The month weighs more than everything else put together
In our readings of 25 July 2026, the calendar is the leading price factor — but how much it weighs depends on the route. For a foot passenger in a reclining seat on Marseille–Ajaccio, the fare climbs to an average of €74.46 in July 2026 and falls back to around €35.82 on average in January 2027. Marseille–Bastia follows the same slope: €108.60 in July 2026 against €55.37 in January 2027. Toulon–Ajaccio stays far flatter: €32.48 on average in November 2026, its cheapest month, against €46.78 in August 2026, its most expensive.
On the Marseille routes, the gap therefore plays out between the depths of winter and the summer peak — several months separate the July 2026 high from the January 2027 low, not a handful of weeks. On Toulon–Ajaccio, the swing stays contained across the whole window observed.
Two adults, two children and a car with a cabin on Marseille–Bastia start at €357.47 in July 2026 — the monthly average rises to €609.50 — and at €239.47 in January 2027. Our data covers June to December 2026 and then January 2027 on Marseille–Ajaccio and Marseille–Bastia; Toulon–Ajaccio adds February and March 2027.
The day of the week: a quieter lever
The day counts, without ever rivalling the month. On Marseille–Ajaccio, Tuesday comes out cheapest on average for the foot passenger (€48.70) against €56.44 on Friday. Marseille–Bastia sets its low on Wednesday (€64.77 on average) and its high on Sunday (€81.37). Toulon–Ajaccio is almost flat: €36.96 on average on Tuesday, €39.90 on Monday. On that last route, picking your day shifts the average by no more than €2.94.
The departure port changes the equation for the same island
To reach Ajaccio, Toulon is the cheapest departure: from €21.26 for a foot passenger via Corsica Ferries, €38.27 on average. Next come Sète, from €33.00 via Corsica Ferries (€42.40 on average), then Nice, from €33.00 via Corsica Ferries (€44.50 on average), and Marseille, from €34.02 via La Méridionale (€51.85 on average).
For Bastia, the spread of ports is wider still: Toulon holds the floor, at €20.86 via Corsica Ferries, ahead of Savona (€22.26), Livorno (€27.50), Nice (€31.00) and Piombino (€35.00), while Marseille via Corsica Linea never drops below €46.37. Genoa, served by Moby Lines, shows up at €50.75 (€59.23 on average). From one French port to the next, the entry price therefore runs from the lowest — Toulon — to the dearest, Marseille.
The company counts, even aboard the same ship
Marseille–Ajaccio is the only one of the three routes served by two companies, La Méridionale and Corsica Linea, which share the service (public service delegation) and sell each other's crossings by allocation. For the foot passenger in a reclining seat, La Méridionale posts €34.02 at the minimum and €47.61 on average, and holds the vast majority of the cheapest dates; Corsica Linea starts at €48.78 for €82.74 on average. On that precise profile, the gap between the two companies for one and the same crossing has reached €71.76.
The gap widens on heavier profiles. Still on this shared route, for the crossing of 15 August 2026 in the two adults, two children, car and cabin package, La Méridionale posted €351.65 against €572.40 at Corsica Linea — €220.75 apart, one way. Toulon–Ajaccio (Corsica Ferries alone) and Marseille–Bastia (Corsica Linea alone) offer no such comparison.
Among departures still to come, the lowest foot-passenger fare across our three routes remains Toulon–Ajaccio at €27.50 on 28 October 2026 via Corsica Ferries; on Marseille–Ajaccio, the floor recorded is €34.02 on 23 August 2026 via La Méridionale.
These levers only hold, of course, if the ferry is the right mode for your trip. The full calculation — car taken along, rental avoided, carbon footprint — is laid out in getting to Corsica by ferry.