Are you flying into Nice Côte d’Azur Airport for your French Riviera vacation and wondering how to get from Nice airport to the city center? This guide is all you need to plan your airport transfer.
When you have your flight and accommodation booked, it’s time to put the finishing touch to your travel plans. Part of that is arranging your airport transfer.
There are four different options for getting from Nice Airport to Nice city center. They differ in travel time, cost, and convenience. In this guide, I’ll go over each of these options to help you figure out exactly which one is right for you.
Are you ready to start planning your transfer from Nice Airport to the city center? Let’s go!
This article offers an in-depth overview of how to get from Nice Airport to the Nice city center. It zooms in on all transportation options and highlights the pros, cons, and costs.
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Transportation cheat sheet
Transport to Nice
Flight or high-speed train
Public transport options from Nice airport to Nice city center
Tram
Train
Private transport options from Nice airport to Nice city center
Welcome Pickups (English-speaking local drivers)
Regular taxi
Bolt car-share
About Nice Côte d’Azur Airport
The airport of Nice, officially Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE), has two terminals. Terminal 1 is the oldest one, and Terminal 2 is more recent.
Most airlines, including US and Canadian airlines, have their hub in Terminal 1. You can verify the terminal where you’ll land in your booking dashboard or simply consult this general overview of airlines per terminal.
To travel between terminals, you can hop on the courtesy shuttle or on tram 2 or 3 (free of charge for that short route).
Distance from Nice Airport to Nice city center
The airport of Nice is located right on the Promenade des Anglais, and the distance to the Jardin Albert Ier, the westernmost border of the Old Town, is just 6.7 km (or 4.16 mi) away.
There’s no complex network of highways to navigate and no traffic jams to factor in, just a couple of traffic lights and, depending on the time of day, some slow traffic.
Technically, you can easily bridge this distance by bike, although that’s not the most practical option when carrying luggage.
How to get from Nice Airport to Nice city center?
There are four options to get to Nice city center from the airport. (Actually, there’s a fifth – the bus – but since the tram is so convenient and faster, it makes no sense to take the bus.)
Let’s compare each option by pick-up location, travel time, and cost. I’ll also go over the pros and cons for each so that you can determine the transportation option that best fits your travel plans.
Side-by-side comparison of all transportation options
Here’s a quick comparison of all four transportation options from Nice Airport to central Nice. Continue reading for an in-depth overview of every option.
| Transport | Pick-up location | Travel time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tram | In front of both Terminal 1 and 2 (Line 2 direction Port Lympia) | 30 min. | €3.70 p.p. (or €10 p.p.) |
| Train | Nice Saint-Augustin train station (10′ walk of 5′ tram ride from Terminal 1 – shuttle from Terminal 2 to 1) | 5 min. | €2.50 p.p. |
| Welcome Pickups | Terminal 1 exit A1 – Terminal 2 exit A3 | 15 min. | €35 |
| Regular taxi service | Terminal 1 exit A1 – Terminal 2 exit A3 | 15 min. | €36 |
| Bolt ride-share | Subject to change, check your app | 15 min. | €22.20 |
| Rental car | Terminal 2, behind Car Park P5 | 15 min. | Car + fuel + insurance + parking |
In-depth review of all transportation options
In addition to practical criteria such as cost and travel time, it’s important to consider the size of your travel company, the volume of your luggage, and where you base yourself, since that affects which drop-off point is most convenient. Here’s a hand-picked selection of places to stay in Nice to help you plan around that.
For a quick overview of the best areas, see my quick guide to where to stay in Nice, or check my complete guide to where to stay in Nice for a full area-by-area breakdown.
With that squared away, in the next sections, I’ll highlight the pros and cons of each transportation option.
Nice Airport to Nice city center by tram
Tram 2 will take you directly from Nice Airport – both Terminal 1 and 2 – to Jardin Alsace-Lorraine, Avenue Jean Médecin, Place Garibaldi, and Port Lympia. The first part of this route runs parallel with the Promenade des Anglais, but it gets a few blocks further from the coastal boulevard at Gambetta.
Important: Tram 2 has 2 lines: one with destination Port Lympia and one with destination CADAM / Centre Administratif. Port Lympia is the one you need. Don’t take the line to CADAM.
You can catch the tram from 5.30 AM to 11.55 PM. During the day, there’s one every 10 minutes.
A tram ticket from Nice Airport to the city center costs €1.70. The annoying thing is that this cheap tram ticket is not available at the airport. The machines there only sell the round-trip €10 ticket. Ticket trap!
Android users can download the Lignes d’Azur app and purchase a virtual ticket there. Then, once you board the tram, you simply tap the card to validate. Unfortunately, these virtual tickets aren’t available to iOS (iPhone) users.
The workaround for iOS users is to take the tram to the first stop after Terminal 1, which is called Grand Arénas. This short trip is free of charge. From there, you can get the cheap ticket combo from the ticket machine: a rechargeable card for €2 plus €1.70 per person for the ride to the city center.
