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, train station, Vieux Ville, and port. In 2025, a rechargeable “La Carte” or “L’Aero” ticket is needed to travel to Aéroport Terminal 1 and 2.
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. Tram tickets to Nice Airport cost only the standard €1.70 per journey if already owning a rechargeable “La Carte” card — otherwise expect to pay €10 return.
In 2025, a rechargeable “La Carte” is necessary to travel on trams and buses in Nice. La Carte is NOT sold at the airport but a “L’Aéro” card is — €10 for an airport return. See details below. For small groups and families, a private transfer may work out easier (but not cheaper).
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 B (yellow) 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 to Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE) stopping at both Aérport Terminal 1 and Aeroport Terminal 2.
From 5 January 2025, trams on line 2 no longer go to CADAM Centre Administratif. To verify that any map is up to date, look for the short new Tram B (yellow) that connects the airport and CADAM. The routing of line 2 to downtown Nice and Port Lympia remains unchanged.
Two traim lines depart from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE):
- Line 2 (blue) in the direction of Port Lympia is the correct tram to downtown Nice.
- Line B (yellow) in the direction of CADAM is unlikely to be of interest to tourists.
Both trams depart from Aéroport Terminal 2 and stop at Aéroport Terminal 1 before reaching Grand Arénas — travel is free and without a ticket for anyone between these three stops.
The tram lines split at Grand Arénas near Saint Augustin SNCF train station. If on the wrong tram, change here and note that the trams to Nice center and to CADAM use different stopping points.
En route to Port Lympia on the east of Nice’s town center, tram 2 from the airport runs mostly along Avenue de la Californie, which is parallel to the more famous Promenade des Anglais (and the Mediterranean Sea). It continues in a tunnel under the city center with stops at the important transportation hubs of Garibaldi and St Jean.
From Port Lympia, tram 2 (blue) and tram 3 (green to Saint-Isidore) follow the same tracks up to Grand Arénas — if necessary, change here to tram 2 or B to reach the airport.
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. On all other rides, validation of tickets is always essential (including for day passes and after transfers) — spot fines are €60 payable immediately, or add €40 to pay later.
In 2025, no single-use tickets are sold for travel on trams and buses in Nice. All travelers need a rechargeable, contactless “La Carte” that may be loaded with whatever journey is desired, e.g. a single (€1.70), a 24-hour pass (€7), a 7-day pass (€20), or any number of multi-trips from 1 to 100. A trip to or from the airport should thus be €1.70 if loaded onto “La Carte”.
Buy “La Carte” Tram Tickets to Nice Airport
Here comes the catch: “La Carte” is NOT for sale at the airport (although it is reportedly now available from the tram vending machines at Grand Arenas). The vending machines at the airport tram stops only sell “L’Aéro”, which is €10.
“L’Aero” is valid for a return journey to and from the airport with 74 minutes of travel in each direction and any number of transfers required (but no backtracking). “L’Aéro” may be loaded with further airport returns (@ €10) but not with other types of tickets. €10 return is still reasonably cheap for a European airport transfer but travelers feeling overcharged compared to the locals are not wrong. For small groups, a private transfer may be less hassle but probably not cheaper.
“La Carte” costs €2 (refundable) and can be loaded with tickets at vending machines or via most mobile phones. It is easiest to buy from tram station vending machines but NOT at the airport. “La Carte” is available from bus drivers with a small surcharge (but usually not from Lignes d’Azur buses that stop outside the airport).
It is possible to take the tram for free from the airport to Grand Arenas. Buy a “La Carte” from the vending machine for €2, load it with a €1.70 single journey, and continue the journey on the next tram. Many travelers prefer the easier option and buy the “L’Aero” for €10 return at the airport.
Tickets may also be bought through the apps of Lignes d’Azur but again in most cases, already having a “La Carte” will be required in 2025. (The English website is a nightmare but the apps work fairly well.)
“La Carte” is anonymous and loaded tickets are not refundable. The original €2 is refundable but there is no appropriate seller at the airport to this! The fairly similar “Ma Carte” is personalized and aimed at locals with better refund options. Prices for single trips and up to week passes are the same, while “Ma Carte” also allows for longer subscriptions and non-tourist benefits.
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. Some long-distance buses also depart here from the Gare routière, eg. to Vence, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, Cagner-sur-Mer, and Isola 2000.
- 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 600 (previously 100) on the scenic route to Monaco — use stop Arson / Fodéré near Port Lympia when traveling to Monaco or Merton.
As a direct consequence of tram 2, the former pricey airport express buses 98 and 99 have been canceled (but some of that lost revenue is being recouped with the L’Aèro card!) 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 — €10 return if not already in possession of a rechargeable “La Carte”.
- 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.