Getting to Cannes from Aéroport Nice-Côte d’Azur is possible by helicopter, bus, train, and airport shuttle vans, cars, or limousines.
Cannes can easily be reached from Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE) on public transportation or pre-reserved cars and shuttle van services. Helicopters are the fastest way to one of the most glamorous resorts on the French Riviera but most solo travelers will find express buses more affordable. Trains offer a reasonable alternative while regular municipal and inter-city buses are cheap but slow. Taxis are available but a pre-booked limousine or airport van shuttle service may be cheaper with a guaranteed price and assured availability.
By car, traveling time is around half an hour if using the toll highway. Expect to pay around €100 for a pre-booked car and €150 for a minivan. Taxis are also available and charge according to the meter. My Driver gives online quotations for private airport transfers without first requiring personal details or flight numbers.
By Helicopter to Cannes from Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport in France
Helicopters allow well-heeled travelers to whisk between fashionable Cannes and Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport in seven minutes. Several companies offer scheduled helicopter flights between Cannes Airport (CEQ) and Nice Airport (NCE) with further flights available to Saint Tropez and Monaco.
Prices for shared scheduled helicopter transfers are around €120 per person. A private helicopter with up to six seats are around €400 to Cannes Airport (just outside town) and around €500 to arrive at Cannes Heliport closer to the town center. The fares usually include transportation from the heliport or Cannes Airport to the final destination.
By Express Bus 210 from Cannes to Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport
Airport Express Bus 210 offers the best alternative for most other travelers. The express bus connects the airport and Cannes directly and via the highway so traffic is less of a concern.
Express Bus 210 generally runs twice per hour with the first (last) departure from Cannes at 7:00 (19:00) and first (last) departure from the airport at 8:00 (20:00). Traveling time is around 50 minutes.
Express bus 210 departs from Terminal 1 and stops at Terminal 2. In Cannes, the bus stops at Paul Doumer (Holiday Inn), Place Vauban, and Cannes-Hôtel de Ville. Any bus can also stop in Le Cannet on request.
Express buses come at a price and not the €1.50 standard on Lignes d’Azur buses in the Alpes-Maritim département. Single one-way fares are €22 or €16.50 for under 26 years. Children up to 12 pays only €5. Open returns are €33. A group of 4 can travel together for €66.
Tickets can be bought from the bus ticket windows at the airport, directly from the driver, or online. The ticket is valid for the particular day and does not guarantee a place on a specific bus.
By Train from Cannes to Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport on the French Riviera
Trains offer a reasonable alternative to using express buses from Cannes to Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport. The airport has no railway station but Nice-Saint Augustin is a short bus ride, or ten-minute walk from Terminal 1.
- See Traveling to Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport by Train for details.
Train travel from Cannes to Nice-Saint Augustin on TER trains takes only 36 minutes and cost €5.90 (standard, second class one-way ticket). Buying TER tickets from the bus ticket window at the airport may be faster and easier than at the station.
French train tickets are available for print at home from the official English websites of French Railways – Voyages SNCF (UK & Europe) or RailEurope (USA).
By Bus 200 from Cannes to Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport
The budget alternative for the cheapest travel between Cannes and Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport is by Lignes d’Azur bus 200 that connects Cannes and Nice Center generally twice per hour. The bus does not stop at the airport terminals but rather at Aéroport/ Promenade in the main street outside the airport.
Bus 200 is a standard municipal bus with no special space for luggage. At busy times, the bus gets full fast and won’t pick up additional passengers. At times it may be full with travelers from Nice even before it reaches the airport.
Traveling time very much depends on traffic. Early morning or late night it can be as fast as an hour but at peak traffic it can take closer to two hours.
Bus 200 runs twice per hour on Sundays, three times per hour on Saturdays, and mostly every fifteen minutes on weekdays. First buses from Nice city pass by the airport around 6:20 (8:00 on Sunday). The last two line 200 buses of the day to Cannes actually stop at Terminal 1 itself at 20:55 and 22:00 (20:45 an 21:55 on Sunday).
N200 NocTAM’bus Night buses also stop at Terminal 1 on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 23:30, 1:00, 2:30, and 4:10.
The standard fare is €1.50. A second piece of hand luggage adds €1 and a suitcase incurs a hefty €5 charge.