Monaco is super easy to visit from Nice. This blog shows you the best way to travel from Nice to Monaco

Both Monaco and Nice are popular destinations along the Mediterranean coast. With the mild Mediterranean climate, Monaco and Nice are both pleasant to visit all year round (ok maybe avoid summer but the rest of the year is pretty nice). Many people who visit the French Riviera ends up doing a day trip from Nice to Monaco.

If you are reading this blog then most likely you are already in Nice or you are planning to visit Nice and spend a day in Monaco. If you are planning a French Riviera trip, be sure to check out my 3 day Nice itinerary as well as 25 best things to do in Nice.

If you are planning to visit Monaco from Nice, then I have good news for you! It is super easy to get to Monaco from Nice and there are a lot of different options for you regardless of what your budget is.

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Where is Monaco?

Monaco is a city-state sitting along the Mediterranean coast (Monaco is not part of France or Italy). Monaco is the second-smallest sovereign state in the world after the Vatican. It is a constitutional monarchy with its own royal family.

Monaco is located about 20km (12.4 miles) northeast of Nice and it’s 30km (18.6 miles) southwest of Italy. Given its proximity to France, the official language of Monaco is French.

How to fly into Monaco?

Monaco does not have its own airport, so the easiest way to fly into Monaco is to fly to Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, then travel from Nice to Monaco.

Most major European airlines and some international airlines fly directly to Nice Airport, such as Air France, British Airways, EasyJet, Lufthansa, etc.

You can find the cheapest flights using this website.

How to get to Monaco from Nice?

There are so many ways to get to Monaco from Nice, each with its own price level. You have a lot of options whether you want to spend as little money as possible or if you don’t care about budget.

Nice to Monaco by Bus: the cheapest option

You can take bus 100 from Nice to Monaco for only 1.5 Euro and takes about an hour. The terminal bus stop in Nice is Le Port (Nice Port). There are a few bus stops in Monaco that you can get off, depending on where you plan to go. You can access the route map here.

Taking the bus from Nice to Monaco is my personal favorite way of traveling because you can see amazing coastal views on the bus ride, so be sure to sit on the right side from Nice to Monaco.

Place D’armes is one of the first Bus 100 stops in Monaco, best to visit The Prince’s Palace in Monaco, Saint Nicholas Cathedral and Musée océanographique de Monaco, the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.

Princesse Antoinette Bus 100 stop is best for visiting the Port Quarter, which includes the Grand Prix de Monaco as well as La Collection Automobiles de S.A.S. le Prince de Monaco (Prince of Monaco Automobile Museum).

Monte Carlo Bus 100 stop is a block or two in front of the world renowned Monte Carlo Casino. It’s also a good stop if you plan to shop in Monaco and visit Jardins de la Petite Afrique and the official Monaco Tourism office.

Place des Moulins Bus 100 stop is further east in Monaco, best for visiting the National Museum of Monaco, the beach, as well as Princess Grace Japanese Garden.

You can purchase bus tickets from any Nice Tram station, or buy the ticket on the NFC Nice Ticket App or Nice Ticket mobile app so you don’t have to worry about having cash. Check out this website for all the useful apps you can download if you plan to take the bus from Nice to Monaco.

Nice to Monaco By Train: the fastest way to get to Monaco from Nice

The fastest way to get to Monaco from Nice is to take the TER train from Nice-Ville to Monaco-Monte-Carlo Station. The train ride takes about 23 minutes and cost 4.2 Euro for adults without a rail card.

The TER train comes every 30 minutes from 5:36am from Nice. The last train to leave Monaco is around 11:30pm. You can book the train tickets between Nice and Monaco on Trainline and Rail Europe.

If you want to save money and save time, it may be best to combine traveling by bus and rail. You can ride the bus from Nice to Monaco (and get off at the appropriate stop) then take the TER train back to Nice from Monaco at the end of the day!

Once you reach the train station in Monaco, you can take a bus from the train station to other areas of Monaco.

Nice to Monaco By Driving/ Rental Car: the most stunning way to get to Monaco from Nice

If you are planning to travel to different places in the French Riviera, then it may be convenient to rent a car to drive to Monaco from Nice. Renting a car from Nice generally cost between USD 80 – $120 a day (depending on the type of car and how close you book) and you can look for cheap rental cars from Discover Cars.

