Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and a city of arts, where modern business buildings and historic buildings - palaces and majestic temples - are perfectly combined. In turn, Nice is not a metropolitan city, but a resort. The famous southern city of France attracts tourists with its combination of exquisite coastline and unusually diverse nature. If, after sightseeing the main symbol of Catalonia, you are planning to relax in the capital of the Côte d'Azur, it is important to know how to get from Barcelona to Nice and plan your route wisely.
How can you get to Nice
There are five options for how to get from the capital of Catalonia to Nice: by plane, bus, train, car or passing transport.
| Option | Price | Elapsed time | Notes (edit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air travel | From 35 to 140 euros | 1 hour 20 minutes | The transfer will take up to 30 minutes to the airport and about 10 minutes from the airport to the center of Nice |
| Bus | ALSA - 37 euros (transfer) Eurolines - 44 euros FlixBus - from 29 euros | 11 o'clock | |
| Train | From 132 euros | from 7 hours 20 minutes | We'll have to make one or two transplants |
| By passing cars | Approximately 45 euros | About 6.5 hours | |
| Own or rented car | fuel - 90-105 + toll roads - 61.9, rent - from 5 to 59 euros per day | About 6.5 hours |
Train path
Railways in Spain are over 15,000 kilometers long. International roads make it possible to cross the border of two neighboring states - France and Portugal.
The main Spanish rail carrier is the national network RENFE, which connects the regional capitals with Madrid and also serves TGV (traine au grande vitesse) lines.
The RENFE network is responsible for the lines that connect the most distant points in the country and for commuter trains.
Although high-speed trains have been launched into France since 2021, the Barcelona-Nice railway route is not the most convenient: it will be possible to get there by train with at least one change.
There are two options for getting there with one change. The total travel time for the first option is 9 hours 44 minutes. At 13.20 SNCF train no. 9704 departs from Barcelona Sants station. The road to VALENCE - TGV STATION will take 4 hours 18 minutes.
The wait for the next train - TGV no. 6181 - will take 1 hour 52 minutes. After 3 hours 34 minutes, you will be in Nice at 23.04. A ticket to a seat in the second class will cost 162 euros, in the first class - 212 euros.
The total travel time for the second option is 7 hours 18 minutes. This route with a change is cheaper: a ticket for a seat in the second class costs 132 euros, and in the first class it costs 161 euros.
SNCF 9724 departs from Barcelona Sants at 4:45 pm and arrives at AIX-EN-PROVENCE TGV station after 4 hours 25 minutes.
Waiting for the second train - TGV # 6183 - will take only 11 minutes. In 2 hours 42 minutes the flight will arrive in Nice. You can check the timetable for other trains with two transfers and buy tickets on the website en.oui.sncf.
Bus as an alternative to the train
Buses in Spain are the cheapest transport, and there are no municipal companies in the country with intercity routes. Only private carriers operate on the market, and the largest and most demanded one is ALSA. Thanks to this carrier, all small towns are connected to the capital of Catalonia.
ALSA offers to get from Barcelona to Nice with one change. The bus runs daily, once a day. From Barcelona Estación station, the flight departs at 12.00 and arrives in Nice at 23.40. The transfer takes place in Marseille at 20.15.
One of the best deals for the price - 37 euros. The ticket purchase function is available on the official ALSA website.
Flights from Barcelona to Nice are also offered by Eurolines, whose services are presented on the official website. A trip with this carrier will cost 44 euros. Travel time will be 11 hours.
Buses generally leave in the evening so you can arrive in Nice early in the morning and enjoy the splendor of the Côte d'Azur from the start of the day.
Direct carrier Autocares Grupo Samar will take tourists to their destination in 10 hours 50 minutes. The maximum cost of the trip is 65 euros one way. The bus leaves three times a week from Barcelona stop to Nice station. The schedule from the Autocares Grupo Samar company is available on the official website.
FlixBus offers transfers to either Nice Airport (direct flights) or Gare Routiere Station (connecting in Marseille or Montpellier). With a transfer, the ticket will be about 5-8 euros more expensive.
