Getting to Cannes
Arrivals in Cannes - Getting here - Travelling to Cannes
STOP PRESS: The EU has at last announced the date of the new Entry/Exit System (EES) for the Schengen area: 10 November 2024. It is claimed the system will eventually speed up border checks as passport stamping ends. Due to the fingerprint, photo and biometrics required it should prevent terrorists, criminals and spies entering using fake passports. British, US and Australian tourists, for example, will need to apply to enter France for all short stays
If your flight is delayed or cancelled, you have seven days to request a full refund from the operator. If your flight is delayed more than four hours, you are entitled to additional financial compensation and, if delayed until the following day, operators should give free telephone calls, accommodation, food and drink. This applies to all flights from an EU airport.
Nice Airport, October 2023: Nice Airport ranked the best French airport but comes in at just 44th out of 100 of Europe's busiest airports. Athens tops the rankings.
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There are a number of ways of getting to Cannes from the UK: by road from Calais (see below) - 1200 kilometers, 11 hours, + euros in tolls; train from St Pancras - 8 hours; flying with British Airways, Easyjet, Air France, Aer Lingus, Jet2 and Ryanair.
There is also a cheap flights site
From Nice Airport to Cannes take your pick from a hire car, taxi, people carrier, chauffeur driven limousine to a helicopter or a power boat - and even a chauffeur driven motorbike. Some hotels have free shuttle buses so check when booking.
Did you know... Nice AIrport
Nice Cote d'Azur Airport has two terminals with a free shuttle bus and trams between them. It is France's second busiest airport, after Paris, and can handle 13 million passengers a year. You can fly from Nice to 103 destinations in 34 countries. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ |
Visitors to the Cannes Film Festival can book UberCOPTER from Nice airport to Cannes, click bottom right on app. The price includes the taxi ride to your hotel, yacht or villa. Each helicopter can take six passengers. +++++++++++++++++++++++ |
Nice St Augustin Multi Model Centre
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New Nice St Augustin railway station
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Airport to Cannes
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STOP PRESS - 2024
French railways have brought in rules and payments for luggage, including sizes and numbers of cases. Plus fines if you get it wrong. The new rules apply to Intercity, TGV Inoui and TGV Ouigo. To make it yet more cumbersome there are different regulations for the type of train. So take care especially if taking a train after flying in.
Local TER trains not affected.
TAKE THE TRAIN
The new railway station Nice St Augustin opened 1 September 2022. It is part of a multi modal centre which includes the tramway. It now makes taking the train to and from Cannes to reach the airport easier and cheaper. It is close to trams which run into the airport. The station has disabled access. The bus station is still under construction.
The French railway has launched an app called SNCF Connect. Passengers are able to search for routes, buy tickets, combine train and coach tickets, hire an Avis car, book a taxi, read traffic updates, manage bookings and ticketing. The app can be viewed in English. For rival train companies, eg Trenitalia, you need to use Trainline. International travel by train can be viewed on Connect but tickets not bought online.
Take the tram: Tramlines 2 and 3 operate from T2 and T1 at Nice Airport. Get off at St Augustin railway station (Arenas) to catch a train to Cannes which takes about 25 minutes. The tram is free of charge and no ticket is required.
Last trains at St Augustin:
Monday to Thursday 9.43pm arrives Cannes 10.23pm
Friday 11.48pm arrives Cannes 12.23am
Saturday and Sunday 12.14am arrives Cannes 12.50am
See website for train times or use the SNCF Connect app
For the energetic you can walk from T1 to the railway station. There is a pedestrian pathway from T1. Leave the terminal by Exit A1, close to Arrivals, then follow the dedicated path direction Nice-St Augustin.
See map
https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Nice-Airport-NCE/Nice-St-Augustin#r/Tram
The French railways have brought in rules for luggage size and fines if you get it wrong. The new rules apply to intercity, TGV Inoui and TGV Ouigo. To make it yet more cumbersome there are different regulations for the type of train. So take care especially if taking a train after flying in.
UBER TAXIS
Uber has won a victory in French courts. The Commerce de Nanterre, a commercial court, ruled the firm is compliant with French law. Now you can book with confidence - it's legal. Uber taxis much cheaper (about 55-60 euros airport to Cannes) and good.
