Nice Airport tram: line 2, tickets and Grand Arénas
Line 2 serves central Nice and the port. Choose the right ticket before boarding, especially if you already have a loaded transport card.
For central Nice, start by checking how close your accommodation is to a line 2 tram stop. The tram serves both airport terminals and continues towards Jean Médecin and Port Lympia. The final walk or change matters, particularly with luggage.
The airport ticket options need a careful explanation. The advertised €10 return is useful for some visitors, but it is not the only valid way to reach or leave the airport.
Choose the tram by its destination
Lignes d'Azur's airport guide identifies line 2 for central Nice and Port Lympia. Line B links the airport with CADAM/Centre Administratif. If travelling on line 3 from Saint-Isidore, the current instruction is to change at Grand Arénas for line 2 or B.
Read the destination display before boarding. An airport tram serving the administrative centre is not the same journey as the one continuing to central Nice.
Use the operator's journey planner for your actual address and travel date. Check the last useful service if your flight arrives late, rather than assuming trams run all night.
Which ticket to use
As checked on 15 October 2026, the operator offers an Aéro return ticket for €10, available at the airport tram machines. It also explicitly says an appropriately loaded Lignes d'Azur card using the current general tariff can access the airport.
That distinction is useful if you already have a valid card. Check its balance or pass before buying another airport product. For a first arrival without one, read the options shown at the machine and ask official staff if the product you need is unclear.
The network's ordinary Solo fare is €1.70 with eligible connections within 74 minutes, excluding special services. This does not mean every airport machine sells that ordinary product in the same way, or that tapping any bank card on the tram pays the fare.
Keep the airport return ticket for the second journey. The operator lists it as a separate product that reloads with airport returns, so do not assume it works like every other reusable network card.
Grand Arénas and the free airport section
The airport's transport page, checked on 15 October 2026, identifies Terminal 2–Terminal 1–Grand Arénas as a free tram section. Central Nice is beyond that section.
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Travelling only between the terminals and Grand Arénas | Follow the airport's instructions for the free section. This does not cover the onward ride into central Nice. |
| Continuing into Nice without a loaded card | Choose a valid onward fare. If buying at Grand Arénas, leave the tram, buy and validate as required before continuing. |
| Already holding a suitable loaded Lignes d'Azur card | Check the product's validity and validate it; do not buy a duplicate airport product automatically. |
The airport lists a €2 refundable deposit for the anonymous rechargeable card, sold at tram machines outside the two terminals and other named sales points. Account for the card as well as the fare. Allow time for buying a ticket and waiting for the next tram if you choose to change at Grand Arénas.
For Nice-Ville railway station, the airport's rail directions place Jean Médecin around 800 metres away. Include that walk or a planned local connection when comparing an onward train.
After boarding
Validate the ticket or card as instructed, keep it accessible and watch the stop display. Put luggage where it does not block the doors. A little space for other passengers makes a crowded arrival journey easier for everyone.
Before the return flight, search the route from your accommodation and work backwards from the airline's arrival guidance. Allow for waiting, the walk into the terminal and any disruption.
If your main destination is outside Nice, compare the full onward journey before automatically travelling into the centre. The Nice or Cannes comparison explains how the choice of base affects airport and sightseeing travel.