 A double-deck 186 mph TGV Duplex about to leave Paris for Nice. Far better than flying... |
Travelling from Cannes? This page shows trains from Nice, but all trains heading west from Nice call at Cannes 25-35 minutes after leaving Nice. Going east, simply catch a local train from Cannes to Nice in 31-42 minutes to pick up the departure from Nice, allowing plenty of time for connections.
Travelling from Monaco - Monte Carlo? Trains heading from Nice towards Italy all call at Monte Carlo 15-20 minutes after leaving Nice. If you're going west towards Paris or Spain, catch a local train every 30 minutes from Monte Carlo to Nice, allowing plenty of time for connections. However, there's usually at least one through train a day between Monte Carlo & Paris.
Before you buy your
tickets...
Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets. It answers all the usual questions, "Must I book in advance or can I just buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or just buy a 35 point-to-point ticket online?". Click here to understand how far ahead you can buy train tickets.
European train travel
FAQ...
Nice to Paris by TGV from 25...
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Every day, high-speed double-decker TGV Duplex trains link Nice with Paris in just 5h41 centre to centre with no check-in required. That's little more than it takes by plane, and a lot less hassle. It's a lovely journey, initially at low speed snaking along the coast past rocky headlands, yacht-filled harbours and millionaires' villas, then past Marseille with the Chβteau d'If visible in the bay, then at up to 186 mph along the high-speed line up the Rhone Valley past picturesque French villages with pretty churches.
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See the Paris to Nice by train page for train times, fares, how to buy tickets, tips and advice.
Nice to Cannes, Juan les Pins, Monte Carlo, Menton by local train...
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Frequent TER (Train Exprθs Regional) local trains link all the towns along the Cote d'Azur.
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No reservation is necessary or even possible, just turn up, buy a ticket at the station from the ticket office of self-service machines and hop on the next train. Remember to composte (validate) your ticket before you board in the little machines at the entrance to the platforms.
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You can check times and prices at www.trainline.eu.
Nice to Marseille, Avignon, Lyon, Perpignan, Toulouse & other destinations in France
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See the Train Travel in France page for a beginner's guide to domestic train travel wholly within France.
The view from the train...
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Trains from Nice to Paris skirt the Cote d'Azur between Nice & St Raphael, past rocky headlands, yacht-filled bays and millionaires' villas. This is the way to arrive! Photo courtesy of Mike Sloan. |
Nice to London by TGV & Eurostar...
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See the London to France page, this has times, fares & how to buy tickets between London and Nice, in either direction.
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The easiest way is the daily direct TGV from Nice to Lille then Eurostar from Lille to London, saves crossing Paris.
Nice to Brussels or Bruges from 54 at www.b-europe.com...
Option 1, using a TGV high-speed train direct from Marseille to Brussels - the easiest option...
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Take a train along the scenic Cote d'Azur from Nice or Cannes to Marseille St Charles. Then take a direct TGV high-speed train from Marseille St Charles to Brussels Mid, these run several times a day. Change at Brussels Midi for a Belgian domestic train to Bruges.
This is the easiest option, a chill-out day crossing France and Belgium with power sockets at all seats and a cafe-bar on board. There's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Toulon, over the Rhone at Avignon with the Palais des Papes just visible in the distance to your right, and up the rural Rhone Valley. Times vary, but for example:
Nice Ville depart 08:13, change at Marseille St Charles, Brussels Midi arrive 17:43.
Nice Ville depart 11:23, change at Marseille St Charles, Brussels Midi arrive 20:43.
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Check times & buy tickets from Nice or Cannes to Brussels or Bruges at the Belgian Railways website www.b-europe.com. You print your own ticket.
Option 2, changing in Paris...
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Alternatively, take a TGV Duplex from Nice to Paris Gare de Lyon in 5h40 from 25, cross Paris by metro or taxi, then take a Thalys train from Paris Gare du Nord to Brussels Midi in 1h25 from 29.
This involves crossing Paris, but can be a good if you want to stop off or if it has cheaper fares available than the direct Nice-Brussels train.
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Book from Nice or Cannes to Paris at www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu. Then book the Thalys at www.b-europe.com, making sure you allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Paris.
Nice to Amsterdam from 60 at www.b-europe.com...
Option 1, using a direct TGV high-speed train from Marseille to Brussels - a chill-out day, and avoids crossing Paris.
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Take a train along the scenic Cote d'Azur leaving Nice at 08:13 every day for Marseille St Charles. Then take the 12:10 TGV high-speed train from Marseille St Charles to Brussels Mid, this by-passes Paris. Change at Brussels Midi for a high-speed Thalys train to Amsterdam Centraal arriving around 20:44.
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Daily except Saturdays you can also leave Nice at 11:23 for Marseille St Charles. Then take the 15:09 TGV high-speed train from Marseille St Charles to Brussels Mid, by-passing Paris. Change at Brussels Midi for a high-speed Thalys train to Amsterdam Centraal arriving around 23:44.
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This is the easiest option, a chill-out day crossing France and Belgium with power sockets at all seats and a cafe-bar on board both trains. There's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Toulon, over the Rhone at Avignon with the Palais des Papes just visible in the distance to your right, and up the rural Rhone Valley.
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You can buy tickets from Nice or Cannes to Amsterdam as a single transaction at the Belgian Railways website www.b-europe.com. You print out your own tickets. If necessary, book Marseille to Amsterdam using www.b-europe.com then add the connecting train from Nice or Cannes to Marseille as a separate ticket at www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu.
Option 2, changing in Paris - wider range of departures, sometimes cheaper fares, chance to stop off in Paris...