TAXI FROM NICE AIRPORT
Taxi rides to towns on the Cote d'Azur are now regulated. It is a fixed price of 80 euros to Cannes, If you try to share a taxi, agree to it out of the hearing of the taxi drivers - Nice taxi drivers are famously militant.
There is now an app for calling one of the 155 taxis registered in Cannes: Taxi Club. Taxis can be booked from abroad. You can arrange to be picked up at the airport and you can even reserve a hotel room on it. When in Cannes the nearest free taxi will respond and you can track its arrival via your phone.
The taxi booking telephone number is 00 33 (0)4 93 99 27 27
EXPRESS COACH FROM TERMINALS 1 and 2
Aéroport Express number 210 - costs 33€ return or 22€ each way - and leaves every hour. Tickets can be bought at the office in the bus stations at Terminals 1 and 2, or on the bus if travelling from Cannes. The journey takes 30-50 minutes depending on traffic. Be aware the last coach leaves from Terminal 1 at 8pm and five minutes later from
Terminal 2.
Click for 210 bus schedule.
Join us in campaigning for the Nice-Cannes airport bus to operate until the final evening flight arrival. Currently the last coach is 8pm.
LOCAL BUS FROM TERMINAL 1
At 20.45 and 21.55 the 200 bus leaves from terminal 1 and depending on traffic takes from 50 minutes to over an hour to reach Cannes (1.70 euros).
At all other times the 200 bus stop can be found on the main road opposite Terminal 1 (take tunnel under the road and turn left, left again up the steps and then right to bus stop) - Ligne 200. An extra charge can be made for large suitcases. It runs every half hour.
See N200 night bus. (only Thurs, Fri, Sat) Use the free airport shuttle from T2 to T1.
CAR - DRIVING
At the airport is a dedicated car hire building.
Do note the maximum motorway speed in the Alpes Maritimes is 110kph NOT 130 as the airport sign says.
Legally you need a yellow jacket to be kept inside the car and a warning triangle which you can keep in the boot. Make sure these are in the hire car. Ensure also there is a Crit'Air sticker in the window. Not clearly signposted but A8 motorway is restricted to 90km/h between Cagnes sur Mer and St Laurent du Var.
Nice metropolitan is a ZFE (low emission) zone with driving restrictions. Cannes, Antibes, Vallauris, Cagnes-Sur-Mer, Saint-Laurent-Du-Var and Nice also have restrictions on level 2 high pollution days. A Crit'Air sticker on your windscreen is essential. All vehicles, including tourists' cars and hire cars, need the Quality Air Certificate. It can be obtained from www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en It is a one-off purchase - the sticker lasts the lifetime of the vehicle. The site is in English and easy to use. The stickers come in different colours depending on how polluting your vehicle is. No sticker can lead to a fine of 45 -180 euros.
Note: Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Rouen and Strasbourg will ban Crit’Air 4 vehicles in 2024 and Crit’Air 3 in 2025.
Motorway Breakdown
Stop on the hard shoulder, turn your hazard lights on, put the hi-vis vest on and set up the warning triangle, if safe to do so, facing the direction of oncoming traffic. Passengers should get out of the car on the side away from traffic and shelter behind the safety rails at the side of the road.
You must call for help from the nearest emergency call box found about every 2km along motorways. Using the call box puts you immediately in touch with the motorway company. The call is free and you just press a button to be connected. A tow truck should arrive within 30 minutes of your call.
If your vehicle can be repaired at the side of the road, you will be charged €131.94 plus parts but if a repair will take more than 30 minutes, your vehicle will be towed. You have a choice at this stage whether your vehicle is taken to the garage to which the truck belongs or one of your own choice. You will be charged a fixed fee - set by the government - for towing based on the weight of your vehicle: €144.52 for vehicles weighing 1.8 tonnes or less; €178.70 for heavier vehicles. These prices increase 50% if the emergency call is made between 6pm and 8am on weekdays, or at weekends and public holidays. Repairing or towing a vehicle that has broken down on the motorway can only be carried out by an approved professional, contacted using the orange phone boxes on the roadside, or the SOS Autoroute app. Usually the cost is covered by your insurer.