It’s totally up to you to decide whether the extra stop is worth the cost.
Tip: Beware of pickpockets at the Grand Arénas stop; it’s one of their preferred hunting grounds.
Once you have the rechargeable card, both Android and iOS users can recharge it through the Lignes d’Azur app. Before returning home, you can also refund the card at one of the branch offices.
Another ticket option worth looking into is the SudAzur Explore Pass. I strongly recommend it if you plan to rely on public transport during your vacation, since it includes all public transport (train, tram, and bus) for the duration of your choice. Unfortunately, this very affordable pass is not available online, but you can get it at the ticket machines in the Airport, at the Grand Arénas tram stop, and at several other locations in the city.
Last but not least: Be sure to validate your ticket by tapping it on the scanner as soon as you board the tram. If you travel with multiple people on one card, then tap it for every person in your travel company.
Conclusion: A pro to taking the tram from Nice Airport to the city centre is the direct connection to areas like Gambetta, the Carré d’Or, Jean-Médecin, the northside of Vieux-Nice, and Port Lympia. Cons are the ticket price if you buy it at the airport, the fact that you can’t travel at night, and the hassle if you travel with kids or multiple pieces of luggage.
Nice Airport to Nice city center by train
The Regional Express Trains (TER) network is part of the ZOU regional transport network, and the trains are operated by the French National Railways (SNCF). There are frequent connections, and the prices are very reasonable.
The train station near Nice Airport is called Nice Saint-Augustin. Your destination will be the Nice-Ville train station if you’re staying in the Musicians’ Quarter or near Jean-Médecin or Nice-Riquier if you’re staying north of the Port.
You can catch the tram from 6 AM to 11 PM. During the day, there’s one every 10 minutes.
Terminal 1 is located within walking distance of the train station. You can also hop on tram 2 or 3 to the next stop called Grand Arénas. If you arrive in Terminal 2, you can either walk or take the shuttle to Terminal 1 or hop directly on tram 2 or 3 to the same tram stop, Grand Arénas.
A single ticket can be purchased at the train station for €2.50 per person.
The SudAzur Explore Pass is a very economical way to travel around the French Riviera by public transport. It’s not available online, but you can get it at the ticket machines in the Airport, at the Grand Arénas tram stop, and other points of sale throughout the city.
Conclusion: Pros to taking the tram from Nice Airport are the proximity to the train station and the quick connection to areas like the Musicians’ Quarter, Jean-Médecin, and the northside of Port Lympia. Cons are the fact that you can’t travel at night and the hassle if you travel with kids or multiple pieces of luggage.
Nice Airport to Nice city center by private transfer
A private transfer is the most comfortable option for traveling to the center of Nice.
If you pre-book your taxi via Welcome Pickups, an English-speaking local driver will monitor your flight, anticipate possible delays, and welcome you. You can check rates online, but expect to pay around €35.
Of course, taxis are available at any time of day. You pay a flat rate of €36 for your transfer to the city center.
A more affordable private transfer option is a ride-share app. Bolt is the most popular option on the French Riviera because it tends to offer more competitive prices than Uber. A Bolt ride to the city costs from €22.20 onwards, depending on your choice of car and based on the volume of your luggage.
Conclusion: Renting a car in Nice Airport is only recommended when Nice is your first stop of a road trip around the French Riviera.
Nice Airport and Nice city center by rental car
You don’t need a car if you’re staying in Nice for your entire vacation. And you don’t need one to take day trips from Nice to nearby French Riviera towns either. The local public transportation system is so efficient that it’s much more convenient to plan your French Riviera itinerary from Nice and travel by train.
I’d only recommend renting a car at Nice Airport if Nice is the first stop of your French Riviera road trip.
You can pick up your rental car at Nice-Côte d’Azur airport near Terminal 2, behind Car Park P5, where most major car rental companies are represented.
Have your ID, credit card, and driving license ready. If you’re traveling from outside Europe, you’ll also need an international driving license. Verify this with your car rental provider.
I’d certainly advise you to book accommodation that comes with parking, especially when visiting the French Riviera during the high season. You don’t want to spend your precious travel time looking for a safe place to park. And don’t pick an accommodation in the Old Town because it’s a nightmare for drivers.
In Nice, hotels and vacation rentals with parking are scarce; booking well in advance is crucial. Put in an explicit request for a parking spot and reconfirm that spot closer to the date.
Don’t rent an oversized car because that’ll limit you even more in the race for a parking spot near popular beaches and in smaller towns. That’s true any time of the year, not just during the high season.
Lock in a good rate by booking your rental car right after confirming your flights and accommodation.
Conclusion: Renting a car in Nice Airport is only recommended when Nice is your first stop of a road trip around the French Riviera.
FAQ on getting from Nice Airport to Nice city center
How will you travel to the center of Nice?
That’s it for this detailed overview of transfer options from the airport to the city center of Nice. You’re all set to make an informed decision on how to tackle this short journey. Bon voyage!
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