Headline here ...

Transportation

Monaco lives from tourism revenues alone, so you may easily imagine that your hosts made sure you can get to their city-country quite easily and comfortably, as long as you pay up. There are many ways to reach Monaco and then to move around its 2 sq km or so, and they each have their advantages. Compare them and decide which suits you best.

 

Getting to Monaco
By plane

• The nearest airport is the Nice-Côte-d’Azur International which is around 35 km away from the city-centre in neighboring France.
• It operates daily flights to most of the world’s largest cities, such as London and Los Angeles.
• There are regular Rapide Cote D’Azur buses connecting Monte Carlo with both the terminals at Nice Cote D’Azur airport.
• Taxis are always available outside the terminal buildings - although make sure a fee is agreed in advance or the meter is indeed switched on at the start of the journey, as French taxi drivers are notorious for charging tourists whatever they see fit.

By helicopter

• Heli-Air Monaco also operates helicopter services between Nice and Monte Carlo, although this is very expensive and generally only for the very wealthy.
• After collecting your luggage at the Nice airport, you go to the helicopter service waiting area. The helicopter ground crew takes you and your luggage from the Nice airport to the Nice heliport, on the other side of the airport, by van. The flight along the coast is beautiful, and you land right at the water’s edge at the Monaco heliport, where a car service takes you directly to your hotel.
• Other than arriving by yacht, this is the best way for the international traveler to enter Monaco. Rates vary seasonally, in the range of €100-€300. They spike up to €700 or more, however, during the Cannes Film Festival, usually held in late May.

By train

• The Monaco-Monte Carlo station has good service to most of neighboring France and Italy.
• There are 2-4 services per hour to Nice, Cannes, Menton and Ventimiglia (Italy). Most international trains will stop, such as the ‘Ligure‘ which links Marseille and Milan, the ‘train bleu‘ which operates between Paris and Ventimiglia, and the famous high-speed TGV which runs between Nice and Paris.
• A TGV train between Paris and Monte Carlo takes around 6 and a half hours. The station also has some links to other towns in the principality. Be aware that there’s no left-luggage in the train station, nor in the rest of Monaco. There’s a law in Monaco forbidding leaving bags etc. in any place and also tourist offices won’t help.

By car

• Monaco is easily accessed by its land borders from France or Italy by a network of highways, most commonly used of which is the A8 which runs west from Monte Carlo to Nice and Marseilles, and east towards the Italian border.
• Between Nice and Monaco, there are also three more scenic roads: the Basse Corniche (Low Coast-Road - Highway 98), along the sea, the Moyenne Corniche (Middle Coast Road - Highway 7), going through Eze-Village, and the Grande Corniche (Great Coast Road), going through La Turbie and Col d’Eze (Eze Pass). All are pretty drives offering spectacular views over the Coast line. For an extra-special treat, rent a convertible sports car from the many airport rental services and take in the French Riviera in style.

By bus

• International buses stop at various points throughout the city.
• Regular buses, run by Rapide Cote D’Azur connect Monte Carlo with Nice and other French destinations. Services run regularly to many major French towns and cities. Route 100 leaves every 15 minutes from the central bus station (Gare Routière) in Nice and costs €1.30.
• An express shuttle, route 110, links the Nice Côte d’Azur Airoport and the principality. A bus leaves every hour and a single ticket costs €14.70 (2006).

By boat

• Monaco’s two ports are no strangers to private yachts.
• Port Hercule is exceptionally beautiful and offers mooring and anchoring possibilities for up to five hundred vessels, some of which are extremely large and elegant (in fact, many tourists often take time out of their day to simply have a drink by the water and admire the fantastic superyachts). This port also serves as a regular starting point or terminus for many Mediterranean cruises, so cruise ships can often be spotted sailing in or out of the marina.
• The Port of Fontvieille, integrated into the new district, can receive as many as 60 vessels of at least 30 meters in length.
• At close proximity, the Port of Cap d’Ail is also a choice destination for pleasure-boats.

 

Getting around Monaco
By foot

• Walking is by far the best way to get around Monaco; however, there are some areas, such as the Exotic Gardens, that require a large change in elevation and therefore make for rather strenuous hikes.
• There are also seven public escalators and elevators (all free) that help negotiate the steep slopes of the city.

By bus

• If you don’t mind feeling like a member of the working class in Monaco’s bourgeois opulence, Monte Carlo operates a bus service, the Compagnie des Autobus Monaco, consisting of the city’s five bus routes (somewhat confusingly labeled 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6) which serves 143 stops. The service usually starts at around 6 in the morning and runs right through until about 9 o’clock at night.
• Tickets can be purchased on board the buses themselves or at many news vendors and shops throughout the city - often it will be advertised as to where you can do this. A daily pass specially designed for tourists allows you to use the buses all day for €3.50.

By motorscooter

• You can easily rent a motorscooter in Nice and take a short trip east along the sea into Monaco. The views are beautiful and the ride is fun along the twisty seaside road.
• There are plenty of places to park for free. Theft is not a concern, as there are cameras throughout and police everywhere.

By bicycle

• It is possible to hire a bicycle from the Auto-Moto-Garage on the Rue de Millo.

By car

• Private cars are singularly useless for getting around Monaco, as you’ll spend more time trying to park than if you walked or took a taxi instead.
• Taxis can be hailed on the streets and there are two main taxi stands open around the clock at the Avenue de Monte Carlo and the railway station, although it is always best to agree a fee beforehand or make sure the meter is running.
• Most hotels will provide courtesy drivers to points of interest, such as the Palace and casino.
• International car hire companies do have offices at the airport in Nice and also in Monte Carlo city. These include Avis, Gare Monte Carlo, Europcar and Hertz - drivers must have held a national driving license for at least one year and it is usually requested that the cost is paid for with the driver’s credit card.
• Driving in the city center can be intimidating in Monte Carlo with heavy traffic - however, it is often worth this to drive alongside the more expensive vehicles in the city!