There are several ways to get from Nice to Monaco; the distance between the cities in a straight line is only 13 km, and how far you actually have to travel depends on the chosen transport.
It is convenient to travel along the Cote d'Azur by buses and cars; electric trains run between all cities; you can get there by water or by air.
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A trip to Monaco by bus is the most popular way of traveling among tourists. They depart from a stop at Place Garibaldi and from the 2nd terminal of Nice Côte d`Azur Airport.
The buses start at 5:50 am, the last flight from Piazza Garibaldi leaves at 20:00. Departure interval is 15 minutes, cost from 1.5 to 17 euros. The price depends on where exactly the traveler is going, since there are more than a dozen stops along the way. A trip to Monaco will cost 15 euros. You can pay it directly to the driver when boarding the bus.
Alexandre Prévot / flickr.com
You can leave from Monaco and return back by buses on the following routes:
- 100 - the most popular among travelers and the longest route, passing through many interesting places of the Cote d'Azur, departs from Place Garibaldi and goes to Menton, the interval is from 10 to 30 minutes, on holidays and weekends there are fewer buses on this route and they start movement later – from 7:00.
- 101 – tourists rarely use this route, it is “passing” – “Saint-Laurent de Eze – Monaco – Carnoles”, but when you see this bus on Place Garibaldi, you can safely get on it. There are few stops on the route, the cost is no different from others, and it will take you to Monte Carlo faster than the popular “No. 100”. The average interval of this flight at Piazza Garibaldi is every 2 hours.
- 110 - this flight departs from the 2nd terminal of the airport and goes to Menton via Monte Carlo, departure interval is an hour, starts at 6:15, the last flight leaves at 19:15.
- 112 - runs from Piazza Garibaldi to Piazza Casino in Monte Carlo almost without stops, the route begins at 6:00 and ends at 20:00, departure interval is 2 hours.
In addition to these flights, from Thursday to Saturday night flights depart from Piazza Garibaldi at 22:00 and at 2:30, passing through Monaco to Menton.
If you need to get there as quickly as possible, then you should use the “100X” express bus; you will get there faster than on any other type of transport.
The express travels along the A8 highway and makes only one stop along the way - in La Turbie. The route operates from Monday to Friday, the departure interval is 2 hours, the fare is 45 euros, this is due to traffic on a toll road.
Trains traveling to Monaco are marked “TER” and depart from the main station of Nice.
Metro Centric / flickr.com
The first train leaves at 5:00, the last at 23:20. Tickets are sold at the box office, which is open:
- from 6:10 to 21:00 from Monday to Friday inclusive;
- from 7:00 to 20:00 on Saturday and Sunday.
In addition to ticket offices, the station has self-service terminals where you can also purchase train tickets. The cost of traveling to Monte Carlo by high-speed train is 39 euros, excluding benefits and promotional offers from the carrier.
You can get from Nice to Monaco in a “vintage” way, not by high-speed train, but by the Mandelieu-Ventimiglia train passing through Nice. This route was opened at the end of the 19th century and since then has not been closed for a day; even during the war, trains regularly transported passengers. The fare from the Nice platform to Monte Carlo will be 24 euros, excluding benefits.
There are no regular flights between Nice and Monte Carlo, but this does not mean that you cannot get from one city to the other by air.
You can travel the distance between Nice and Monaco by air using helicopter transfers and private jets.
Dennis Jarvis / flickr.com
Of course, there is no schedule for such services; you can order them by contacting special counters in the terminal building or by negotiating directly with the owners of air transport.
The average cost of an air voyage is 120-150 euros, but there are no upper limits - it all depends on the set of related services. For example, will flowers, champagne or something else be required, will it be necessary to make a circle over the Bay of Angels, or will a direct flight be planned, and will depend on many other related factors.
Despite the abundance of transport between Monte Carlo and Nice, there are situations in which the only way to get from one city to another is a taxi or a rented car.
color line / flickr.com
The cost of travel in a taxi of different classes to the center of Monte Carlo from anywhere in Nice will be:
- Economy – 85 euros.
- Premium – 115 euros.
- Comfort – 100 euros.
You can order a car on the portal. Meeting at Nice airport and travel to Monte Carlo will cost 95 euros when ordering an economy car.
