Getting around · Cannes · France
Getting around Cannes
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Central Cannes is small enough to walk: the station, the Croisette, the old port and Le Suquet are all within 15–20 minutes of each other. Palm Bus city buses cover La Bocca, Le Cannet and Pointe Croisette, regional TER trains run along the coast, and boats from the old port serve the Lérins Islands. Not for Cannes itself, where parking is expensive and scarce.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- NCE
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
Ways to get around
Walking
Walking covers almost everything in the centre; the Croisette, Rue d'Antibes and Le Suquet are all on foot, though the old town is steep.
Bus
Palm Bus runs the city network, linking the centre with La Bocca, Le Cannet, La Californie and Pointe Croisette, plus routes to Mougins and Grasse.
Buy tickets from machines or the official app; drivers may not sell them on every line.
Train
TER regional trains from Gare de Cannes run along the coast to Antibes in about 10–15 minutes, Nice in about 30–40 minutes and Monaco in about 1 hour, and inland to Grasse in about 30 minutes.
Trains are the easiest way to reach Antibes and Nice in summer, when coastal roads are jammed.
Ferry
Boats leave from Quai Laubeuf at the old port for Île Sainte-Marguerite (about 15 minutes) and, with a separate operator, Île Saint-Honorat (about 20 minutes). Seasonal boats also run along the coast towards Saint-Tropez.
Check the last return sailing before you set off; the islands have no accommodation for visitors.
Taxi
Taxis wait at ranks by the station and the Palais and can be booked by phone; they are expensive but useful for the hills of La Californie and Le Cannet.
From the airport
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport is about 27 km east of Cannes. Express coaches run from the airport to Cannes in about 45–60 minutes depending on traffic, and regional trains from the station near the airport reach Cannes in about 30 minutes. Taxis and private transfers take about 30–45 minutes.
Do you need a car?
Not for Cannes itself, where parking is expensive and scarce. A car is useful for the Esterel coast road, Saint-Paul-de-Vence and the hill villages, but trains cover Antibes, Nice, Monaco and Grasse.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Antibes and Juan-les-Pins | About 10–15 minutes by train | TER train from Gare de Cannes |
| Grasse | About 30 minutes by train | TER train from Gare de Cannes to Grasse |
| Nice | About 30–40 minutes by train | TER train from Gare de Cannes to Nice-Ville |
| Esterel coast and Théoule-sur-Mer | About 30 minutes by car | Car via the Corniche d'Or coast road, or train to Théoule |
| Monaco | About 1 hour by train | TER train from Gare de Cannes to Monaco-Monte-Carlo |
| Saint-Paul-de-Vence | About 40 minutes by car | Car, or train to Cagnes-sur-Mer then bus |
| Mougins | About 20 minutes by car or bus | Palm Bus or car |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Cannes?
Not for Cannes itself, where parking is expensive and scarce. A car is useful for the Esterel coast road, Saint-Paul-de-Vence and the hill villages, but trains cover Antibes, Nice, Monaco and Grasse.
+How do you get from the airport to Cannes?
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport is about 27 km east of Cannes. Express coaches run from the airport to Cannes in about 45–60 minutes depending on traffic, and regional trains from the station near the airport reach Cannes in about 30 minutes. Taxis and private transfers take about 30–45 minutes.
+What is the best way to get around Cannes?
Walking: Walking covers almost everything in the centre; the Croisette, Rue d'Antibes and Le Suquet are all on foot, though the old town is steep.