# Paris to Nice Train — from Belle Époque Iron to the French Riviera Direct TGV inOui trains cover the Paris to Nice train route in as little as 5 hours 40 minutes, trading the platforms of Gare de Lyon for the Promenade des Anglais without a single connection. Add the overnight night train and the budget OUIGO service, and there's a version of this ride for almost any traveler — speed, price, comfort, or scenery. - Fastest direct journey: 5h40 - Distance: ~933 km (580 miles) by rail - Top TGV speed: 300 km/h - Stations: Paris Gare de Lyon → Nice Ville ## About the Paris to Nice train route The train leaves Paris on the high-speed line that also serves Lyon and Avignon, then peels off the LGV Méditerranée short of Marseille to join the older coastal line that was built to show off the Riviera rather than to save minutes. That's the trade the whole trip is built on: a little more time for a lot more coastline. It's also entirely a domestic journey within France — no border, no customs, no passport check, just one country changing character underneath the window, from the capital to the edge of Europe's most famous stretch of Mediterranean coastline, with the Mediterranean Sea in view for the final run into Nice. Route: Paris Gare de Lyon → Lyon Part-Dieu → Avignon TGV → Aix-en-Provence TGV → Marseille St-Charles → Toulon → Les Arcs–Draguignan → Saint-Raphaël-Valescure → Cannes → Antibes → Nice Ville. Not every train calls at every stop — fast direct services skip several of the smaller stations; connecting services usually change at Marseille or Lyon. **Getting to Nice by train:** Getting to Nice by train means Nice Ville rather than an airport — the walk to the Promenade des Anglais and the old town takes minutes, not a taxi ride. Most visitors who choose Nice by train do it precisely to skip that airport transfer. **How often trains to Nice run:** TGV inOui runs direct trains to Nice roughly every 4 hours through the day. Counting OUIGO trains, regional trains, and the night train alongside TGV inOui, up to 15 departures a day run the full Paris–Nice route, with around 10 of those direct. It's a convenient trip whichever train ride you pick, and a good travel from Paris option for major cities all along the coast. ## The scenery: why the Paris to Nice train is a ride, not just a transfer **Hours 1–3 — Burgundy and the Rhône Valley.** Out of Gare de Lyon the train settles into a steady 300 km/h across Burgundy's rolling farmland, then follows the Rhône south past vineyards and stone villages toward Lyon and Avignon, where a quick glimpse of the Palais des Papes marks the crossing of the river. **Hours 3–4 — Provence and the French countryside.** Past Avignon and Aix-en-Provence, the landscape turns drier and more Mediterranean — cypress windbreaks, red-tile roofs, and the first hint of the coast waiting past Marseille. **Hours 4–6 — The Mediterranean coast to Nice.** Just short of Marseille the TGV leaves the high-speed line for the older coastal route, and the beautiful Mediterranean sea barely leaves the window — rocky headlands, yacht-filled marinas, sandy beach coves, and villas past Toulon, Saint-Raphaël, Cannes, and Antibes into Nice. ## High speed trains, night train, or OUIGO — which one to take **TGV inOui** — double decker TGV Duplex sets up to 300 km/h, first and second class, free wifi, a bar car — the option most travelers pick, and the only tgv train that reliably gets you there in under six hours. **The night train** — SNCF's overnight train leaves Paris in the evening and arrives into Nice the next morning, so you trade a hotel room for a couchette and reclaim a full travel day. Couchette cabins come in shared 4- or 6-berth configurations, with a private option on some departures for a higher fare. **OUIGO** — the OUIGO train runs the same route with a stripped-down, no-frills setup — fewer onboard services, stricter luggage rules, and fares that can undercut standard TGV inOui pricing when booked early. Tickets can't be exchanged or refunded, so this train trip suits travelers who've already fixed their dates. All three services can be booked through the SNCF Connect app, other booking apps, or the search widget above — buy tickets for adult, child, and senior fares in the same order, and both train tickets and reservations land in the same wallet. ## Stations and stops along the Paris to Nice train line | Station | Approx. time from Paris | Worth knowing | |---|---|---| | Paris Gare de Lyon | Departure | Also the start of France's TGV lines to Lyon, Provence, and Italy | | Lyon Part-Dieu | ~2h | Major interchange for the Rhône-Alpes region | | Avignon TGV | ~2h45 | Gateway to the Palais des Papes and inner Provence | | Aix-en-Provence TGV | ~3h05 | Cézanne country and the lavender routes north of the city | | Marseille St-Charles | ~3h30 | Where the train leaves the high-speed line for the coast | | Toulon | ~4h05 | Naval harbor town; first proper sea views begin | | Les Arcs–Draguignan | ~4h35 | Var vineyard country | | Saint-Raphaël-Valescure | ~4h55 | Red-rock Esterel coastline, connection point for