Nice Airport to Cannes by Train
Part of the full Nice in One Day: Old Town and the Promenade
Cannes is about 35 minutes west of Nice Côte d’Azur Airport on the coastal train, for around €8, after a free tram ride to the station beside the airport, and from Cannes station it is a few minutes’ walk to the Croisette, the film festival’s red carpet steps and the old Suquet quarter on the hill above the harbour.
The free tram and the coastal train from Nice airport to Cannes
From either terminal at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, take the tram one stop to Grand Arénas, a ride that is free, then the lift up to the platforms of Nice Saint-Augustin station. Coastal regional trains run west from there to Cannes several times an hour, about 35 minutes, for around €8; allow about 45 minutes door to door. The direct express coach from the terminals to Cannes takes about 45 minutes for about €22, from about 8am to 8pm. Heading the other way, the same trains run east to Nice-Ville, the city’s main station.
The Palais des Festivals and its red carpet steps
From Cannes station, the streets run down a few minutes to the Croisette, the seafront boulevard of palm trees and grand hotels along the bay, and at its harbour end stands the Palais des Festivals, where the film festival is held each May. The 24 steps at its front are carpeted in red, and they are free to climb and photograph most of the year, except during the festival and some other events in the building.
Le Suquet, the old quarter above the harbour
Across the old harbour from the Palais, Le Suquet is the hill where Cannes began, a medieval quarter of steep, narrow lanes climbing to a church square at the top, with a view over the harbour and the bay to the Lérins Islands. Its eleventh-century watchtower belongs to the Musée des Explorations du Monde, a museum of objects from around the world in the old castle, normally open Tuesday to Sunday for €6.50 with the tower climb included, but closed for renovation from 14 September to 30 October 2026; the lanes and the square at the top are free and open at all times.
Luggage storage in Cannes
The Suquet’s lanes are steep and partly stepped, no place for a suitcase, so a luggage storage point near Cannes station or on the way down to the Croisette is the first stop.
Trains back from Cannes to Nice airport
The same coastal trains run back east from Cannes to Nice Saint-Augustin station several times an hour, with the free tram back to the terminals. Allow at least two and a half hours between leaving Cannes and a flight within Europe, for the train, the tram, check-in and security.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Nice airport to Cannes?
The cheapest way is the train. Take the tram from either terminal one stop to Grand Arénas, free, then the lift up to Nice Saint-Augustin station and a coastal regional train west to Cannes, about 35 minutes and around €8, several times an hour. The direct express coach from the terminals to Cannes takes about 45 minutes for about €22, from about 8am to 8pm.
Is a layover long enough to visit Cannes from Nice airport?
With five hours or more between flights, yes. The train takes about 45 minutes door to door each way, which leaves two to three hours for the Croisette, the film festival steps and the old Suquet quarter, all within a 15-minute walk of Cannes station.
Can you walk up the red carpet steps in Cannes?
Yes, most of the year. The 24 steps at the front of the Palais des Festivals, where the stars arrive during the film festival in May, are free to climb and photograph, except during the festival itself and some other events in the building.
Is there luggage storage in Cannes?
Yes. Luggage storage points operate around Cannes station and the streets down to the Croisette, which leaves the bags behind for the climb up to the Suquet.