You can rent a car inexpensively through the website. Renting a car at Nice Airport costs from 50 to 260 euros for three days, the price does not depend on advance booking, but on the class of the car, its age, technical characteristics and the number of available cars of the required type.
When renting a car, you must indicate your intention to travel to Monaco, since travel through the Monaco-Ville section is only available to cars with the appropriate stickers - Monaco or the department of the Alpes-Maritimes region.
You will have to drive along the A8 autobahn; part of this route is toll. On average, a voyage will cost about a hundred euros, not counting the cost of renting a car. It is more profitable to refuel your car in France; in Monaco, gasoline is twice as expensive.
Video: how to get from Nice to Monaco economically?
Pleasure boats depart from the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, a favorite promenade spot for all vacationers since the 18th century.
In addition to boat trips along the Bay of Angels, there are flights to Monaco. The trip costs 25 euros and lasts about an hour.
The departure interval of ships for Monaco is every two hours, of course, you can sail only during the navigation period, that is, from December to February, ships are not available.
Dennis Jarvis / flickr.com
Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office at the pier, or you can pay for travel directly on the ship after walking along the ramp.
There are many options for how to get from Nice to Monaco and each of them is good in its own way. As for time, travel will take from 20 minutes - by air, up to an hour - by water. High-speed trains arrive in 35 minutes, express buses in 40 minutes, and the longest and most interesting bus route No. 100 lasts 2 hours.
Monaco is easily accessible by public transport - bus or train. The first one is cheaper, the second one is more comfortable and faster.
By bus
Bus number 100 leaves approximately every 20 minutes from Nice to Monaco. On the board at the front of the bus the inscription is displayed in large letters MENTON, less at the bottom Monaco. In other words, on the same bus you can you get to Menton?.
The fare is 1.5 euros. Tickets are purchased from the bus driver. In Monaco you need to get off at the 2nd stop, which is called “Bridgehead”.
The bus travels through picturesque places with beautiful views of the sea. On the other hand, if you have seen it all, for example, if you have already, then you can sacrifice the views and travel comfortably by train.
By train (train)
Train timetable Nice - Monaco (enter directions and desired travel time).
The cost of a one-way ticket is about 3 euros. In about 20 minutes you will arrive at Monaco train station.
Photos of Monaco train station
On the way back on the platform it is better to stand somewhere in the middle. The platform is long and the last car of the train may stop far from its beginning.
The Principality of Monaco is a dwarf coastal state that borders France, more precisely the Cote d'Azur (15 kilometers from Nice).
The modern territory of the country includes 10 districts, with 4 large ones:
Monaco-Ville- capital of Monaco. "Old Town" with the Prince's Palace. Located in the center of the principality on the Rocher rock of Cape Saint-Antoine;
La Condamin- port and business district with the pedestrian street “Rue Princess Caroline”, where the best boutiques and restaurants are located;
Fontvieille- industrial area. Known for the Museum of Retro Cars, the Maritime Museum and the largest stadium in the country. To build Fontvieille, part of the sea was drained;
Monte Carlo- the most fashionable area in which there are casinos and a Formula 1 track.
View of Monaco
How we got there
From Nice, where we vacationed, you can get to Monaco by helicopter, ship, train, bus, or rent a car.
We chose the bus. From Place Garibaldi in Nice, bus number 100 departs every 15 minutes. The drive takes about half an hour.
Upon arrival in Monaco, we traveled from the parking lot to the upper part of the city using an original free form of transport - an escalator. There are several of them in Monaco.
Capital of Monaco-Ville
We started our walk around Monaco from the “old town”. The beauty of the clean streets, gardens, mansions, and stunning views of the sea cannot be described in words.
Panorama of the streets of Monaco-Ville
Unlike the cities of Nice and Cannes, whose best days, in my opinion, have already passed, in the capital of Monaco, signs of prosperity are still visible.
Beautiful sea and luxurious life
Princely Palace
On the main square of the capital there is a government residence and an observation deck with a panorama of Monaco and a view of the port.
Port of Fontvieille
The building in which the princely palace is located was built back in 1191 as the residence of Genoa, which is now part of Italy. Since that time, the palace has been rebuilt many times and is now a building worthy of rulers. The residence is still a fortress, which distinguishes it from other government residences in Europe, built in the form of palaces.
We approach the luxurious palace
The princely palace is also unique in that it has been the home of the rulers of Monaco for more than 700 years.