Saint-Tropez buses | | Cannes | ~5h20 | La Croisette and the film-festival waterfront | | Antibes | ~5h35 | Ramparted old town and Cap d'Antibes | | Nice Ville | ~5h40–6h40 | Journey's end, a short walk from the Promenade des Anglais | Direct trains skip most of the smaller train stations above on the way to Nice; services that call at more train stations are usually a little cheaper and a little slower, which is worth weighing against how much of the coastline you actually want to see from the window, so treat this as a guide to journey times rather than a fixed timetable. ## First class and second class seats on the TGV **First class** — wider seats, 2+1 across the carriage, drink service, a calmer car. **Second class** — still roomy, especially upstairs, every seat reserved. **Onboard** — free wifi, luggage racks, a bar car for coffee, sandwiches, and drinks. Toilets on every car; wifi can dip in tunnels. ## Booking your Paris to Nice train tickets Whether you take the train once or make the trip often, every one of these train tickets comes as an e-ticket — a QR code on your phone or a printed page, checked on board rather than at a gate, so there's nothing to collect at a counter. - Prems tickets from ~$19–29, typical prices ~$55–79, fully flexible up to ~$130–195 depending on class — it pays to spend a few minutes comparing nearby dates before you book - Child, senior, and other reduced fares pay less than standard adult price - A premium Business Première fare (Optimum from 2026) sits above standard first class, with lounge access — on a comparable journey it ran $200–220, against ~$70 in standard class - Book 3–4 months ahead; prices climb as each departure fills — flexible tickets cost more but let you change plans if needed - Seat reservations are included on every ticket, with no need to buy tickets separately for a seat; group reservations of ten or more can get a further SNCF discount ## Paris to Nice train vs. flying, driving, or the bus There are 8 realistic ways to make this trip end-to-end — several train options among the high speed trains, night train, and OUIGO already covered, plus flying, driving, the bus, and rideshare. A flight covers the distance faster in the air, but train travel usually wins once you count the whole door-to-door trip, and high speed trains comfortably beat the other ground options too. Budget airlines fly Paris to Nice in about 1h20 in the air, but with transfers to and from the airports, check-in, and security, the realistic door-to-door time for flying runs closer to 3h30. Gare de Lyon and Nice Ville both sit in their city centers, so the direct train's roughly 5h40 isn't far behind — and it skips airports altogether. Driving takes about 9h50, a shared rideshare runs around 8h40, and the direct bus (FlixBus) takes about 12h50 — all longer than the train. Board a few minutes before departure, keep your full-size luggage with you, and walk straight off onto Nice's Promenade des Anglais instead of into an arrivals hall — no gate-change scramble, no terminal transfers. Train seats are also simply more comfortable than a plane seat or a car seat on a ride this long, with room to get up and move around. Flying might save time in the air, but not once you count getting to and from the airports on both ends. France's electric, largely nuclear-powered rail network gives the train a substantially smaller carbon footprint per passenger than the equivalent domestic flight — one reason several French domestic flight routes have been scaled back in favor of the train. Choosing the train over flying also means skipping the security queues that pile up at France's busiest airports. ## Riviera connections: Monaco, Cannes, and Antibes by train Because the Paris to Nice train already skirts the coast, several of the Riviera's best-known towns are stops on the way to Nice rather than separate trips — worth planning around if you'd rather split your time in Nice and the Riviera across a few bases than sit still in one, since train travel between them takes minutes rather than a trip of its own. Cannes and Antibes are direct stops. TER trains reach Monaco-Monte-Carlo in about 25 minutes — an easy half-day add-on, and Nice's own public transport network of trams and buses covers the city just as easily. Marseille and Lyon sit directly on the route. From Lille, Bordeaux, or Strasbourg, the usual pattern is a change at Paris Gare de Lyon. ## Practical tips for the Paris to Nice train - **Luggage:** generous on TGV inOui, stricter on OUIGO — compare luggage rules before you buy your tickets. Bags share the couchette with you on the night train. - **Stations:** budget 20–30 minutes to find your platform at Gare de Lyon; Nice Ville is far simpler, and neither station has the queues you'd find at busy airports. - **Families:** under 4 travel free, up to 12 get reduced fares on most tickets. TGV inOui is more forgiving than OUIGO for families, and Nice's public transport makes getting around easy once you arrive. ## Best time to take the Paris to Nice train - **Spring (April–June):** mild weather, countryside in bloom, fares below summer peak. - **Summer (July–August, and mid-May's Cannes Film Festival):** the most expensive, most crowded — book ahead. - **Winter (November–February):** lowest fares, emptiest trains, still-mild Nice. ## FAQ **How long does the train from Paris to Nice take?