Train from Nice to Italy
 

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Cote d'Azur to Italy by train

Direct trains used to link Nice, Genoa & Milan, run jointly by the French & Italian railways.  However, these ended in 2009 when SNCF (French Railways) pulled out, forcing passengers to change at the border.  In 2014, Trenitalia formed a subsidiary called Thello to run 3 daily Nice-Milan trains, entering France on a fully-commercial basis, but these were badly hit by the pandemic and were discontinued in 2021.

So a journey from Nice to Italy currently means taking a French regional TER train from Nice to Ventimiglia on the Italian border, then an Italian Intercity train from Ventimiglia to Genoa & Milan.  Change in Genoa for La Spezia, Cinque Terre & Pisa, change in Milan for Venice, Florence & Rome.  Two trains, two bookings, two separate tickets.  But it's still a comfortable & scenic ride, this page will help you plan your trip & buy tickets.

small bullet point  Timetable

small bullet point  How much does it cost?

small bullet point  How to buy tickets

small bullet point  Route map

small bullet point  How long to allow between trains in Ventimiglia?

small bullet point  Travel tips:  Luggage, WiFi, food & drink...

small bullet point  What are the trains like?

small bullet point  Changing trains in Ventimiglia

small bullet point  What's the scenery like?

Timetable eastbound 2024

 Nice ► Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome

 Days of running:

Mon-Fri

Sat, Sun

daily

daily

daily

Sat, Sun

Mon-Fri

 1. Take a TER local train to Ventimiglia

TER

TER

TER

TER

TER

TER

TER

 Cannes depart:

06:53

06:38

08:40

12:40

14:40

16:39

16:52

 Antibes depart:

07:04

06:51

08:52

12:52

14:52

16:52

17:03

 Nice Ville depart:

07:32

07:21

09:20

13:20

15:20

17:22

17:32

 Monaco Monte Carlo depart

07:57

07:47

09:45

13:44

15:44

17:47

17:57

 Ventimiglia arrive:

08:23

08:13

10:11

14:11

16:11

18:13

18:24

 2. Take an Intercity train Ventimiglia to Milan

IC

IC

IC

IC

IC

IC

IC

 Ventimiglia depart:

09:10

09:10

10:59

15:10

16:59

19:10

19:10

 Genoa Piazza Principe arrive:

11:05

11:05

13:05

17:05

19:08

21:08

21:08

 Milan Centrale arrive:

12:55

12:55

14:55

18:55

21:02

22:53

22:53

 3. Change in Milan for a Frecciarossa train to Venice, Florence, Rome...

 Verona Porta Nuova connection arrives:

14:58

14:58

17:28

20:28

-

-

-

 Venice Santa Lucia connection arrives:

16:12

16:12

18:43

21:42

-

-

-

 Florence SMN connection arrives:

16:04

16:04

18:04

 22:04**

-

-

-

 Rome Termini connection arrives:

17:10

17:49

19:10

22:34

-

-

-

 Naples Centrale connection arrives:

18:33

19:13

21:13

 -

-

-

-

Timetable westbound 2024

 Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan ► Nice

 Days of running:

daily

daily

daily

daily

daily

 1. Take a Frecciarossa train from Rome, Florence, Venice to Milan

 Naples Centrale connection departs:

-

-

 

08:55

11:30

 Rome Termini connection departs:

-

-

07:10

10:50

12:50

 Florence SMN connection departs:

-

-

08:55

12:10

13:55

 Venice Santa Lucia connection departs:

-

 05:40*

07:18

11:48

13:48

 Verona Porta Nuova connection departs:

-

 06:42*

08:39

13:02

15:02

 2. Take an Intercity train from Milan to Ventimiglia  

IC

IC

IC

IC

IC

 Milan Centrale depart:

07:10

09:10

11:10

15:10

17:05

 Genoa Piazza Principe depart:

08:58

10:58

12:58

16:58

18:58

 Ventimiglia arrive:

10:54

13:02

14:54

18:59

21:02

 3. Take a TER local train from Ventimiglia

TER

TER

TER

TER

TER

 Ventimiglia depart:

11:17

13:17

15:16

19:17

21:36

 Monaco Monte Carlo arrive:

11:46

13:47

15:47

19:47

22:07

 Nice Ville arrive:

12:10

14:11

16:11

20:11

22:32

 Antibes arrive:

12:38

14:40

16:40

20:39

-

 Cannes arrive:

12:51

14:53

16:53

20:52

-

Notes for the timetable

Read downwards, each column is a service you can take.  You change trains at the dark grey bars (in other words, at Milan & Ventimiglia).

*  Not Sunday mornings.

**  Not Saturdays.

TER = Train Exprès Regional, air-conditioned local train, 2nd class only, no seat reservations, you sit where you like, cannot sell out.

Important:  The TER trains linking Cannes, Nice & Ventimiglia run once or twice each hour, only the relevant ones are shown here.  TER timings vary by date, indeed picking what connection to show is like nailing jelly to the wall, so check times for your date online, just make sure you maintain at least 45 minutes between trains in Ventimiglia when going eastbound into Italy.  Westbound it doesn't matter, if you miss the connection there'll be another in half an hour, tickets are good for any train.

