EAIE Toulouse 2024

Discover the best ways to reach Toulouse from abroad and plan your trip.

Travel

Calculate your carbon footprint

This year, we are collaborating with Green Solutions to provide you with a carbon calculator to measure your footprint.

Measure your impact

Toulouse, a delightful city in the picturesque southwest of France, offers a range of convenient travel options to suit various preferences. It is easily accessible from Paris and major transportation hubs across Europe.

If you are looking to find the best routes to travel to Toulouse this September, take a look at some essential information about modes of transport available and the easiest ways to reach MEETT, this year's conference centre. Participants will also receive a free public transport card which they can pick up during badge collection. This free travel card is kindly sponsored by the Toulouse Convention Bureau.

Free travel card

The EAIE provides all participants with a free travel card, kindly sponsored by the Toulouse Convention Bureau. This card will be valid from the first moment of usage for four consecutive days.

Plan your route

 

Reaching and exploring Toulouse

Travelling to Toulouse

Toulouse by train

Participants can use various modes of transport to reach Toulouse. The city has an excellent rail connection, especially within France. Toulouse-Matabiau station is a hub for the French high-speed rail network, TGV. You can easily reach Toulouse from Paris, Bordeaux and Barcelona.  

Toulouse by plane

The Toulouse Blagnac airport has numerous daily flights connecting Toulouse to cities across Europe, and the airport is directly linked to the Matabiau station by frequent shuttle buses (every 20 minutes), with ticket purchase options available at the shuttle bus, Automatic Ticket Dispensers, Tisséo Agencies, and Pierre Sémard bus station. 

Toulouse by bus

There is a direct bus service to Toulouse from different European cities; these buses usually arrive at the central bus station, making it convenient to access the heart of Toulouse upon arrival. There are direct bus options from Paris to Toulouse Boulevard Piererre Semard, near Matabiau station, taking around 9 hours and 30 minutes with an average cost of 80 euro, operating from 06:00 to 23:00.

Getting around in Toulouse

Toulouse is a charming city that can be easily explored on foot or by bike, especially the Old Town along the right side of the river. Please visit the Toulouse tourism website for more information about the city. Toulouse has an excellent public transport system – you can travel by bus, tram, metro and Teleo – France's longest urban aerial tramway. The best way to plan your trip within the city is using Tisseo for local public transport scheduled and timings. 

The EAIE advises to use the public transport system as much as possible and asks for your support in limiting the use of taxis. There is a tram going from Toulouse city centre (tram stop Palais de Justice T1) directly to MEETT (final destination). The journey will take around 45 minutes.

From the airport to the city centre

The most convenient option is to travel from the airport to the city centre by shuttle bus. The bus stops at the Pierre Baudis Conference Centre (Compans Caffarelli station), the centre of Toulouse, Jeanne d’Arc station (line B), Jean Jaurès station (lines A and B), Matabiau Station (train, metro, bus, coach). The journey takes approximately 30 minutes, with an average ticket cost of 9 euro. 

From city centre to MEETT (conference centre) 

Conference address: MEETT, Concorde Avenue, 31840 Aussonne, France

By tram:
MEETT is easily accessible by tram, with Line T1 connecting the city centre directly to the conference centre. The line encompasses 25 stations from Toulouse (Palais de Justice) to MEETT, with a journey time of approximately 45 minutes. The average price for a single ticket is 1.80 euro. 

By car: 
For those who drive, the conference centre is reachable by car in around 25 minutes from the city centre. MEETT offers parking facilities with a capacity for 5000 cars. Parking for an hour at the venue costs 2.54 euro including VAT.

By bike:
Toulouse is a bicycle-friendly city with dedicated bike lanes and a bike-sharing system called "VélôToulouse” and you can reach the conference centre via line 1 (Seilh) in approximately 50 minutes.  

Transportation and shuttle buses

In addition to the existing public transport system, shuttle buses will be deployed to reinforce the capacity. The shuttle buses will leave from Gare Routière de Toulouse, which is a short walk from Toulouse Matabiau train station and Marengo Metro station (line A, red). From Gare Routière de Toulouse, shuttle buses will depart directly to MEETT conference centre without any stops. Depending on traffic, the journey will take between 25 and 45 minutes. Buses will depart approximately every 10–15 minutes.

