Tram line 2 is the cheapest and fastest way to travel to Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE) on public transportation from the city center, Vieux Ville, and port.
Getting to Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport is the cheapest, easiest, and fastest on tram line 2. Tram 2 (blue on maps) runs from Aéroport Terminal 2 and Aéroport Terminal 1 parallel to the Mediterranean coast and the Promenade des Anglais to the old town and city center of Nice Ville with its final stop at Port Lympia. Trams run every eight minutes for much of the day with a total traveling time over the full route of less than half an hour. The tramway replaced airport express buses 98 and 99 as the best way to travel from downtown Nice to the airport and in contrast to these buses, the tram has no airport surcharge. Tram tickets to Nice Airport cost only the standard €1.50 per journey.
Traveling on the tram is free for everyone between airport terminals 1 and 2, as well as to Grand Arénas — the first tram stop from the airport and a convenient stop for numerous buses and St Augustin railway station.
Note: two tram lines run from Nice Airport: tram 2 (blue) goes to Nice center while tram 3 (green) goes to the north and is of little interest to most tourists. If on the wrong line, simply change trams at Grand Arénas.
Tram Line 2 to Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE)
Nice’s Tram Line 2 (Ligne 2 de Tram) runs from downtown Nice alternating to either Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE) or to the CADAM prefectural administration center in the western outskirts of the city.
The line splits at Grand Arénas near Saint Augustin SNCF train station, with every second tram going to CADAM Centre Administratif and the others to Nice Airport to stop directly at both Aéroport Terminal 1 and Aéroport Terminal 2. If on the wrong tram, get off at Grand Arénas and take the next tram 2 or tram 3 traveling to the airport.
En route from Port Lympia on the east of Nice’s town center, tram 2 passes the important transportation hubs of Garibaldi and St Jean. It runs through a tunnel underneath the old town and town center but emerges from the tunnel near Magnan and travels above ground, mostly along Avenue de la Californie that runs parallel to the more famous Promenade des Anglais (and the Mediterranean Sea).
Traveling time on the tram is only half an hour from Nice Airport to Port Lympia.
Trams operate at high frequency with four-minute intervals during peak periods. The flat-floor access trams have a capacity of 300 passengers per journey.
Buying Tickets for Nice Airport Tram
NOTE: Traveling on the tram between Airport Terminal 2, Terminal 1, and Grand Arénas is free for everyone.
In contrast to the previous Airport Express, the tram has no airport surcharge and thus costs only the standard fare — currently €1.50 with free transfers to other buses for 74 minutes (returns and backtracking not allowed). Buy tickets from vending machines (or the ticket window at the airport or online) before boarding the tram — all tickets must be validated at the start of journeys (including after transfers).
Tickets may also be bought through the apps of Lignes d’Azur. (The English website is a nightmare but the apps work fairly well.)
Transfer Connections on Tram 2
Tram Line 2 has several convenient connections (correspondence) with other public transportation methods including at:
- Grand Arénas -– easy walk to Nice-Saint Augustin train station. (Travel on the tram is free from both airport terminals to Grand Arénas.) Most regional trains stop at Nice-Saint Augustin SNCF station making it often more convenient than traveling via Nice-Ville SNCF main station.
- Parc Phoenix — first stop after Grand Arénas — terminus for buses 200 (Cannes), 400 (Vence), and 500 (Grasse).
- Jean Médecin – with Tram Line 1 and one-stop to Gare Thiers (Nice Ville main train station) or to Masséna with many bus lines.
- Garibaldi / Le Château – with Tram Line 1 and many bus lines.
- Port Lympia – bus 607 (previously 100) to Monaco — from early 2023, use stop Arson / Fodéré near Port Lympia when traveling to Monaco.
As a direct consequence of tram 2, the former pricey airport express buses 98 and 99 have been canceled and very few Nice City buses stop at the airport. Bus 12 still runs past the airport (Aeroport Promenade stop a short walk from Terminal 1) and along the full length of Promenade des Anglais — a lovely ride but in regular buses without space for luggage.
More on Travel to Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport:
- Public Transportation to Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE)
- Book Day Trips and Excursion Tours in the Nice Region
- By Tram 2 to Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport from Downtown
- By Train to Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport from French Riviera Resorts
- Transportation to Cannes from Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport
- Transportation to Antibes from Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport
- Transportation to Monaco from Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport
- By Bus from Nice to Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport to Downtown — Tram 2 is now the better choice.
- Welcome gives online quotations for private airport transfers without first requiring personal details and flight numbers, or request a quote from GetTransfers.
- Train tickets are easiest bought online from Trainline: Nice-St Augustin is the station closest to the airport while Nice-Ville is the main station in the town center.
- The official RailEurope and SNCF-connect websites for French national railways timetables and tickets are often cumbersome with confusing designs.
- Air France for cheap flights to Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE).
- Flixbus often has very cheap deals for intercity bus travel but services are seasonal.