Be Aware
Running out of fuel or battery charge means a fine of 75 euros and up to 135 euros if the police deem you are in a dangerous place. The French Highway Code says drivers must ensure they have enough fuel to complete their journey or to reach a service station.
See also Car Hire
Cannes Travel Tip: If driving, there is a quicker way back to the airport from Cannes on the A8 motorway than is signposted.
Come off at junction 49 and at the first roundabout take the second exit (underneath the height restricters). Go through the tunnel, avoid the slip lane on the right to CAP 3000, turn right at the traffic lights and right again across the bridge. Keep to the right, cross the river and the next exit leads you to the airport. Follow the signs for terminals one or two. Stay on the left hand side on the road for T2 or you will be heading back to the motorway.
If you have any tips or useful information for this Cannes Travel Guide please contact us.
STOP PRESS - 2024
French railways have brought in rules and payments for luggage, including sizes and numbers of cases. Plus fines if you get it wrong. The new rules apply to Intercity, TGV Inoui and TGV Ouigo. To make it yet more cumbersome there are different regulations for the type of train. So take care especially if taking a train after flying in.
Local TER trains not affected.
TAKE THE TRAIN
The new railway station Nice St Augustin opened 1 September 2022. It is part of a multi modal centre which includes the tramway. It now makes taking the train to and from Cannes to reach the airport easier and cheaper. It is close to trams which run into the airport. The station has disabled access. The bus station is still under construction.
The French railway has launched an app called SNCF Connect. Passengers are able to search for routes, buy tickets, combine train and coach tickets, hire an Avis car, book a taxi, read traffic updates, manage bookings and ticketing. The app can be viewed in English. For rival train companies, eg Trenitalia, you need to use Trainline. International travel by train can be viewed on Connect but tickets not bought online.
Take the tram: Tramlines 2 and 3 operate from T2 and T1 at Nice Airport. Get off at St Augustin railway station (Arenas) to catch a train to Cannes which takes about 25 minutes. The tram is free of charge and no ticket is required.
Last trains at St Augustin:
Monday to Thursday 9.43pm arrives Cannes 10.23pm
Friday 11.48pm arrives Cannes 12.23am
Saturday and Sunday 12.14am arrives Cannes 12.50am
See website for train times or use the SNCF Connect app
For the energetic you can walk from T1 to the railway station. There is a pedestrian pathway from T1. Leave the terminal by Exit A1, close to Arrivals, then follow the dedicated path direction Nice-St Augustin.
See map
https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Nice-Airport-NCE/Nice-St-Augustin#r/Tram
The French railways have brought in rules for luggage size and fines if you get it wrong. The new rules apply to intercity, TGV Inoui and TGV Ouigo. To make it yet more cumbersome there are different regulations for the type of train. So take care especially if taking a train after flying in.
UBER TAXIS
Uber has won a victory in French courts. The Commerce de Nanterre, a commercial court, ruled the firm is compliant with French law. Now you can book with confidence - it's legal. Uber taxis much cheaper (about 55-60 euros airport to Cannes) and good.
TAXI FROM NICE AIRPORT
Taxi rides to towns on the Cote d'Azur are now regulated. It is a fixed price of 80 euros to Cannes, If you try to share a taxi, agree to it out of the hearing of the taxi drivers - Nice taxi drivers are famously militant.
There is now an app for calling one of the 155 taxis registered in Cannes: Taxi Club. Taxis can be booked from abroad. You can arrange to be picked up at the airport and you can even reserve a hotel room on it. When in Cannes the nearest free taxi will respond and you can track its arrival via your phone.
The taxi booking telephone number is 00 33 (0)4 93 99 27 27
EXPRESS COACH FROM TERMINALS 1 and 2
Aéroport Express number 210 - costs 33€ return or 22€ each way - and leaves every hour. Tickets can be bought at the office in the bus stations at Terminals 1 and 2, or on the bus if travelling from Cannes. The journey takes 30-50 minutes depending on traffic. Be aware the last coach leaves from Terminal 1 at 8pm and five minutes later from
Terminal 2.
Click for 210 bus schedule.
Join us in campaigning for the Nice-Cannes airport bus to operate until the final evening flight arrival. Currently the last coach is 8pm.
LOCAL BUS FROM TERMINAL 1
At 20.45 and 21.55 the 200 bus leaves from terminal 1 and depending on traffic takes from 50 minutes to over an hour to reach Cannes (1.70 euros).
