. Whatever you do, make sure to communicate your requirements before you travel as assistance is not guaranteed otherwise.

For passengers with learning difficulties or any issue where there may be a challenge with communication (such as autism) Irish Rail staff are trained to recognize visual cue cards such as the JAM card , which inform the interlocutor of the holder’s condition. JAM cards are available online or at mainline train stations in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Sligo.

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Construction begins on high-speed rail between Vegas and California

Brightline west will make the trip between las vegas and rancho cucamonga in a little over two hours.

Privately owned train company Brightline held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for a $12 billion high-speed rail project connecting Las Vegas and Southern California.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg joined company leaders and other officials for the start of construction in Las Vegas.

Brightline West benefits from $3 billion in federal funds from President Biden ’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Trains could be running as soon as early 2028, in time for the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Travelers have a lot to look forward to. Electric trains will depart every 45 minutes from a Las Vegas station south of the city’s storied Strip and a Southern California station in Rancho Cucamonga, a Los Angeles suburb about 40 miles east of downtown.

Traveling at up to 186 mph — faster than any other train in the United States — Brightline West trains will make the 218-mile trip in about 2 hours and 10 minutes.

“At long last, we’re building the first high-speed rail project in our nation’s history,” President Biden said of Brightline West in December. “We’ve been talking about this project for decades. Now we’re really getting it done.”

Other high-speed railroads that would carry passengers at 200 mph and faster are in the works in California, Texas and the Pacific Northwest.

“The bottom line here is we changed the trajectory,” Buttigieg said in an interview Monday. More than $30 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been awarded to date and more is on the way, he added.

The success of the Brightline West project could influence how future rail projects receive funding.

“It won’t be easy but I think they have all of the right things in place to get this done,” Buttigieg said.

Speed is Brightline West’s main selling point. Driving between Rancho Cucamonga and Las Vegas takes at least three hours without traffic, according to Google Maps.

“You’ll be sitting there flying by on Brightline looking at all these brake lights on the highway and thinking, ‘It sucks to be you,’” said Jim Mathews, CEO of the Rail Passengers Association , said on Friday. “That’s what it’s going to be like for all those people trying to get from greater Los Angeles to Las Vegas.”

Brightline West trains will run along Interstate 15 for nearly their entire journey. They will make two intermediate stops in California: one in Hesperia and one in Apple Valley.

Travelers coming from Los Angeles will have the option of riding Metrolink , Southern California’s regional rail system, to the Rancho Cucamonga station located near the junction of Interstates 10 and 15. The trip between downtown Los Angeles and Rancho Cucamonga takes at least 50 minutes by car without traffic, or 1 hour and 15 minutes on the train.

“Getting it to a juncture where pretty much everybody who passes into the I-15 corridor goes through is a massive benefit from a climate perspective, a congestion perspective, and an economic perspective,” Buttigieg said.

Future plans include a direct connection for Brightline West to Los Angeles Union Station as part of the separate California High-Speed Rail project.

Speed won’t be the only reason to ride Brightline West.

Brightline’s Florida operation connecting Miami to Orlando opened in September , giving future customers out West an idea of what to expect. Before Brightline’s debut, Amtrak held a monopoly on intercity passenger rail travel for decades.

Stations are spacious with comfortable areas to sit, bars selling craft cocktails and a lounge for premium passengers. Onboard, travelers enjoy assigned seats and fast WiFi. Attendants come down the aisle serving snacks and drinks throughout the trip.

Brightline told investors that it carried a record 258,307 passengers in March, and that one in three of its trains were nearly full.

Brightline’s strong ridership, though slower than initially promised to investors, makes a strong case for building fast and frequent trains between major U.S. cities such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

Brightline West estimates that 6 million people will ride its trains during the first full year of operation, according to a federal environmental assessment . That number is projected to grow to as many as 9.2 million people within a decade.

The company estimates that, without the train, three-quarters of its riders would drive between Southern California and Las Vegas. Another 15 percent would fly, and the balance would not make the trip at all.