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Alternatively, take a TGV Duplex from Nice to Paris Gare de Lyon in 5h35, cross Paris by metro or taxi, then take a Thalys train from Paris Gare du Nord to Amsterdam Centraal in 3h10.
This involves crossing Paris, but can be a good if you want to stop off or if it has cheaper fares available than the direct Nice-Brussels train.
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Book from Nice or Cannes to Paris at www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu. Then book the Thalys at www.b-europe.com, making sure you allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Paris.
Nice to Luxembourg from 35...
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The easiest option is to take the 06:57 TGV from Nice Ville to Lyon Part Dieu arriving 11:28, change onto the 12:00 TGV from Lyon Part Dieu direct to Luxembourg arriving 17:35. No need to cross Paris! This operates most days.
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Alternatively, take a TGV Duplex from Nice Ville or Cannes to Paris Gare de Lyon from 25, take metro or taxi to Paris Gare de l'Est and take a TGV to Luxembourg from 20.
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Check times & prices and buy tickets at www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu. You usually print your own tickets.
Nice to Geneva, Zurich & Switzerland: Nice to Geneva from 25...
Option 1, via France - usually the best route for Geneva, Montreux, Lausanne...
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There's a daily direct Marseille-Geneva high-speed TGV with a connection from Nice. You can leave Nice Ville around 10:57, change at Marseille, leaving Marseille at 13:48 arriving Geneva at 17:18. Advance-purchase fares start at 25.
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Alternatively, you'll usually find a high-speed TGV leaving Nice Ville at 06:57, change at Lyon Part Dieu onto a TER regional train arriving Geneva at 14:29.
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These trains take you along the scenic Provencal coastline past rocky headlands, yacht-filled harbours and millionaires' villas to Marseille, then up through the French Alps, a very enjoyable ride. There are other options with a change of train.
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To book from Nice or Cannes to Geneva, go to www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu.
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If you are going beyond Geneva to anywhere else in Switzerland, buy a separate ticket from Geneva to your Swiss destination at the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch. You'll get a print-at-home ticket valid on any train from Geneva to your Swiss destination that day, no reservation is necessary for Swiss domestic trains - although you can find cheaper Supersaver fares to some destinations if you book in advance (but less than 30 days ahead) at sbb.ch. Or just buy at the station when you get to Geneva.
Option 2, via Milan - usually the best route for Zurich, Lucerne, St Moritz, with Alpine scenery
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There are 3 daily Thello trains from Nice to Milan taking 4h35 with fares from 15. There's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa, there's a cafe counter on board and all seats have power sockets. Departures at 08:01, 14:02 & 18:08. The first two of these will give same-day connections from Milan to Switzerland.
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You change at Milan's magnificent Centrale station for direct ETR610 EuroCity trains from Milan through the Alps to Lucerne (3h26), Zurich (3h25), Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Montreux, Geneva with fares from 29. There's great scenery past Italian and then Swiss lakes and through the Alps.
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You can book from Nice to these major cities as one transaction at www.loco2.com or www.trenitalia.com. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board the trains. Note that Zurich is listed on Trenitalia as Zurigo. Tip: Using www.loco2.com it can help to click More options and specify via Milan.
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For Zermatt, book Nice to Brig at www.loco2.com or www.trenitalia.com then add a Brig-Zermatt local ticket either at the station or at Swiss Railways www.sbb.ch.
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For Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Grindelwald, book Nice to Spiez at www.loco2.com or www.trenitalia.com then add a local ticket from Spiez to your final Swiss destination either at the station or at Swiss Railways www.sbb.ch.
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For St Moritz, book Nice to Tirano at www.loco2.com or www.trenitalia.com then buy a Tirano-St Moritz ticket at the station or buy it at www.rhb.ch.
Nice to Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome & Italy from as little as 15...
Option 1, by direct Thello train from Nice, Monaco to Genoa & Milan - the direct recommended option...
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There are 3 daily Thello trains from Nice to San Remo, Savona, Genoa & Milan, leaving Nice Ville at 08:01, 14:02 & 18:08, arriving Milan Centrale at 12:50, 18:50 & 22:50 respectively.
All these Thello trains call at Monaco-Monte Carlo, San Remo, Savona, Genoa Piazza Principe & Milan Centrale.
There's lovely scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa, sit back with a coffee or glass of prosecco and enjoy.
Change at Genoa Piazza Principe for La Spezia, Monterosso in Cinque Terre & Pisa.
Change at Milan Centrale for Florence, Rome, Naples, Verona & Venice.
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For example...
The 08:01 Thello train from Nice would get you to Florence SMN at 14:59, Rome Termini at 16:29, or Venice Santa Lucia on the banks of the Grand Canal in central Venice at 16:10. City centre to city centre.
The 14:02 Thello train from Nice would get you to Florence SMN at 20:59, Rome Termini at 22:40, or Venice Santa Lucia on the banks of the Grand Canal in central Venice at 21:40. City centre to city centre.
Overnight option... How about taking the 18:08 Thello train from Nice to either Genoa or Milan Centrale, stopping overnight there, then heading from Milan Centrale to Florence, Venice, Rome or from Genoa to Cinque Terre, La Spezia or Pisa next morning? If you left Nice at 18:08, stopped overnight in Milan, and left Milan at 06:15 you could be in Florence at 07:59 and central Rome at 09:40. But by all means have a leisurely breakfast and book a later train. The time-effective option that beats flying!
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Nice to Genoa or Milan starts at just 15 booked in advance and rises to 45 full-flex to Milan. An onward ticket from Genoa to Pisa or Milan to Florence starts at 19, or Milan to Rome or Naples starts at 29, if you book in advance and choose a super-economy advance-purchase fare.
