cannes to monaco

[rachjack]

Will be arriving this summer on a cruise to Cannes. I wanted to go to Monte Carlo. How much is a taxi to Monte Carlo? Is the dock near the train station? How much is the train and how often does it run between Cannes and Monte Carlo/

Happy New Year!

[moyaroo]

the taxi would be incredibly expensive the train leaves at half hour intervals and takes about an hour to Monaco. It isn't much but darn I I can recall

[Hlitner]

You need to be cognizant that taxis in the south of France are very expensive. To go from Cannes to MC in a taxi would cost hundreds of Euros. As Moyaroo says, the best (and most economical) way to do this is to simply take the train (no advance reservations are necessary). It is possible to walk from the Cannes tender pier to the train station in about a half hour (its a nice walk through a lot of the best parts of Cannes). A taxi is faster, but it can be difficult to even find taxis early in the morning. In fact, on our last cruise visit to Cannes we got into the tender pier by 8am and there was not a single taxi (they could care less that there is a ship in the harbor). As we walked into town we stopped for Cafe au Lait at a cafe that was packed with taxi drivers (their taxis were all parked outside) who were having their morning cafe, reading their papers, chatting, etc.

 

Hank

[staygulf]

You could also take the bus, probably cheaper than the train but takes about 2 hours and there is a change of buses. The "gare routiere" bus terminal is directly opposite the port where you will arrive by tender. Line 200 goes to Nice bus terminal from where line 100 goes to Monaco. In my experience (living partly on the French riviera) the riviera train line is prone to delays and cancellations, but the buses run on time.

[Hlitner]

You could also take the bus, probably cheaper than the train but takes about 2 hours and there is a change of buses. The "gare routiere" bus terminal is directly opposite the port where you will arrive by tender. Line 200 goes to Nice bus terminal from where line 100 goes to Monaco. In my experience (living partly on the French riviera) the riviera train line is prone to delays and cancellations, but the buses run on time.

 

We are going to have to agree to disagree with train vs bus and I will explain why. Assuming there are no strikes (trains or buses) here is the situation. The bus from Cannes to Nice takes about 1:35..assuming that the bus does not get stuck in traffic. When you arrive at the Gare Routiere (Nice bus station) you will probably need to wait at least 10 min (or more) for your bus to Monte Carlo and that bus takes about 35 min. In the end you will spend (on average) about 2:20 min each way or 4hours 40 min round trip on the bus (assuming it runs on time and you make good connections. The train, on the other hand takes 1:05 each way or 2:10 round trip with no connection issues. Even if the train runs a few minutes late you will still be ahead of the game by more than 2 hours of transportation time....which is a lot of time during a port day. When we are spending time on the Cote d'Azur we sometimes use the buses because it is fun and we do not care about time. But when we are on a cruise time is very important and the buses are so darn cheap :)

 

One important factor with the trains are that they have an irregular schedule (more trains during early morning and late afternoon then in the middle of the day) so it is helpful for a traveler to check the train schedule in advance and plan accordingly. the Raileurope.com site does have the schedule. For the bus schedule it is available on the Lignes d'Azur web site although it does take some time to unravel this web site.

 

 

Hank

[staygulf]

We are going to have to agree to disagree with train vs bus and I will explain why. Assuming there are no strikes (trains or buses) here is the situation. The bus from Cannes to Nice takes about 1:35..assuming that the bus does not get stuck in traffic. When you arrive at the Gare Routiere (Nice bus station) you will probably need to wait at least 10 min (or more) for your bus to Monte Carlo and that bus takes about 35 min. In the end you will spend (on average) about 2:20 min each way or 4hours 40 min round trip on the bus (assuming it runs on time and you make good connections. The train, on the other hand takes 1:05 each way or 2:10 round trip with no connection issues. Even if the train runs a few minutes late you will still be ahead of the game by more than 2 hours of transportation time....which is a lot of time during a port day. When we are spending time on the Cote d'Azur we sometimes use the buses because it is fun and we do not care about time. But when we are on a cruise time is very important and the buses are so darn cheap :)

 

One important factor with the trains are that they have an irregular schedule (more trains during early morning and late afternoon then in the middle of the day) so it is helpful for a traveler to check the train schedule in advance and plan accordingly. the Raileurope.com site does have the schedule. For the bus schedule it is available on the Lignes d'Azur web site although it does take some time to unravel this web site.