More travel news

How we travel now: More people are taking booze-free trips — and airlines and hotels are taking note. Some couples are ditching the traditional honeymoon for a “buddymoon” with their pals. Interested? Here are the best tools for making a group trip work.

Bad behavior: Entitled tourists are running amok, defacing the Colosseum , getting rowdy in Bali and messing with wild animals in national parks. Some destinations are fighting back with public awareness campaigns — or just by telling out-of-control visitors to stay away .

Safety concerns: A door blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jet, leaving passengers traumatized — but without serious injuries. The ordeal led to widespread flight cancellations after the jet was grounded, and some travelers have taken steps to avoid the plane in the future. The incident has also sparked a fresh discussion about whether it’s safe to fly with a baby on your lap .

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May train strikes: How will the next rail drivers’ walk-out affect passengers?

In three days of ‘rolling’ walk-outs, most of the train operators involved will cancel all services, article bookmarked.

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National rail strikes by train drivers will enter a third summer with a series of “rolling” walk-outs, one region at a time, during May .

Members of the Aslef union aim to halt thousands of trains on 7, 8 and 9 May 2024 – with commuters who normally go to the office on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday among the targets.

The aim is to disrupt services on the 14 rail firms in England that are controlled by the UK government and represented by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG). Rolling strikes cause maximum disruption for minimum loss of pay.

In addition, six days of overtime bans will cause further cancellations from 6 to 11 May. The first day is the early May bank holiday, while the last coincides with Take That performing in Manchester .

The previous national industrial action by train drivers, comprising an overtime ban and rolling regional walk-outs, hit passengers in April .

Industrial action by Aslef train drivers in their dispute over pay and working arrangements began in July 2022. The union is demanding a no-strings pay award, but rail firms – directed by ministers – say any increase is contingent on radical reforms to working practices in order to reduce public subsidies.

During the dispute, hundreds of millions of journeys have been cancelled. Billions of pounds have been lost to the UK economy – particularly hospitality businesses.

Taxpayers are pumping cash into an increasingly decrepit and unreliable railway to the tune of £90 per second on top of the normal subsidy. Over the course of a year, that amounts to £2.8bn in addtional public cash.

The quarrel has become increasingly bitter, with no sign of any progress towards a settlement.

Caught in the middle of a seemingly intractable dispute: the passenger. In a snap social media poll for The Independent that garnered 2,142 responses, one in three passengers say they will permanently travel less after the industrial action finally ends.

For passengers, these are the key questions and answers.

Which rail firms are involved?

Aslef is in dispute with the 14 train operating companies (TOCs) that are contracted by the UK government to provide rail services. They are:

Intercity operators:

CrossCountry

East Midlands Railway

Great Western Railway (GWR)

TransPennine Express

Southeast England commuter operators:

Greater Anglia

GTR (Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern, Thameslink)

Southeastern

South Western Railway (including the Island Line on the Isle of Wight)

Operators focusing on the north of England, the Midlands and links from London

Chiltern Railways

Northern Trains

West Midlands Railway (including London Northwestern Railway)

When are the train drivers walking out?

Drivers belonging to the Aslef union will strike in the following pattern:

Tuesday 7 May

C2C, Greater Anglia, Great Northern, Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern, Gatwick Express, South Western Railway. Commuters around London comprise the main target.

Wednesday 8 May

Avanti West Coast , Chiltern, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, West Midlands Railway and CrossCountry. The aim is to cause maximum disruption on key intercity lines as well as Midland commuter services.

Thursday 9 May

LNER , Northern and TransPennine Express. This is aimed at users of the East Coast main line and passengers in the North of England and southern Scotland.

What are the predicted effects at each operator?

The Night Riviera sleeper train from London to Penzance and the Gatwick Express from London to the Sussex airport will be cancelled throughout the industrial action period.

