Paris to Nice - Fly or take TGV?

For flying, you also need to calculate the time it takes to get to Orly (30 minutes or so), Security (2 hours early), delays, boarding/deplaning, etc. Also, i'm not familiar with the airport in Nice, but i assume the train station you would arrive at is closer than the airport.

If it were me, i would pick train as we enjoy that atmosphere more than airplanes/airport. (We are taking a train from Paris to Barcelona in April 2020).

I would not describe that train ride as "beautiful".
And the price you quoted might be cheaper 120 days in advance. I would take the train though to avoid getting to and coming from an airplane

Take TGV from Paris to Nice. Enjoy the scenery of the journey and see small towns along the way.

My last trips to Nice didn’t have a Paris stay as well, so I’ve flown in from elsewhere. The airport isn’t right in town, but the airport bus was always fast and convenient. Nice has been expanding their tram system in the last few years, and there’s now a direct tram line from the airport.

As noted above, getting to, and thru, the airport in Paris requires some time. But if the flight departure time is doable (not 6:30 in the morning, I hope!), flying is still faster and cheaper than training. You’re not saving hundreds of euros, but still, as they say, time is money. And in this case, flying would save money and time.

In Nice, please plan to take the train along the coast to Antibes for a day. It’s a great town, and a wonderful Picasso museum. Are you also considering going to Monaco for part of a day? In addition to the palace, and the famous casino if you’re into that, the aquarium in Monaco is really nice, originally organized by Jacques Cousteau.

The ride is not beautiful. Parts are lovely and parts are boring. The flight is boring but the approach to Nice if you can see it is lovely. I have no issues with having to get to the airport and arriving 90 minutes before a departure time is plenty of time at Orly. The flight will save you about 2.5 hours. By the way, I think the pass will get you to Orly using the Orlybus but if you take the RER to Antony, it will not cover the OrlyVal.

As already pointed out, there won't be a large time savings from flying. Also keep in mind that flight schedules can be changed after you buy your ticket, though I don't know how common that is on intra-European flights. Train schedules seem to be more constant. Of course, a strike would be possible either way, but that's probably more likely with a train.

The TGV isn't unpleasant at all, but even with the high speeds on the run from Gare de Lyon but the areas along the coast don't have the high speed tracks, so that makes the trip longer. As stated, some of the areas are pretty, while others aren't. At 180 miles per hour during the high speed areas, it's exciting.

On my last trip from Paris to Nice, someone decided to step in front of the train while it was traveling at about 150 miles per hour in an successful attempt to end his life. That caused a delay and we arrived about 6 hours later than planned. It was interesting but it was something I could have done without.

Fly!!!

Taxi/bus to Orly 30 minutes.

Arrive 1 1/2 hours before.

Flight 1:05.

Bus/taxi to central Nice 15 minutes.

Note...TGV station - central Nice 30 min.

We flew due to the much lower cost. Orly and Nice are both smaller, easy to use airports.

Thank you to all for weighing in. 5.5 hours is a long time sitting, even if parts of the scenery is pretty. I’ve calculated that to/from airport or train is approximately the same from both of our locations, so the extra time for flying would be getting to airport 90 min earlier. It would save us about 2 hours to fly and $70 pp. There are 4 of us traveling together, my daughter and best friend, who just graduated from college and the 2 mothers.
Yes, we are planning to do a few day trips from Nice by train, including Monaco and Antibes/Cannes and possibly St Paul de Vence. Any other places to consider would be appreciated!

Modern art paintings and sculpture, plus interesting temporary exhibits, all in a wonderful setting, make the Foundation Maeght museum a delight, worth a St. Paul de Venice visit. Take the bus from Nice, and it’s a couple minute walk up the hill from where it lets you off.

A restaurant not to be missed in Nice is the Italian-inspired Alto Resto, now in a much-needed bigger location. It’s down near the old port, at 10 rue Fodere. Their pizza is fabulous, but their starters and mains are truly outstanding!

When are you going? I bought train tickets from Paris to Nice for €29, purchased 120 days ahead as soon as they went on sale for my date.

Also, depending on the airline those €39 flights may be higher. Some budget airlines only allow one piece as carryon and you have to pay to check the other one, regardless of size. There may also be additional fees on top of that base ticket price for other things. Check carefully before buying.

EDIT One of the things I prefer about the train to the airplane is being able to walk around. I always choose train over flying for train rides of 6 hrs or less for just this reason. Riding the train is so much more comfortable and relaxing than flying - at least for me.

