Nice Airport to Cannes by bus 1st August 10am - good idea?

Hello

Thanks to the posts on this forum I know that the easiest way for me to get to Cannes from the airport is by the motorway bus.

This is fine for me, but I%26#39;ve heard about the really bad traffic on the Cote d%26#39;Azur in August. Is this going to be a problem for the motorway bus - how long do you think it would take on 1st August? Perhaps there is a bus lane....

If the bus is a bad idea would you recommend getting to the main train station in Nice or to walk to the nearer one (St Augustin?)?

Thanks

|||

In August the French motorways are like the M25 on a Friday night!

There are no bus lanes on the motorway.

I would think seriously about the train.

|||

Is there a map anywhere of how to get to the nearest train station, and also any information on how to buy tickets?

Thanks anyone..

|||

I don%26#39;t have the information on hand, however, a quick search of the nice forum should bring up how to get to the St. Augustine train station near the airport.

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187221-i454-k7230… B_Nice_b_airport_to_Cannes_at_night-Cannes_French_Riviera_Cote_d_Azur_Provence.html

|||

Starkraving,

I have not completed this trip before and like you are trying to weigh the option to determine the best course of action. Essentially there are three options (really 5, but I am discarding the slow bus as well as the Heli). This post is really a sanity check for me rather than something to help you, so here it goes...

1. Taxis from Nice Airport to Cannes. The airport website www.nice.aeroport.fr/include/default.asp?l=2 , indicates that a taxi will run between 67-77 Euros, plus baggage fee, airport pickup fee and possibly tip. I am assuming price per taxi.

All in costs ~ 90 euros

Time ~ 45 minutes (depends on traffic, and for that we need local%26#39;s opinion)

Transfers - none

2. Long Range/Fast Bus/Coach. No 210. Schedule is for 50 minutes from the airport to Cannes. I am assuming I will need a taxi for the remaining leg of my journey. Bus cost is 14.2 euros, then taxi to final destination ~ 10 euros (that is a total guess). Assuming price per person

All in Costs ~ 24 euros

Time ~ 1 hour (traffic?)

Transfers - one

3. Trains from St. Augustin. I like the German website the best for these searches http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en . The train takes about 40 minutes, but the rub here is getting to the St. Augustin station. NiceLife and others have an excellent description on how to make the journey; search for %26quot;Is there a train station next to Nice Airport?%26quot; I also assume a need for a taxi at the destination. Assuming price per person.

All in costs ~ 15 euros

Time ~ 1 hour 15 minutes (includes walking, terminal change)

Transfers - two

After reading additional posts and figuring it is not as daunting as I first suspected, I am leaning towards option 3. I also arrive at 10 am in Aug (the 21st, however).

|||

Neither of you are travelling at the week-end when people arriving and leaving add to the traffic. The motorway system does not come to a gridlock for the whole of August. It is slower than out of season but I have successfully driven to and from the airport on many occasions during August - not to Cannes but further on. If you take the motorway bus you catch it right at the airport. If you have bags walking to the station maybe more of a pain.

Just my opinion.

|||

When the roads are jammed the train offers a good solution , do as savvy locals do (and cheapskates) and make your way to Nice St Augustin and pick up a train to Cannes. The footwork required is spelled out here, on my traveltips page for Nice -

members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/165c10/

This will test how qualified you are for that nome-de-plume.

Cheers!

|||

Thank you for all this detail. I%26#39;ve now got directions to the station and a timetable. If anyone knows where I can actually see a map of the route to the station then that would be great.

Also, it%26#39;s a long time since I%26#39;ve used the train on the Cote d%26#39;Azur (22 years actually) - how do I buy a ticket from a machine, i.e. is it obvious - do I just press a button named %26quot;Cannes%26quot;, or do I have to select a price? Also, do the ticket machines take cards or notes, or is it only coins ?

Also, I remember that we used to have to validate the ticket before getting on the train - is that still the case ?

Thanks

|||

I%26#39;ve found a map - but would still appreciate details about the tickets.

|||

In case anyone else needs this, I found a map from the airport web site. It has directions but also has a route map of how to get to the station from the airport:

…aeroport.fr/acces_stationnement/trains/hora…

|||

I believe you can buy tickets online from the sncf website and have them mailed to you.