French Polynesia
Trains in French Polynesia: tickets, passes and routes
There is no train network in French Polynesia, so skip rail passes entirely. Islands are linked by Air Tahiti flights, ferries and inter-island ships, and you move around each island by hire car, bus, bicycle or scooter. Plan around flight and ferry timetables instead of rail ones.
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GuideFrench Polynesia
Key facts
- Passenger rail in French Polynesiacheck
- None — no scheduled train service on any island
- Rail passescheck
- Not sold; no pass exists to buy
- What replaces trains
- Air Tahiti flights, ferries (Papeete–Moorea), inter-island ships
- Getting around one island
- Hire car, bus on Tahiti, bicycle, e-bike or scooter
- Papeete–Moorea ferry
- 30–45 min, XPF 1,500–2,000 one way (2026 estimate)
- Air Tahiti inter-island flight
- 50 min air, XPF 20,000–35,000 one way (2026 estimate)
- Book flights ahead for
- July–August and Christmas, when seats fill
Details
French Polynesia is 118 islands spread over an area the size of Europe, and none of them ever had a railway. There is no track, no station, no ticket office and no rail pass. Anyone selling you a "French Polynesia rail pass" is selling something else, or nothing.
That changes the planning question. Instead of asking which pass to buy, ask which transport mode fits each leg. Between islands, the answer is almost always a flight or a ferry. On an island, it is a road vehicle or your own legs.
The practical sequence for a first trip: fly into Faa'a International (PPT) on Tahiti, take the ferry to Moorea if it is on your list, and use Air Tahiti turboprops for anything further. Air Tahiti links more than 45 islands, so it is the backbone of the country's transport, not rail.
On land, Tahiti has a coastal bus network at XPF 200–300 a ride, and a hire car makes sense for the 115 km loop. Moorea's 60 km ring road suits a car or scooter. Bora Bora's 32 km road is easy by bicycle or e-bike, and the same goes for Huahine, Maupiti and the atolls.
If you were counting on trains to keep costs down, the budget lever here is different: ferries are cheap, flights are not, and multi-island air passes can cut the flight bill if your route fits the fixed set order.
Summary table
| Question | Answer | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Is there a train in French Polynesia? | No scheduled passenger rail anywhere | Use flights, ferries and ships |
| Can I buy a rail pass? | No pass exists | Compare Air Tahiti multi-island passes instead |
| How do I cross between islands? | Air Tahiti flights, ferries, inter-island ships | Book flights with your international ticket |
| How do I move around one island? | Hire car, bus, bicycle, e-bike, scooter | Reserve a car for Tahiti and Moorea |
| What does it cost? | Ferry XPF 1,500–2,000; flight XPF 20,000–35,000 one way (2026 estimate) | Budget the flight legs first |
| When do seats run out? | July–August and Christmas | Book early for those dates |
No rail operator exists to publish timetables or fares; the figures above are the country's air and sea transport, not rail (check).
Tips
Do not build an itinerary around rail timetables, because there are none. Build it around Air Tahiti's schedule and the ferry times between Papeete and Moorea.
Ferries between Papeete and Moorea run several times a day and take 30–45 minutes. The last boats leave in the early evening, so a late arrival on Tahiti usually means a night in Papeete first.
Air Tahiti tickets on most fares allow 23 kg of checked baggage and 5 kg in the cabin. Packing light avoids paying for extra weight on every inter-island hop.
Multi-island air passes only work if you fly the set route in one direction without backtracking, so sketch the island order before you book. Check which passes are still on sale.
On Tahiti, buses are cheap but sparse after dark and on Sundays. If your plans run into the evening, a hire car or taxi is the realistic option.
Inter-island ships such as the Apetahi Express and cargo vessels serve the Leeward Islands and remote atolls, but timetables change. Treat any sailing date as provisional until confirmed.
For the Marquesas, the Aranui is a cruise-priced cargo-passenger trip rather than a ferry, and it is the main way to combine those islands in one journey.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is the train a good way to get around French Polynesia?
No. French Polynesia has no passenger rail service on any island, so there is no train to take. Inter-island travel is by Air Tahiti flights, ferries and ships, and local travel is by car, bus, bicycle or scooter.
Do I need a rail pass for French Polynesia?
No. No rail pass exists because there is no railway. If you want a multi-leg transport pass, look at Air Tahiti's multi-island flight passes instead, which cover three or more islands in a fixed order.
How far in advance should I book trains in French Polynesia?
There are no trains to book. For the transport that does exist, book Air Tahiti flights with your international ticket for July–August and Christmas, and reserve ferry car spaces and hire cars ahead for weekends.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check