 

 

Hank

 

I agree that the bus takes longer. It is another option. But in my experience of living "just down the road" in Frejus, there are frequent delays and cancellations on the train, not so with the buses which run on time. Yes there can be traffic delays too. Just giving the OP an option.

[TLCOhio]

Will be arriving this summer on a cruise to Cannes. I wanted to go to Monte Carlo. How much is a taxi to Monte Carlo? Is the dock near the train station? How much is the train and how often does it run between Cannes and Monte Carlo. Happy New Year!

 

Good points have been made about the pro/con factors of bus versus train. In the summer, traffic can be really bad along that coastal area, especially coming from Cannes. It is about 32-35 miles between these two cities, depending on your exact routing. What you most want to see and do in Monaco??? There are so many great options in this area to consider, including the charming village of Eze.

 

Is going to Monaco that important to you? Be properly warned that Nice, Cannes, Monaco, etc. can and will be extremely crowded during their peak tourism periods. Lots and lots of people (both residents and visitors), too many cars, too few highways and limited land between the mountains and sea to hold all comfortably and easily. The movies have made these large cities seem attractive and appealing. Do not Cary Grant and Grace Kelly seem to be having fun there? So glamorous and exciting?! For movies, they make it seem so wonderful. If you are rich and in the “best, right” areas, it can seem and be wonderful. BUT, that congestion might be a turn-off. It depends on what are you expecting, seeking and willing to pay for to hang with the rich and avoid the mobs in these famed areas. Your choice. Just wanted to share and encourage considering all of the many great options from your port in Cannes.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 27,745 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Hlitner]

Love Terry's post as we generally agree on most of these things. Since the OP asked specifically about going to MC we did try to help. If the OP had asked if we like MC we would have replied that it is our least favorite place in the entire region. On the other hand, plenty of folks do seem to enjoy being in that city.

 

Hank

[TLCOhio]

Love Terry's post as we generally agree on most of these things. Since the OP asked specifically about going to MC we did try to help. If the OP had asked if we like MC we would have replied that it is our least favorite place in the entire region. On the other hand, plenty of folks do seem to enjoy being in that city. Hank

 

Glad to know Hank is so smart with such good judgement where we agree much or most of the time. I'm glad to have visited Monaco, but there are other options that I enjoyed more in that area. Below are a few visuals that I took in Monaco. It has a great setting on the water with the mountains, etc. The casino is famed from the James Bond movies, but you cannot just walk in there and around like in Las Vegas. It is much smaller than what people expect. Movies are just that. Real life is different.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 27,800 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

In Monaco, the Casino might be the most famous building:

 

 

 

Here is one of the parks in Monaco with the scenic mountains in the background:

 

 

 

Here is another view of Monaco with famed hotel and part of the Casino with the scenic mountains also shown:

 

 

 

From the water side, this is the view for this side of the Monaco Casino:

 

[UKBayern]

The train along the coast is great and very scenic. It is called the TER and there is an extensive website, but only in French. I'll try to guide you through it:

go to http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/Paca/fr/Default.aspx first.

"Recherche d'itinéraires" means research itineraries

"Fiches horaires" means time tables

"produits et prix" means products and prices

 

The easiest one to use is the fiches horaires. You type in the station where you want to leave from, in your case Cannes. It wants a confirmation if you really mean Cannes. Then it gives you 3 possible railway lines out of Cannes. The bottom two are both good, one is the coastal train and one goes more inland. You can print everything out, and do the same for the way back by typing in Monaco. "Tous les jours" means every day, "sauf sam et dim" means not on Saturday and Sunday, "sauf dim" means not on Sunday. You see that the trains stop on the way in exiting places like Antibes, Nice or Eze or Grasse. If you have time left, you could always go there on the way.