At all other times the 200 bus stop can be found on the main road opposite Terminal 1 (take tunnel under the road and turn left, left again up the steps and then right to bus stop) - Ligne 200. An extra charge can be made for large suitcases. It runs every half hour.
See N200 night bus. (only Thurs, Fri, Sat) Use the free airport shuttle from T2 to T1.
CAR - DRIVING
At the airport is a dedicated car hire building.
Do note the maximum motorway speed in the Alpes Maritimes is 110kph NOT 130 as the airport sign says.
Legally you need a yellow jacket to be kept inside the car and a warning triangle which you can keep in the boot. Make sure these are in the hire car. Ensure also there is a Crit'Air sticker in the window. Not clearly signposted but A8 motorway is restricted to 90km/h between Cagnes sur Mer and St Laurent du Var.
Nice metropolitan is a ZFE (low emission) zone with driving restrictions. Cannes, Antibes, Vallauris, Cagnes-Sur-Mer, Saint-Laurent-Du-Var and Nice also have restrictions on level 2 high pollution days. A Crit'Air sticker on your windscreen is essential. All vehicles, including tourists' cars and hire cars, need the Quality Air Certificate. It can be obtained from www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en It is a one-off purchase - the sticker lasts the lifetime of the vehicle. The site is in English and easy to use. The stickers come in different colours depending on how polluting your vehicle is. No sticker can lead to a fine of 45 -180 euros.
Note: Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Rouen and Strasbourg will ban Crit’Air 4 vehicles in 2024 and Crit’Air 3 in 2025.
Motorway Breakdown
Stop on the hard shoulder, turn your hazard lights on, put the hi-vis vest on and set up the warning triangle, if safe to do so, facing the direction of oncoming traffic. Passengers should get out of the car on the side away from traffic and shelter behind the safety rails at the side of the road.
You must call for help from the nearest emergency call box found about every 2km along motorways. Using the call box puts you immediately in touch with the motorway company. The call is free and you just press a button to be connected. A tow truck should arrive within 30 minutes of your call.
If your vehicle can be repaired at the side of the road, you will be charged €131.94 plus parts but if a repair will take more than 30 minutes, your vehicle will be towed. You have a choice at this stage whether your vehicle is taken to the garage to which the truck belongs or one of your own choice. You will be charged a fixed fee - set by the government - for towing based on the weight of your vehicle: €144.52 for vehicles weighing 1.8 tonnes or less; €178.70 for heavier vehicles. These prices increase 50% if the emergency call is made between 6pm and 8am on weekdays, or at weekends and public holidays. Repairing or towing a vehicle that has broken down on the motorway can only be carried out by an approved professional, contacted using the orange phone boxes on the roadside, or the SOS Autoroute app. Usually the cost is covered by your insurer.
Be Aware
Running out of fuel or battery charge means a fine of 75 euros and up to 135 euros if the police deem you are in a dangerous place. The French Highway Code says drivers must ensure they have enough fuel to complete their journey or to reach a service station.
See also Car Hire
Cannes Travel Tip: If driving, there is a quicker way back to the airport from Cannes on the A8 motorway than is signposted.
Come off at junction 49 and at the first roundabout take the second exit (underneath the height restricters). Go through the tunnel, avoid the slip lane on the right to CAP 3000, turn right at the traffic lights and right again across the bridge. Keep to the right, cross the river and the next exit leads you to the airport. Follow the signs for terminals one or two. Stay on the left hand side on the road for T2 or you will be heading back to the motorway.
If you have any tips or useful information for this Cannes Travel Guide please contact us.
Chauffeured Limo
Chauffeur driven limousine may be found at MCPLAZA. 8/10 rue Pasteur, Cannes. Tel: 04 92 18 80 80 email:info@mcplaza Rates from airport: Citroen C6 for 160€, Mercedes S350L for 250€, Bentley Flying Spur for 400€ and Rolls Royce Ghost for 650€ |
Helicopter - Taxi From Nice
Arrive in style! Heli Securite provides a regular helicopter service - like a bus service - between Nice Airport and Cannes. The journey takes 15 minutes and operates from 8.50am to 6.30pm.