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These Thello trains are run by Thello, the same subsidiary of Trenitalia that runs the Paris-Venice sleeper train. As with Thello's Paris-Venice train, this train is being run in competition with SNCF French Railways, not in co-operation with them, so you will not find this train shown on the French Railways website and you cannot buy tickets at French stations, apart from using the special branded Thello ticket machines.
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You can check trains times and buy tickets from Nice to any station in Italy at www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, the 3.50 booking fee will be refunded if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com with your booking reference) or at Italian Railways own website www.trenitalia.com (can be more fiddly to use, requires Italian language place names, no booking fee, read this advice on using it). Look for a cheap super-economy or economy fare. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board the train. A seat reservation is compulsory and is included automatically in every ticket.
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Alternatively, you can also book from Nice to anywhere in Italy in plain English at www.loco2.com with prices in , £ or $ and the same cheap prices and same ticketless delivery - you just quote your booking reference on board the train. Loco2 can also ticket the options with a change of train at Ventimiglia described in option 2 below, as it connects to both the Italian (Trenitalia) and French (SNCF) ticketing systems.
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The Thello train from Nice to Milan, arrived at Milan Centrale. See more photos & information about these Thello trains... |
1st class seats on Thello. All seats have power sockets. Plenty of luggage room on racks & between seat backs... |
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2nd class seats on the Thello train. All seats have power sockets, with plenty of luggage space on racks and between seat backs. |
The small cafe-bar counter on the Milan to Nice & Marseille Thello train serving tea, coffee, wine, beer, soft drinks and snacks. |
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Views from the train, along the Ligurian coast between Nice and Genoa. Photos courtesy of Lucas Martin. |
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A Frecciarossa ETR500 train capable of 300 km/h (186 mph) link Milan with Venice, Florence, Rome & Naples. The name means Red Arrow. |
Business class, all seats with power sockets, complimentary coffee, juice or prosecco included. |
Option 2, if none of the 3 daily Thello trains suit you, you can combine a French local train to Ventimiglia with an Italian train onwards...
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Simply hop on the frequent local train from Nice to Ventimiglia, just across the Italian border. These double-decker local trains link Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo & Ventimiglia every 30 minutes throughout the day, journey time from Nice to Ventimiglia is around 48 minutes. I'd allow at least 30-40 minutes in Ventimiglia for connections in case of delay. Then take an Italian InterCity train from Ventimiglia to Genoa & Milan, changing in Milan for Venice or Naples, changing in Genoa for Pisa & Rome, changing at both Genoa & Pisa for Florence. Take a good book, picnic and perhaps a bottle of red and enjoy the scenic ride along the coastline of the Italian Riviera through San Remo and Savona...
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There are many & various possible daily departures... Obviously taking one of the direct Thello trains would be easiest, but if you really want to travel in the gaps between the three daily departures, just run your enquiry through www.loco2.com to find train times. This will book both the Thello trains and the French local train/Italian IC train combos.
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How much does it cost?
The local ticket from Nice to Ventimiglia costs just 7.70 fixed-price, even bought at the station on the day. Ventimiglia to Genoa or Milan starts at a mere 9.90 if you pre-book a Super-economy or Economy advance-purchase fare. Ventimiglia to Venice or Rome starts at just 29 in 2nd class or from 49 in 1st class. Ventimiglia to Florence starts at 27 in 2nd class or from 47 in 1st class.
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How to buy tickets...
A word of explanation: The French Railways website can't access Trenitalia's cheap fares, whilst Trenitalia.com can't sell SNCF tickets. So much for international co-operation! So there are two ways to buy tickets.
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(1) Buy tickets the easy way using www.loco2.com. You can easily book train tickets from Nice Ville to anywhere in Italy at www.loco2.com, even if the journey involves a change at Ventimiglia. That's because Loco2 connects both to the French SNCF ticketing system and Trenitalia's ticketing system so you can buy both tickets together in the same place.
There's no booking fee and all international credit cards are accepted. You'll get a collect-at-station ticket for the regional train from Nice to Ventimiglia and journeys from Ventimiglia to Italian destinations are ticketless, you simply quote your booking reference on board the train.
Tip: I recommend specifying Nice Ville as departure point, because for some reason using Nice (any station) tends to bring up Nice Riquier which is a secondary station which you don't want. Take time to peruse the many departures which come up in the search results, journeys using the direct Thello trains from Nice to Genoa & Milan tend to be faster and cheaper as well as more reliable, although there's only three per day.
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(2) Buy tickets by splitting the booking at Ventimiglia...
You can also book a cheap advance-purchase ticket from Ventimiglia (on the Italian border where the Italian trains start) to anywhere we like in Italy using the Italian system, then add a French ticket from Nice to Ventimiglia bought at the station or online using a French system, like this:
Step 1, Book from Ventimiglia to Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence wherever all in one go using either www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, small booking fee will be refunded if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com with your PNR) or Italian Railways own website www.trenitalia.com (can be more fiddly to use, requires Italian language place names, no booking fee, read this advice on using it first).
Step 2: You don't need to reserve the local train from Cannes, Nice or Monte Carlo to Ventimiglia, in fact you can't, you can simply turn up and buy a ticket at the station, no reservation necessary or possible, unlimited availability, and hop on the next train. Easy! If you want to check train times from Monte Carlo, Nice or Cannes to Ventimiglia just do this using www.bahn.de. As I said, I'd catch a local train from Nice that arrived in Ventimiglia a good 30-40 minutes before your pre-booked train left, just in case of delay.
