Med In Heaven
Nice's public transport system is well equipped and modern. It has numerous bus and train routes to take you to any desired destination. With the completion of the 8.7km tram in 2007, providing a clean and efficient mode of transportation, Nice's public transport system will be the envy of many European cities.
At present Nice's public transport systems consists of:
Train
Nice is home to three train stations: Gare SNCF, Nice Sainte Augustin and Nice Riquier. Nice-Ville SNCF found on avenue Thiers, (+33 (0)8 9235 3535) is the city's main station. It is located at the top of Avenue Jean Medicin and is about a 10 minute walk to Place Massena and the beach. Trains depart every hour from 6h30 until 24h00. Destinations include Juan-les-Pins, Antibes and Cannes to the west, and Villefranche, Monaco and Menton to the East. Regional trains are inexpensive and offer great views of the Alps meeting the Med.
High speed TGV lines run to Paris 6 times daily. It also hosts connections to Marseilles, and the cities including Rome, Milan and Venice are easily accessible via a quick changeover at the Italian boarder. Though the border town of Ventimiglia may lack charm, know mainly for its cheap markets, the next stop San Remo is a nice Italian coastal town to visit. Local connections to coastal towns may be found from any of the Nice stations, though less frequently from Sainte Augustin and Riquier, and from the main SNCF station there are also daily connections to the main cities in France and abroad. It hosts 6 connections daily to Paris which takes five and a half hours.
Trains also run from Nice Gare SNCF to the ski centres in the Alps including Val D'Isere, and Charmonix. Buses depart from in front of the train station to Isola 2000, one of Europes favourite ski resorts only an hour away.
Bus
Sunbus offers €1.30 for a single ride of any distance in and around Nice. Day and week passes are available from Sunbus, located on Avenue Felix Faure behind the bus station.
Nice's bus service is efficient but may be crowded during rush hour periods. Nice's central bus station (Gare Routiere, telephone: +33 (0)4 93 85 61 81) is found sandwiched between Avenue Felix faures and Avenue Jean Jaures.
Routes 3 and 14 run along Zone Pietonne, route 15 runs up to the museums in Cimiez and routes 8,9 and 11 run along Promenade des Anglais. Bus 23 runs down Avenue Jean Medecin from Nice-Ville train station and takes you to the centre of Nice at Place Massena.
If looking to go to Cannes, Antibes. Juan-les-Pins, Villefranche, Monaco and Menton, the Gare Routiere has buses departing every 15-30 minutes throughout most of the day. Routes run from 6h00 until 21h40. Traffic is slow along the coastline and so expect to take around twice the time of the train.
During the months from November to early April Ski buses run to various resorts near Nice. The cost to Isola 2000 or Auron is €24.50 return and includes a ski pass. Buses run form the Gare Routiere at 9.15 am or 9.30 from the Gare SNCF. It is possible to book in advance either at the bus station or on +33 (0)4 93 85 92 60.