For other operators, these are the probable service patterns – though travellers should check shortly before their planned journeys. Where trains are running, the normal hours of operation are likely to be curtailed.

Disruption is also likely on days before and after strike days. TransPennine Express says: “Plan carefully for any rail journeys as services may start later and finish earlier than usual.”

Greater Anglia will run to and from London Liverpool Street to Stansted airport, Southend, Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich.

Southern will run a shuttle service between London Victoria and Gatwick airport.

Thameslink will run a shuttle service between London St Pancras and Luton (town and airport stations).

Great Northern will run a shuttle service between London King’s Cross and Cambridge.

South Western Railway will run between London Waterloo, Woking and Guildford, with some other suburban services likely.

Southeastern will passengers not to travel, but is likely to run services between London St Pancras and Ashford on the high-speed line; Charing Cross and Orpington; and London Bridge and Dartford.

C2C will cancel all services.

Five train operators – Avanti West Coast, Chiltern, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Railway and CrossCountry – are likely to cancel all train services.

GWR will run no long-distance trains, but will connect Reading with Oxford and Basingstoke, as well as a link from Bristol to Cardiff and some branch routes in Devon and Cornwall. The company says: “Many parts of the GWR network will have no service at all and trains that are running will only be operating for a limited period during the day.”

Northern and TransPennine Express will cancel all services. LNER will run a skeleton service on core lines between around 7am and 7pm. Its main Edinburgh-Newcastle-York-London line will have at least one train an hour, with some additional trains on the southern part of the network.

What about the overtime ban?

Members are also refusing to work their rest days from Monday 6 to Saturday 11 May, inclusive. As many rail firms depend on drivers working overtime, hundreds – possibly thousands – of trains will be cancelled.

Greater Anglia, Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Railway will run a reduced timetable on each day of the overtime ban.

GWR typically says the overtime ban will cause “some short-notice alterations and cancellations, especially at weekends or late at night”.

But Southeastern says: “We expect to run our full service during this time, except for Tuesday 7 May, which is the strike day on our network.”

Which rail firms are not involved?

Some publicly funded train operators will run normally: ScotRail, Transport for Wales, Transport for London (including the Elizabeth line) and Merseyrail.

“Open-access” operators on the East Coast main line – Grand Central, Hull Trains and Lumo – are unaffected. But many of their services will be crowded on days of industrial action. They duplicate journeys of strike-hit companies, including LNER, TransPennine Express, CrossCountry and Northern.

What is at stake in the dispute?

The train drivers demand a pay rise to reflect high levels of inflation since they last won a pay award; Aslef says some members have not had an increase for five years.

But the government insists that even a modest pay increase is contingent on radical changes to long-standing working arrangements in order to reduce costs – and the huge subsidies the railway is currently receiving from the taxpayer.

Since the pandemic, travel patterns have changed. Ticket revenue is about one-fifth down on pre-Covid levels. As taxpayers will foot the eventual bill for the train drivers’ pay rise, the Treasury as well as the Department for Transport will sign off any deal.

Ministers believe train drivers’ terms and conditions are part of the problem. To keep costs down, they must accept changes to how they work, such as making Sunday part of the working week everywhere.

On 27 April 2023 the Rail Delivery Group offered a pay increase of 4 plus 4 per cent over two years covering the 2022 and 2023 pay awards – subject to a host of changes on terms and conditions, covering a wide range of issues including driver training, Sunday working, sick pay and new technology.

The union say this is completely unacceptable. The train drivers will negotiate on changes, but only after they get a decent no-strings pay offer on top of their current pay.

They believe the money will be found to meet their demands, as it always has been in the past. Aslef has also always “sold” reforms to working arrangements for an extra few per cent on their pay and does intend to change that process.

Meanwhile, the corrosion in confidence among travellers continues, with no rail passenger able to plan journeys more than two weeks ahead – that being the minimum notice the union must give for industrial action.

What do the employers and government say?