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Italian InterCity trains link Ventimiglia on the French/Italian border with Genoa & Milan. Most cars are of the traditional side-corridor type with 6-seater compartments (pictured above). |
Double-decker regional trains like this link Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo & Ventimiglia every 30 minutes. |
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Nice to Barcelona, Madrid & Spain...
Option 1, Nice to Barcelona in a single day...
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Step 1, go to www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu and book from Nice or Cannes to Barcelona. You'll find at least one good daily option with one easy change at Montpellier. You'll get a print-at-home ticket.
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For example...
Nice depart 06:57, change at Valence onto a TGV Duplex, arrive Barcelona Sants at 16:34.
Nice depart 10:57, change at Marseille St Charles & Montpelier Saint-Roch onto an AVE-S100 high-speed train, arrive Barcelona Sants at 19:30.
Fares start at around 39 in 2nd class or 59 in 1st class.
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It's a great trip: The train takes you along the Provencal coastline past rocky headlands, yacht-filled harbours and millionaires' villas, then through Marseille with the Chβteau d'If (France's Alcatraz) visible in the bay. Look out for flamingos in the ιtangs (lakes) beyond Montpellier. The TGVs to Barcelona also call at Figueres (for the amazing Salvador Dali museum) and Girona.
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Step 2 for Madrid, Zaragoza, Valencia, Alicante, book a suitable connecting train from Barcelona using either the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (fiddly, may reject some overseas cards) or www.loco2.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, same prices and print-at-home tickets) or www.petrabax.com (in US$, with a small mark-up).
If you take an early-morning train from Nice you can do the whole trip in one day, if you take a later mid-morning train from Nice you'll need to stop overnight in Barcelona - see suggested hotels with good reviews near Barcelona Sants station.
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Step 2, for Seville, Cordoba, Malaga, Granada, Algeciras, stay overnight in Barcelona, see suggested hotels with good reviews near Barcelona Sants station. Book onward high-speed trains from Barcelona to Seville, Malaga, Cordoba, Granada etc, using either the Spanish Railways website www.loco2.com (easiest to use, in , £ or $, with print-at-home tickets, no added booking fees) or www.petrabax.com (in US$, small mark-up, print at home tickets) or www.renfe.com (fiddly, may reject some overseas cards, print at home tickets). You'll find a direct AVE S112 high-speed train leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:30 arriving Malaga, Cordoba & Seville around lunchtime, with connections to Granada & Algeciras for Gibraltar. If you fancy a morning in Barcelona, there's another direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Barcelona at 15:50.
Option 2, Nice to Barcelona & Madrid with overnight stop in Marseille...
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Day 1, take an evening train from Nice Ville to Marseille St Charles leaving around 17:00 and taking 2h35, ideally take an earlier train and see a bit of Marseille as it's a great place for a stopover. Book this train at www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu from 15 and print your own ticket.
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Stay overnight in Marseille. Inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles station include the Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.
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Day 2, take the direct AVE-S100 high-speed train leaving Marseille St Charles around 08:01 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 12:38 & Madrid Atocha at 15:45. Book this train from 39 in 2nd class or 59 in 1st class at www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu.
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Change in Madrid for Seville, Cordoba, Malaga. Change in Barcelona for Valencia and Alicante.
You can book from Marseille to any Spanish destination as one booking at www.loco2.com with print-at-home tickets.
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2nd class seats on the S100 AVE, all with power sockets. Luggage goes on the racks at the car ends or above the seats. Panorama photo of 2nd class |
These AVE-S100 trains operate the TGV/AVE services from Marseille to Barcelona & Madrid. See more photos & information about these AVE-S100 trains. |
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Cafe-bar on an S100 AVE serving tea, coffee, beer, wine, soft drinks, snacks & hot dishes... |
1st class seats on an S100 AVE. Panorama photo of 1st class |
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Mt Canigou & the Pyrenees... One of the highest peaks in the mighty Pyrenees, the 2,784m (9,137 feet) high Mt Canigou dominates the skyline on the right all the way from Perpignan to Girona, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canigou. More photos of what to see on the Paris-Barcelona train journey. |
Nice to San Sebastian...
Option 1, via Barcelona...
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Travel from Nice to Barcelona as explained above.
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There are two daily direct trains from Barcelona to San Sebastian, morning & late afternoon, bookable at www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu. You print your own ticket.
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If you leave Nice in the morning and travel to Barcelona in one day, you can stay overnight in Barcelona then take the morning train to San Sebastian, see suggested hotels with good reviews near Barcelona Sants station. If you leave Nice in the evening and stop overnight in Marseille, you can make the afternoon train from Barcelona to San Sebastian arriving in the evening.
Option 2, via Hendaye...
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Check trains from Nice to Hendaye at www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu. It's an all-day journey across the south of France.
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At Hendaye, walk out of the mainline station, the little Euskotren platform is outside to your right in the corner of the car park. Metro trains leave every 30 minutes to San Sebastian-Donostia Amara station, journey time 37 minutes, fare a few euros, buy that ticket at the station. You can see photos and help with this Hendaye-San Sebastian transfer here.
Nice to Lisbon, Porto, Faro & Portugal...
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Day 1, travel from Nice to Marseille St Charles on any evening train in 2h35, stay overnight, then take the 08:01 AVE-S100 high-speed train from Marseille St Charles to Madrid Atocha on day 2 as shown in option 2 of the Nice to Madrid section above. You've an evening in Madrid.
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Day 2, take the excellent overnight sleeper train Trainhotel Lusitania overnight from Madrid Chamartin to Lisbon Santa Apolonia as shown in the Madrid to Lisbon by trainhotel page, arriving at 07:30 on day 3.
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Change at Lisbon Oriente for trains to Porto & Faro, as shown in the Madrid to Lisbon section.
