Car Rental, Nice, French Riviera

The most reliable and cost-efficient manner of getting around in Nice is to use the public transport means. However, getting around by car, by taxi or by bike is also possible, not to mention the fact the tourist areas of Nice are worth searching out on foot.

Public transport

Ligne d’Azur is the company in charge with managing the public transport system in Nice. It makes available a network which consists of more than 40 bus and tram lines. Some of the most valuable services – at least from a tourist point of view – refer to the so-called Noctambus (a nighttime bus service which covers more than 5 lines, but the network seems to experience a constant enhancement) and Creabus (a bus service operational only on request, it too consisting of several lines).

The importance of the airport service needs no further emphasis. Indeed, Ligne d’Azur makes available two bus lines, no. 98 and no. 99, which connect Nice Cote d’Azur Airport with the Riquier bus station and with the bus station at Gare de Nice Ville (Central Train Station), respectively.

The fact the network of lines managed by Ligne d’Azur does not confine to the city of Nice as such, but it covers the surroundings of the city in the Maritime Alps department, overlapping, at least in part, the network administrated by the so-called TAM (Transport Alpes-Maritimes) is also worth mentioning. The tickets required for exploring the part of the bus system Ligne d’Azur and TAM share in common are not differentiated, which eases the tourist endeavor.

Tourists should also take into account Ligne d’Azur makes available the so-called Carte Azur, a travel card which allows visitors to explore a large part of the department where Nice is located, and to resort to the services provided not only by Ligne d’Azur, but by other two bus companies (Envibus and Autobus de Monaco). The advantages are obvious: by holding a card of this kind, one can travel unlimitedly (geographically speaking) for just € 1 a day!

In order to learn updated information on the bus stations in Nice and its surroundings, on the ticket sale points and the services Ligne d’Azur makes available, follow the indications below:

Name:
Ligne d’Azur
Telephone:
0033 08 1006 1006
Email:
serviceclient@lignedazur.com
Website:
www.lignesdazur.com

By bike

It was not long ago that the local authorities of Nice set up a bicycle sharing system which spreads throughout the city of Nice. The reliability of the system, known as Velo Bleu, is proven by the some 120 bike stands in the city and by the uninterrupted accessibility of the system. Subscriptions to the system can be made for one day, one week, one month or one year, and tourists should be pleased to learn Carte Azur, which is made available by the bus company in Nice, can also be used in order to gain access to the bicycle sharing system of Nice.

The cycling opportunities in Nice are enhanced by the several bike rental companies which operate in the city.

For the complete list and map of the bike stands in Nice, subscription rates and requirements, use the following information:

Name:
Velo Bleu
Address:
PO Box 105, 06102, Nice, France
Telephone:
0033 04 9372 0606
Website:
www.velobleu.org

By taxi

Taxis might not be the most convenient manner of getting around in Nice, at least not from the point of view of a budget traveler. They are, nonetheless, easy to spot if in need of a fast cab. The cab drivers in Nice are known for their attempts to capitalize on tourists’ lack of familiarity with the city and with the taxi service rules, which is why paying attention to the taximeter, for instance, as well as a previous familiarization with the city street layout, are advisable.

Taxi ranks can be spotted at the Central Train Station, as well as nearby the most notable luxury hotels and intensely frequented tourist areas in Nice.

The following is a short list of the most reputed taxi companies in Nice and their contact information:

Central Taxi Riviera

Name:
Central Taxi Riviera
Telephone:
0033 04 9313 7878

Azur Taxi

Name:
Azur Taxi
Telephone:
0033 04 9301 8852

Pessi Eric

Name:
Pessi Eric
Telephone:
0033 04 9344 1023

Bigotti Richard

Name:
Biotti Richard
Telephone:
0033 04 9392 2127

Taxis Nicois Independants

Name:
Taxis Nicois Independants
Telephone:
0033 04 9388 2582

Groupement des Taxis Laurentins

Name:
Groupement des Taxis Laurentins
Telephone:
0033 04 9314 9292

Nice-Mandelieu Allo Taxi Denis

Name:
Nice-Mandelieu Allo Taxi Denis
Telephone:
0033 04 9375 6382

By car

In Nice there are plenty of car rental companies the services of which allow tourists to explore the city and its surroundings at leisure, without relying on the public means of transport. These companies operate both at the airport and within the confines of the city as such, but visitors who do decide to resort to this means of transport should know Nice is not exactly a driver’s paradise, since finding an available parking place can turn into a nuisance.

On foot

Nice can hardly be tagged a small Riviera resort, which is why exploring it to the full extent of its geographical and administrative expanse on foot is not the best alternative for making the tourist experience of Nice. However, the genuinely tourist areas of Nice are nevertheless compact. Thus, the mere walk is, at least for parts of Nice, an advisable option.

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