Car, bike, motorcycle, scooter, camper van, bus, boat: there are many ways to get to the Ile de Ré. If you don’t have your own car, there are road and sea shuttles to get you around once you’re here. Buses and boats, cheaper than cabs, allow you to blend in with the locals. They also offer the chance to admire the indented coastline with its lighthouses and superb coves, fishing ports, salt marshes and charming villages.
Buses to the island of Ré
The Nouvelle Aquitaine region provides coaches on the La Rochelle-Ile de Ré route (line 3/3E). Buses leave from the SNCF train station, Belvedère, Place Verdun and La Rochelle airport, cross the Ile de Ré bridge and stop in all the island’s communes. The journey takes between 30 minutes (Rivedoux-Plage) and 2 hours (Portes-en-Ré). Daily, weekly, monthly and annual packages are available.
Two electric shuttles are also available:
- the bridge crossing from La Rochelle to L’île de Ré
- the circular shuttle, which connects the island’s villages
River shuttles
Several shipping companies based in the port of La Rochelle can take you by boat to the ports of Saint-Martin, La Flotte, Rivedoux or Ars-en-Ré. On the Ile de Ré, you’ll find the largest number of companies offering boat trips around Saint-Martin.
Rates can vary widely depending on the company and the number of passengers. Take the time to compare several before making your choice.
Do you prefer bicycle touring? Get on your bike and explore the 110 km of cycle paths that criss-cross the Ile de Ré.
