Best Day Trips by Train from Nice: Easy French Riviera Towns You Can Visit Without a Car
Nice sits at the center of the French Riviera’s coastal rail line, which makes it one of the easiest places in southern Europe to explore the amazing Cote d’Azur towns without renting a car.
Within minutes of leaving the station, trains glide past colorful towns that look like postcards, Belle Époque villas cut from a James Bond film, sandy beaches (rare for this coastline), and medieval villages perched high above the Mediterranean.
If you’re using Nice as your base — which I strongly recommend for a first-time Riviera visit — several of the region’s most memorable destinations are close enough for easy half-day outings, whether you go for a hike, a languid lunch at a local beach club, or an overnighter.
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Do you need a car on the French Riviera
I’ve spent years renting cars, and the cost, parking hassles, and traffic have gotten a little bit worse each time. No doubt there are times when it’s nice to have a rental car, but with a little advance planning, it’s easy to rent for just a day or a weekend.
So lately, I’ve taken to the rails.
One of the biggest surprises for first-time visitors to the French Riviera is how easy it is to get around without a car. Nearly all of the major coastal towns—from Monaco and Menton to Antibes and Cannes—sit right on the regional rail line, and local buses and short taxi rides make it simple to reach places just beyond the stations.
A car can be useful for exploring quieter inland villages or hilltop destinations such as Saint-Paul-de-Vence or Mougins, but for most towns along the French Riviera, it’s more of a convenience than necessary.
Skipping the rental also means avoiding narrow old-town streets, limited parking, and peak-season traffic along the coast road, as well as toll booths dotting the A8. The train is sometimes faster and a far more relaxed way to travel
Why the Train Works So Well on the French Riviera
The TER coastal rail line connects most major French Riviera towns from Cannes to Menton in a single scenic corridor. I like to use an app called Omio or Trainline to book. They keep all my tickets in one place and I can just flash the bar or QR code when asked.
Trains run frequently throughout the day, and stations are fairly centrally located in each destination (usually between 5-15 minute walk, or taxi ride).
Plus, the tracks hug one of Europe’s most beautiful stretches of coastline— the fabled Cote d’Azur! Oh! La! La!
When you base yourself in Nice, travel splits naturally into two directions:
East toward
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Èze-sur-Mer
Monaco
Menton
Sanremo / Italian Riviera
West toward
Antibes
Théoule-sur-Mer
Cannes
Saint-Tropez (via Saint-Raphaël)
Most trips take under 40 minutes, which means you can comfortably and strategically plan a mix of touring Nice and its historic Old Town streets and taking French Riviera day trips.
Which Train Station in Nice Should You Use
Most Riviera day trips begin at Nice Ville, the city’s main rail station, with the most frequent departures along the coastal TER line.
Vocabulary Lesson: Train Station = La Gare (rhymes with car)
Depending on where you’re staying, though, two additional stations can save time:
Nice Riquier
Best if you’re staying near the Port of Nice or eastern neighborhoods. Trains toward Monaco and Menton stop here.
Nice Saint-Augustin
Convenient for airport-area hotels and western Nice. This station is also closest to Nice Airport Terminal 1— less than a 500-meter walk.
For most visitors staying in central Nice, Nice Ville remains the easiest departure point but always check schedules.
Below, I’ve included travel time estimates, how walkable each station is from town centers, and when a destination works best as a half-day vs full-day outing.
Closest Day Trips by Train from Nice (Under 15 Minutes)
These are the easiest French Riviera excursions you can make from Nice — ideal if you want a slow morning, a harbor lunch, or a spontaneous swim stop.
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Departure station: Nice Ville (or Nice Riquier)
Arrival station: Villefranche-sur-Mer
Train time: about 7 minutes
Walk to town: 1–2 minutes
Best for: harbor views, swimming from a sandy beach, relaxed waterfront dining, narrow lanes and streets to explore
Villefranche-sur-Mer may be the Riviera’s most convenient train stop of all. The station opens directly beside Plage des Marinières, one of the widest and easiest beaches to access anywhere along this stretch of coast.
From there, it’s a short stroll into the pastel harbor where cafés line the waterfront and fishing boats bob just offshore. This is an ideal lunch or half-day trip from Nice, though you’ll find plenty of reasons to linger here longer than planned.
Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Departure station: Nice Ville (or Nice Riquier)
Arrival station: Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Train time: about 10 minutes
Walk to town: about 8 minutes (flat)
Best for: Belle Époque architecture, villa visits, quieter beaches
Beaulieu’s station sits right inside town, making this one of the simplest short Riviera rail outings from Nice.
Beaulieu-sur-Mer feels elegant in a quieter, more residential Riviera way. The waterfront promenade is wide and calm, and the town makes an excellent jumping-off point for visiting Villa Kérylos, a remarkable reconstruction of an ancient Greek seaside residence.
From here, you can also continue toward Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat to visit one of the French Riviera’s most beautiful villas: Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, or spend a day at the beach at Baia Bella Beach Club.
Best Eastbound Day Trips from Nice by Train
Heading east from Nice brings you toward Monaco and the Italian border, where the coastline becomes steeper, villages cling closer to the hillsides, and the scenery, like a good reality show, becomes delightfully dramatic.
