We're traveling from Nice to Paris in early October on a Sunday. I know we could probably get a cheap, direct flight, but we've had very limited experience with the train system, and we thought this was a good opportunity to try it out. I'm getting ready to book TGV reservations, and I know it runs between Cannes and Paris, but the maps on the website are a little ambiguous. Do I need to book a local train between Nice and Cannes?
Bruce
No local train needed. Any train serving Cannes will start at Nice Ville station. Direct morning trains depart around 7:00, 10:00, and 11:00.
It's an easy introduction to a longer trian trip , PACK up some food and drinks , there is a concession car ( not a dining car) with sandwiches and some boxed pasta salads etc , but it's not impressive .
If first class is only a few euros more ( which is sometimes is if you are booking well in advance ) then treat yourself , if not second class is fine .
You can get a TGV all the way from Nice to Paris. It runs along the classic route as far as Marseilles, with some nice views of the coast, and then goes at high speed to Paris.
I have never seen anyone with a good word to say for the on-train catering on SNCF - get some sandwiches in Nice and take them with you.
Thanks, Pat, Laura, and Philip. That's exactly what I needed to know.
I agree with the others. I enjoyed the train between Nice and Paris, while long at 5-1/2 hrs it's an enjoyable ride. Definitely pick up something to eat in Nice to bring with you on the train. I got some sausage, cheese, croissants at the market in Nice and picked up a bottle of wine and had a picnic on the train - wonderful!
If you can, get a seat on the upper level of a two-level carriage and sit on the left side for the best views of the Mediterranean. If you are 90 days prior to your travel date, first class tickets are sometimes just a few Euros more than second class.
Nice Ville station has had a recent spruce up of the area just outside, including the installation of a branch of ubiquitous French pastry and sandwich shop, Paul. Very tasty stuff at Paul. They can put anything up to go, and you are just seconds from your train.
Something that would lead you to believe that the train originates in Cannes is unlikely to be the official website. It most definitely starts in Nice Ville. It does stop in Cannes, and several other stops too, but it doesn't start there.
Will you actually be in Cannes or Nice the night before?
Hi, Nigel. I booked our tickets just a few minutes ago from Nice Ville to Paris on the TGV. I was on the SNCF site, but it wasn't completely clear just from looking at the map. That's why I posted the question. Once you get to the booking section on the SNCF site, then everything is completely clear. Oddly, I couldn't get any payment method to work. None of my US cards would work, and I never could see a place to use PayPal. I finally booked through this site. It cost me about $5 extra per ticket. We're staying in Nice the night before travel just a short walk from the station. Thanks for your help.
For future reference, you can also book tickets on French trains (and those of several other countries) using the www.trainline.eu website. Tickets are the same price as those charged by the rail network. You'll have to pre-register on the Trainline site, including payment details, but after that it's a very easy process. They also have an App.