IC = Intercity train run by Trenitalia, air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class, all seats reserved.

Nice to San Remo, Imperia, Diano Marina, Savona:  The IC trains also call at San Remo, Imperia, Diano Marina, Savona, and there are also lots of Trenitalia regional trains between Ventimiglia, San Remo, Imperia, Diano Marina, Savona & Genoa which are not shown here.  For a journey from Cannes, Nice or Monaco to any of these places, simply run an enquiry at www.thetrainline.com.  When connecting into a Trenitalia regional train at Ventimiglia, a 20-minute connection is fine.

Nice to La Spezia, Monterosso (Cinque Terre) & Pisa:  Travel from Nice to Genoa as shown above, and change at Genoa.  Book as shown below.

How much does it cost?

How to buy tickets

Route map

Nice to Milan train route map

 

Click for larger map

Highlighted = Nice-Milan-Venice/Florence/Rome train route

Green = particularly scenic sections.

Black = conventional lines. 

Red = 300 km/h high-speed lines. 

Reproduced from the European Rail Map with kind permission of the European Rail Timetable people.

I recommend buying a copy of the European Rail Map, www.europeanrailtimetable.eu with shipping worldwide.

How long to allow in Ventimiglia?

Travel tips

What are the trains like?

French TER trains:  The TER trains which run along the Cote d'Azur between Cannes, Juan les Pins, Antibes, Nice, Monaco, Menton & Ventimiglia are double-deck, air-conditioned, 2nd class only.  There are toilets, but no catering so bring your own food & drink.  Luggage just goes on the floor or on the racks, it's not a problem.  Sit upstairs for the best views as the train twists and turns along the wonderful Côte d'Azur.

TER train at Nice Ville

A double-deck TER train from Nice to Ventimiglia, seen at Nice Ville station.

Seats on a TER train from Nice to Ventimiglia   Seats on a TER train from Nice to Ventimiglia

A TER train arrived at Ventimiglia platform 7

 

2nd class upper deck seats on a TER train.

Trenitalia's Intercity trains are air-conditioned with comfortable seating in classic cars either hauled by a locomotive or sandwiched between two first-generation high-speed power cars.  All tickets are for a specified departure and come with a specific reserved seat automatically included.  There are power sockets at each seat (2/3-pin Italian type), but no catering other than vending machines so bring your own food & drink.

Intercity train at Ventimiglia

Above, an Intercity train at Ventimiglia platform 4.  Most Ventimiglia-Milan Intercities are powered by up-cycled first-generation high-speed power cars, one each end.

InterCity train, 2nd class   InterCity train, 1st class

2nd class on an Intercity train.  Larger photo.

 

1st class on an Intercity train.  Larger photo.

Bike compartment in car with 2+1 2nd class seats   2-pin 230v power outlet on Italian train

Service car with bike compartment, wide aisle & 2+1 seating in 2nd class.

 

2/3-pin power socket.  That's the adapter you need for Italy, European round 2-pin plugs don't fit.

Italian Intercity train

A Trenitalia InterCity train at Milan Centrale.

Trenitalia's Frecciarossa trains run from Milan to Verona, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Rome & Naples.  They can run at up to 300 km/h (186 mph) on Italy's high-speed lines and have 4 classes, Standard, Premium, Business and Executive, see the Frecciarossa page for more information.  Most Milan-Florence-Rome-Naples trains arte now Frecciarossa 1000, most Milan-Verona-Venice trains are operated by the earlier Frecciarossa 500.  Both types have air-conditioning, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Changing trains at Ventimiglia

Changing trains at Ventimiglia is easy.  The photo below shows a TER from Cannes, Antibes, Nice & Monaco arrived at Ventimiglia platform 7.  You go down the short flight of steps, through the pedestrian subway and up onto the platform where the Intercity train to Genoa & Milan is waiting, in this instance it left from platform 4.  There are summary of departure screens in the subway and booking hall that will confirm the platform for your onward train.

Tip:  TER trains from Ventimiglia to Monte Carlo, Nice & Cannes usually appear on departure screens as destination Grasse or Cannes-La Bocca.

Changing trains at Ventimiglia
Ventimiglia station

Ventimiglia station.

Ventimiglia station   Cafe at Ventimiglia station

Subway between platforms at Ventimiglia.

 

Station cafe, opening off the booking hall.

What's the scenery like?

The railway from Nice to Milan runs along the French and then Italian Riviera, through Monte Carlo, Menton, San Remo, Diano Marina, Savona and Genoa.  On the Italian side, the railway between San Remo & Alassio was rebuilt a little way inland a few years ago, but it's still a great trip.  You'll pass bays, hillside villages, yacht-filled harbours and rocky headlands.  Take a picnic and bottle of wine, sit back and enjoy the ride!

Coastal scenery between Nice & Ventimiglia

Coastal scenery from the upper deck of a TER from Nice to Ventimiglia.

Coastal scenery from train between Ventimiglia & Milan

More coastal scenery between Ventimiglia & Genoa.  Photos courtesy Lucas Martin.

Yachts seen from the train between Nice & Milan   Coastline seen between Nice & Milan

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