The first bus leaves Barcelona at 07.50 and arrives at Nice airport at 18.25. The disadvantage of this flight is that it will be necessary to get from the airport to the city.
The duration of a direct flight is 9-12 hours, the cost is from 29 euros. Seat reservations are made on the official website of the carrier.
By plane to Nice
Flying to Nice is the easiest, most convenient and cheapest way to get from Barcelona. Flights are frequent enough, so you can easily find the right arrival time for yourself.
A direct flight from Barcelona to Nice will cost 35-140 euros. Direct flights are available on the official Easyjet or Vueling websites. Thus, a ticket for an Easyjet flight departing at 07.20 and arriving at 8.40 is offered for 43.97 euros.
Direct flight takes 1 hour and 20 minutes. You can see when is the best time to fly to save money on the website for finding cheap flights. For example, those planning a flight in August 2021 can find tickets for 26 euros.
The total travel time is about 2 hours. Along with transfers for the trip, you need to prepare a maximum of 140 euros, but there is an opportunity to keep within 60 euros. To reach the airport, you need to take the R2 Nord train from Barcelona - Passeig de Gràcia train station, which runs every half hour.
Check the train schedule and choose the option that suits you. Estimated cost - up to 7 euros. Travel time is 17 minutes. The carrier is Barcelona Cercanías (RENFE). The R2 Nord train arrives at Barcelona Airport T2 station.
To travel from Nice airport to the city, take the line 99 train at St-Laurent-du-Var station.
Trains leave every hour. You can get to Nice Ville station in 9 minutes for only 6 euros.
Travel to the French Riviera by car
Traveling by car is a comfortable way to get from Barcelona to Nice, but for this the traveler should have sufficient funds, because the price will be affected by car rental, gasoline, and toll roads.
The distance between Barcelona and Nice is 662 km. You will have to spend about 6.5 hours on the road. It is worth noting that there are a lot of traffic jams during the peak season, and then the journey will take twice as long.
Depending on the chosen car, the rental price per day will range from 5 to 59 euros. The table shows prices for various brands of cars.
| car model | Cost per day |
|---|---|
| Ford-Ka | From 5 euros |
| VolKswagen-Polo | From 20 euros |
| Peugout-308 | From 21 euros |
| Audi-A4 | From 59 euros |
There are a lot of gas stations on the way to Nice, but it is better to fill up a full tank right in Barcelona. Payment at gas stations is carried out both by bank card and in cash.
A-95 gasoline costs 1.48 euros per liter, A-98 - 1.59 euros per liter, diesel fuel will cost 1.4 euros per liter. At a consumption of 10 liters per 100 km, 66.2 liters will be needed at a cost of 90-105 euros.
In addition to the cost of the car, the cost of using the road should also be taken into account. Fares range from 3 to 35 euros, depending on the route you will be traveling on and the distance. The Barcelona to Nice route involves the A-7 motorway, which is preferable to the A-2 motorway.
The A-7 motorway connects the Mediterranean motorway with France. When leaving, it is important to keep a close eye on the road so as not to miss the desired exit from the motorway. The distance from Barcelona to the border with France along this highway is about 170 km, the exit from the highway is at the city of Portbou. The total cost of toll roads is 61.9 euros.
When renting a good car, the total cost of a trip by car will cost 200 euros.
If a tourist has the means and likes to travel by car, then he will get a chance to admire both the French Riviera and Catalonia, and, perhaps, will have time to glance into the suburbs of Barcelona for a short time.
Hitchhiking
The Barcelona - Nice route is also available on the famous Blablacar portal. The price ranges from 42 to 57 euros. On the official website of the service, you can find information about drivers and book a trip.
The advantages of this option:
- Travel cost. Significant cost savings compared to traveling by train or bus.
- Possibility of communication. Often you come across a driver and fellow travelers from different countries - in such a company, everyone is interested in together and there is always something to talk about.
Conclusion
To make the trip as good as possible, it is worth planning it in advance. There are five ways to get from Barcelona to Nice, from which it is easy to choose the one that suits your budget and your preferences in transport.
