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   London-Tunisia

Train travel in Tunisia . . .

Train timetables & fare for Tunisia, between Tunis, Sousse, Sfax & Gabes...

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Country information

Ferries to Tunisia:

 

Marseille-Tunis, Genoa-Tunis:  SNCM (French) & CTN (Tunisian):  www.sncm.fr.

Genoa-Tunis: Grandi Navi Veloci:  www.gnv.it.

 

 

Train operator in Tunisia:

Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Tunisiens - www.sncft.com.tn.

Time:

GMT+1 all year round.

Currency:

£1 = approx 2.3 Dinars.   $1 = 1.3 Dinars.    Click here for a currency converter

Tourist information:

www.cometotunisia.co.uk.      Recommended guidebooks

Visas:

UK citizens do not need a visa to visit Tunisia.

Page last updated:

24 July 2008


Train travel in Tunisia...

  A Tunisian Railways air-conditioned express train from Tunis to Gabes, seen at Sfax

Above:  An air-conditioned rapide at Sfax.

he Tunisian Railways (SNCFT) are easily the best way to travel between Tunis, Sousse, El Jem, Sfax and Gabès.  There is also a branch line from Sousse to Monastir and Mahdia, and several other routes.  Trains are comfortable, modern and air-conditioned.

On this page:

Tunis-Carthage-Marsa

Tunis-Sousse-Monastir-El Jem-Sfax-Gabès

Bizerte, Kalaâ Kasbah, Kairouan

Fares

Lézard Rouge tourist train

International links

On other pages:

London to Tunisia by train+ferry in just 48 hours

Sponsored links:

Tunis to Carthage & Marsa

There is a light railway (run by SMLT) linking Tunis centre, La Goullette (for the ferry terminal to Marseille and Genoa), Carthage (for the ancient ruins & Byrsa Hill) and Marsa Plage.  Departures are at frequent intervals from 04:00-00:50 and the fare about 0.7 dinar (UK £0.35).

Tunis to Sousse, Sfax, Gabès, Tozeur

Tunisian trains have three classes of accommodation:  2nd class, 1st class and 'classe confort'.  2nd class is perfectly adequate, 1st class very comfortable.  'Classe confort' is very similar to 1st class, but with more space.  The night trains have no sleeping berths, just seats.  You can double-check times at the official SNCFT website, www.sncft.com.tn.

Tunis ► Sousse ► Sfax ► Gabès / Tozeur

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily

Mon-Fri

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily
Tunis 0600 0800 0905 1010 1205 1305 1335 1540 1630 1735 1800 1845 2050 2220
Sousse (Kalaâ Séghira)  

|

0937

|

|

|

1450 1520 1735 1807

|

1945 2040

|

|

Sousse (Ville)  x 0807

|

1100 1225 1415

|

1527 1742

|

1927

|

2048 2240 0025
Monastir x

|

|

| 1507

|

|

|

|

|

Mahdia x

|

|

| 1602

|

|

|

|

|

El Jem 0900

|

1318 1537

|

2031 2348 0118
Sfax 1000 1100 1435 1628 1935 2120 0100 0215
Gafsa

|

1749

|

|

0347

|

Metlaoui

|

1826

|

|

0424

|

Tozeur

|

1914 |

|

0512

|

Gabès 1203   1830 2125 0415

Sousse Kalaâ Séghira station is 8km west of Sousse and is easily reached from the town centre by louage (shared taxi).

s =  change at Sfax.

x =  regular electric trains link Sousse (Sousse Bab Jedid station, 500m from Sousse Ville) with Monastir & Mahdia every hour or so throughout the day.

Gabès / Tozeur ► Sfax ► Sousse ► Tunis

Mon-Fri Daily Mon-Fri Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily
Gabès 0500   1115 1610 0005
Tozeur

|

0630

|

|

|

2030
Metlaoui

|

0721

|

|

|

2121
Gafsa

|

0800

|

|

|

2200
Sfax  0525 0653 1115 1325 1630 1822 0210 0115
El Jem 0615

|

1202 1412

|

1915 0257 0208
Mahdia x

|

|

|

|

|

1658

|

|

|

Monastir x

|

|

|

|

|

1800

|

|

|

Sousse (Ville) 0545 x 0650 0723 | 0835 1215 1315

|

1600 | 1853 2022 0404 0315
Sousse (Kalaâ Séghira)  0553   | | 0817

|

|

| 1458

|

1754 | | | |
Tunis  0756 0844 0915 0953 1028 1414 1505 1643 1751 1930 2049 2215 0554 0507

Sousse Kalaâ Séghira station is 8km west of Sousse and is easily reached from the town centre by louage (shared taxi).

s = change at Sfax.

x = regular electric trains link Sousse, Monastir & Mahdia every hour or so throughout the day.

Grand Confort class on a Tunisian train from Sfax & Sousse to TunisRight:  'Classe confort' seating on a Tunisian rapide.  I have to confess that the feet on the seat in front are mine...  More pictures of what Tunisian express trains are like (Japanese website).

Tunis Bizerte

98km, journey 1 hour 35 minutes, 2nd class only.  Departures from Tunis at 05:55 (Mon-Fri only), 11:55, 14:30 (Fri & Sat only), 16:10 (daily except Fri & Sat), 18:25.  Departures from Bizerte at 05:40 (Mon-Fri only), 08:20, 14:15, 18:35.  See www.sncft.com.tn.