Èze-sur-Mer (for Èze Village)
Departure station: Nice Ville or Nice Riquier
Arrival station: Èze-sur-Mer (FYI: the train stops at Èze-sur-Mer, not Èze Village)
Train time: about 12 minutes
Walk to village: (steep climb 60-90 )
Best for: hilltop views, gardens, one of the Riviera’s most iconic villages
To reach Èze Village, you can:
- hike the Nietzsche Path (steep but memorable)
- take the local bus Lignes d’Azur Line 83 departs from the station and takes approximately 15-20 minutes to reach the village
- grab a taxi
Once at the top, Eze Village is the reward. Narrow stone lanes wind past small galleries and viewpoints overlooking the coastline, culminating at the Jardin Exotique — arguably the best panoramic viewpoint anywhere on the French Riviera.
Monaco
Departure station: Nice Ville or Nice Riquier
Arrival station: Monaco Monte-Carlo
Train time: about 25 minutes.
Walk from station to main sights: It’s easy to walk down to Monaco in 10–15 minutes, but the climb back up will get you. Luckily, there are elevators and escalators to help navigate elevation changes.
Best for: glamor, shopping, 5* hotels, and the Monte Carlo Casino
Monaco’s train station sits inside the rock itself, with multiple exits opening into different parts of the principality.
Choose your exit depending on where you’re heading:
Casino Square / Monte Carlo district
Port Hercule (the marina)
Monaco-Ville (the historic old town)
Once you orient yourself, Monaco is surprisingly navigable thanks to public elevators and escalators connecting different levels of the city. The principality also has air-conditioned public buses for just €2 a ride.
Menton
Departure station: Nice Ville or Nice Riquier
Arrival station: Menton (recommended)
Alternative station: Menton Garavan (closer to the Italian border)
Train time: about 40 minutes
Train time from Nice: about 40 minutes
Walk from Menton Station to Old Town: about 10 minutes
Best for: gardens, architecture, Italian-influenced Riviera atmosphere
Set just minutes from the Italian border, Menton feels distinctly different from other Riviera towns. Pale yellow and pink buildings rise above the sea, citrus trees fill beautiful French Riviera gardens, and the pace feels softer than Monaco or Cannes.
I recommend wandering through the Marché des Halles de Menton. It sits just behind the waterfront near the edge of the Old Town, and is open year-round, and stopping for coffee and croissants.
If your schedule allows only one longer eastbound train day trip from Nice, I think Menton is an excellent choice. You could also continue on to Sanremo in Italy from here.
Menton is also home to the famous Fête du Citron each spring, usually in February.
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
Departure station: Nice Ville or Nice Riquier
Arrival station: Roquebrune-Cap-Martin station
Important note: this station is along the coast, not near the medieval village
Train time: about 30 minutes
For the hilltop Old Town, the closest station is actually Carnolès, followed by a bus or taxi uphill.
Best for: coastal walking paths, quieter scenery between Monaco and Menton
Like in Eze-sur-Mer, the train station here sits along the coastline and not near the medieval hilltop village.
However, it provides access to one of the Riviera’s most scenic seaside routes: the 5-kilometer Le Corbusier coastal path, which connects Roquebrune with Monaco along the water’s edge.
👉Travel Tip: If you walk down (a lot of steps) from the train station parking lot toward Plage du Buse, you’ll find the cutest little beachfront restaurant called Le Cabanon du Buse.
Best Westbound Day Trips from Nice by Train
Heading west from Nice brings slightly flatter coastline, sandy beaches, and towns that feel more classically “Resort Riviera.”
Antibes
Departure station: Nice Ville
Arrival station: Antibes
Train time: about 20 minutes
Train time from Nice: about 20 minutes
Walk from station to Old Town: about 12 minutes
Best for: markets, sandy beaches, coastal walks, balanced Riviera atmosphere
👉Travel Tip: Juan-les-Pins station is closer to sandy beaches but farther from Antibes Old Town.
Antibes is one of the Riviera’s most appealing all-around stops. The Old Town is compact and walkable, the Marché Provençal anchors the historic center, and the Picasso Museum overlooks the sea from the old château walls.
Unlike much of the Riviera, Antibes also offers several sandy beaches.
If you’re deciding between multiple westbound day trips from Nice, Antibes is one of the easiest to recommend.
Théoule-sur-Mer
Departure station: Nice Ville
Arrival station: Théoule-sur-Mer
Train time: about 45 minutes
Walk to beaches and harbor: about 5–10 minutes
Best for: dramatic coastal scenery, quieter beaches, Esterel mountain views
Théoule-sur-Mer sits where the French Riviera coastline begins to shift from classic resort towns into the dramatic red-rock landscape of the Esterel mountains. The contrast between rust-colored cliffs and bright Mediterranean water gives it an instant visual wow factor.
The station itself is small but well placed within walking distance of the harbor and several beaches, including Plage de l’Aiguille, one of the most scenic swimming spots along this part of the Riviera. Hiking is also a popular activity in this area, including along the Sentier du Littoral (Coastal Path) or more serious hikes in the Massif de l’Estérel above Théoule.