** The fastest direct TGV inOui covers Paris to Nice in about 5 hours 40 minutes. Most direct trains take between 6 hours and 6 hours 41 minutes, depending on how many intermediate stations they call at along the coast. **Is there a direct train from Paris to Nice?** Yes. Several TGV inOui trains run direct from Paris Gare de Lyon to Nice Ville every day with no change of train, alongside connecting services that involve a change at Marseille or Lyon. Every seat on a direct SNCF service comes with its own reservation, so book ahead to secure the departure time you want. **Is there a night train from Paris to Nice?** Yes. This overnight train leaves Paris in the evening, around 21:25, and arrives into Nice the next morning around 09:09, letting you sleep through the journey in a couchette instead of losing a travel day. **Which stations do I use in Paris and Nice?** Both train stations sit right in their city centers: trains to Nice depart from Paris Gare de Lyon and arrive at Nice Ville, a short walk from the Promenade des Anglais and the old town. **How much does a Paris to Nice train ticket cost?** Advance Prems fares on TGV inOui start from roughly $19 to $29 in second class, typical fares booked a few weeks ahead run about $55 to $79, and fully flexible tickets can reach around $130 in second class or $195 in first class. OUIGO's budget fares can start even lower. **What is the scenery like on the Paris to Nice train?** The ride opens with the rolling countryside and vineyards of Burgundy and the Rhône Valley, passes Avignon with a glimpse of the Palais des Papes, then leaves the high-speed line near Marseille to hug the Mediterranean coast past Toulon, Saint-Raphaël, Cannes, and Antibes on the way into Nice. **Can I stop in Lyon or Avignon along the way?** Yes. Because Lyon Part-Dieu and Avignon TGV are both direct stops on the line, you can break the journey at either city on a separate ticket without any detour — useful if you want to split a long trip into two shorter rides. **Is the train better than renting a car for this trip?** Most travelers take the train for exactly this leg: it's faster, cheaper, and far less tiring than a roughly 9–10 hour drive down the A6 and A7 autoroutes. A rental car makes more sense once you're on the Riviera and want to explore hill towns the train doesn't reach. **How do I buy tickets for the Paris to Nice train?** Buy tickets through the search widget above, the SNCF Connect app or website, or a partner booking app — you pay by card, choose your fare and class, and the e-ticket lands straight in your wallet. It's the same purchase flow whether you're booking a single one-way ticket or tickets for a whole family, and there's no extra fee for paying this way. **Are there beaches near Nice Ville station?** Yes — arriving in Nice by train puts you close to the coast right away. Nice's beach promenade, the Promenade des Anglais, is a short, easy walk from Nice Ville, and Cannes and Antibes both have their own beaches right by the stops on this same line, so a beach day doesn't need a separate trip. **What luggage can I bring on the Paris to Nice train?** SNCF's TGV inOui allows generous luggage — typically two suitcases plus a smaller bag per passenger, more than the average allowance on most budget flights — stored on racks at the end of each car or in the overhead space above your seat. OUIGO is stricter and can charge extra for a second large bag, so check the fare rules before you book if you're packing light for the coast. The same rules apply on the night train, in which case your bags share the couchette with you rather than a separate hold. **What's the difference between first and second class?** First class seats are wider, arranged 2+1 across the carriage instead of 2+2, with extra legroom and at-seat drink service on many trains — a fair trade in comfort for a longer ride, and the more forgiving option if you plan to work along the way. Second class seats are still roomy by international standards, especially upstairs on the Duplex's upper level, and every seat comes with its own reservation, so there's no standing for six hours on this route. Both classes ride the same double-decker TGV Duplex trains at the same speed, so the real difference is comfort and quiet, not how fast you arrive. **Is there a premium class above first class on this train?** Yes — SNCF's Business Première fare (being renamed Optimum from 2026) sits above standard first class, with lounge access at major stations and free changes up to shortly before departure. It costs noticeably more than standard fares — Business Première ticket prices have run around $200–220 on a comparable TGV inOui journey the same day a standard second class ticket ran closer to $70 — so it's really aimed at business travelers who value flexibility and a lounge over saving money. **What amenities are on board — wifi, food, toilets?