Transport from Nice to Monte Carlo to join Seabourne Cruise

[Pratadi]

We are going on the Seabourne Sojourn Yachtsman's Mediterranean Cruise on October 10th leaving from Monte Carlo. We are staying in Nice on the night before and have not made any transfer arrangements. Has anyone used bus/ train / taxi and can you kindly offer advice? The return transfer would be direct from the MC port to the airport. I have heard there is a frequent coastal bus, but would that accommodate our luggage?

[Hlitner]

You have a few options, but a consideration would be that you are obviously carrying luggage. The most convenient way would be to simply have your hotel get you a taxi (or a private car/driver). I would take an educated guess that a taxi will run you no more then 40€ (assuming your hotel is actually in town). There are public transit options which mean you have to handle your own luggage and do some walking. There are frequent trains between the two cities, but you would still need a taxi in MC to get you to the port. There are also the regional buses (Lignes d'Azur) and the regular local bus (#100) does stop in the region of the port, but there is still a good 15 min walk from the bus stop to the pier. Personally, we would recommend having your hotel arrange for the taxi or car (ask the cost difference). After all, you are going on Seabourn and should arrive in style :).

 

Hank

[Keith1010]

I would have the Hotel get you a taxi.

 

Keith

[zoncom]

Nice bus station close to Nice old port. MC stop close to MC port also.Price is right.

[Padraic]

My wife and I had time between two cruises so we spent time in Milan and Nice. The second started from Monte Carlo so we took the train from Nice to Monte Carlo. Fairly cheap if I recall. This was two years ago.

[Pratadi]

Hello Hank,

Thank you for your comments.Just thought that a train or bus would give us a scenic leisurely route as we will have all day to get to the port.My concern was that if the coastal bus was a hop on/off for tourists there may not even be a suitcase rack? We haven't booked the hotel in Nice yet as we were holding back to see which would be more convenient to our mode of transfer.

Certainly on the way back, a cab direct to the airport will be the best choice.

Thanks again - Angela

Edited September 7, 2015 by Pratadi

[Pratadi]

Padraic, keith and Zoncom - Thank you all for your comments. I am afraid I am unsure how to reply individually, but I really appreciate your advice. Many thanks, angela

[Hlitner]

Hello Hank,

Thank you for your comments.Just thought that a train or bus would give us a scenic leisurely route as we will have all day to get to the port.My concern was that if the coastal bus was a hop on/off for tourists there may not even be a suitcase rack? We haven't booked the hotel in Nice yet as we were holding back to see which would be more convenient to our mode of transfer.

Certainly on the way back, a cab direct to the airport will be the best choice.

Thanks again - Angela

 

Ok, so lets talk about the bus. The #100 bus is the local bus that runs between Nice and Menton (with multiple stops in Monte Carlo). The bus takes the Lower Corniche Route and DW and I actually enjoy the ride (with lots of stops). But it is a normal city bus and does not have a dedicated luggage rack for larger pieces. This bus is primarily used by locals. The cost is cheap (less then 2€) but still leaves you with a nice long walk from the nearest stop to your ship. I do not know what the driver does if somebody tries to get on with some larger luggage. I will emphasize that this is not a Hop on Hop off bus.. but merely a typical city bus.

 

So since the train has been mentioned lets talk about that option is some detail. We are talking regional trains which are more like subway cars then nice trains. You can certainly take luggage on the train with no problem (locals even bring their bikes aboard). The train costs more then the bus, is not very scenic (because a lot of the route is inside tunnels) and will quickly (I think about 20 min) get you to Monte Carlo. But once in Monte Carlo, the train station is on the opposite side of town from the port so you would still need a taxi to get to your ship. Since DW and I nearly always travel on our own we are very cognizant of how to deal with our luggage, and unless on a very tight budget a taxi from Nice still would be our option.

 

As to where to stay, we would always choose Nice over Monte Carlo...in fact we would choose almost any place over Monte Carlo :). There are lots of very good restaurants in Nice, the town has some decent museums, good areas for walking, a great morning Flower Market, and an interesting little Old Town area (with some very good cafes/restaurants. Nice also has hotels in every price range, although you do often get what you pay for.

 

By the way, if your last name is Trump or you have no budget issues there is actually helicopter service between the Nice Cote d'Azur Airport and Monte Carlo :). Now that is the classy way to travel although I think you would still need a taxi to get from pier to the helicopter in MC.

 

Hank

Edited September 8, 2015 by Hlitner