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Gran Clase sleeper, in evening mode with the seats folded out... |
...return from dinner to find the attendant has made up the beds... |
Gran Clase sleepers have a private toilet & shower... |
The trainhotel Lusitania from Madrid to Lisbon is an articulated Spanish Talgo train. Seen here at Madrid Chamartin station. |
Nice to Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Berlin & Germany
Option 1, Nice to Munich or Berlin using the Milan-Munich sleeper - the time-effective option...
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Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:02 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:50, fares start at just 15. Book this at www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board. Have dinner in Milan.
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Step 2, travel from Milan to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train leaving Milan Centrale at 20:40 and arriving Munich Hbf at 08:19. Fares start at 59 with a couchette, 99 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper or 129 in a single bed sleeper. Deluxe sleepers with shower & toilet are also available. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.
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Change in Munich for an ICE train to Berlin, Leipzig, Frankfurt, or anywhere in Germany.
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Book from Milan to anywhere in Germany at the German Railways website www.bahn.de with print-at-home tickets. Alternatively, book at www.trainline.eu.
Option 2, Nice to Frankfurt by daytime trains with overnight stop in Marseille...
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Day 1, take any evening train you like from Nice or Cannes to Marseille St Charles in 2h35 from 15. Book this train at www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu and print your own ticket.
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Stay overnight in Marseille, inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles station include the Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.
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Day 2, take the 08:09 direct TGV Duplex from Marseille St Charles to Frankfurt (Main) Hbf arriving 15:58. Change in Frankfurt for Cologne, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Berlin and destinations all over Germany. Fares from 39.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class. Book from Marseille to anywhere in Germany at www.loco2.com or www.bahn.de looking for the 08:09 departure. You print your own ticket.
Option 3, Nice to Cologne, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt by daytime trains via Paris...
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You can travel by high-speed daytime trains via Paris. Nice to Paris Gare de Lyon by TGV Duplex in 5h41, an hour between trains in Paris, then Paris Gare du Nord to Cologne Hbf by Thalys in 3h25, or Paris Gare de l'Est to Frankfurt by ICE train in 3h50. Change at Mannheim or Cologne for destinations all over Germany.
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You can check times and buy tickets from Nice or Cannes to anywhere in Germany at www.trainline.eu. How to cross Paris by taxi or metro.
Option 4, Nice to Munich or Berlin by daytime trains with overnight stop in Verona - a scenic option with coastline and mountains...
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Day 1, travel from Nice to Verona, leaving Nice Ville at 14:02, changing at Milan's magnificent Centrale station and arriving Verona Porta Nuova around 20:54 enjoying great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa.
Book this from 34.90 at www.loco2.com or www.trenitalia.com. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board the train.
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Stay overnight in Verona. By all means catch the morning train from Nice to Verona, or a later train from Verona to Germany, to spend some time here. Hotels & B&Bs near the station with good or great reviews include the Corte Merighi Rooms & Breakfast, Novo Hotel Rossi, Guesthouse Verona or (a little closer to the centre but with great reviews) the Relais Empire.
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Day 2, travel from Verona to Munich, leaving Verona Porta Nuova at 09:04 arriving Munich Hbf at 14:21. This is a lovely journey on a smart Austrian EuroCity train with elegant restaurant car through the wonderful Brenner Pass, see the Brenner Pass video here.
Change in Munich for ICE and IC trains to destinations all over Germany.
Book from Verona Porta Nuova to anywhere in Germany from 39.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class at www.loco2.com or www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.
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The restaurant car on a EuroCity to Munich, seen at Verona. You don't need to book a table, just go along and sit down. Dining on the move as the scenery glides by is one of the pleasures of travelling on trains like this... |
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Second class seats, mostly in 6-seat compartments with side-corridor like this, but some cars are open-plan saloons... |
First class leather seats. On a few trains you'll find 6-seat compartments too.... |
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Watch out for hilltop fortresses... See the Brenner Pass scenery video here. |
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Vineyards, mountains and castles south of Brenner as the train heads from Verona to Innsbruck... |
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Mountains on the Brenner route... |
Nice to Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck & Austria
Option 1, using the nightjet sleeper train from Milan to Salzburg or Vienna - the time-effective option...
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Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:02 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:50.
Fares start at 15. There's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa.
Book this train at www.trainline.eu or www.loco2.com or www.trenitalia.com. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.
Have dinner in Milan - the station bistro is good (www.autogrill.com/it/marchi/bistrot-milano-centrale), or try the excellent Italian restaurant Noblesse Oblige just 5 minutes walk outside the station, book a table at www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com.
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Step 2, travel from Milan to Salzburg or Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Centrale at 20:40 and arriving Salzburg at 06:15 or Vienna Hbf at 08:46.
Fares start at 59 with couchette or from 99 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper or 139 in a single-bed sleeper. The sleeper & couchette fare includes a light breakfast served in your compartment. See the Nightjet information page.
Book this at www.trainline.eu (easiest to use, overseas payment cards no problem) or Austrian Railways own site www.oebb.at (same prices as Trainline but more fiddly) with print-at-home tickets. Look for the train marked ΦBB with 0 changes.
Option 2, by Russian sleeper train, every Sunday morning - a direct high-quality sleeper train from Nice to Vienna...
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You can book a ticket from Nice to Vienna on the weekly Russian sleeper train on its way to Moscow, leaving Nice around 09:30 every Sunday morning and arriving at Vienna Hbf next day around 06:02 next morning with excellent modern sleeping-cars and a restaurant car. It's identical to the equally-excellent Paris-Moscow train illustrated here. However, the Russians have yet to discover cheap advance-purchase pricing - you're looking at around 160 with a bed in a 4-berth, 263 with a bed in a 2-berth.