The price page is a little complicated, even for someone who speaks french. I cannot find a price, but I know from previous searches that it is only a few euro. Last year I believe it was only something like 4 euro each way.

[truffles68]

UKBayren,

 

Thanks for the link.

I typed in Monaco to Cannes & I got E$8.40 (tariff normal) .

Would that be one way or round trip ?

I did the same thing & clicked on a carte isabelle famille -1 jour & got E$35.

Am I correct to assume it is for a family for 1 day ?

Is there a limit to the # of people per family ? 4 ? 5?

Am I correct to assume it is round trip for the entire family ?

 

Would I be able to make stops in Eze and Nice using the Monaco to Cannes ticket ?

 

Thanks in advance.

[CruisingMouse]

Okay I too will have a port day in Cannes, not sure about booking a ship excursion, one the cost and 2 they seem to take the whole day. I did the trains in Paris last year without any difficulty. My question is, I would like to see Monaco and Nice as well as hit the beach in Cannes by the port. Is this doable in one day in port? By "seeing" those places is just that to see them take some pictures. There is no where specific I want or need to go (for one I have no clue as to where to go) would have liked to try a machine or 2 in the casino but I realize it doesn't open till 2 and that is perfect beach time.lol Any suggestions? Easy routes in and out for a look and some photo shots?

[Hlitner]

UKBayren,

 

Thanks for the link.

I typed in Monaco to Cannes & I got E$8.40 (tariff normal) .

Would that be one way or round trip ?

I did the same thing & clicked on a carte isabelle famille -1 jour & got E$35.

Am I correct to assume it is for a family for 1 day ?

Is there a limit to the # of people per family ? 4 ? 5?

Am I correct to assume it is round trip for the entire family ?

 

Would I be able to make stops in Eze and Nice using the Monaco to Cannes ticket ?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Hope you don't mind is jumping in. The 8.40 fare is indeed one-way and there is often no advantage to buying round trip (often sold as two one-way tickets). Not sure of the limitations on the family fare and we should mention that they also sell other fares (such as Senior fare) all of which is subject to change. There used to be a day fare which allowed you to get on and off at any stop but we have not seen this fare in several years. As to Eze, keep in mind that the train stop for Eze is actually "Eze Bord sur Mer" which is a tiny station along the coast well below the village of Eze. From that station you would still need to take a bus (which does not run very often) or a taxi up to Eze Village. Eze Village is not served directly by any train route but is reachable by buses from either Nice or Monte Carlo or Eze sur Mer. Keep in mind that if you are planning to go to Eze Village via bus you need to look carefully at the bus schedules and plan accordingly.

 

We should also add that this regional (TER) train line is similar to a commuter train with folks jumping on and off at every stop (some with bicycles). There are no reservations on this line and its simply a matter of buying your ticket at the station right before you jump on the next train. If you happen to be getting on at a station where you cannot buy a ticket (no ticket office and perhaps the vending machine is out of order) the conductor will sell you a ticket onboard.

 

Hank

[CruisingMouse]

Hope you don't mind is jumping in. The 8.40 fare is indeed one-way and there is often no advantage to buying round trip (often sold as two one-way tickets). Not sure of the limitations on the family fare and we should mention that they also sell other fares (such as Senior fare) all of which is subject to change. There used to be a day fare which allowed you to get on and off at any stop but we have not seen this fare in several years. As to Eze, keep in mind that the train stop for Eze is actually "Eze Bord sur Mer" which is a tiny station along the coast well below the village of Eze. From that station you would still need to take a bus (which does not run very often) or a taxi up to Eze Village. Eze Village is not served directly by any train route but is reachable by buses from either Nice or Monte Carlo or Eze sur Mer. Keep in mind that if you are planning to go to Eze Village via bus you need to look carefully at the bus schedules and plan accordingly.

 

We should also add that this regional (TER) train line is similar to a commuter train with folks jumping on and off at every stop (some with bicycles). There are no reservations on this line and its simply a matter of buying your ticket at the station right before you jump on the next train. If you happen to be getting on at a station where you cannot buy a ticket (no ticket office and perhaps the vending machine is out of order) the conductor will sell you a ticket onboard.