A spokesperson for Rail Delivery Group said: “This wholly unnecessary strike action called by the Aslef leadership will sadly disrupt customers and businesses once again, while further damaging the railway at a time when taxpayers are continuing to contribute an extra £54m a week just to keep services running.

“We continue to seek a fair agreement with the Aslef leadership which both rewards our people, gives our customers more reliable services and makes sure the railway isn’t taking more than its fair share from taxpayers.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Aslef’s leadership are acting like a broken record – calling for strike action time and time again while remaining the only rail union continuing to strike, as well as the only union refusing to put a fair and reasonable pay offer to its members for over a year.

“The transport secretary and rail minister have done their part to facilitate this pay offer- one which would take train drivers’ salaries up to an average of £65,000 which is almost twice the average salary in the UK.

“Aslef bosses should take the lead of the other rail unions, put this offer to their members and stop their campaign of contempt for passengers.”

What does the union say?

The general secretary of Aslef, Mick Whelan, said: “It is now a year since we sat in a room with the train companies – and a year since we rejected the risible offer they made and which they admitted, privately, was designed to be rejected.”

He said that negotiations were last held on 26 April 2024.

“Since then train drivers have voted, again and again, to take action to get a pay rise. That’s why Mark Harper, the Transport Secretary, is being disingenuous when he says that offer should have been put to members. Drivers would not vote to strike if they thought an offer was acceptable. They don’t. And that offer – now a year old – is dead in the water.

“Our pay deals at these companies ran out in 2019. Train drivers at these TOCs have not had an increase in salary for five years. That is completely wrong. The employers – and the government – think we are going to give up and run away. They’re wrong. In the words of Tom Petty, we won’t back down …”

When will the strikes finally be over?

The working assumption is now that it will take a change of government. No prime minister since Margaret Thatcher has demonstrated such contempt for Britain’s railway as Rishi Sunak. On the eve of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow , he announced the halving of Air Passenger Duty on domestic routes – encouraging travellers to switch from rail to air.

Tearing up years of cross-party agreement, the prime minister scrapped plans for HS2 north of Birmingham and demanded a swift sell-off of protected land to ensure the project could not be resurrected. And Mr Sunak has tolerated 18 months of intermittent strikes by train drivers with no apparent appetite for a settlement.

What does the Labour Party say?

Louise Haigh, Labour’s shadow transport secretary, said: “It is a staggering dereliction of duty that the transport secretary hasn’t got around the table with the unions to try to resolve it since the Christmas before last.

“Labour will take an unashamedly different approach to the Tories, and will work with both sides to reach a deal in the interests of passengers and workers. If the transport secretary took this sensible approach then perhaps we wouldn’t still be having strikes on our railways.”

How much has all the disruption cost?

According to the RDG, industrial action from June 2022 up until mid-January 2024 cost the rail sector around £775m in lost revenue. That does not include the impact of the most recent strikes and overtime bans, which probably add a further £200m to the losses.

UKHospitality estimates the lost business for places to eat, drink and stay amounts to almost £5 billion. Kate Nicholls, the organisation’s chief executive, says: “Ongoing strike action hurts businesses, prevents people from getting to work and significantly erodes confidence in the rail network.”

In addition, there is an unknowable loss of revenue from passengers who have adjusted their lifestyles or found alternative forms of transport; businesses that have stopped making trips and are using online communication instead; and people trimming back on travel because of the lack of certainty.

What about the new minimum service levels law?

Legislation now allows the transport secretary to stipulate minimum service levels (MSLs) on strike days amounting to 40 per cent of the normal service. The government says the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 aims “to ensure that the public can continue to access services that they rely on, during strike action”.

No train operator is seeking to impose the new law on the train drivers’ union. LNER said it might do so earlier this year, and opened consultations. Aslef immediately called a separate five-day strike on LNER alone. Then the train operator said it would not require drivers to work, and the strike was called off.

The Transport Select Committee has previously warned of potential unintended consequences of the legislation. The Conservative chair, Iain Stewart, said: “There is a risk of MSLs worsening worker-employer relations and that, as a result, MSLs could end up making services less reliable.”