** Free wifi is available in both classes on TGV inOui, though speed can dip in tunnels and deep valleys, so don't count on it for anything time-sensitive. A bar car sells coffee, sandwiches, and drinks for most of the trip, and you can get a proper meal this way, though the onboard menu is more limited than a real restaurant, so it's worth eating before Gare de Lyon if you're picky. Toilets sit at the end of each car, and staff pass through regularly to check tickets and help with luggage. **How far ahead should I book Paris to Nice train tickets?** SNCF releases most Paris to Nice tickets around three to four months ahead of each departure date, and booking early consistently beats booking late on this route — prices climb steadily as each departure fills, especially around French school holidays and the Cannes Film Festival. If your travel date is flexible, checking a few nearby departures often turns up noticeably cheaper tickets, since the same train can cost twice as much a week later once its cheapest seats sell out. **Are there group discounts for Paris to Nice train tickets?** Yes. Group reservations of ten or more can usually be arranged directly through SNCF for a further discount on top of the standard fare bands. Outside of formal groups, families traveling together simply book tickets in the same order, with children under 4 traveling free (without a guaranteed seat) and children up to around 12 getting reduced fares on most tickets. **What's the best time of year to take this train?** April through June brings mild Riviera weather and the Provençal countryside in bloom, with fares still well below peak summer pricing. July and August are the most expensive and most crowded months to ride this line, and mid-May's Cannes Film Festival spikes fares and fills trains on the Cannes–Nice stretch specifically, so book well ahead if your dates overlap. November through February sees the lowest fares and the emptiest trains, and Nice's own mild winter climate — noticeably warmer than Paris — still makes the Riviera end of the trip worthwhile in the off-season. **How does the train compare to flying, driving, or the bus?** Budget airlines fly Paris to Nice in about 1h20 in the air, but once transfers to and from the airports, check-in, and security are added, the realistic door-to-door time for flying runs closer to 3h30. Gare de Lyon and Nice Ville both sit in their city centers, so the direct train's roughly 5h40 isn't far behind that — and it skips airports altogether, with no security line, no gate, and no connecting transfers between terminals. Driving covers the same roughly 930 km of French roads in about 9h50, a shared rideshare runs around 8h40, and the direct bus (FlixBus) takes about 12h50 — all far longer than the train for a one-way trip. France's electric, largely nuclear-powered rail network also gives the train a substantially smaller carbon footprint per passenger than the equivalent domestic flight. **Which airports would I use if I flew instead?** Paris is served by two major airports, Charles de Gaulle and Orly, while Nice has its own airport, Nice Côte d'Azur, right on the coast. Flying still means getting to and from those airports on both ends, on top of the flight itself — exactly what the direct train avoids by running from one city center to the other. **Can I visit Monaco, Cannes, or Antibes on this route?** Cannes and Antibes are both direct stops on the Paris–Nice line, so a detour to La Croisette's beach promenade or Antibes's old ramparts costs nothing more than getting off one station early, or coming back another day on a regional TER. From Nice Ville, frequent regional TER trains reach Monaco-Monte-Carlo in about 25 minutes, making it an easy half-day add-on once you've arrived — and Nice's own tram and bus network covers public transport around the city itself just as easily. **What's Gare de Lyon station like?** Gare de Lyon is a large, historic station with security screening on the platform approach for some services, so budget 20–30 minutes to find your platform, especially during the morning rush — its grand departure halls are worth a look on their own if you arrive early. Nice Ville, by comparison, is far smaller and simpler: arrivals step straight out toward the city center with no equivalent screening delay, and neither station has the queues you'd find at busy airports. Nice's mild air is usually the first thing you notice stepping off the train. **Can I travel to other French cities on this line?** Both Marseille and Lyon sit directly on the Paris–Nice route, so a stopover in Provence or the Rhône Valley needs no backtracking at all. Traveling from Lille, Bordeaux, or Strasbourg toward Nice, the usual pattern is a change at Paris Gare de Lyon — SNCF's TGV network across France is built around Paris as a hub, so most cross-country trips to Nice route through the capital rather than around it. --- Nice by train means no airport lines and a view worth the ride. Book tickets: https://highspeedtrains.com