 

Hank

 

Heck no jump in all you want..at this point I'm ready for you to escort me around lol.

Am I doing something wrong, went to http://www.raileurope.ca/index.html

 

And the way I have it worked out to go from Cannes to Monaco to Nice then back to Cannes I get $74 E for 2 return, not much of a different from the ships excursions, especially not be a structured excursions, just a train ticket.

 

• Cannes to Monaco
   
  Mon, May 14 2012
  Edit Trip
   
  From: $13 Per Adult Traveler.
  25 Trains / 50 Tickets
   
   
  2
  
• Monaco to Nice
   
  Mon, May 14 2012
  Edit Trip
   
  From: $12 Per Adult Traveler.
  28 Trains / 56 Tickets
   
   
  3
  
• Nice to Cannes
   
  Mon, May 14 2012
  Edit Trip
   
  From: $12 Per Adult Traveler.
  80 Trains / 160 Tickets
  
• I also went to seat61.com as someone else had suggestion and it just seems to be so complicated and confusing. And well the French link just doesn't help me, gave up French years ago.
  

Any other suggestions?

 

• 
  

[Hlitner]

Suggestions? Sure, just relax and do what feels right at the time. As I said earlier, this TER train line requires no reservations so there is no need to overplan. You also might want to consider taking the #100 bus from Monte Carlo back to Nice (instead of the train) because you see more from the bus and the bus fare is 1 Euro. When we want to take the train from Cannes we simply walk from the tender pier to the train station (about a 30 min stroll for most folks) buy a ticket and hop in the next train. We sometimes even change our plans at the spur of the moment such as when DW decided she wanted to stop in Antibes (she decided to do this about 5 min before we got to that station). The advantage of being on your own is not having the ability to do what you want, when you want, with who you want without having to stick to an itinerary. And by the way, when you walk into the Cannes train station they have the typical big board with the train schedule (and track numbers) just like most places in the world. Language is not much of an issue. Keep in mind that when you buy a train ticket you need to validate that ticket before you get on the train. They have little validation machines near or on the platform and you simply insert your ticket (only the one for that particular journey) in the machine which imprints a time/date stamp on the ticket. Failure to validate your ticket will, at best, get you a scowl from the coductor and at worst get you an on the spot fine.

 

Hank

[Nonna and Papa]

The train from Cannes to Monaco/Monte Carlo (Monte Carlo is the city - Monaco is the rock where the castle is located) is very easy, with a train change in Nice. When you get to the Cannes station, just ask (before you buy your ticket) if there are any problems on the tracks. They will tell you if they know.

 

Unless things have changed since we spent a month in Mougins (several years ago), near Cannes, and used the train and bus extensively, we always asked about any problems on the tracks before we bought our tickets. They always seemed to know, and for example, when there was a one day strike in Italy, we changed our plans and did something else. I know, with a one day port stop, you won't have that luxury, but as has been stated, there are many beautiful choices for one day touring if you run into problems. Make a Plan A and a Plan B, and enjoy the area - it's beautiful. If there is a strike or a delay on the track, then take a bus and/or go to your next plan. But don't worry too much about something you can't control...just have an alternative.

 

Mary

[CruisingMouse]

Thanks Hank and Mary,

 

You make it sound sooooo simple..lol Think that is the route we may go, grab a ticket and go, now for the matter of where to go so we don't miss the good stuff and are still back in time to see what Cannes has to offer.

[Nonna and Papa]

Cannes is a wonderful place to just walk and/or people watch. You could walk the Croisette past the fancy hotels; walk past the Music Hall where they hold the film festival every May; or go to the Marche, the pedestrian street where all the stores where the locals shop. You could buy a fresh baguette, some cheese and a bottle of Cote du Rhone, and sit in the park across from the marina and watch the men play boules. There is a tram which takes you to Le Suquet, high above Cannes giving you wonderful views of the city and the port.