The minimum service level rules do not apply to union bans on non-contractual rest-day working – so there would be no benefit in imposing the law when an overtime ban is in force.

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15 people injured in Universal Studios Hollywood tour tram crash

At least one person reportedly sustained critical injuries.

Lester Fabian Brathwaite is a staff writer at Entertainment Weekly , where he covers breaking news, all things Real Housewives , and a rich cornucopia of popular culture. Formerly a senior editor at Out magazine, his work has appeared on NewNowNext , Queerty , Rolling Stone , and The New Yorker . He was also the first author signed to Phoebe Robinson's Tiny Reparations imprint. He met Oprah once.

15 people were injured in a tram crash at Universal Studios Hollywood Saturday evening.

According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the victims were transported to local hospitals with minor injuries. KTLA, however, reported at least one person sustained critical injuries.

According to a statement from the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department, "deputies responded to the lower parking lot of Universal Studios Hollywood regarding a tour tram collision. The collision caused several passengers to fall out of the vehicle."

The trams are used in the theme park's signature Studio Tour, transporting guests through iconic Hollywood film sets. It's unclear what caused the crash, or if any other vehicles were involved but LASD tells Entertainment Weekly that the "cause of the accident is still under investigation and there is no further information at this time."

The LACFD Public Information Office confirmed the incident in a tweet , writing "at 9:05 units were dispatched to a tram accident where 15 patients were transported to local hospitals with minor injuries. CHP will be the lead investigatory agency for all further inquiries."

“Saturday night on the Studio Tour, a tram collided with a guard rail while making a left turn," a spokesperson for Universal Studios said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly . "Our thoughts continue to be with the guests who were involved, and we are thankful that based on agency reports, the injuries sustained were minor."

The statement continued, "We are working closely with public agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, as we continue our review of the incident and safety remains a top priority. We have resumed Studio Tour operations with a modified route and are reinforcing our operational and safety protocols."

Earlier this month, Universal Studios Hollywood was hit with a lawsuit stemming from a 2022 incident in which passengers claim they were stranded while riding Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, an attraction that takes guests through notable locations in J.K. Rowling 's Wizarding World, including the Great Hall, the grounds of Hogwarts, and the Quidditch pitch.

Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.

Tourist Train, Grasse

Explore this historical Old Town of Grasse by train

Leaves daily throughout the summer months from the Cours Honoré Cresp plaza (across from the Palais des Congrès and main tourist office).

Runs between the hours of 11:00 and 17:00 daily from April to October and during Carnival periods. There is also the opportunity for private hire all year round.

Worth knowing

Who should go

Great way to see this beautiful and historic town at a leisurely pace. Perfect for groups and families.

What to bring

Depending on the weather you may or may not want to take a rain jacket but the train is enclosed and therefore fully protected from the elements.

How to get passes

Start Planning

Start Exploring

IMAGES

Tourist Train, Grasse
Le petit train touristique de Grasse qui voit la vie en rose
The Little Tourist Train in the City Centre of Grasse, France Stock
Petit Train de Grasse : Ce qu'il faut savoir pour votre visite 2022
Petit Train de Grasse
Yellow Tourist Train (2)

VIDEO

Grasse, France 🇲🇫
Train trajet de Grasse à Cannes
L' AVEN LINE
Nice-Ville Railway Station
The Train Stations of Moscow: A virtual history tour
Scenic train tours gain popularity across the globe

