Nice-Based French Riviera Train Tour
Stay in Nice without switching hotels, using coastal trains and buses to visit Monaco, Antibes, and Cannes.
The coastal TER train connects Cannes to Menton, making it easy to explore without renting a car or changing hotels. Spend three days on the eastern line visiting Nice, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Eze, and Monaco, and two days on the western line exploring Antibes, Cannes, and the Lérins Islands. The pace is relaxed, making it perfect for first-time visitors, non-drivers, or those traveling with seniors. It skips Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Menton to avoid excessive bus transfers.
Hotel rates along the coast are high and crowds are dense during the Cannes Film Festival; it is recommended to avoid mid-May.
Day by day
Day 1 · Nice Old Town & Promenade des Anglais
Nice & Côte d'Azur（Vieux Nice / Cours Saleya、Castle Hill、Place Masséna、Promenade des Anglais）
Take tram line 2 from the airport to the city center (approx. 30 minutes), then explore the Old Town and waterfront entirely on foot.
Stay: Vieux Nice
Day 2 · Villefranche-sur-Mer & Cap Ferrat
Nice & Côte d'Azur（Villefranche-sur-Mer、Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild、Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat Coastal Path）
Take the TER train to Villefranche-sur-Mer (approx. 10 minutes), then transfer to a bus or walk along the coast to Cap Ferrat. Return to Nice by train in the afternoon.
Allow at least two hours for Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. Book tickets 1–2 days in advance during peak season.
Stay: Vieux Nice
Day 3 · Eze & Monaco Day Trip
Nice & Côte d'Azur（Èze、Monaco / Monte Carlo）
Take bus 82 or 602 from Gare Routière Vauban to Eze (approx. 30 minutes). Bus 602 continues to Monaco. Return to Nice by train in the evening (approx. 25 minutes).
Bus 602 does not run on Sundays. To enter the casino, you must bring ID and be at least 18 years old.
Stay: Vieux Nice
Day 4 · Antibes Old Town & Cap d'Antibes
Nice & Côte d'Azur（Antibes Old Town、Musée Picasso Antibes、Cap d'Antibes）
Take the TER train to Antibes (approx. 25–30 minutes). Explore the Old Town on foot, and walk the coastal path or take a local bus to the cape.
Stay: Vieux Nice
Day 5 · Cannes & the Lérins Islands
Nice & Côte d'Azur（Cannes / Palais des Festivals、Lérins Islands）
Take the TER train to Cannes (approx. 35–40 minutes), then take a 15- to 20-minute ferry from the Old Port to the islands. Return to Nice by train in the evening and head to the airport.
Return ferries stop running early in the low season; check the last ferry time even if you have a late flight.