Logistics: the rails between Paris and Nice
Wondering how to turn your visit to the City of Lights into a day at the beach? Nice and the sunny shores of the French Riviera aren’t as far as you think, thanks to the glorious European rail system.
Plane, train or automobile? That was the debate for how to get to Paris from Nice. The automobile choice got shelved pretty quickly, thanks to my inability to drive stick shift, my intense dislike of driving altogether and the cost of renting a car in France.
Left with plane or train, the competition was fierce. Pricing was similiar–around 150-180 Euros round trip. The train ride is about six hours–and yes, that’s TGV–and the plane ride is only an hour and half. However, once you factor in time to get to and from the Nice/Paris airports, as well as security and wait time in the airport, flying ends up being about a six-hour journey as well.
Once it was train, decisions became luxury or budget: first or second class? Although I’m usually a steadfast second-classer (more money for food in Paris, obviously), a frequent Nice-Paris commuter recommended first-class for the company (calm, quiet and used to making the trip). After checking the price differentials, I decided to splurge on the extra 10 Euros each way and go first-class. Final price was 168 Euros round-trip.
Post-trip, I’d absolutely recommend taking the train. In both Paris and Nice, the train stations are more centrally located than the airports (saving you on expensive taxi fare or dragging your suitcases/backpack on a public transportation adventure). Instead of spending hours getting to the airport/going through security/standing in line to board, I simply walked on the train and sat down in my big, comfy and reclining seat. Six hours to sleep, listen to music, read–or if I had been wise enough to bring my laptop, six uninterrupted, Facebook-free (read: no WiFi) hours to write.
While there are restaurant cars on board, I’d recommend bringing snacks or lunch with you. Spending 8 Euros on a sandwich, drink and chips isn’t outrageous, and the food quality isn’t a terrible rapport with the price, but you can definitely find better elsewhere. Don’t think that the train station will be much better. The Gare de Lyon has about five Brioche Dorées–and its knockoffs–while the Nice train station features one small food stand.
One final tip for the train: don’t forget to validate your ticket. I don’t know about the rest of the world, but we Americans simply buy a ticket and head onboard. In France, “composter le billet” is necessary: find the yellow boxes on the quai before you board and stick your ticket in to validate. If not, you’ll be hit with a heavy fine.