COMMENTS

Le Petit Train de Grasse
Equipement. [email protected]. 06130. Over the course of this 35-minute trip, the train will take you through the historic streets and charming, narrow alleyways of Grasse's city center. Wind through a maze of steep, colorful lanes aboard Grasse's Little Tourist Train, "Le Petit Train," and discover the architectural treasures ...
Tourist Train, Grasse
Tourist Train, Grasse. Explore this historical Old Town of Grasse by train. featured in Guides & tours. Leaves daily throughout the summer months from the Cours Honoré Cresp plaza (across from the Palais des Congrès and main tourist office). Runs between the hours of 11:00 and 17:00 daily from April to October and during Carnival periods.
Little Tourist Train
Over the course of this 35-minute trip, the train will take you through the historic streets and charming, narrow alleyways of Grasse's city center. Home Things to do
THE 10 BEST Grasse Tours & Excursions for 2024 (with Prices)
from. $120. per adult. 3. Provence Countryside Small Group Day Trip with Grasse Perfumery Visit from Nice. 58. Historical Tours. 6+ hours. Spare yourself the worry of car hire and parking on this convenient small-group day tour that visits Provence highlights….
Petit Train de Grasse
Rail Tours. from . $150.56. per adult (price varies by group size) Bar des fragrances Grasse. 28. Craft Classes . from . $37.91. ... the citizens of Grasse and the planet, to walk the short tour of Grasse. The gas powered rubber tire train is very polluting and creates traffic in Grasse. It's of good quality but a little jerky on cobble stone ...
Little Tourist Train (Grasse)
Over the course of this 35-minute trip, the train will take you through the historic streets and charming, narrow alleyways of Grasse's city center. See photos (2) Back to the list. Little Tourist Train. Cultural, Tourist transport, Tourist trains in Grasse. Description;
Petit Train de Grasse
Petit Train de Grasse, Grasse: See 209 reviews, articles, and 88 photos of Petit Train de Grasse, ranked No.7 on Tripadvisor among 43 attractions in Grasse. ... Rail Tours. from . C$208.00. per adult (price varies by group size) Bar des fragrances Grasse. 28. Craft Classes . from . C$52.37. per adult. Countryside Tour. 23. Bus Tours. from . C ...
Grasse Train Holidays & Rail Tours
Find out more with a free brochure and enjoy weekly travel inspiration and offers in our e-newsletter. ... Sign up to newsletter. 2 results matching: Escorted Rail Tours to Grasse. Filters. Layout. Sort by. Filter by. Clear All. Holiday type. Reset. Escorted tour. River cruise. Independent holiday. Holiday length. Reset. 1-5 days. 6-9 days. 10 ...
Petit Train de Grasse
Petit Train de Grasse, Grasse: See 209 reviews, articles, and 88 photos of Petit Train de Grasse, ranked No.7 on Tripadvisor among 44 attractions in Grasse.
our favourite Things To Do in Grasse, France
Alternatively, you can take the Nice Grasse bus service (the #500) departing from the Albert 1er / Verdun bus station. Travel time is around 90 minutes, and tickets cost €1.50 each way - check the full timetable here. Antibes to Grasse | The 45 minutes train service from Antibes costs €9 per person for a single ticket. There is no direct bus.
Things to do in Grasse, France
Monaco Grasse. By train: The journey from Monaco to Grasse takes about an hour and 40 minutes, while the #500 bus will take nearly 2.5 hours. Don't do it. Tours to Grasse, France. From Nice: You can do a Nice, France, Countryside Tour
15 Best Things To Do In Grasse, France
1. Tour a parfumerie. Source: Photo by user Dennis Jarvis used under CC BY-SA 2.0. A trip to this town won't be complete without touring a parfumerie. There are three "parfumeries" in Grasse - Fragonard, Molinard, and the oldest one, Galimard, which dates back to 1747.
Grasse trip planner: make a Grasse itinerary & map
The train was packed with tourists. Note that the first two cars are French only, the cars behind offer additional languages. The driver was a friendly and funny guy. Impressive how he navigated through narrow roads in Grasse! During the tour, the history of Grasse is explained in detail from an automated recording.
A Visit to Grasse France: Creating My Own Perfume
The one closest to the Fragonord perfume tour is at Place du Cours Honré Cresp. Bus: You can get buses to Grasse from nearby towns, including Cannes and Nice. Once arriving by bus, you will then be a 5-7 minute walk from the main attractions in the Old Town. Train: Grasse has a train station that connects with many Riviera towns. Once you ...
THE TOP 5 Grasse Tours & Excursions (UPDATED 2024)
A: The best tours in Grasse according to Viator travelers are: Classical Perfume Workshop in Grasse. Tastes & Scents of the Azureen hinterland. Perfume Making Class and Guided Visit of Fragonard in GRASSE. Perfume workshop for children in Grasse. Bar des fragrances Grasse.