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Book at the Russian Railways website www.rzd.ru and print your own ticket - see my advice on using rzd.ru. You should use the German name Wien as Vienna.
Option 3, by day trains with overnight stop in Verona - a highly scenic option to Innsbruck, Salzburg & Vienna with coastline & mountains...
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Day 1, travel from Nice to Verona, leaving Nice at 14:02 by Thello train, making one easy change at Milan's magnificent Centrale station to arrive Verona Porta Nuova around 20:54, enjoying the great scenery along the Ligurian coast between Nice and Genoa.
Book this from 34.90 at www.loco2.com or www.trenitalia.com. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board the train.
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Stay overnight in Verona. By all means catch the morning train from Nice to Verona, or a later train from Verona to Germany, to spend some time here. Hotels near the station with good or great reviews include the Corte Merighi Rooms & Breakfast, Novo Hotel Rossi, Guesthouse Verona or (a little closer to the centre but with fab reviews) the Relais Empire.
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Day 2, travel from Verona to Innsbruck, leaving Verona Porta Nuova at 09:04 and arriving Innsbruck at 12:32. This is a lovely journey on a smart Austrian EuroCity train with elegant restaurant car through the wonderful Brenner Pass, see the Brenner Pass video here.
Change in Innsbruck for a modern Austrian Railjet train to Salzburg and Vienna, taking just a few hours more.
Book from Verona Porta Nuova to Innsbruck, Salzburg, Vienna or anywhere in Austria from 39 at www.trainline.eu (easy to use, in various currencies, overseas cards no problem) or www.oebb.at (a little more fiddly) and print your own ticket.
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The restaurant car on a EuroCity to Munich, seen at Verona. You don't need to book a table, just go along and sit down. Dining on the move as the scenery glides by is one of the pleasures of travelling on trains like this... |
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Second class seats, mostly in 6-seat compartments with side-corridor like this, but some cars are open-plan saloons... |
First class leather seats. On a few trains you'll find 6-seat compartments too.... |
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Watch out for hilltop fortresses... See the Brenner Pass scenery video here. |
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Vineyards, mountains and castles south of Brenner as the train heads from Verona to Innsbruck... |
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Mountains on the Brenner route... |
Nice to Copenhagen, Gothenburg & Stockholm...
Using the Milan-Munich sleeper...
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Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by air-conditioned Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:02 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:50.
Fares start at 15. There's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa.
Book this train at www.loco2.com or www.trenitalia.com. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.
Have dinner in Milan - the station bistro is good (www.autogrill.com/it/marchi/bistrot-milano-centrale), or try the excellent Italian restaurant Noblesse Oblige just 5 minutes walk outside the station, book a table at www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com.
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Step 2, travel from Milan to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Centrale at 20:40 and arriving Munich Hbf at 08:19.
Fares start at 59 with a couchette or 99 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper or 139 in a single-bed sleeper. The sleeper & couchette fare includes a light breakfast served in your compartment. See the Nightjet sleeper information page.
Book from Milan to Munich at the German Railways website www.bahn.de and print your own ticket. In the search results, look for the evening departure with 0 changes marked NJ.
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Step 3, travel from Munich to Copenhagen from 39.90 by luxurious ICE train with a change at Hamburg Hbf onto a Danish EuroCity train, checking times and buying tickets at www.bahn.de and allowing at least 60 minutes between trains in Munich in case of any delay. You can usually leave Munich Hbf at 10:21 arriving Copenhagen at 22:26. Tip: I recommend changing Duration of transfer from standard to at least 45 minutes.
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For Stockholm, stay overnight in Copenhagen and take a fast X2000 train to Stockholm next day. You can book this at www.sj.se but it's usually cheaper to book from Munich to Stockholm all in one go at www.bahn.de, clicking Add intermediate stops, entering Copenhagen and say 09:00 in the hh:mm stopover duration box. You can then get a Munich-Stockholm ticket from 39.90 upwards with an overnight stop pre-programmed in.
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For Malmo or Gothenburg, stay overnight in Copenhagen and take an Φresund train to Malmφ or Gothenburg next day. You can book this at www.sj.se or buy at the station, no reservation required, but it's usually cheaper to book from Munich to Malmφ or Gothenburg all in one go at www.bahn.de, clicking Add intermediate stops, entering Copenhagen and say 09:00 in the hh:mm stopover duration box. You can then get a Munich-Malmφ or Munich-Gothenburg ticket from 39 with an overnight stop pre-programmed in. Note that Gothenburg is listed on bahn.de as Goteborg Central.
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2-berth regular sleeper with washstand... |
The toilet & shower in a deluxe sleeper... |
A Comfortline sleeping-car, as now used on the Austrian Nightjet train from Milan to Munich. More information about Nightjets. |
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Austrian couchette car or liegewagen. Couchettes are the economical option, flat bunks with rug & pillow. |
6-berth couchettes, the cheapest option... |
4-berth couchettes, ideal for families... |
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A Danish IC3 train at Copenhagen station. IC3s now work all the Hamburg-Copenhagen trains. |
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Nice to Prague...
Option 1, using the Milan-Vienna sleeper - the time-effective option from Nice to Prague...
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Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by air-conditioned Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:02 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:50.
Fares start at 15. There's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa.
Book this train at www.loco2.com or www.trenitalia.com. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.
Have dinner in Milan - the station bistro is good (www.autogrill.com/it/marchi/bistrot-milano-centrale), or my personal recommendation, the excellent Italian restaurant Noblesse Oblige just 5 minutes walk outside the station, book a table at www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com.