You will need to pay for parking once you are in Monaco but it’s convenient. Or if you are fancy you can also rent a Ferrari to drive around for a short period of time.

There are 3 different driving routes from Nice to Monaco on the Corniche roads. A corniche road means a cliff road and the three Corniche roads include Grande Corniche, Moyenne Corniche and Corniche Inférieure from north to south (coast) in that order. They all sit below the A8 motorway.

If you want to be right near the coast, then Corniche Inférieure is the best option for you. On this road you will pass by Villefranche-sur-Mer and Cap d’Ail. You can do this drive as a day trip by itself to stop by all the coastal towns.

The Moyenne Corniche is probably the most famous and popular route to drive from Nice to Monaco, going through the village of Èze.

Grande Corniche is the most northern (and highest) route and you will see amazing views of the coast from high above.

One of the best strategies for driving from Nice to Monaco is to drive to Monaco on the Grande Corniche, with fantastic view from above. When you get into Monaco, park at Place du Casino parking (an underground parking lot) right under the Casino.

Coming back from Monaco to Nice, you should drive Moyenne Corniche and stop by Nice. It is a stunning drive and you will understand why it’s the most famous drive to Monaco.

Nice to Monaco via Private Transfer: the most worry-free way to get to Monaco from Nice

If you want to enjoy the view from the drive but not have to drive a car yourself, then hiring a private transfer may be the best option for you.

Generally these private transfers can pick you up from Nice Airport or hotels in Nice and they are generally charging a set price per party (so if you have one person or 8 people it’s the same price). I would recommend hiring private transfer if you have a large party.

Nice to Monaco by Ferry: the most scenic and relaxing way to get to Monaco from Nice

Since you are on the Mediterranean coast, why not get around on the water? Ferry is a fantastic way to go between Monaco and Nice and have the best view of the coast.

Ferries to Monaco are generally operated like a “tour” and not an everyday transportation used by locals. The ferry starts at 9:30am from Nice Port and the ferry takes an hour or less each way. On the Cruise you will see all the coastal towns between Nice and Monaco.

You get off the ferry in Monaco, then you have the whole day to explore Monaco on your own. The cruise departs from Monaco at 5pm so you will need to be back. On the return trip you will hear stories and history of the towns and Monaco.

Nice to Monaco by Helicopter: the most fancy way to get to Monaco from Nice

Monaco is the home for the rich and famous. You want to arrive in style like James Bond? Then a helicopter ride is the best way to get to Monaco from Nice!

The helicopter ride can last from 7 min to 30 min based on the type of ride you choose. You can see the beautiful coastal view and view of Nice and Monaco from the air, an experience not everyone gets to enjoy.

There are regularly scheduled helicopter transfers that takes 7 minutes. This would be a ride shared with others (if other people booked it). There are also private flight option that cost a little more and may take longer to get to Monaco so it can fly around and let you see more of the French Riviera from above.

Another company that operates the helicopter flight between Nice Airport and Monaco is Blade, they operate in the US and Canada as well.

Nice to Monaco Tour: the easiest way to see Monaco and Èze from Nice

If you are thinking about visiting Monaco from Nice but don’t want to deal with all the planning, then the easiest way to see Monaco (and even the town of Èze) is to do a tour from Nice.

The tour will pick you up from Nice hotel and take you to Èze where you can explore the medieval village and have a guided tour of Fragonard Perfumery.

After Èze you will be driven to Monaco and take a walk in the old town, discovery the Palace and its cathedral. You will also see the famous Monte Carlo casino and the Monaco Grand Prix before returning to Nice.

There are so many ways to travel to Monaco from Nice! You can be on a tight budget (or have no budget) and have a great time visiting Monaco from Nice. If you are in Nice, then Monaco is definitely worth a visit for a day or two.

OTHER FRENCH RIVIERA RESOURCES

If you are planning a trip to the French Riviera, be sure to check out the following resources:

• 3 Days in Nice Itinerary to show you how to spend 3 days in Nice
• One Day in Monaco Itinerary to see the highlights of Monaco in a day
• Best Day Trips from Nice to see most of the French Riviera
• Best things to do in Nice to discover what to do

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