Expect to pay about 150€ one way. Héli Sécurité 04 93 21 45 87 http://www.azurhelico.com/en/helicopter-transfers-all-destinations-french-riviera.html |
Cannes Private Airport
Cannes has the second busiest private airport in France after Le Bourget.
Nice also accepts private jets |
Driving to Cannes
BUY A CRIT'AIR STICKER BEFORE TRAVELLING TO FRANCE
If driving to or from Cannes you will need, in addition to a UK sticker (not GB) if your car is British registered, a Crit'Air sticker on your windscreen. All vehicles, including tourists' cars and hire cars, need the Quality Air Certificate which costs 4.18 euros from www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/ It is a one-off purchase - the sticker lasts the lifetime of the vehicle. The site is in English and easy to use. The stickers come in different colours depending on how polluting your vehicle is. No sticker can lead to a fine of 45 -180 euros.
The sticker is compulsory for all parts of Paris within the periphique but not the ring road itself. So far 25 cities and urban areas require the sticker, including Lyon and Grenoble. Motorways A41, A45, A51 and A480 in these designated areas require the sticker.
Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Vallauris, Cagnes-sur-Mer and Saint-Laurent-du-Var restrict level 4/5 and unclassified vehicles from 6am to 8pm on high pollution days - expected to be 3-4 days a year. This will also affect the A8 in each town's area. If hiring a car ensure there is a sticker in the window.
Insider Tip: you can plan your route with www.viamichelin.co.uk and enjoy a gastronomic drive through France
A useful place for an overnight stay, Tournus, is 668 kilometers (415 miles) from Calais. It takes about five hours by motorway.
Hotel St Philibert at 19 avenue Gambetta is an attractive, reasonably priced stopover. Tel: 03 85 51 00 44. Or try the relais chateau hotel opposite, costing somewhat more.
Visit the superb abbey, St-Philibert, parts of which date back to the 10th Century. Classed as one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture, it is worth lingering and exploring the crypt, chancel, and of course the magnificent nave. Beautiful river runs through the town and there are some good restaurants.
If driving to or from Cannes you will need, in addition to a UK sticker (not GB) if your car is British registered, a Crit'Air sticker on your windscreen. All vehicles, including tourists' cars and hire cars, need the Quality Air Certificate which costs 4.18 euros from www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/ It is a one-off purchase - the sticker lasts the lifetime of the vehicle. The site is in English and easy to use. The stickers come in different colours depending on how polluting your vehicle is. No sticker can lead to a fine of 45 -180 euros.
The sticker is compulsory for all parts of Paris within the periphique but not the ring road itself. So far 25 cities and urban areas require the sticker, including Lyon and Grenoble. Motorways A41, A45, A51 and A480 in these designated areas require the sticker.
Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Vallauris, Cagnes-sur-Mer and Saint-Laurent-du-Var restrict level 4/5 and unclassified vehicles from 6am to 8pm on high pollution days - expected to be 3-4 days a year. This will also affect the A8 in each town's area. If hiring a car ensure there is a sticker in the window.
Insider Tip: you can plan your route with www.viamichelin.co.uk and enjoy a gastronomic drive through France
A useful place for an overnight stay, Tournus, is 668 kilometers (415 miles) from Calais. It takes about five hours by motorway.
Hotel St Philibert at 19 avenue Gambetta is an attractive, reasonably priced stopover. Tel: 03 85 51 00 44. Or try the relais chateau hotel opposite, costing somewhat more.
Visit the superb abbey, St-Philibert, parts of which date back to the 10th Century. Classed as one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture, it is worth lingering and exploring the crypt, chancel, and of course the magnificent nave. Beautiful river runs through the town and there are some good restaurants.
Popular Cannes Sightseeing Trips:
Antibes, Juan Les Pins, Golfe Juan, Le Cannet, Mougins, Mandelieu La Napoule, Theoule sur mer, Vallauris.
WHAT'S ON IN CANNES 2024
COTE D'AZUR FRANCE
77th Cannes Film Festival 2024
Antibes, Juan Les Pins, Golfe Juan, Le Cannet, Mougins, Mandelieu La Napoule, Theoule sur mer, Vallauris.
WHAT'S ON IN CANNES 2024
COTE D'AZUR FRANCE
77th Cannes Film Festival 2024
