Minibus Hire Across France

Nice Côte d'Azur airport pickups for Riviera groups

Landing in Nice with a wedding party, a family or friends bound for the coast? The airport is close to town, but its rules for group vehicles are strict. Here is what they mean for your arrival.

A coach station at each terminal

Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 each have their own coach station, with bays set aside for tourist coaches. Entry needs the airport's prior authorisation and a driver badge, and the coach station manager allocates a bay on arrival. This is where groups are collected; the public drop-off areas out front are for private cars only.

The maximum stay is an hour, with the engine switched off and the driver staying by the vehicle. Every visit is charged for vehicles of 10 seats and up, a threshold that takes in most minibuses as well as full-size coaches.

Mercedes-Benz V-Class passenger van, front view
Mercedes-Benz V-Class passenger van, front view

Small parties in a car with driver

For eight passengers or fewer, a car with driver may be all you need. These cars may only drive in once your flight is on approach, so they work from the flight number. At Terminal 1 their waiting area is the Parking Pro just outside; at Terminal 2 they collect passengers at the coach station, by doors A3 and A4.

The terminals

  • Terminal 2
  • Terminal 1

Handy to know at Aéroport Nice Côte d'Azur

  • Coaches and minibuses entering a French low-emission zone (ZFE-m) need a Crit'Air sticker; check the current Nice rules before travel.
  • Taxi ranks are at Terminal 1 door A1 and Terminal 2 door A3.
  • Nice Saint-Augustin railway station is less than 500 m away, about 7 minutes on foot from Terminal 1.
  • Trams 2 and B link the two terminals in about 3 minutes; there is no ticket sale on board.
  • Tram line 2 serves Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 and reaches Jean Médecin in the city centre in under 30 minutes, with a tram about every 7 to 8 minutes on weekdays; it also serves Port Lympia. Travel between Terminal 2, Terminal 1 and Grand Arénas is free.

Into Nice and along the coast

Place Masséna is about 10 km away, 20 to 25 minutes in light traffic. If your hotel is on the Promenade des Anglais, mention it: tourist coaches are banned from the Promenade without a waiver, granted on proof of a booked service there, such as the hotel itself.

Plenty of Riviera groups never stay in Nice. From the city, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Èze, Antibes and Cannes are all within about 40 minutes by road. Saint-Paul-de-Vence has a coach park on chemin des Trious, about ten minutes' walk from the village, which is pedestrian.

Monaco and the low-emission zone

Vehicles registered outside Monaco and the Alpes-Maritimes may not drive up to Monaco-Ville, and groups of 20 or more must book the Prince's Palace. If Monaco is on your list, tell us early.

Nice's low-emission zone takes in the seafront and the centre and targets coaches and heavy vehicles, keeping out Crit'Air 4 and 5 vehicles and those with no sticker. It is the rule today, open to change, so the vehicle's sticker is checked before you travel.

Your questions, answered

Our guests arrive on different flights. What then?

Each pickup is a separate visit to a coach station. Either gather everyone at one terminal or book several pickups. Trams 2 and B link the two terminals in about three minutes.

Is the tram a good option?

Tram line 2 reaches Jean Médecin in under 30 minutes, and the ride between the terminals and Grand Arénas is free. It suits light travellers; with cases and children, a door-to-door minibus is easier.

We are a conference group. Can we be set down at the kerb?

Occasional vehicles can be authorised to set down on the kerbside lanes, without parking, if the airport receives the request 48 hours or more beforehand. Mention it when you book so the request goes in on time.

More places to explore

Other vehicles with a driver