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Step 2, travel from Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Centrale at 20:40 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 08:46.
Fares start at 59 with couchette or from 99 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper or 139 in a single-bed sleeper. The sleeper & couchette fare includes a light breakfast served in your compartment. See the Nightjet sleeper information page.
Book this at www.trainline.eu (easiest to use, overseas payment cards no problem) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (same prices as Trainline but more fiddly) with print-at-home tickets. Look for the train marked NJ or ΦBB with 0 changes.
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Step 3, take the 11:10 Czech Railjet train with free WiFi and restaurant car from Vienna Hbf to Prague Hlavni, arriving 15:07. Book this from 14 in 2nd class or 29 in 1st class at www.trainline.eu or Czech Railways www.cd.cz/eshop, whichever is cheaper, and print your own ticket.
Option 2, by daytime trains with overnight stop Verona - a scenic option with coastline and mountains...
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Day 1, travel from Nice to Verona, leaving Nice Ville at 14:02 arriving Verona Porta Nuova around 20:54 enjoying great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa, making one easy change at Milan's magnificent Centrale station.
Book this from 24.90 at www.trenitalia.com. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board the train.
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Stay overnight in Verona. By all means catch the earlier 08:01 train from Nice to Verona, or a later train from Verona to Germany, to spend some time here. Hotels & B&Bs near the station with good or great reviews include the Corte Merighi Rooms & Breakfast, Novo Hotel Rossi, Guesthouse Verona or (a little closer to the centre but with fab reviews) the Relais Empire.
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Day 2, travel from Verona to Munich, leaving Verona Porta Nuova at 09:04 arriving Munich Hbf 14:26. This is a lovely journey on a smart Austrian EuroCity train with elegant restaurant car through the wonderful Brenner Pass, see the Brenner Pass video here.
Book from Verona Porta Nuova to Munich from 39.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.
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Day 2 afternoon, travel from Munich to Prague by Munich-Prague express train leaving Munich Hbf at 16:44 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 22:19.
Fares from 15 in 2nd class or 35 in 1st class. The train is air-conditioned with power sockets at all seats, a minibar serving drinks and snacks, and free WiFi in most cars.
Book from Munich to Prague at Czech Railways www.cd.cz/eshop, carefully avoiding any journey marked BUS, look for No transfers (ALX) and print your own ticket.
Nice to Bratislava...
Using the Milan-Vienna sleeper - the time-effective option from Nice to Bratislava...
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Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by air-conditioned Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:02 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:50.
Fares start at 15. There's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa.
Book this train at www.loco2.com or www.trenitalia.com. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.
Have dinner in Milan - the station bistro is good (www.autogrill.com/it/marchi/bistrot-milano-centrale), or my personal recommendation, the excellent Italian restaurant Noblesse Oblige just 5 minutes walk outside the station, book a table at www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com.
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Step 2, travel from Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Centrale at 20:40 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 08:46.
Fares start at 59 with couchette or from 99 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper or 139 in a single-bed sleeper. The sleeper & couchette fare includes a light breakfast served in your compartment. See the Nightjet sleeper information page.
Book this at www.trainline.eu (easiest to use) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (same prices but more fiddly) with print-at-home tickets. Look for the train marked NJ or ΦBB with 0 changes.
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Step 3, take hourly Regional Express from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna, these leave every hour, journey time 1h06, buy a 10.80 ticket at the station, no reservation necessary or possible. You can check times (and buy a ticket if you like, to save time at the station) using www.trainline.eu.
Nice to Budapest...
Using the Milan-Vienna sleeper - the time-effective option from Nice to Budapest...
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Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by air-conditioned Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:02 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:50.
Fares start at 15. There's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa.
Book this train at www.loco2.com or www.trenitalia.com. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.
Have dinner in Milan - the station bistro is good (www.autogrill.com/it/marchi/bistrot-milano-centrale), or my personal recommendation, the excellent Italian restaurant Noblesse Oblige just 5 minutes walk outside the station, book a table at www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com.
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Step 2, travel from Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Centrale at 20:40 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 08:46.
Fares start at 59 with couchette or 99 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper or 139 in a single-bed sleeper. The sleeper & couchette fare includes a light breakfast served in your compartment. See the Nightjet sleeper information page.
Book this at www.trainline.eu (easiest to use, overseas payment cards no problem) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (same prices but more fiddly) with print-at-home tickets. Look for the train marked NJ or ΦBB with 0 changes.
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Step 3, travel from Vienna to Budapest by railjet train leaving Vienna Hbf at 11:42 and arriving Budapest Keleti at 14:19. Book this from 19 in 2nd class or 29 in 1st class at www.trainline.eu or www.oebb.at. You print your own ticket.
Nice to Ljubljana & Zagreb...
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Day 1, take the 08:01 or 14:02 Thello train from Nice to Venice Santa Lucia from 34.90, with one easy change at Milan's magnificent Centrale station, as explained above. It's a lovely scenic ride along the coast between Nice and Genoa. Book this at www.trenitalia.com, it's ticketless, you just quote the booking reference on board.
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Stay overnight in Venice.
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Day 2, travel from Venice to Ljubljana or Zagreb for around 24 by train as explained in detail here. No reservations are necessary for any of this journey, just turn up, buy a ticket and go. There are several departures to choose from every day.
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Inside the ETR563. Larger photo. |
The train to Ljubljana about to leave Trieste. Courtesy of Marc Williams. |
Nice to Bucharest, Belgrade & Sofia...
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Travel from Nice to Budapest by Thello train to Milan, sleeper to Vienna then railjet to Budapest as explained above.
