How To Reach Cannes

Located along the Cote d’Azur, Cannes is one of the oldest French cities in the country with its history tracing back to the 2nd-century BC. Best known for being the host city of the internationally famous Cannes Film Festival, Cannes is one of the top tourist attractions in France and the vacationers in Cannes contribute more to its economy than any other industry. The city thrives on its association with the whos-who of the entertainment fraternity and encountering celebrities on your trip to Cannes won’t be the most surprising thing to happen to you.

While it may be notorious for being a pricey tourist destination, don’t let that hamper your desire to plan a trip to this small yet magically captivating city for there’s much to see and explore here for travellers from all backgrounds. Here are the different ways for you to reach Cannes in the most convenient manner.

Flying is the quickest and most convenient way to reach Cannes. Travellers have a few options to choose from when deciding their flight routes. The closest airport from the city is located west of Cannes, which is the Cannes Mandelieu Airport. However, it does not have any scheduled flight operations and is usually used by private jet passengers. The next nearest airport is the Nice Cote d’Azur International Airport that is located 24 km away and has the services of numerous major airlines.

Bus service is available between the Nice Cote d’Azur airport and Cannes that covers the journey in about 45 minutes. Taxis and airport shuttles cover the same distance in about 30 minutes. Another option is to catch a flight to Marseille-Provence International Airport, which also operates a good number of major airlines. Onward transfer from the airport can be done using public transport likes buses or trains or simply hiring a cab for direct access to your accommodation.

Cannes is well-connected to numerous destinations across Europe through varied rail networks. The city is serviced by international trains like the Trains Bleus, the TEE (Trans-Europe Express) and the TGV at the Gare de Cannes. The SNCF network connects Cannes to the rest of France, whereas the inter-city TGV network makes access from cities like Paris, Lyon, Nice, Marseille and Toulouse speedy and convenient. The TGV train always requires advance reservation.

If travelling from Italy, the Trenitalia train service connects Cannes to cities like Rome, Venice and Milan. Ventimiglia is the first station encountered in Italy after the French-Italian border and this is where connections are usually made. Travellers from Russia can make use of a weekly Russian Railways service that connects Moscow to Nice all through the year, with stops at Minsk, Vienna, Warsaw etc.

Even the most amateur travellers would agree that journeying via road in the French Riviera can be one of the most pleasurable experiences. The European network of motorways connects Cannes to the rest of Cote d’Azur and for the most part, the rest of the country as well. The A8 motorway provides access to Cannes from Paris, Nice and Monaco. Nice and Monaco are also directly linked via N98. Travellers have the option to choose from buses, cabs and rented cars to cover the aforementioned journeys; bus number 210 (the Cannes Xpress) is the most preferred way to travel from Nice to Cannes because of its efficiency and speed.

Cannes and its versatile public transport system allow you to explore the city at your leisure. Buses, taxis, and rental cars are all available at your disposal to help you get around with convenience and ease. But if you truly want to know Cannes on a personal level, try walking around to the various locations on foot as far as you can and discover the hidden sights of the city that are often missed when using public transport.