Tunis Kalaâ Kasbah

Trains leave Tunis at 06:02 and 14:15 arriving at Kalaâ Kasbah at 11:05 and 19:11 respectively.  Returning, trains leave Kalaâ Kasbah at 05:45 and 12:45 arriving Tunis at 10:32 & 17:35 respectively.  See www.sncft.com.tn.

Kairouan

There is no railway station at Kairouan, but regular SNTRI buses run from Sousse to Kairouan taking 1½ hours, and from Tunis to Kairouan every hour taking 2¼ hours.  There are also shared taxis ('louages') from Sousse to Kairouan about every 30 minutes throughout the day.

How to check Tunisian train times:

Tunisian railways has an official website at www.sncft.com.tn.  It's easy to book Tunisian rail tickets at the main station in central Tunis - bookings only open 3 days in advance, so don't worry about pre-booking before you get to Tunisia.

Fares

Approximate one-way fare: Grande confort 1st class 2nd class
Tunis to Sousse 12 dinar (£5.50 or $9) 10 dinar (£4.75 or $8) 6 dinar (£3 or $5)
Tunis to Sfax 17 dinar (£8 or $14) 15 dinar (£7 or $12) 11.5 dinar (£5.50 or $9)
Tunis to Gabès 23 dinar (£12 or $19) 20 dinar (£10 or $17) 15 dinar (£7 or $12)
Tunis to Monastir  -  - 7 dinar (£3.50 or $6)

Children aged 0 to 3 travel free, children 4 to 9 travel at 75% of the adult fare, children 10 and over pay full fare.

10-day return tickets carry a discount of 15% over the cost of two one-way tickets.

Railpasses - 'Carte Bleue'

Tunisian Railways offer an excellent 'Carte Bleue' railpass for 7, 15 or 21 days for unlimited travel in 1st, 2nd or 'grand confort' class.  Prices for a 7-day pass are around 19.5 dinar (£10) 2nd class, 27.3 dinar (£13) 1st class, 29.3 dinar (£14) grand confort.  Prices for a 15-day pass are twice the 7-day price, 21-day prices are three times the 7-day price.  Although the pass gives you unlimited travel, you still need to pay a small air-conditioning supplement for travel on any air-conditioned train, which means almost all the long-distance ones - in 2nd class the supplement is 0.7 dinar for up to 100km, 0.9 dinar for 101-160km, 1.4 dinar for 161-300km and 1.8 dinar for over 300km.  Just pay this supplement at the ticket office before making each journey using the pass.

Railpasses can be bought at Tunisian railway stations - in theory you need a passport sized photo to buy these passes, but it is reported that showing your passport may be sufficient.  feedback is always appreciated.

Lézard Rouge tourist train

A privately-run tourist train called the Lézard Rouge runs from Metlaoui to the Gorges de Selja, a 40 minute, 43 km ride through spectacular scenery.  It runs from 1 May to 30 September, daily except Mondays, departing Metlaoui at 11:00, arriving at Gorges de Selja 11:40, departing Gorges de Selja 12:00 arriving Metlaaoui 12:45.  The fare is 9.50 dinar.  There is information, currently only in French, at www.sncft.com.tn - look for 'tourisme' then 'trains touristiques'.  More pictures of the Lézard Rouge train (Japanese website).

 

International links...

Ferries to Europe...

Comfortable ferry liners link Tunis with Marseille & Genoa (several weekly) and Sicily (once per week).  See the London to Tunisia page.

To Algeria & Morocco...

Although the French colonial government built a railway from Tunis through Algeria to Morocco, it no longer operates across the borders, only within each country.  Algeria is generally unsafe for western visitors and non-essential travel to Algeria is not advisable - see www.fco.gov.uk for travel advice.  The border between Algeria & Morocco is currently closed, so it's not possible to travel overland between Tunisia and Morocco.

To Libya & Egypt...

Although the border is open and there are bus services (but no trains) across Libya from the Tunisian border to the Egyptian border, the Libyan government does not grant visas to independent travellers, only to visitors on organised tours or whose travel is organised by a recognised Libyan tour agency.


Hotels in Tunis

The Hôtel Majestic on the main Avenue de Paris in Tunis has the best French colonial facade in town...  It's clean, comfortable and central, and rooms with en suite facilities cost around £15-20 per night.  Telephone +216 (0) 71 332 666 or e-mail Majestic@gnet.tn.

Majestic Hotel, Tunis

Lonely Planet Tunisia - click to buy onlineRough Guide to Tunisia - click to buy onlineLonely Planet North Africa - click to buy onlineYou should take a good guidebook.  For the independent traveller this means either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  I personally prefer the layout of the Lonely Planets, but others prefer the Rough Guides.  Both provide an excellent level of practical information and historical background.  You won't regret buying one..!

Lonely Planet Tunisia

Rough Guide to Tunisia

Lonely Planet North Africa

The North Africa guide is less detailed and older (1995) than the guide for Tunisia, but it covers Morocco, Libya and Egypt as well as Tunisia.

Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable - click to buy onlineThomas Cook European Timetable - click to buy onlineThe Thomas Cook European Timetable has train, bus and ferry times for every country in Europe, including European Turkey from Istanbul westwards.

The Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable is probably the most adventurous timetable ever produced... It has train, bus and ferry times for every country in the world outside Europe, including Asian Turkey from Istanbul eastwards.

These timetables are essential for any serious overland traveller, and an inspiration for armchair travellers..!  Each timetable costs £13.50 from the bureau de change section of any branch of Thomas Cook, or you can buy online at www.thomascooktimetables.com.


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