How To Reach Nice

A popular summer destination, Nice is a coastal city located along the Mediterranean Sea in the southeast part of France. One of the largest cities in the French Riviera, Nice is famously nicknamed ‘Nissa la Bella’ (translates to Nice the Beautiful) among the locals – a sentiment that is shared by the whole world as well. The history of Nice dates back to centuries ago; it has been ruled by Greeks, the French, the Duchy of Savoy and the Kingdom of Sardinia before coming under French rule again in 1860.

With scrumptious French cuisine and glamorous art museums, Nice is an exotic traveller’s dream come true. Nice also serves as an appropriate ‘base’ for those planning a trip to different cities of the French Riviera. Travellers seeking a fantastic cultural experience without being overwhelmed by the commercial-ness of a popular tourist city will especially love the ambience of Nice. Here, we have compiled a list of some of the most convenient ways to reach Nice to help you plan your next trip soon enough.

Catching a flight to Nice is by far the fastest and most convenient way to reach the city. The Nice Cote d’Azur Airport has two terminals and along with Paris, is one of the busiest airports in France. All major cities in India like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore etc. have regular flights operating to and from Nice. However, there are no direct flights from India to Nice yet and travellers are required to book connecting flights that normally have stopovers in Moscow, Rome, and Istanbul. Located towards the west end of Nice, the city centre is a mere 8 km away from the airport and is within easy accessibility once you land in Nice.

Buses are the cheapest and most commonly used means to shuttle between the airport and the city centre; there are also taxis available but they are a costlier option. A small train station close to the airport enables travellers to catch a train to Nice and other locations situated eastward. A new tram service between the airport and the city centre has begun operations in December 2018 that will eventually connect a number of other locations in 2019 and make airport transfers even more convenient.

If you are travelling to Nice from other regions in France, the SCNF train network makes rail journey to and from Nice quite convenient. The TGV, which is France’s high-speed rail service operating intercity, runs between Paris and Nice regularly and covers the journey in around 6 hours. Travellers are required to make advance reservations for the TGV train. For those travelling to and from Italian cities like Rome, Venice and Milan can make use of the Trenitalia train service to connect to Nice. The city of Moscow runs a weekly train to Nice as well, which is operated under the Russian Railways with stopovers at Vienna, Minsk, Warsaw etc. There are local trains and trams running within Nice as well, which makes cheap transportation available to all within the city and also to tourist spots along the Cote d’Azur coast.

The road routes to Nice are as picturesque as one can imagine, and travellers can be assured of a lovely drive along the coasts and countryside. The A8 route is used to access Nice from all major European cities; if coming in from the west, take exit 50 and if coming in from the east, take exit 55.

While there are taxis available to reach any tourist spot within the city or outside, they usually prove to be quite costly and tourists, including the locals, prefer to take the bus to reach their respective destination. There are a variety of bus services that connect Nice to other European cities and even the cheapest options available offer a remarkably comfortable journey.  

If you are travelling between Nice and Monaco, the best route to enjoy the beautiful coastal views is to take the Corniche cliff roads. The journey takes a little longer but the scenic views will make it worth your while.

The coastal location of Nice makes it a relatively busy port as well. Visitors can choose to travel to Nice in their personal boats or catch a ferry to the nearest harbour from other coastal cities nearby. For those travelling on their own boat, make sure to contact the local port to reserve a spot before your arrival.

Within the city, tourists will find a range of options for travelling around Nice and getting to the remotest of sightseeing locations. The bus services in Nice are quite extensive and easily accessible; bus numbers 98 and 99 run every 20 and 30 minutes respectively from the airport and reach the city centre via two separate routes, passing important tourist locations on the way. There are local trains and trams running within Nice as well, which makes cheap transportation available to all within the city and also to tourist spots along the Cote d’Azur coast.

Nice also has a bike sharing program called Velo Bleu where travellers can simply register on the website and grab hold of a bike from any one of the 75 bike stations spread across different locations in Nice. It isn’t just a cheap and convenient way to go about the city but also a fun leisure activity in itself.