5.5 hours is a long time sitting

true, but when I take that train (fairly frequently), I find that the time passes quite quickly.

The windows are large, the scenery varied, both countryside and a couple of cities, and then after Toulon when the train has to slow down to wind through the mountains there is very pleasant scenery, both in the mountains but also (especially if you are sitting on the right-hand side facing forward) beautiful views of the Mediterranean and its beaches, because the train goes right along the coast - that's why it is slower. The train is a double decker - sit upstairs.

I really enjoy strolling up and down the train, visiting the bar car, and enjoying toilets which are much larger and nicer than airplane ones. And the second class seats are so much bigger and so much more comfortable than airline seats - especially the cheap discount airlines.

When the Prems fares come in you should be able to pay a lot less than 100€ for the train.

I understand how hard it is to get to Europe unless you fly, but please add into your consideration of these short haul journeys within Europe the huge difference in carbon footprint and other environmental costs between flying and TGV.

The European train specialist Man in Seat 61 has a whole page dedicated to the Paris to Nice trip.

Yes to everything Nigel said. I’d be on the train in a heartbeat.

Take the train. While flying might be a bit faster, the train wastes less time. There is no standing in line, no security check, no restrictions on liquids or when you can use electronic equipment. And in general a less stressful trip. You can use the trip as you like, read, plan your time in Nice, watch a movie (if you bring earphones), check social media. Or just relax with a glass of wine. As Nigel says, it is a more enjoyable journey. The view from the LGV might not be amazing, and at 300 km/h you can't see much details close to the train. But you can see the landscape at least. And the last bit along the coast is really great.

And, flying won't be cheaper. If you are willing to travel by lowcost TGV, you can get a ticket for €19. I'm not sure about the current exchange rate, but that must be less than $39. Even if I think it is worth spending a bit more on a regular TGV. I don't know where you found your prices, but avoid 3rd party resellers and buy your tickets direct from SNCF.

And as mentioned, taking the train reduces your carbon footprint a lot compared to flying!

If you have time when you are in Nice take the train or bus to Villefranche sur Mer which has a charming waterfront area and lovely beach. The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild on St. Jean Cap Ferrat is very interesting and has great views. Walking along Promenade Maurice Rouvier in St. Jean Cap Ferrat also has gorgeous views. The hilltop village of Eze is worth visiting as well. The French Riviera is spectacular. You will enjoy it!

We took the TGV and thoroughly enjoyed it, from the scenery and the no-hassle of train travel. We booked Paris to Monaco round trip and sat in the upper deck on the right hand side to marvel at the Mediterranean coastline. The time passed quickly and the comfort of our seats and ease of wandering through the coaches was light years beyond any flight, first class or not. On the return we bought a local train ticket to Nice from Monaco and boarded the TGV to Paris there. Easy peasy. Monaco is worth a day if for no other reason than to lose $20 at the casino and have a martini, a la James Bond. We'd take that trip again but stay in Nice next time.

5.5 hours is a long time sitting,

Of course, in a train, you do not at all have to spend the whole time sitting. And at least toy have a seat if you want it!! (unlike the airport shuffle where you stand in lines several different times before finally making it to a gate area where hopefully you find a seat)

Well, I think I am convinced to take the TGV from Paris to Nice! :) And sit on the upper deck on the right side facing forward for great views! Thanks for all the tips, especially The European train specialist Man in Seat 61 blog. This is excellent with every question answered that I could think of!

Wise choice! Although if there are four of you you should get four seats around a table.

The train, hands-down. By the time you pay to get to the airport + the time it takes to get there, waiting around for your flight and then doing it all in reverse at the other end + waiting for your bags, everything comes out pretty evenly in the end in both cost and time.
I love the train...big windows, very comfortable seats, you can walk around, and enjoy the cafe car.

A flight is about an hour and 15 minutes and costs right at 50 euro each. The Nice airport is right at one mile from the nearest local train station so easy to get to. I walked, you might taxi.

To me it's a no brainer, fly. I know many on this site love trains. To me they are transportation options. When a day on a train gets longer than four hours, it's time to consider a flight.

Time to get to Orly? It takes time to get to the train station too. Orly's pretty small and not nearly as busy as CDG, so two hours is excessive, an hour is probably a decent minimum and no more than 90 minutes. I don't have luggage, so it's easy to get on either. If you're comparing, include both in the comparison.