How to get from Paris to Nice by plane, train or car in 2023? Distance, travel time, ticket prices, schedule. Is it worth going to Nice for a day or two, where to stay, what to see – in the material of good Time for Trip.
The unofficial capital of the resort Côte d’Azur, Nice is not the most obvious destination in terms of a short-term voyage. In any case, most travelers arrive in this city for a week or more – in order to have a great holiday on the seashore. And do it in the most obvious way – they fly directly from their homeland by plane.
Naturally, at the same time, potential tourists don’t particularly go into details of how best to get to Nice: they just buy a ticket and go. On the other hand, travelers who include the resort town in the itinerary of a comprehensive trip around France are much more inquisitive.
Therefore, probably, this article is intended mainly for them. People who are not afraid to design their own trips without involving tour operators!
Moreover, you can go to Nice from Paris by 4 modes of transport. And, including, on the intercity coaches.
Want to know more? Then read on!
Distance and Time
The shortest highway distance between Paris and Nice is approximately 930 km. And the car, depending on the time of year and day, the situation with the repair of highways, will overcome it in almost non-stop mode in 10-11 hours. At the peak times of the year, for example, in July, this time can be multiplied by 2.
The fastest of the trains running between Paris and Nice will do it much more quickly – for about 6 hours.
Slightly slower than cars, the InterCity trains, departing from the Austerlitz railway station in Paris, will reach Nice in 12.5 hours. If you do not consider time to be a critical factor in travel, then you can take the bus. And pay less than 40 € for a one-way 15-hours trip.
However, let’s go in order. And we will start with the fastest and most visually the most expensive way – air travel!
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How to Get to Nice by Plane
As many people think, this option is suitable only for owners of plump wallets and (or) impressive bank accounts. But no – on certain dates and times (not the most convenient, however) a one-way ticket can cost about 50 €! That is cheaper than the slowest of the trains.
Yes, low cost airline EasyJet or similar will be the carrier. But you will have to fly not only from Orly airport, where the metro line from the Paris center has not yet been laid, but also from the Paris Charles de Gaulle air hub, which is much more convenient for tourists.
The flight from any Parisian airports to Nice takes about 1.5 hours. Approximately the same amount will have to be spent on delivering yourself to the capital’s airport and a trip to the center of Nice upon arrival on the French Riviera.
How to Get There by Train
Unlike airplanes, trains from Paris to the Cote d’Azur seem to go reluctantly. It seems so! Although familiarization with the distance fully justifies the railway with its schedule – you will have to spend at least 6 hours on the road.
Familiarization with ticket prices does not allow you to make an unambiguous choice. For a place costs about 60 € one way. And then, if you take care of the purchase in advance, and choose a slow train. A spontaneous decision to go “tomorrow” will cost a much more significant amount, you will have to pay around 100 €.
You can buy a ticket for the desired date online at www.thetrainline.com, which is distinguished by convenient functionality and minimal prices. This is very practical and doesn’t hide unpleasant surprises: you choose the time of departure and get acquainted with the conditions for the return “if anything”.
What is the advantage compared to the aviation option?
Well, first of all, not everyone likes to fly. And they are ready to spend much more time on the trip, just not to experience strong negative feelings once again.
And secondly: trains depart from the city center (Gare de Lyon) and arrive also in the central part of the city (Nice-Ville). So, throwing a light rucksack on your back, you can immediately go for a walk. Instead of looking for a bus that should take you to the place from the airport.
The current train schedule for the required date see here – thetrainline.com/en/train-times/paris-to-nice-ville.
Where to Stay
Travelers who come to see Nice in a couple of days praise the inexpensive three-star Hotel Paganini, located next to the city station. And there are enough reasons: refurbished rooms and fresh furniture plus a great location make this place an excellent choice for short staying.
Allowing you to immediately relax upon arrival, and organize a very rich leisure. Not limited to visiting local attractions, but allowing the possibility of trips to other cities of Provence and even to Italy.
Hôtel Du Centre, un hôtel AMMI 2 * is located a little further from the station and closer to the center. Those who have been there praise the quality of service and rooms that are clearly worthy of more stardom. Also in reviews praise the friendliness of the staff and the view from the rooms – some of hotel windows overlook the side facade of the Notre Dame Basilica.
By Car
Getting to Nice in such a way is both easier and more difficult. It’s good that you are not tied to a specific time and can easily change the departure time and route. But it’s bad that you can’t relax and lose concentration.
Driving a thousand kilometers in a foreign country and unfamiliar routes are a serious stress even for an experienced driver. Not excluding those who have already traveled by car in Europe!
There are three main road routes leading from Paris to Nice. The shortest (930 km) goes around Auxerre, via Beaune, Lyon and Marseille. The second longest (1,015 km) goes north through Dijon.
Travel time in non-stop mode (refueling only) in the first case is 9.5 hours. In the second – about 11. In both cases you will have to spend an average of 180-200 € on gasoline and toll roads.
What to Do
It is well known that Nice is large and beautiful city, and along its Promenade des Anglais you can walk for hours every day. But this is not a reason to get hung up on seeing only main local attractions like the Notre Dame Cathedral or the Matisse Museum.
After all, there are enough other places on the Cote d’Azur that are definitely worth a visit. This is the state of Monaco and the resort of Menton, towns on the Italian Riviera: Ventimiglia and Bordighera, San Remo. Definitely worth a look Antibes and legendary Cannes, glorified by the film festival – because they are only 20-30 km from Nice by highway!
A traveler who has time will certainly want to add Saint-Tropez and Hyeres to the wishing list. Then explore the amazing rocky fjords, calanques, that are located not far from Cassis.
You can even visit Marseille. From the point of view of a tourist, an ambiguous city, fanned by a certain criminal aura. But interesting and definitely bright place, even spicy. Not least thanks to the famous bouaybes soup, which is the glory of Provencal cuisine.
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