Interesting fact: the tiny state's military band outnumbers their army.
There is an honor guard at the main entrance to the palace. We watched his shift.
Prince's Palace of Monaco
We spent a long time hovering under the windows of the rooms, according to rumors received in the square, of the current Prince Albert II. Like the others, they wanted to see and photograph at least someone, but no one looked out the window.
Palace chambers
The prince, of course, is not Apollo. Although he is the son of the beautiful Grace Kelly, he is an athlete and participant in the Olympic Games. But he enjoys success with women and has two illegitimate children. What do the ladies find in him?
Waiting for the Prince
True, I couldn’t resist Albert’s charms either. And, in the literal sense: she stumbled and fell in the square. I stretched out to my full height, almost from the border to the border of Monaco, holding the camera on my outstretched arm. One of the tourists filmed my fall from grace - perhaps I became famous in the Monegasque chronicles as another victim of the spell of the treacherous prince.
She saved the camera, didn’t break her knees, and we went to wash off and eat up this incident in a nearby restaurant.
The Italian influence and proximity also affects the cuisine of Monaco: Italian establishments are often found.
I note that prices in the shops of the principality were higher than on the Cote d'Azur.
Monte Carlo and casino
Monte Carlo still looks “expensive and rich”. Gardens, shops, casinos, houses, well-groomed Larvotto beach, expensive cars.
It is natural that Monte Carlo attracts car enthusiasts. It is in this area that the Formula 1 race track is located. The track is laid on the roads of Monte Carlo, which are closed during the F1 stage in Monaco.
Casino de Monte Carlo, the very first gaming establishment in Europe, is located on Place Du Casino, surrounded by a garden.
Monte Carlo. Casino area
The idea to lure rich people vacationing on the Cote d'Azur and force them to spend money in Monaco with the help of a casino came to the mind of one of the Monegasque princes. The method turned out to be not the easiest - there were problems with the management of gambling establishments and with the transport accessibility of the tiny country for players. They built a railway. Ultimately, the project took off and continues to work to this day.
The interior of the casino impressed us. Painted ceiling, gilding (in moderation), crystal chandeliers, soft carpets and not a single clock on the walls. The main halls have no windows - so that players do not notice the time. But you can go out onto the terrace. Unfortunately, photography is prohibited inside, so it’s better not to take cameras - you’ll have to put them in a storage room. The entrance fee to the Casino de Monte Carlo is 10 euros.
At the entrance to the Monte Carlo casino
We put on evening dresses and heels, wanting to fit in with the casino crowd and all. But the only decently dressed audience except us were a couple of tourists and a croupier.
The main audience is Russian tourists who arrived on an excursion, and European youth who dressed as if they were going to a rural disco. So the chic crowd is apparently a thing of the past. Even a Russian lady in leopard print leggings was spotted. Men in shorts/breeches, however, were not allowed into the establishment.
Apparently, in an effort to combat the crisis, “visiting the casino” was increasingly offered to all tourists. Although other fashionable establishments do the same. For example, anyone can dine at the restaurant of the expensive seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel in the UAE. Therefore, in a luxury hotel you can meet ladies in leopard print with companions in checkered shirts.
I liked playing, especially roulette. Although I lost everything, I didn’t regret it at all. As a consolation, we were given free champagne. Apparently, as almost the only decently dressed visitors.
There are other casinos in the Principality of Monaco. There are casinos in the cities of the Cote d'Azur - Nice, Antibes, Menton, Cannes.
Overall, I liked Monaco, especially Monte Carlo. By the way, you can relax there inexpensively: renting an apartment from private individuals will be cheaper. Since hotel prices are higher than in French cities.
We will be pleased if you share with your friends: . Getting to this dwarf European state is very easy. The area of the country is just over 2 square kilometers, and therefore it doesn’t really matter at which stop you get off. If you wish, you can explore the entire country on foot.Of course, the easiest way is to order a taxi and enjoy the beautiful views of the Cote d'Azur from the car window. You can book a taxi using this link. The price for a trip booked online starts from 70 euros. If you just catch a taxi on the street, it could cost 200 euros.
The fare is 4-5 euros one way.
Travel time is from 19-23 minutes. And this is the fastest way to get to an independent state.
Train timetable: the first train from Nice to Monaco leaves at approximately 5:30 am, from there the last train leaves at 22:00. But be careful, train schedules change during different seasons. For example, in the summer, the last train from Monaco may leave at 23:00. Be sure to check the schedule before your trip; it may change due to work or strikes.
Be careful when traveling back. Monte Carlo Station is underground, like a metro station. It is not visible from the outside. Follow the signs "GARE DE MONACO MONTE-CARLO"
From Nice to Monaco by car
You can travel with a rented car. The distance between the two cities is approximately 20 km. Without traffic jams, the journey will take you approximately 25 minutes.
From Nice to Monaco by helicopter
Monaco does not have its own airport. The closest is Nice - Cote d'Azur. Therefore, there is a helicopter connection between these two cities. Travel time is 7 minutes. The fare starts from 105 euros. Helicopters depart every half hour.
From Nice to Monaco by boat
Various travel companies to Nice offer boat trips from Nice to Monaco. Travel time is approximately 45 minutes – 1 hour. Prices start from 16 euros.
Have a nice trip!
While relaxing with my husband in Nice, we decided to go to Monaco one day, since the distance is just a stone's throw, and there is a lot of transport, the most varied, running to Monaco. If you are aiming for a similar trip, then I will tell you about the main options for traveling to.
From Nice to Monaco by train
The most convenient option for such a trip is undoubtedly the train. Trains run from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., with several trips per hour. You will reach Monaco in a matter of minutes - the train travels only fifteen to twenty minutes. Trains leaving the station NICE RIQUIER, and you need to get off at MONTE CARLO station. I always wondered, how can I not miss the right station during a trip and stop at who knows where? Well, first of all, you need to buy a book with stations and keep track of which ones you have already passed. As for Monaco, the fact that you arrived at this station can be purely visual: it is a very large station, like a huge cave with platforms, and with a very beautiful design - it is very different from other stations, so you won’t miss it. Here, by the way, is a photo; the design reminds me of a starry sky or glare from spotlights.
Ticket price
The cost of a ticket to Monaco is 3.3 euros
Buying tickets
Before Monaco you can buy at the station ticket office NICE RIQUIER, or buy in advance on the French railway website.
From Nice to Monaco by bus
Another equally convenient way to get from Nice to Monaco is by bus. It leaves from Piazza Garibaldi and is called Bus No. 100. The bus leaves every 15 minutes. You can reach Monaco in 30 minutes. There are many stops along the way: near the bridgehead, near the casino, near the station. Yes, it seems to me that stopping here is not important, the area of the state is only two kilometers square, so no matter what stop you get off at, you can walk around Monaco up and down very quickly. Also, if you want to go to Monaco directly from Nice airport, then Bus No. 110 leaves from there to Monaco.
Ticket price
A ticket to Monaco from Nice will cost you 1.5 euros.
Buying tickets
You can buy a ticket to Monaco directly from the driver.
From Nice to Monaco by boat
Several travel companies offer pleasure boats to Monaco. The trip option is not very boring; you will spend about an hour on the road. I can’t call this type of travel simply “movement”; for me it is still a kind of journey and adventure.
Cost of tickets for a sea voyage
From 20 euros.
Buying tickets
You can buy it at the offices of companies that offer such trips.
From Nice to Monaco by helicopter
Yes, there is such an exotic option. I wanted to get there with his help. Well, everything so interesting attracts me, but after looking at the cost of such pleasure, I decided that next time I didn’t want to ruin the family budget)). Helicopters depart twice an hour: at fourteen and forty-four minutes (for example, 14:14 and 14:44). You can fly to Monaco in seven minutes.
Flight cost
The cost of a helicopter trip from Nice to Monaco is 115 euros.
Buying tickets
From Nice to Monaco by car
The distance between the cities is only 20 kilometers, so you can easily cross it in 35 minutes along the A-8 highway. Some sections of this road are toll. By the way, only cars with license plates from the Alpes-Maritimes department can enter the territory of the Monaco-Ville district.
What do you need to cross the international border between France and Monaco?
Many tourists ask this question, because no matter how dwarf the state is, its laws must be observed. However, I hasten to reassure you, there are no formalities when crossing the border from France.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to get to Monaco. From standard to more exotic, so choose the one that is most convenient for you. On my own behalf, I can also remind you to visit the Oceanographic Museum and watch the fish in the huge aquarium.
Bon Voyage!
