The Ile de Ré is very easily accessible by various means of transport. La Rochelle is on the other side of the bridge and La Rochelle train station is not far. Various buses go to all the villages on the Ile de Ré from both the centre of La Rochelle and the station.
However, by far the favourite means of getting around is by bike. A full section is dedicated to cycling on the Île de Ré, from cycle paths to bike hire.
The duration of flights between the United Kingdom & La Rochelle is approximately 1h15. La Rochelle Airport is just a 5-minute drive from the Île de Ré Bridge.
Transfer from La Rochelle airport: there is a direct bus service from La Rochelle Airport to the Ile de Ré only in July and August, Out of this period, there is no direct bus service from La Rochelle Airport to the Ile de Ré. For a direct transfer, car hire or taxis are available at the airport. For example, the cost of a taxi ride to Saint-Martin is approx. €40, this price depends on the Ile de Re’s village you are going to (the distance between Rivedoux – the first village after the bridge – and Les Portes en Re – the last village – is about 35 km).
More information on www.larochelle.aeroport.fr
Cost of Ile de Re’s toll bridge (round trip ticket):
Approx. distances from … to the Ile de Re:
Express Train from Paris (TGV) takes approx 3 hours. There is a bus link between La Rochelle train station and the Ile de Ré will take around 1 hour. Car hire or taxis are available at the station (for example, the cost of a taxi ride to Saint-Martin de Re is approx. €60, this price depends on the Ile de Re’s village you are going to).
For the bus service, more information in the paragraph “By bus” below .
All year round, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region’s bus line 3/3E « La Rochelle-Ile de Ré » stops in Ile de Ré’s 10 villages. From La Rochelle (SNCF train station, place de Verdun, Belvédère, airport – depending on the season), travel times vary between 30 minutes to reach Rivedoux-Plage, the first village on the island after having crossed the bridge, and can reach up to 2 hours for destinations like les Portes-en-Ré, the village at the very end of the island. The 3E bus line corresponds with the TGVs (high-speed trains) which arrive in La Rochelle’s train station and stop on demand with the driver. Bookings aren’t necessary. During medium (April to June and September) and peak (July-August) seasons, the 3 bus line serves La Rochelle’s airport. However, outside these periods, to reach the Ile de Ré from the airport, one would have to go via La Rochelle’s town centre. Find all the information you need (timetables, tariffs, points of sale): >on transports.nouvelle-aquitaine.fr >at the ‘Maison de la Mobilité’ (Place de Verdun in La Rochelle) >calling the number 0033 811 36 17 17 (service 0,06€/min + cost of the call) from Mondays to Saturdays from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM (except bank holidays). During the summertime, from June to September, until 8:00 PM and 7/7 days.
You’ll find in the welcome booklet this list of taxi companies which we tend to work with: