Nice Transportation

It's always helpful to support your communications with bus drivers and ticket clerks to be clear about what you are asking for. For a start, show some respect - don't launch into English assuming they will understand. Its just a job to them, you are in France and the language is French..

If you want two tickets to town, then of course its "deux billets", but if your french pronounciation is a bit ropey, people will reinforce the message by hand signalling "two".

In some cultures like English, "two" is signalled by a "V-sign" - index and second finger. Remember that the V-sign has enormous significance in old English/ Norman French history, circa 1066. Bows and arrows were a big thing, King Harold having taken one in the eye. It was reputedly a taunt by English archers aimed at their French enemies, indicating their undiminished prowess with the bow and arrow (captured bowmen would have their string-drawing fingers amputated).

Anglosaxon "one" is indicated by the index finger alone, as in "I suggest you consult your proctologist" Recipe for miscommunication.

In France, "one" is signalled by the thumb, and "two" by the thumb and index finger together. For "three" add the second finger, and so on. You'll quickly find it works a treat and you get the right number every time.

But as for the difference in pronunciation, in French, between "Cannes" and "Cagnes", you are on your own! Even the French have difficulty with that one.

A raft of warnings that spot- fines have been upped for improper use of bus tickets. They do have inspectors and I have seen people thrown off the bus for ticket infractions. A few simple rules will help avoid any unpleasant suprises.

1. Fines for travelling without a ticket. In London you can travel more or less for free on the bendy buses because there is little inspection so the system virtually invites you not to pay, but not here. You are expected to pay for a ticket - its incredibly cheap - pay the driver

2. Fines for overstaying your destination. Not a good idea.

3. Fines for having an out of date ticket. Not a good idea.

4. Fines for failing to validate your ticket. Because you can make further connecting bus journeys free within 74 minutes, provided it does not constitute a return journey, the system depends on date and time stamping of tickets by popping them in the little machine by the bus entrance.

Its not often that inspectors board but it does happen and the French are very keen on fines on the spot.

The French railway system will put every single imaginable obstacle in your path to buying a ticket. But don't think that will excuse you when the inspectors move through the train.

In some countries, a kindly gent looks to see if you are holding something that looks vaguely like it might be a ticket, or lets you buy one one from him. These guys travel in threes, and are recruited from men thrown out of the French Foreign Legion for being "too hard".

They will read the smallest of small print religiously, check the date and destination, the validation stamp you must apply to the ticket before boarding. If there is the slightest infraction, or you don't hold a ticket, you're in deep doo doo. The pens come out, forms in triplicate are solemnly completed, the spot fines up to 100 euro can be demanded in addition to the correct ticket price.Resistance is useless, or its off at the next stop accompanied to the police station.

Sitting in a first class compartment with a second class ticket is heavily frowned on. Mumbling something in Swedish that sounds like an apology might, just might allow you to move without paying up for the upgrade.

TGV seats are all only by reservation, and that is what you have to have to board a TGV, even if the train is self evidently empty, having completed the bulk of its journey from Lille or Paris. There are fines for ocupying a seat without reservation, though you can book a reservation if you have 20 minutes to spare at the station. Boarding a TGV without a reservation is common, I've done it myself, but the smart thing to do is stand in the corridor or around the boarding entrance - so you are not actually seated.

They hire very clever people to run the railways. Unfortunately they never had a Margaret Thatcher to sort out the unions. Any whiff of reform and its out on strike, to which the government's response is to cave in immediately. Welcome to France.

An excellent taxi transfer service which we've used from the airport to the centre of Nice. You can book in advance on the internet, and have the choice of a private or shared transfer to your door. When we used it we had booked shared, although on our return trip we were the only ones on the minibus. They also go to many other destinations on the Cote D'Azur.

**Update** ATS have recently put their prices up and it now costs approx 8 euros per person each way. However this is still cheaper than a taxi which can often cost 35 euros to Nice centre

Train is the easiest and fastest way of travelling around the coast line of Cote d'Azur.

In half an hour and only for a few euros, you are in the center of Cannes or Monaco.

The charming small towns of Villefranche, Antibes and Beaulieu are just 10-15 minutes away by train, with some fabulous beaches.

In summer there are trains almost every half an hour to each direction. You can go even to Italy this way, Ventimiglia is just 50 minutes away and even though it's sp close to Nice and other coastal towns, it has a different athmosphere and mentality.

Info in English:

http://www.voyages-sncf.com/info_resa/passenger_guide/home.htm?_LANG=UK

Payment ettiquette on French public transport works like this (say, its the airport bus and its a four euro flat fare) :

GOOD ETTIQUETTE

If you tender four one Euro coins or two two's, he will love you, and give a cheery "merci!" or "parfait!!". You understand his needs and have been considerate.

If you offer a five euro bill or a ten euro bill: dishing change is easy - one euro or a five bill and a one coin, so no bother. Smile.

POOR ETTIQUETTE

If you tender the exact amount in a large number of small coins (l'argent") the driver (thats what he is basically) has to count through it all to make sure its right. Paper cups of small change is what beggars collect. "Thats, one plus five is six, and ten is sixteen, twenty six, twenty eight, thirty three........"This guy didnt do well in math, thats why he's driving a bus. Scowl.

Offering a twenty note: beginning to get irritating. All that careful balance of change he has to manage is going awry - you flash a twenty in his face (as they come out the cash machines) , he has to scrabble around with fives, tens and ones.

BAD ETTIQUETTE

Offer a fifty note: what are you, a drug dealer? (At this denomination, the driver may well refused to accept your fare)

Offer a one hundred or two hundred note: call the cops! - only people carrying these are gangsters, money launderers or forgers.

Offer an international credit card - what do you think - does this look like Galeries Lafayette? Get off the bus, go to a cash machine, and get some money out, damn tourist!

MORAL

Somewhere is a new novel struggling to be written in all this. The cash transaction is the crossroads between French Social Model (you shouldn't have to pay, everything should be free, from the State") and the hated Anglo-saxon economic model - efficiency, consumer-power, choice and hence job insecurity .

Most bus drivers belong to the communist CGT union. Think about it.

For sensible normal travellers:

Heading for Nice, and want a balance of cost and convenience, from either Terminal One or Two, take the Airport Express bus to town. Half-hourly 98 will take you as far as Place Blanqui by Nice Riquier train station via the Promenade, with stops along the way for all the main hotels. Service 99 as an alternative also runs every half hour and will take you part-way along the Prom and then up to the Railway station Nice Gare SNCF. Between the two routes, there is around fifteen minutes gap for one or the other. Both get you basically to Nice centre, 6 euro (from May 2, 2013) for a ticket also valid all day on Lignes d'Azur other local buses. Note the 98 Gare Routiere airport express runs up until just short of midnight whilst the last 99 bus for the railway station finishes as early as 9pm. After midnight, its....

Travellers "on expenses" (or after midnight):

The lazy/ convenient solution for those whose employer or conference sponsor hasn't booked a waiting driver with your name on a board is the notoriously expensive taxi to town, typically 35 euro (typical fares)

Cheapskates:

Total cheapskates can cut the airport-Nice travel bill to a miserly 1.50 euro (new ticket price from May 2nd, 2013) by catching the regular 23 route public bus service which runs between Terminal 1 and St Maurice (northern suburb, via Gare SNCF) finishes for the evening around 9pm, or by walking a short distance from T1 to the Promenade and catching the 52 or 59 local bus into Nice. Note: all the other routes passing this stop Airport/Promenade are allowed to drop off but not pick up passengers, only the 52 and 59 pick up. Those arriving at T2 (Easyjet) can use the free Navette to toggle between T2 and T1.

Should you decide to walk to town, bear in mind the area around the airport at night is the red light district and the first kilometre is just a cycleway, but it is otherwise a safe and uneventful 5km walk - expect a little over an hour.

Heading Home

Returning to the airport, the Voie Rapide expressway serves the railway-station to airport bus, which is the line of choice. Allow 20 -25 minutes and you will almost certainly be fine, but I have experienced "snarl-ups" when an accident occurs on the expressway and traffic is re-routed through the airport causing major jams. A recent trip took closer to an hour, so leave a good margin for the unknown. Better that than missing a flight.

For all the bus timetables consult the airport bus connections

- When your bus is coming and no one else seems to be taking this bus, please make a sign to the driver, otherwise he won't stop. If you made a sign and he didn't stop, maybe you are at the wrong stop (check the bus lines of your stop). To save time, have your bus money or ticket ready.

- Buses are boarded from the front. Don't forget to validate your bus ticket every time you get on a bus.

- When you want to get off, go to the back of the bus and press on the red button "Arrêt demandé" (stop requested). Buses are exited from the rear or central doors.