Tram A keeps moving when the ring road is jammed at 18:00
Tram A is the backbone line running east–west through Bordeaux, and it’s the option locals mention when they want to dodge the A630 ring‑road traffic that can snarl airport coaches for 30–40 minutes. The catch: as of 2026 the tram still doesn’t reach the BOD terminals at Hall A, Hall B or billi, so you finish the trip with a short bus ride or a walk.
In the city core, Tram A runs every 4–6 minutes at peak between St‑Jean station and Mériadeck, then stretches to 8–12 minutes once you’re out toward Mérignac, especially after about 21:00. That frequency is what makes it attractive if you’re already staying near stops like Hôtel de Ville, Pey Berland, or St‑Bruno and you’d rather stand on a platform than sit in ring‑road traffic.
Time from central Bordeaux (Hôtel de Ville) to the Mérignac sector is roughly 35–40 minutes on Tram A, and regulars factor in another 15–25 minutes for the airport transfer by Ligne 1+ or on foot. Locals on r/bordeaux often report total door‑to‑terminal times of 55–65 minutes using this combo, which can match or beat the direct coach during rush hour between 17:00 and 19:30.
Tickets for Tram A sit in the TBM system: a single “Tickarte” costs around €1.80 and covers 1 hour of travel, including tram–bus transfers, while a 10‑trip carnet comes in near €14. Validate every time you board or change vehicles; inspectors do ride Tram A, especially on the busy central section between Quinconces and Mériadeck.
What regulars do: they ride Tram A out to Mérignac Centre or Mérignac Centre‑Hôtel de Ville, then hop to Ligne 1+ toward the airport rather than taking the bus all the way from Bordeaux. Several locals specifically mention avoiding the worst crush by leaving after 09:30 and before about 16:30, so they’re not wedged in with commuters around Mériadeck and Hôtel de Ville.
Watch out for slowdowns at intersections between St‑Bruno and Mérignac, where Tram A can crawl behind traffic and lose 5–10 minutes, plus serious crowding in the core section at classic rush peaks around 08:00–09:00 and 17:00–19:00. Build that slack into your airport buffer so a red light on Cours d’Albret doesn’t cost you a flight out of Hall B.
Practical tip: aim to board your last Tram A toward Mérignac at least 1 hour 30 before check‑in cut‑off, then give yourself a hard cut at Mérignac to jump to Ligne 1+ or walk so you reach Hall A, Hall B, or billi with 60 minutes still in hand.
- Step 1: From central Bordeaux, walk to the nearest Tram A stop, such as Hôtel de Ville or Mériadeck, at least 1 hour 45 before your planned airport arrival.
- Step 2: Buy a TBM ticket for about €1.80 from the platform machine and validate it in the yellow or grey validator before boarding Tram A.
- Step 3: Ride Tram A toward Mérignac for roughly 30–40 minutes, watching for stops like Mérignac Centre that line up with your preferred airport bus connection.
- Step 4: Get off at Mérignac Centre (or another signed interchange stop), then follow signs or local maps to the Ligne 1+ bus stop heading to Aéroport Bordeaux‑Mérignac.
- Step 5: Validate the same ticket again on Ligne 1+ if you’re still within the 1‑hour window, or buy a new one on the platform or bus, and ride 10–20 minutes to the airport stops serving Hall A, Hall B, and billi.