Paris to Nice and back- plane or train?

Carol,

If you are at the airport already, flying is probably a little faster.

Prices vary depending on when you buy tickets, among other things. Make your own comparison.

Consider one of two alternatives that will save you time and probably money: either (1) fly into Nice from wherever you plan to be before you would be in Paris, and travel Nice > Paris, OR (2) fly from Nice to wherever you were going to fly from Orly.

Taking a flight is the fastest way to travel from Paris to Nice. Flights depart from Orly airport and arrive at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport after 1:20 h of flight time. EasyJet and Air France travel directly from Paris to Nice.

Plane is the faster and cheaper option. I flew Air France, Nice to Orly, for $50 (under 50 euro), about an hour in the air. The local train stops about a mile from the Nice airport. I walked it but you might want a taxi. I used the Orlyval to get into town (be sure to buy a ticket all the way to your metro station in town rather than just to the RER line).

If you are already staying in Paris and need to get to Nice, the gap with the train and air options declines. It will be about 5h40 in total. Buy tickets on the TGV up to 90 days in advance for competitive rates. Otherwise, flying will likely save you time and is very inexpensive.

Note that the new Tram 2 line in Nice now connects from the Airport to Nice San Augustin station via the Grand Arenas stop (and a much shorter, better marked walk). The tram 2 will open a direct line into the city center, hopefully on 28 June. (There are also express buses and of course, Uber)