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For Brasov & Bucharest, catch the sleeper train Ister as explained here on the Trains from Budapest page.
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For Belgrade & Sofia, catch the sleeper train to Belgrade as explained here on the Trains from Budapest page. Then take a train to Sofia.
Nice to Warsaw, Krakow & Poland...
Option 1, daily via Vienna...
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Step 1, travel from Nice to Vienna as explained above (you want option 1). You arrive at Vienna Hbf by sleeper at 08:46, spend a few hours exploring Vienna.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Warsaw by comfortable EuroCity train with restaurant car, leaving Vienna Hbf at 14:10 and arrives Warsaw Centralna at 21:07. Fares from 39 booked at www.oebb.at.
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For Krakow, change at Katowice. You'd book Vienna to Katowice from 29 at www.oebb.at then Katowice-Krakow separately at www.intercity.pl.
Nice to Kiev, Lviv & Ukraine...
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This journey is very comfortable, it takes 2 nights.
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Step 1, travel from Nice to Vienna by Thello train to Milan and sleeper to Vienna as explained above.
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Step 2, travel on the direct train from Vienna to Lviv and Kiev leaving Vienna at 16:42 and arriving at Lviv next morning and Kiev that afternoon, as explained on the trains from Vienna page.
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The Budapest-Kiev train... Courtesy of Alessandro |
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A sleeper compartment... |
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...with washbasin. |
Nice to Moscow...
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There's a weekly direct Russian Railways sleeper to Moscow, every Sunday morning at 09:30, arriving Moscow around 11:45 on Tuesday morning. See pass.rzd.ru/static/public/en? STRUCTURE_ID=5125&layer_id=3290&.
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The train has comfortable air-conditioned sleepers, 4-berth in 2nd class, 2-berth in 1st class and some VIP deluxe sleepers with en suite toilet and shower. It's identical to the Paris-Moscow Express shown with photos & video here.
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You can check fares and buy print-at-home tickets at www.rzd.ru - see my advice on using this.
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Note that this train passes through Belarus, so you'll need a Belarus transit visa.
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If you want to avoid Belarus and the need for an extra visa, travel from Nice to Kiev as explained above. Then catch a sleeper train overnight from Kiev to Moscow, for example train 6 leaving Kiev at 19:36 arriving Moscow Kievskaya around 10:09 next morning.
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Nice to Athens & Greece
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Nice to Athens takes less than 48 hours this way, an epic adventure, and a great journey. Recommended!
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Day 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train laving Nice at 14:02 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:50. Fares from 15 booked at www.trenitalia.com. It's a scenic ride along the Italian Riviera between Nice and Genoa.
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Stay overnight in Milan.
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Day 2 morning, travel from Milan to Bari on the daily 07:35 Frecciabianca train, along the scenic Adriatic coast with fares from 29.90 in 2nd class or 39.90 in 1st class booked at www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, allows specific seat choice from a seating plan, the small booking fee will be refunded if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com with your PNR) or Italian Railways own site www.trenitalia.com (requires Italian language place names, no booking fee, read this advice on using it first).
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In Bari, it's a short taxi ride or 25 minute walk to the ferry terminal. Remember the 2 hour check-in for the ferry, and allow plenty of time.
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Day 2 evening, sail overnight from Bari to Patras in Greece with a comfy cabin on Superfast Ferries. Daily except Sundays, a ferry sails from Bari at 19:30, arriving Patras 13:00 next day (day 3 from Paris). Book this at www.superfast.com. The cruise ferry has a range of en suite cabins (private and shared), reclining seats, lounges, bars & restaurants. It's a lovely crossing, see the photos below...
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Day 3, catch a bus from Patras to Athens, this takes just a few hours, buy the ticket when you get to Patras.
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See the London to Greece page for detailed train & ferry times, fares, photos, Patras-Athens bus info and how to buy tickets. Just disregard the London-Paris part.
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2 or 4-berth cabin with private toilet & shower. |
Relaxing on deck... |
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At sea, passing Cephalonia & Ithaca. This is what travel to Greece should be like! |
Nice to Istanbul...
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Travel from Nice to Budapest as explained above, and spend the night in Budapest.
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In Budapest, pick up the journey to Istanbul described in detail on the London to Istanbul page.
Hotels in Nice & other cities
Other hotel sites worth trying...
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www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.
Backpacker hostels...
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www.hostelworld.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.
Travel insurance &
health card
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Take out decent travel insurance, it's essential...
Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover. It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy myself. Here are some suggested insurers. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.
In
the UK, try
Columbus Direct or use
Confused.com to compare prices & policies from many
different insurers.
If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65, see www.JustTravelCover.com - 10% discount with code seat61.
If
you live in
Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try
Columbus Direct's other websites.
If you live in the USA try
Travel Guard USA.
Get a spare credit card, designed for travel with no currency exchange loading & low or no ATM fees...
It costs nothing to take out an extra credit card. If you keep it in a different part of your luggage so you're not left stranded if your wallet gets stolen, this is a form of extra travel insurance in itself. In addition, some credit cards are significantly better for overseas travel than others. Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad. Taking this advice can save you quite a lot on each trip compared to using your normal high-street bank credit card!
Get a VPN for safe browsing when you travel. VPNs & why you need one explained...
When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure. A VPN means your connection to the internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi. In countries such as China where access to Twitter & Facebook is restricted, a VPN gets around these restrictions. And lastly, you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geographic restrictions which some websites apply - for example one booking site charges a booking fee to non-European visitors but none to European visitors, so if you're not located in Europe you can avoid this fee by browsing with a UK IP address using a VPN. VPNs & why you need one explained. ExpressVPN is a best buy and I use them myself.