How to get from Nice to Monaco
Monaco is a small city state known for luxury, but you can visit on a budget with an easy day trip from Nice. Visit the famous Monte Carlo casino (don’t forget your passport), tour the Prince’s palace, wander old town and visit the Cathedral, or learn about the ocean at the Oceanographic Museum. Here are all the ways you can get to Monaco from Nice:
By Train:
The train is the most popular way to get to Monaco from Nice. From the Nice Ville station for only €4.90 you reach the Monaco Monte Carlo station in about 22 minutes. Trains leave every 15 to 20 minutes and you don’t need to purchase your ticket in advance. Although, in the summer it can be helpful to purchase your ticket in advance or online since lines can be very long at ticket machines especially in the afternoon and evening as all the day trippers head back to Nice.
You can purchase your tickets through clicking the SNCF icon below.
Pro Tip: Create an account with SNCF and set up price alerts so you can be alerted to low prices for your trip. Learn how to here
By Bus:
It is possible to take a bus from Nice to Monaco, but it will take around an hour (three times as long as the train). The bus costs €2.50 each way so it only saves you €2.40 for a much longer trip.
The views along the coast are beautiful and it’s recommended to sit on the right side for the best view. If there’s a long line, it can be hard to ensure you don’t have to stand so the train is often more convenient.
On the way home you may have to stand on the train too, depending on when you leave. You can take bus #600 that leaves from the Nice Port every 15 to 20 minutes.
When leaving Nice you can use a Ticket Azur that can be purchased from the tram stop or pay the bus driver cash. On the way back you can only pay the driver in cash.
By Car:
It’s not recommended to rent a car specifically for the trip, but if you already have a car available it is an easy drive to Monaco. There are a few different routes you can choose from. The A8 is faster, but has tolls, and the M6007 is slower but has no tolls. Depending on the time of day it can take 30 minutes to an hour to reach Monaco by car. Once in Monaco you will need to find parking. There is very little street parking so your best option is to find a car park. Parking starts at €2.40 an hour after the first free hour.
By Ferry:
For a unique and scenic journey consider taking a ferry to Monaco from Nice.
Don’t want to worry about getting to Monaco? Check out some of these tours: