I took two of these trips myself, traveling from Nice-Ville to Monaco and Cannes. Both journeys convinced me that Nice works well as a base for seeing more of the Riviera. The trains are practical, but my evening return from Monaco also taught me that a short journey is not always a comfortable one.
In this guide
- Monaco: the day trip that impressed me most
- Cannes: easy enough that I did it twice
- Closest and easiest day trips from Nice
- Classic French Riviera day trips from Nice
- An extra day trip to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
- Practical tips for day trips from Nice by train
- Which day trip from Nice should you choose?
Monaco: the day trip that impressed me most
Of all the day trips I made from Nice, Monaco impressed me most. My train from Nice-Ville took approximately 35 minutes. Depending on the service, the journey can be faster: the SNCF timetable checked for this guide showed an average of around 24 minutes, with the fastest trains taking about 22 minutes.
Even in March, getting to Monaco was easy. We bought our tickets, boarded the train, and arrived without any problems.
Nice-Ville. Click the image to enlarge it.
Coming back was another story. Monaco-Monte-Carlo station became extremely crowded in the evening. So many people were heading toward Nice that we could not comfortably board the first train, so we waited for the next one.
When we finally got on, everyone was standing like sardines in a tin. There was barely enough room to move. This happened in March, well outside the height of the summer season.
That experience changed how I think about evening train travel on the French Riviera. The journey may be short, but the number of passengers can make the return far less comfortable than the trip there. The SNCF listings checked for this article showed trains from Monaco toward Nice until approximately 23:19. Schedules vary by date, so always check the timetable for your travel day.
I would absolutely visit Monaco from Nice by train again. I simply would not wait for the final train home.
Princely Palace, Monaco. Click the image to enlarge it.
Cannes: easy enough that I did it twice
I also traveled from Nice to Cannes by train. My journeys from Nice-Ville took roughly 25 minutes, and both the outward and return trips were straightforward. We had none of the crowding problems that we experienced after Monaco.
The SNCF schedules checked for this guide showed the fastest Nice-Cannes trains taking around 27 minutes, with an average journey of approximately 36 minutes, depending on the service..
Cannes works well if you want a classic French Riviera day trip without renting a car. Walk along La Croisette, see the Palais des Festivals, explore Le Suquet, stop at the old port, and take the train back to Nice.
The timetable I checked showed the last Cannes-Nice service at around 23:04. Do not assume that the departure will be the same on your travel date.
Center, Cannes. Click the image to enlarge it.
Closest and easiest day trips from Nice
There were a few easy day trips from Nice that I did not manage to take. My visit was in March, when beach days were not really part of the plan, and I had only five days in the city. My itinerary was already full, so I chose to spend more time in Nice, visit Monaco, and enjoy the local food instead of trying to fit in every possible Riviera stop.
If you are staying longer or visiting in warmer weather, Villefranche-sur-Mer and Èze are two simple additions to your itinerary. I did not visit either one on this trip, so the notes below are based on my research rather than first-hand experience.
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Villefranche-sur-Mer looks like one of the simplest escapes from Nice. The train journey from Nice-Riquier takes only a few minutes, and the station is within easy walking distance of the bay, beach, harbor, and historic center. The SNCF timetable checked for this article showed journeys of around 2 to 3 minutes from Nice-Riquier.
You could spend half a day here or stay for a full day. Walk along the colorful waterfront, explore the old streets and Rue Obscure, visit the Citadel and Chapelle Saint-Pierre, have lunch by the harbor, or spend time by the sea.
I did not visit Villefranche-sur-Mer on this trip. From everything I researched, though, it is one of the easiest places to combine with a stay in Nice, especially in warmer months when you can enjoy the beach and waterfront properly.
Èze
Èze is a popular day trip from Nice, but it takes more planning than it first appears. The train stops at Èze-sur-Mer at sea level, not at the famous medieval village above the Mediterranean. From the station, you need to continue uphill by bus or walk the steep Nietzsche Path.
The official tourist office recommended bus route 83 from Èze-sur-Mer station to Èze Village when this guide was written. Bus 82 is another option and connects Nice with the hilltop village.
Èze did not impress me enough in the videos I watched to make it a priority on such a short trip. The village is undeniably picturesque, but the extra journey uphill, the time involved, and the effort required made me feel that I would rather spend those hours enjoying Nice or returning to Monaco. I felt that way even with the option of taking a bus from the station.
That is a personal choice. If you love medieval villages, panoramic viewpoints, and dramatic hilltop scenery, Èze may be worth it for you. It simply was not at the top of my own list.
Monaco
Monaco was a very different story. It lies farther east on the same coastal railway line, yet it is still easy to reach from Nice. More importantly, this is a day trip I made myself.
If I could choose only one major day trip from Nice on a first visit to the French Riviera, Monaco would still be my pick. It feels completely different from Nice while remaining close enough for a comfortable day out. For me, the experience justified the travel time.
Saint-Tropez
If I had more days on the Riviera, Saint-Tropez would also be high on my list. Public transport from Nice is more complicated because the journey requires connections and is far less convenient than the easy train trips along the coast. I would choose to drive. In this case, a car seems like the most practical and flexible option.
Classic French Riviera day trips from Nice
Monaco would probably remain my first choice for one major day trip from Nice. With more time, I would also consider Antibes, Cannes, and Menton. All three are easy to explore by train.
Antibes
Antibes is one of the easiest day trips from Nice by train, with a different atmosphere from the larger Riviera cities. It combines historic streets, an old harbor, Mediterranean ramparts, and beaches. The mood feels more relaxed and intimate than Cannes.
The SNCF timetable checked for this article showed trains from Nice reaching Antibes in as little as around 16 minutes, with an average journey of approximately 24 minutes. That makes Antibes a practical choice for either half a day or a full day by the sea.
Cannes
Choose Cannes if you want classic French Riviera glamour. You can walk along La Croisette, see its luxury hotels and the Palais des Festivals, visit the old port, then explore Le Suquet, where the atmosphere becomes more historic and relaxed.
I would readily recommend Cannes to travelers who want to see more than Nice without renting a car. It is easy to reach and simple to navigate, yet it shows you a different side of the Riviera in one day.
Menton
Menton is another good train trip from Nice, particularly if you enjoy colorful old towns, gardens, and Mediterranean architecture. Its position close to the Italian border gives it a different feel from Nice. The pastel-colored Old Town climbs above the sea, and the warmer shades of the buildings give the town an almost Italian character.
SNCF journey times checked for this article were roughly 35 to 38 minutes, depending on the train. Menton may suit you better if you prefer old streets, gardens, and coastal views to the polished glamour of Cannes.
An extra day trip to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat suits a quieter French Riviera day focused on the coast. Visit Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, walk part of the coastal path, stop in the village, or combine the peninsula with nearby Beaulieu-sur-Mer.
There is no train station in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. The official tourism office recommended taking the TER from Nice-Ville to Beaulieu-sur-Mer, then continuing by bus toward Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat when this guide was written. The extra connection takes a little more planning, but the trip is still manageable from Nice.
Practical tips for day trips from Nice by train
The distances between Nice and the surrounding French Riviera towns look so small that these outings can seem almost effortless. Most of the time they are. After making some of the journeys myself, though, there are a few things I would do differently.
- Check the return train before you leave. Do not check only the morning departure. Look at the return schedule too, especially if you plan to stay into the evening. The SNCF timetables checked for this guide showed late trains from Monaco and Cannes toward Nice at around 23:00. Exact times can change with the date, season, engineering work, or service updates, so knowing your options in advance can save you stress later.
- Do not rely on the last train. Even when a late service is available, I would not plan automatically around the final train. If it is crowded, delayed, changed, or cancelled, you have far fewer alternatives. My evening return from Monaco was a good example. The station was extremely busy and the train to Nice was packed, even in March. If you have finished sightseeing, an earlier train may make the journey much more comfortable.
- Expect Monaco to be busy in the evening. Getting from Nice to Monaco was easy. The return surprised me. If you are already thinking about going back to Nice, I would not necessarily stay another hour just because a later train exists. Sometimes an easier journey home is worth more than one extra stop or photograph.
- Cannes was much easier for me. This does not mean that Cannes trains are always quiet, especially during major events or the busiest summer months. Based on my own experience, however, Cannes was one of the easiest day trips from Nice by train.
- Èze is not as simple as it looks. The station is at Èze-sur-Mer beside the sea, while the medieval Èze Village is high above the coast. You need to continue by bus or walk the steep Nietzsche Path, so allow extra time for the connection.
- Check Nice-Riquier as well as Nice-Ville. Nice-Riquier may be more convenient if you are staying in eastern Nice and traveling toward Villefranche-sur-Mer, Èze, Monaco, or Menton. Check which station is closest to your accommodation before setting out. It may save you an unnecessary walk across the city.
On the train. Click the image to enlarge it.
Which day trip from Nice should you choose?
If you have time for only one day trip from Nice, I would choose Monaco. The short train ride gave me the strongest feeling of having traveled somewhere completely different.
For the easiest and most relaxed escape, choose Villefranche-sur-Mer. Pick Cannes for glamour, famous hotels, La Croisette, and the atmosphere of the Cannes Film Festival. Menton is the better fit for pastel streets and a Mediterranean town near the Italian border. Choose Antibes for historic streets, beaches, and a quieter Riviera atmosphere. If you want dramatic views and a medieval hilltop village, consider Èze, but remember that reaching the village involves more than stepping off the train.
Nice works so well as a base because the places nearby feel different, yet reaching them takes little effort. You can have breakfast in Nice, spend the day walking around Monaco or Cannes, then return to the same hotel that evening.
That freedom became one of my favorite parts of staying in Nice. Instead of packing and unpacking every few days, you can keep one comfortable base and decide each morning what kind of Riviera you want to see next: glamorous, historic, colorful, quiet, or simply somewhere by the sea.
After making these trips myself, that is exactly how I would explore the French Riviera again..
Casino Monaco. Click the image to enlarge it.