€1.70 gets you from NCE to central Nice on Tram 2
Tram Line 2 runs from Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport Terminals 1 and 2 straight into central Nice and the eastern seafront for a flat €1.70 (about $1.70), which is the cheapest airport transfer you’ll get here. The tram is part of the Lignes d’Azur network and goes all the way to Port Lympia, with the main city stops like Jean Médecin and Garibaldi in between.
Trams run roughly every 8 minutes during the day and every 15–20 minutes later in the evening, so you rarely wait long on the platform. From Terminal 2 to Jean Médecin in central Nice, plan about 25–30 minutes, and from Terminal 1 it’s a couple of minutes less. Services usually start before 05:00 and run past 00:00, but check the Lignes d’Azur timetable if you land on a Sunday after 22:00.
The airport stops are “Aéroport Terminal 1” and “Aéroport Terminal 2”, both just outside arrivals, and you stay in the public area the whole time since the tram is outside security. You buy a contactless ticket from the blue machines on the platform for €1.70, or tap a contactless card directly on the onboard validator at the doors; one tap covers a 74‑minute single ride across the network.
Seats fill up quickly after about 08:30 on weekdays and around 17:00 on Sundays, especially between the airport and Jean Médecin, because locals use the line heavily. Space for luggage is limited to a few multi-purpose areas by the doors, so this works best with one cabin-size suitcase or a backpack under 10–12 kg. If you’re hauling two large checked bags over 20 kg each, a taxi from the rank outside T1 or T2 may be worth the extra €25–€35.
Step-by-step from arrivals to the tram and into Nice:
- 1. After landing at Terminal 1 or 2, exit baggage reclaim and follow the blue tram icons toward “Tramway Ligne 2”; the walk is about 3–5 minutes from arrivals in each terminal.
- 2. At the platform ticket machine, select a “Solo” ticket for €1.70, pay by card or coins, then validate it on the orange validator before boarding; if using contactless, just tap your card on the onboard validator once.
- 3. Board any tram marked “Port Lympia”, park your bag in the open space near the doors, and stay alert for your stop; Jean Médecin comes about 25–30 minutes after leaving Terminal 2 and 20–25 minutes after Terminal 1.
- 4. For central hotels around Avenue Jean Médecin or Gare Thiers, get off at Jean Médecin; for Old Town and the eastern Promenade, use Garibaldi or Port Lympia and walk 5–10 minutes.
- 5. Keep the same €1.70 ticket if you need a bus or tram connection within 74 minutes; just re‑validate when you board the next Lignes d’Azur service.
One last tip: if you land after 22:30 and have an early check‑in next morning, confirm the last Tram 2 departure from your terminal; a missed last tram easily turns into a €30 taxi ride.