Day Trips From Nice by Train
The SNCF TER Zou! line runs along the coast every 15-20 minutes, which makes a rental car the wrong tool for every one of these trips: parking in Monaco or Cannes in summer costs more than the train and takes longer to find.
Villefranche-sur-Mer, 8 minutes
The nearest stop east, and the only one on this list with a sand-adjacent beach: Plage des Marinières is sheltered fine gravel rather than Nice’s open-bay pebbles. TER trains run from Nice-Ville or Nice-Riquier every 15-20 minutes for €2.30 each way. The 16th-century Citadelle de Saint-Elme has free grounds, and the 14th-century covered street Rue Obscure runs beneath the old town. Jean Cocteau decorated the small Chapelle Saint-Pierre on the harbour in 1957; entry is €4.
Èze village, by bus, not by train
Bus 82 from the Vauban or Boyer stop reaches Èze village directly in about 35 minutes for the standard €1.70 fare. Do not take the TER to Èze-sur-Mer instead: that station sits at sea level, and reaching the village from there means the Chemin de Nietzsche, a 400m climb over rock steps that takes roughly 90 minutes in full sun. From the bus stop, the medieval lanes climb to the Jardin Exotique, €8-10 depending on season, with cactus and succulent displays and a Riviera view running from Saint-Tropez to Italy. The Fragonard perfume factory at the village entrance gives a free guided tour.
Monaco and Monte-Carlo, 22 minutes
TER trains reach the underground Monaco-Monte-Carlo station in 20-22 minutes for €4.40. The changing of the guard at the Palais Princier runs daily at 11:55; State Apartments cost €10. The Musée Océanographique, built into the cliff face, runs about €19. The Casino de Monte-Carlo atrium is free to enter; the gaming rooms cost €18 and require a passport and, after 19:00, a jacket.
Antibes and Juan-les-Pins, 20 minutes
TER trains run 18-22 minutes for €5.10. The Musée Picasso, inside the Château Grimaldi over the sea, holds work Picasso made in Antibes in 1946, entry €8. The daily covered Marché Provençal on Cours Masséna and the ramparts walk, Promenade Amiral de Grasse, round out a half-day without a fixed schedule.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the longer option
TER to Cagnes-sur-Mer runs 12 minutes, then Bus 655 climbs to the village in about 15 more; a taxi covers the whole route in roughly 40 minutes for about €40. Fondation Maeght, in pine woods just outside the ramparts, holds a Giacometti courtyard and a Miró labyrinth for €18. Chagall is buried in the village cemetery.
For coastal boat trips instead of a train seat, Trans Côte d’Azur’s cruises are bookable at trans-cote-azur.com , and GetYourGuide lists half-day trips to Èze and Monaco with a guide included .
The verdict
Villefranche and Èze combine into one loop before lunch; Monaco and Saint-Paul-de-Vence each deserve their own day. See the multi-day trips guide for stringing several of these together.
Before you go
A single Lignes d’Azur or TER ticket only covers its own network; the Pass Sud Azur Explore (€35 for 3 days) covers both if the plan is more than two day trips.