Nantes / The verdict
Nantes: which airport or train route?
Take the train to Gare de Nantes for most trips from Paris: SNCF Connect lists 21 trains a day, the fastest in 1h58, with fares from 10 euros. Fly into Nantes Atlantique when a direct route from your home airport exists.
By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.
The Nantes story
Nantes is the Loire valley's most playful city: a 12-metre mechanical elephant sprays water over the old shipyards, the dukes' moated castle opens its courtyard and rampart walk for free, the Passage Pommeraye's three-level staircase does the best shopping-arcade theatre in France, and a green painted line on the pavement leads you through the whole centre. The eating scene is among France's most compelling right now, Talensac market included.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Our pick: Take the train to Gare de Nantes (runner-up: Fly into Nantes Atlantique (NTE))
Take the train to Gare de Nantes for most trips from Paris: SNCF Connect lists 21 trains a day, the fastest in 1h58, with fares from 10 euros. Fly into Nantes Atlantique when a direct route from your home airport exists.
Go if
- You are starting in Paris or elsewhere on the French rail network
- Your home airport has a direct flight to Nantes Atlantique
- You are landing at Paris CDG on a long-haul flight and can catch a train at the airport station
Skip if
- You assumed the 1.80 euro city ticket rides the airport shuttle; the Navette needs its own 10 euro ticket
- Your flight lands after the last shuttle leaves the airport at midnight; budget a taxi
- You need a rail link at the airport; it is served only by the shuttle and buses
The options
Take the train to Gare de Nantes Go
Travelers starting in Paris or elsewhere on the SNCF network
Good
- SNCF Connect lists 21 Paris to Nantes trains a day, the fastest in 1h58
- Fares on the SNCF Connect route page start at 10 euros
- OUIGO Classique adult fares run from 10 to 49 euros on slower classic trains
- You arrive at Gare de Nantes, with trams and buses outside
Watch out
- The lowest fares are limited and come and go by date
- OUIGO Classique takes about 3h45 and some trains leave from Austerlitz or Massy rather than Montparnasse
- Flying into a Paris airport usually means getting across Paris first
SNCF Connect: Paris to Nantes times and faresOUIGO: Paris to Nantes
Fly into Nantes Atlantique (NTE) It depends
Travelers whose home airport offers a direct NTE route
Good
- A traveler flying direct from Dublin found the city center about 20 minutes away
- The 10 euro Navette runs every 20 minutes from April to October and every 30 minutes from November to March
- The Navette ticket also covers an hour on trams, buses, Navibus and TER trains in the metro area
- A London couple found flying in and hiring a car a better way to reach rural western France than the train via Paris
Watch out
- No rail link; the shuttle and buses 38 and 98 are the transit options
- The 1.80 euro city ticket is not valid on the Navette
- Onboard Navette tickets are card only
- A flight cancellation can strand a short trip, as one day-tripping pair found
Naolib: airport shuttle and buses 38 and 98Naolib: ticket pricesPrice a private airport transferpartner site
Fly into Paris CDG, then a train to Nantes It depends
Long-haul arrivals whose ticket already ends in Paris
Good
- Trains leave from the airport's own station, so some trips skip a cross-Paris transfer
- Bags ride with you from the airport station to Gare de Nantes
Watch out
- Direct trains from the airport are far fewer than from Montparnasse; check SNCF Connect before booking
- Missing a direct train means getting across Paris to Montparnasse
| Criterion | Take the train to Gare de Nantes | Fly into Nantes Atlantique (NTE) | Fly into Paris CDG, then a train to Nantes |
|---|---|---|---|
| From Paris | 21 trains a day on SNCF Connect, fastest 1h58 | Not direct; you would fly to NTE only via a hub | Check SNCF Connect for direct trains from the airport station |
| Cheapest transport fare | From 10 euros on SNCF Connect; OUIGO Classique 10 to 49 euros | Flight fare, plus a 10 euro shuttle or a taxi | SNCF fare on top of the flight |
| Arrival point | Gare de Nantes, trams and buses outside | Nantes Atlantique; shuttle about 20 minutes to the station | Gare de Nantes |
| Booking needed | Yes for the cheap fares | Airline booking as usual | SNCF ticket, bookable before landing |
| Bags | Ride with you into the center | Checked as usual, then the shuttle | Ride with you from the airport station |
What it costs
- Navette Aéroport single ticket: €10 (Free under 6; valid 1 hour on trams, buses, Navibus and TER trains in the metro area; onboard sales by card only). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Naolib 1-hour ticket (bus 38 or 98 plus tram): €1.80 (Not valid on the Navette; valid on the bus-and-tram airport alternatives). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Paris to Nantes train, lowest fare listed: €10 (From-price on the SNCF Connect route page; most days cost more). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- OUIGO Classique, Paris to Nantes, adult: €10 (Adult fares range from 10 to 49 euros; about 3h45 on classic trains). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 4 traveler reports (Aug 2025 to Oct 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 1 was negative.