 

When we went to Monaco, most of our time was spent on the Rock. We walked through the old narrow streets of the old part of the city, where above your head on the corner of the buildings are niches with religious statues. We sat on a bench across from the Cathedral, after going in to look around, eating our lunch of olive pizza. As we waited in line to tour the palace, Prince Albert drove out through the crowd saying hello to everyone. The views are great from the courtyard of the palace and a good place to take pictures of the surroundings.

 

Nice is also a beautiful city to walk around in. They have a huge flea market, and Vieux Nice is very picturesque. You don't necessarily need a tour, but many are available if you want one. Just walk around and savor the cities and the region. It's fabulous.

 

Mary

[CruisingMouse]

Mary, you make it sound oh so delightful, it was like I was there while reading it. Makes me even what to go more, still along wait. Thanks for all the insight.

[CathyCruises]

You could also rent a car and drive! It is spectacular, obviously, and you can drive the three 'corniches' which we really enjoyed.

 

If you decide to go to the casino, there is a parking garage below, but you have to have a passport and be suitably dressed. And there were no machines that looked anything like Vegas-style machines--all electronic IIRC. There is also an entrance fee--personally, after having done it, I would skip it!

[CruisingMouse]

You could also rent a car and drive! It is spectacular, obviously, and you can drive the three 'corniches' which we really enjoyed.

 

If you decide to go to the casino, there is a parking garage below, but you have to have a passport and be suitably dressed. And there were no machines that looked anything like Vegas-style machines--all electronic IIRC. There is also an entrance fee--personally, after having done it, I would skip it!

 

 

Wow that's forsure off the list entrance fee for a casino and not even decent machines! Like you don't spend enough while you are there. Thanks for the tip!

[kmbic]

You could also rent a car and drive! It is spectacular, obviously, and you can drive the three 'corniches' which we really enjoyed.

 

If you decide to go to the casino, there is a parking garage below, but you have to have a passport and be suitably dressed. And there were no machines that looked anything like Vegas-style machines--all electronic IIRC. There is also an entrance fee--personally, after having done it, I would skip it!

 

 

CathyCruises, have you ever rented a car here and if so was it easy to rent. Did you find rental cars at the ports? We love to just go on our own and explore. We will be stopping there the first part of May during our cruise.

[Hlitner]

Can't speak for Cathycruises but we often rent cars when in Cannes. There are several major rental offices in the city, but they are on the eastern side of town about a 20 - 25 min walk from the tender port. You will find places like Hertz and Europcar and the best deals are usually found by booking in advance. One major reason we prefer having a car so we can stop at St Paul de Vence (one of our favorite places in this part of France). Keep in mind that with a rental car you need to be a bit cautious on your return time to Cannes...especially if you are coming back along the coastal road (the most fun) which can get pretty clogged with traffic during the busy summer season.

 

Hank

[kmbic]

Can't speak for Cathycruises but we often rent cars when in Cannes. There are several major rental offices in the city, but they are on the eastern side of town about a 20 - 25 min walk from the tender port. You will find places like Hertz and Europcar and the best deals are usually found by booking in advance. One major reason we prefer having a car so we can stop at St Paul de Vence (one of our favorite places in this part of France). Keep in mind that with a rental car you need to be a bit cautious on your return time to Cannes...especially if you are coming back along the coastal road (the most fun) which can get pretty clogged with traffic during the busy summer season.

 

Hank

Thank you for your information, I think we will look into this.

[Anguillafan]

I'd like to jump in here. We're also coming into Cannes, and we want to see Monte Carlo, Nice, and Eze. I was thinking train to Nice, bus to Monte Carlo for the view, bus back to Nice, lunch in Nice, bus to Eze, and then bus to Nice? to get the train back to Cannes. Should we be taking the train straight to Monte Carlo to cut down on traveling time? Should we be getting the return train from Eze to Monte Carlo? I understood the bus ride between Nice and Monte Carlo to be part of the experience.

 

Let me say in advance this thread is really helpful. I was a little concerned about how to find the train station in Cannes as well as how to find the train itself. I feel much better about that now. :)