Buses - beware terrible service!

We recently returned from a trip to Nice, visiting places along the coast.

We found the bus service totally unacceptable. The buses would generally not stop at the bus stops because they were already too full. This meant that we would often have to wait for several buses (for over an hour) to go past before there was a bus that had enough room for us to hop on. Often we would give up and just make plans to do other things.

Also, the bus 100 that travels from Nice to Menton along the coast via Monaco is meant to run every 10 to 15 minutes but we were often waiting much longer and the buses were generally always already full. We recommend not to take the bus to Monaco because it will be very difficult to get back. We waited for over 3 hours to get on a bus back because the crowds also trying to get on were so big. Take the train instead!

We thought the bus would be fine because we were holidaying in September after the peak holiday months of July and August were over. We were wrong.

Do not rely on the bus service in Nice and along the coast! I hope this feedback helps future holidaymakers travelling to the area.

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Hi Roaming12 - yes unfortunately since the bus fares were reduced to 1 euro everywhere some years back in the interests of getting people out of their cars and onto public transport this form of travel has become a nightmare. I am not very familiar with services east of Nice but this has been the experience on our Route 200 which serves Nice Airport, Antibes and Cannes. The reduction in fare here amounted to 87.5%. Sounds great but in the end it has helped no one. Local travellers, airport users in transit ( with loads of luggage), budget-minded refugees from the SNCF, kids on the way to and from school are all adversely affected. Things are worst in the summer because of more tourists and sightseers (and on top of that I suppose cruise passengers in places like Villefranche and Monaco). To make matters worse locals on some parts of the 200 route have been banned from making short journeys on this route - and there are some places where the bus is their only form of public transport.

Ed

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It pays to do your homework, indeed.

%26quot;The visitors key Route 100 (Nice - Menton in1h:15mins) leaves Nice Gare Routiere every fifteen minutes on weekdays, every twenty minutes on Sundays and holidays, and costs just one euro flat fare. It is hugely popular due to being the main route for Monaco, and a quarter of the equivalent trainfare or less. It will often be full to the brim before it even leaves Nice bus station, and once full, drivers will sometimes ignore people waiting at bus stops down the line, and stop only to let people off. (%26quot;Boat people%26quot; looking to undercut the organised excursion to Monaco beware!)%26quot;

members.virtualtourist.com/m/6cdeb/188b0/9/…

The other week I took the bus Monaco - Nice, which though busy at leat got me there. The train service was suspended for five hours due to a track-side fire at Eze-bord-de-Mer.

Sadly there is no completely reliable form of transport in France except two feet.

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I totally agree with Ed.

The situation is just as bad between Monaco %26amp; Menton and I often see full buses running past without stopping. The fact that September isn%26#39;t better than the peak summer months is no surprise with the locals back to work/school and still many tourists in the area...

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wow 3 hours waiting for a bus that runs very regulalry-that is crazy.

I can think of several ways to avoid that scenario none of which involve standing at the same stop with an ever increasing crowd. Drivers on a full-=ish bus might [often will?] go past a huge crowd to avoid a surge even if they are still willing to let on half a dozen folk.

I live in Nice fulltime -I do not drive - I use the buses all the time

They are my main form of transport apart from walking. . I use long distances buses a lot , I use buses at peak times and off peak times , I use them to get to appointments and I use them for leisure and i get where i want to go on time traffic permitting -and i allow for it anyway

I have only had one bus go past me wiating marked %26#39;copmplet%26#39; all year - that was on tuesday this week - bus 200 at stop parc vaugrenier heading back to Nice about 6.30pm. I have managed to squeeze on to 500s, 200s, 400s and 100s and 81s, 82, 23s etc

yes the buses at times do get full , even crammed BUT the services have been substantially increased on the 100, 200 and 400 plus many other routes since the 1 euro flat fare was introduced =so its not as if the same number of buses is trying to cope with the increased passenger load .

Its not perfect but i think the service is excellent even in summer

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BTW The folk on the 200 banned from making short journeys have ample substitute buses as its only folk wanting to go short journeys within Nice and Cannes that have a problem,.

Personally, I think there should be even fewer authorised stops on the 200

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One day in the past couple of weeks there was an accident and this would have made catching the bus very difficult. We were walking past the Casino stop in Monaco that day and there were huge crowds waiting. I assumed there was probably a strike and all train travelers were trying to catch the bus.

Having to wait in Monaco isn%26#39;t unusual, and if you%26#39;re on a cruise ship with an evening departure you do need to be prepared. I used to commute between Nice and Monaco every day on the bus for 3 years. I started taking the bus when the trains became unreliable - there%26#39;d be at least 2 nights a week when the train was canceled or delayed, resulting in huge crowds of commuters on the platform, or making their way to the bus stop. Then, when there was a strike, I would regularly just sit in the Monte Carlo Bar by the bus stop and wait for 1 or 2 hours until the crowds had gone. If I tried to get on in Cap d%26#39;Ail, there%26#39;d be at least 4 buses go by without stopping.

Also beware of any big events going on in Monaco. For instance the Tennis Masters in April always used to result in crowded, delayed buses.

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---The train service was suspended for five hours due to a track-side fire at Eze-bord-de-Mer---

Nicelife- the good news at least is that Bono%26#39;s house was saved..

Ed

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I do wonder what time of day you were travelling? I got stuck between Cagnes and Antibes on a bus (luckily I had a seat) at about 5.30pm one day, and it was clearly just a rush hour thing. If you can avoid rush hours anywhere, it%26#39;s a good idea to do so.

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We were travelling all times during the day, generally between 10 am and 3 pm.

My point was that the buses were not regular despite the claim that the Bus 100 runs every 10 to 15 minutes.

Secondly, when the Bus did arrive, they were generally full and did not stop. A very unsatisfactory situation. I hope this serves as a warning to those planning on travelling by bus in the region.

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Hi Roaming -

I hate to tell you this, but September is, perhaps, the busiest tourist month of the year in the southern parts of both France and Italy. The high heat of July and August has discouraged many tourists from travelling then, and, They, like me, prefer to travel during the more temperate weather of September and October. The low season doesn%26#39;t seem to start until after the beginning of November.