What people like
- A traveler flying direct from Dublin found the city center about 20 minutes from the airport.
- A London couple heading to rural western France found flying into Nantes and hiring a car a better way in than the train via Paris, and plan to repeat it.
- A solo traveler found the airport shuttle very convenient after several long days on foot in the city.
What people complain about
- A mother-and-daughter day trip ended with them stuck in France when their flight home was cancelled.
How to do it right
- From Paris, book early on SNCF Connect: it lists 21 trains a day, the fastest in 1h58, with fares from 10 euros.
- On a tight budget, check OUIGO Classique: adult fares run from 10 to 49 euros for a ride of about 3h45.
- Landing at NTE, take the Navette: every 20 minutes from April to October and every 30 minutes from November to March, first departure from Hôtel Dieu at 4h30, last from the airport at midnight.
- Know that the station stop moved to the Gare Routière, quai A, on 30 March 2026; it is visible from the station mezzanine.
- For the cheapest link, take tram 2 or 3 to Pirmil and bus 38 to the airport with a 1.80 euro ticket; Naolib allows about 25 minutes from Pirmil.
- Staying a few days with sightseeing planned? The Pass Nantes includes one Navette trip each way.
The trap to avoid
Assuming the 1.80 euro city ticket covers the airport. Naolib says it works on the buses and trams but not on the Navette, which needs its own 10 euro ticket, sold onboard by card only.
Why this verdict
For most itineraries starting in Paris the train wins on the numbers. SNCF Connect lists 21 Paris to Nantes trains a day, the fastest in 1h58, with fares from 10 euros on its route page, and you step off at Gare de Nantes with trams and buses outside. On a tighter budget, OUIGO Classique sells adult fares from 10 to 49 euros, at the cost of a ride of about 3h45 and departures that may use Austerlitz or Massy rather than Montparnasse.
Flying earns its place when a direct route from your home airport exists. A travel blogger flying direct from Dublin found the city center about 20 minutes from the airport, and a London couple bound for rural western France found flying into Nantes and hiring a car a better way in than their usual train via Paris. The link into town is simple: the 10 euro Navette runs every 20 minutes from April to October and every 30 minutes in winter, and a solo traveler found it very convenient at the end of a long trip. The caveats are the airport’s lack of a rail link, the separate shuttle ticket that the 1.80 euro city fare does not cover, and the exposure every flight carries: one mother and daughter on a same-day trip ended up stuck in France when their flight home was cancelled.
The CDG option suits long-haul arrivals whose ticket already ends in Paris. Some trains leave from the airport’s own station, but far fewer than from Montparnasse, so check SNCF Connect for a direct departure before you plan a transfer across Paris.
Timing and tickets
Book trains early, since the lowest fares come and go by date. On the airport side, remember the Navette window: first departure from Hôtel Dieu at 4h30, last from the airport at midnight, with the station stop now at the Gare Routière, quai A. The 10 euro ticket is sold onboard by card only and doubles as an hour on the Naolib network; the Pass Nantes includes one trip each way. Taxis cover the overnight gap.
Book or check times
Naolib: airport shuttle and buses 38 and 98Naolib: ticket pricesSNCF Connect: Paris to Nantes times and faresOUIGO: Paris to Nantes
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Price a private airport transferpartner site
Where to stay
Staying in Nantes?
Bouffay and the castle quarter
OKKO Hotels Nantes Centre VilleCheck rates on Expediapartner siteBouffay
Maison MaubreuilCheck rates on Expediapartner siteGraslin and Commerce
Oceania Hotel de FranceCheck rates on Expediapartner siteWhich area of Nantes to stay in, based on traveler reports. Search Nantes hotels on Expedia partner site
Questions
How long is the shuttle from Nantes airport to the station?
Naolib gives about 20 minutes between the airport and the station, depending on traffic. The Navette also stops at the Cité des Congrès and Hôtel Dieu.
How much is the Nantes airport shuttle?
10 euros, free for children under 6. The ticket also covers an hour on the trams, buses, Navibus and TER trains inside the metro area, and the Pass Nantes includes one trip each way.
Train or plane from Paris to Nantes?
Train. SNCF Connect lists 21 Paris to Nantes trains a day, the fastest in 1h58, arriving at Gare de Nantes with trams outside.
Can I go straight from CDG airport to Nantes?
Some trains leave from the airport's own station, but far fewer than from Montparnasse. Check SNCF Connect for a direct departure before you book a cross-Paris transfer.
Is there a train station at Nantes airport?
No. The Navette and buses 38 and 98 are the public transport links, according to Naolib.
What is the cheapest way into town from NTE?
Bus 38 to Pirmil, then tram 2 or 3, on a 1.80 euro Naolib ticket. Naolib allows about 25 minutes from the airport to Pirmil.
Pack for it
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