Train Nice

Getting to Nice by train

Are you planning to spend a few days in Nice, where you can enjoy the sunshine and wealth of activities the Côte d'Azur's capital has to offer? An excellent idea! Your train to Nice will arrive at one of the city's three stations.

The main station is Nice-Ville, in the city centre. Located in a pretty 19th-century building, it has been completely refurbished. Numerous train operators run services to different French towns and cities: TGV INOUI, OUIGO Grande Vitesse and TER. There are several direct journeys including Paris-Nice, Marseille-Nice and Lyon-Nice. For a number of years, there's also be an INTERCITÉS night train from Paris to Nice, so you can go to sleep and wake up on the Côte d'Azur. Nice-Ville is also a transport hub, with bus, tram and intercity coach services available.

There are two other stations on either side of Nice-Ville. To the west, you'll find Nice Saint-Augustin railway station, which is 5 minutes away by TER. It's part of the Marseille-Saint-Charles to Ventimiglia (Italy) line, and you can also catch a free direct tram to Nice-Côte d'Azur airport (lines 2 and 3).

To the east, a roughly 15-minute walk from the port, is Nice-Riquier station, which, for example, runs the Mandelieu-Grasse-Vintimille TER line that goes to Monaco.

Explore Nice in 3 days

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021, "Nissa la Bella" is an incredible city.

Day 1: The Promenade des Anglais and the city centre

Get your time in Nice off to a cracking start by heading to the south of the city, just a twenty-minute walk from the station, where you'll find the famous Promenade des Anglais. An iconic must-see, it's 7 km long and runs from Jardin Albert 1er to Nice-Côte d'Azur airport. Lined with palm trees and iconic establishments such as the Hotel Negresco, you can explore it by foot, bike or hop on one of the numerous buses that stop along the way. Admire the stunning coast and enjoy a laze on the beach, before resuming your tour. Behind the Prom' (as the people of Nice call it), you'll find the "modern centre", the city's buzzing heart , packed with restaurants, bars and luxury shops.

Day 2: Old Nice, Château hill and the port district

Enjoy a meander around Old Nice's maze of narrow streets. Soak up the soul of the city and Nice's culture. Stroll around the pedestrian Cours Saleya square, with its famous flower and seasonal produce markets (open every day except Monday) while admiring the typical colourful facades, the Chapelle de la Miséricorde , Cathedral of Sainte-Réparate and the Palais Lascaris . Finish your tour by climbing the Colline du Château, Nice's historic birthplace, via the steps on rue des Ponchettes (don't worry you can always take the free lift!) to take in the incredible view of the "Bay of Angels". When it's time for dinner, head to the Port district, just a stone's throw away, home to some of the city's finest restaurants. Dig into typical Nissarde dishes, such as daube or the famous Niçoise salad.

Day 3: Cimiez hill and Masséna Square

To round off your stay in Nice, take a step back in time with a visit to the Colline de Cimiez and the Musée d'Archéologie de Nice-Cimiez, which houses the ruins of the Gallo-Roman site. You can also visit the Cimiez monastery, a listed French Historic Monument. It's home to the magnificent Notre-Dame de Cimiez church and the Franciscan museum. It's in an affluent part of Nice and has a lovely park where you'll also find the Matisse museum. You can have lunch on site or enjoy a picnic in the lush Monastery Garden that has panoramic views of the city and coastline. Afterwards, head south to the heart of the city and the famous Place Masséna, much loved by the Niçois. Admire the Sun Fountain, the red facades above the arcades, bronze statues representing characters from Greco-Roman mythology, not to mention the Jardins Masséna and Albert 1er hotel . This is also where the world-famous Nice Carnival held in February takes place.

The French Riviera awaits, so hurry up and reserve your train ticket to Nice !