Grasse Guided Tour • Official Tour Guide • Visit France
Grasse Guided Tour . Explore Grasse with your private tour guide . Your tour guide will show you the best of Grasse and be at your entire disposal. 2 hour private guided tour for up to 30 persons. Price per group from 1 to 30 persons; Only the people you invite will be part of the tour. The tour starts where you wish in Grasse.
20 Best Grasse Day Trips & Tours from Nice
Price is dependent on group size and itinerary. A small group full-day guided tour exploring Nice, Grasse, Gourdon and Valbonne is priced from €120 per person, including a guided perfumery tour and wine tasting. Private full-day tours including Nice, Antibes, Cannes, Grasse and Saint Paul de Vence cost from €800 for groups of up to eight ...
Tours → Grasse by Train from £92.98
Tours to Grasse by train. It takes an average of 12h 51m to travel from Tours to Grasse by train, over a distance of around 397 miles (639 km). There are normally 13 trains per day travelling from Tours to Grasse and tickets for this journey start from £92.98 when you book in advance. First train. 06:05.
Moscow Metro Tour with Friendly Local Guides
Moscow Metro private tours. 2-hour tour $87: 10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off. 3-hour tour $137: 20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.
Moscow metro tour
The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours' itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin's regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as "a people's palace". ... There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can ...
The Most Beautiful Stations on the Moscow Metro
Ploschad Revolyutsii. Back on the metro line 3 (but in the other direction), getting off at the 3rd stop - Ploschad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). This is located underneath the square in Moscow of the same name and is a short walk from Red Square in the city centre. It is the perfect place to end a visit around Moscow's metro.
Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations
The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited: 1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace.
The Maya Train Will Get You to All of Yucatán's Best Spots. But Not Yet
Designed to travel in a 965-mile loop when completed, the Maya Train will whisk passengers to the Yucatán Peninsula's colonial cities, archaeological sites, splashy resorts and tropical forests.
The essential guide to train travel in Ireland
The good news about traveling by train in Ireland is that it is relatively inexpensive compared to train travel in some places, such as the UK, for example. If you buy it online, a standard one-way fare between Dublin Heuston and Kent Station in Cork costs €30-35, and around €55 in first class. Online is the best place to buy your tickets ...
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Tourist Train, Grasse
Tourist Train, Grasse. Explore this historical Old Town of Grasse by train. featured in Guides & tours. Leaves daily throughout the summer months from the Cours Honoré Cresp plaza (across from the Palais des Congrès and main tourist office).

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Le Petit Train de Grasse

Tourist Train, Grasse

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Petit Train de Grasse

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Petit Train de Grasse - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Little Tourist Train

Petit Train de Grasse

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Also popular with travellers

Petit Train de Grasse - Things You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Petit Train de Grasse

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Also popular with travellers

PETIT TRAIN DE GRASSE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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A Visit to Grasse France: Creating My Own Perfume

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Learn about perfume.

Create Your own Perfume

The Galimard Perfume Creation Workshop:

Explore the Old Town of Grasse

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Some Final Thoughts on Grasse France

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Moscow Metro Tour

Description

Highlight of Metro Tour

Hotel Pick-up

Museum of Moscow Metro

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

Coffee Ring

Zodiac Metro

Paleontological finds

What you get:

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Moscow Metro

The Most Beautiful Stations on the Moscow Metro

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Komsomolskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Ploschad Revolyutsii

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Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

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