Along the railway station you will see signs on the outside of the windows pointing you in the right direction.

Morning schedule:

Pick-up point: Bus Station ‘Gare Routiere’ close to Matabiau Train Station

  • Tuesday: 07:30–10:00
  • Wednesday: 07:30–10:00
  • Thursday 07:30–10:00
  • Friday: 07:30–10:00
Afternoon schedule:

Pick-up point: the tram and bus stop ‘MEETT’ in front of the venue. Please follow the ‘Exit to tram/bus stop’ signs in the conference centre. 

  • Tuesday: 17:30–19:00 (Please note, that this is a special route. The drop-off point for all buses on Tuesday afternoon is the Jean Jaurés area close to the Victor Hugo Market where the Opening Reception is taking place.)
  • Wednesday: 17:00–19:00
  • Thursday: 17:00–19:00
  • Friday (two routes available): 
    •  To the Matabiau train station: 12:00–17:00 
    •  To Toulouse Airport: 12:00–17:00
Transport to other activities:

Additional transportation will be provided for the following activities: Netwalking: Every litter bit helps!, Networking Journey EMPOWER, Morning Exercise: Energise & Stretch, Morning Exercise: Sightseeing Run, Early-bird Yoga, and Networking Journey ENLIGHTEN. Please refer to the session descriptions in the Programme for exact times and locations.

Buses for the Campus Experience will depart from MEETT. The pick-up point is Session Room 13 and participants will guided to their respective buses following the Introduction to Higher Education in France session.

Tips on travelling more responsibly

Travelling and attending the EAIE Conference has an undeniable impact on the environment. On this page, you can find tips to measure your journey’s footprint and make more conscious and eco-friendly choices ‘en route’ to and during your stay in Toulouse. 

How to make your trip more sustainable
  • If you are flying, choose an airline with the lowest carbon footprint, book economy class and pack lightly.  
  • Go digital, choose paperless: If you are travelling by train or plane, go paperless and use digital tickets and boarding passes to reduce waste.  
  • Avoid plastic: Bring your reusable coffee cup and water bottle to avoid buying plastic bottles and cups.  
  • If you are taking the car, make sure you adjust your tire pressure for optimal gas mileage and consider carpooling with colleagues to Toulouse to share your footprint.  
  • Pack your toiletries in reusable and refillable travel bottles, to avoid buying travel-sized toiletries that cause more waste. 
Reduce your footprint in Toulouse 
  • Make sure you use your free public transport card that you will receive upon badge collection, to get around the city.  
  • In the city, make sure you explore on foot or by bike. You can also rent bikes and bike to MEETT Convention Centre from the city centre.  
  • Drink the tap water and use your refillable water bottle around the venue and the city. 
  • Go digital and use the virtual platform to get your latest session schedule and plan meetings with other participants. 

Visa information

EU citizens do not need a visa to visit Toulouse. Visitors from non-EU countries may require a visa and must possess a passport valid for at least three months.  

Visa applications 

Please check the entry requirements for France to review the visa rules for your own situation. The EAIE will issue visa invitation letters to participants from countries requiring a visa to enter France, but only upon full payment of the conference registration fee. To request an invitation letter, kindly contact the EAIE Office. Please allow up to five business days for the processing of an invitation letter. A digital copy in PDF format can be provided at no cost. However, charges may apply for a hard copy, and the requester is responsible for arranging its collection.

Deadlines and cancellations 

Participants requiring a visa invitation letter should register for the conference before the end of July to ensure that the letter arrives in time. The EAIE does not give any further support to the visa application process. Obtaining a visa remains the sole responsibility of the participant. Regular cancellation deadlines apply, regardless of whether your visa was granted or not. 

#TravelwithCANIE to Toulouse

This year, we are collaborating with the Travel with CANIE initiative to highlight sustainable ways to travel in the international education sector. If you are participating in this movement, feel free to use #TravelwithCANIE and share your journey. Don’t forget to pick up an ‘I travelled green’ pin at the EAIE Sustainability Corner in the Exhibition Hall.