Compared with nearby Cannes, Théoule feels quieter and more residential, making it an excellent choice if you’re looking for a slower coastal outing or a relaxed beach stop between larger destinations.
Because trains continue directly onward to Cannes and Saint-Raphaël, Théoule-sur-Mer also works as part of a multi-stop westbound French Riviera by train day trip.
Cannes
Departure station: Nice Ville
Arrival station: Cannes
Train time: about 30–35 minutes
Walk to Croisette: about 5 minutes
Best for: La Croisette promenades, 5* hotels, historic old quarter, ferry and kayak trips to the Lérins Islands
Cannes’ train station opens directly into the center of town, just a few blocks from the waterfront. .
Walk toward the Croisette to see the palm-lined promenade and grand hotels, or head uphill into Le Suquet, the historic quarter overlooking the harbor, where you’ll also find small cafes and restaurants. You can also join a walking tour to learn more about the city’s history, beyond its film festival persona.
📍From Cannes, ferries depart regularly for the Lérins Islands, making this an especially fun full-day Riviera outing from Nice.
Can You Take a Train from Nice to Saint-Tropez?
Short answer: not directly — but you can get close.
The train from Nice runs west along the Riviera to Saint-Raphaël–Valescure, the closest rail station to Saint-Tropez. From there, you can continue by ferry, bus, taxi, or rideshare into town.
Departure station: Nice Ville
Arrival station: Saint-Raphaël–Valescure
Train time: about 1 hour
Walkability from station: ferry port is walkable (about 10 minutes)
From Saint-Raphaël, the seasonal ferry across the Gulf of Saint-Tropez is often the most scenic and enjoyable final leg of the journey, especially during warmer months when road traffic into Saint-Tropez can be slow.
Buses run year-round, and taxis or rideshares are also available.
Even though this trip takes more planning than other Riviera train outings from Nice, it’s still very doable as a long day trip — or even better as an overnight.
👉 For step-by-step route options, timing strategies, and whether ferry or bus makes more sense depending on the season, see my detailed guide to getting to Saint-Tropez from Nice.
Bonus Day Train Trips from Nice
Italy By Train: Nice to Sanremo
Departure station: Nice Ville or Nice Riquier
Arrival station: Sanremo
Train time: about 1 hour 20 minutes (usually with a connection in Ventimiglia)
Walk to town center: about 12–15 minutes (mostly flat)
My husband is Italian, so he never passes up a chance to head to the motherland while we are on the French side of the border. We’ve rented a car and driven over a lot—then discovered how easy it is to get to Sanremo by train.
Known for its palm-lined promenades, Belle Époque villas, and historic old quarter climbing the hillside behind the harbor, Sanremo feels distinctly Italian while still sharing the relaxed Mediterranean rhythm of the French Riviera.
Most routes from Nice require a quick connection in Ventimiglia, but the transfer is simple and well-timed.
Once you arrive, walk toward the waterfront promenade or head uphill into La Pigna, Sanremo’s atmospheric medieval quarter filled with narrow passageways and quiet stair-stepped lanes that feel far removed from the Riviera resort towns just across the border.
Sanremo works best as a full-day train outing from Nice, especially when paired with a relaxed seaside lunch before returning along the coast.
To book and organize all your train trips in one easy, app, Omio works well.
Scenic Mountain Train Day Trip from Nice: The Train des Merveilles
The Train des Merveilles is one of the French Riviera’s most surprising day trips—and one of its most cinematic. I took the journey during late spring so it was cooler than normal, but when the French Riviera is hot and crowded, I can only imagine that heading into the mountains is a relief.
👉Travel Tip: From May to October, on the morning journey only (9:32 a.m., but verify ahead), a guide will tell you all about this exceptional region and railway.
Departing from Nice-Ville, the Train des Merveilles leaves the Mediterranean behind almost immediately, climbing into the wild Roya Valley through a sequence of tunnels and bridges, with six stops for seven villages on the Nice-Tende route.
Some highlights include the historic town of Breil-sur-Roya for adventure sports, the stunning, vertigo-inducing village of Saorge, the artistic village of La Brigue with its ancient chapels, and the high mountain town of Tende for gateway access to the Mercantour National Park and Valley des Merveilles.
We spent the night in La Brigue, just to break it up, and stayed at the very simple but delightful Auberge Saint Martin. We opted for the half-board package (less than 100 euros per person for the room, breakfast, and dinner). It was one of the most phenomenal meals we had: a fresh leek-and-cheese tartlet, homemade pasta, and dessert.
I recommend taking the full trip first thing in the morning, about two hours, to Tende, then working your way back toward Nice. Or stay the night in one of the villages to make it more relaxed.
📍It’s very easy train trip to do on your own, but if you’re a photography buff or want a guide along with you, a guided walking photo tour and lunch in the village of your choice is an easy add on to your day.
For a change of pace on the French Riviera, this train journey rewards travelers with a completely different perspective—less beach club, more nature and high-valley adventure.
📍Ready to travel by train along the French Riviera? Browse different journeys today.
