Getting to UNICAEN

UNICAEN is an academic community of campuses in and around Caen. Our six distinct campuses offer an array of diverse learning environments.

Caen campuses

There are several ways to get to Caen.

To get to Caen by train from Paris, you must go to the Gare Saint-Lazare (SNCF train station).

From Roissy Charle de Gaulle airport (CDG):

  • Roissy bus: €16,60 (bus stop: Opéra Madeleine, with a 10-minute walk to Saint-Lazare)
  • Taxi: €50 (flat fare, including luggage and multi-passengers)
  • RER B + metro : €10,30

From Orly airport (OR):

  • Orlyval + RER: €18
  • Taxi: €35 (flat fare, including luggage and multi-passengers)
  • Metro 14 : €10,30

From other Paris train stations (Lyon, Montparnasse, Nord, Est & Austerlitz), take the subway (€2,15): detailed metro map at www.ratp.fr

Once you are at the Paris Saint-Lazare train station, you can board a train to Caen. It takes between 1.45 & 2.15 hours depending on the train. Useful fact: all trains to Cherbourg stop in Caen.
The normal one-way fare is €36. By booking in advance, you can find discount rates starting at €16 for a one-way ticket.
Schedules and reservations at www.sncf-connect.com

Two bus companies connect Caen to Paris: Blablabus & Flixbus.

It is mandatory to make a reservation in advance. If you anticipate your booking, you may find low-cost one-way tickets under €10.

The airport of Caen-Carpiquet has flights from/to Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, London, etc.
More information on flights and airlines at https://caen-airport.com/

Once you are at the airport, take the Twisto Liane 3 bus to downtown Caen. Information on schedules and bus stops is available here.

Depending on where you start your journey, it is always possible to get to Caen by car.
If you come on your own, we recommend that you trust the GPS app of your choice to find the best itinerary.

You can also use a car-pool platform such as Blablacar to share the ride with other people, either as a driver or a passenger. It is cheaper and more fun than traveling alone !

Finally, if you are crossing the English Channel, you can depart from Portsmouth, UK, with Brittany Ferries. There are 3 daily ferries to the port of Caen-Ouistreham.

Once in Ouistreham, you are only 15 minutes away from downtown Caen with the Twisto bus line N.12 (bus stop: Ouistreham port).

If you are going to study at the campus of Cherbourg, you can also cross directly to Cherbourg from Portsmouth or Poole, UK.

For information regarding local transportation in Caen and its suburbs, please refer to our transportation section.

The campuses of Cherbourg and Alençon

The cities of Alençon and Cherbourg are both accessible by train from Paris :

  • Cherbourg from the Gare Paris Saint Lazare (SNCF train station) (about 3.15 hours)
  • Alençon from the Gare Paris Montparnasse (SNCF train station): you will need to change trains in either Le Mans or Argentan. (about 2.20 hours)

For all your train journeys: https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/

Campus maps