Boat Tours from Nice to Monaco
Hours, prices and access verified by the Nice Boat Tours team — last checked 2026-09-26.
Boat tours from Nice to Monaco sell different days: a seat on the scheduled boat and a day ashore, a fast RIB that never lands, or a charter of your own. Which one you want depends on whether Monaco is the goal or the view.
Boat tours from Nice to Monaco, ashore or from the water
★★★★★ 4.7 (1,001 reviews · 1 day)
A seat on a scheduled boatQuai Lunel, Port of NiceNo swim stopA free day in Monaco
The scheduled boat out at 09:30 and home from Monaco at 17:00, with nearly seven hours ashore. It sails on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays until 31 October 2026. Be at the desk 30 minutes early to swap your voucher.
From $61 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 4.6 (719 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes)
Shared boatPontoon G04, Port of NiceSwim stopNobody goes ashore
Two and a half hours on a fast RIB with saddle seats, past the capes and the Mala cave to a swim stop and into Monaco's harbour. Nobody goes ashore. Bring your own mask; there is no toilet.
From $85 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 4.9 (55 reviews · 4 hours)
The whole boat is yoursQuai Lunel, Port of NiceSwim stop
A boat for up to four with a skipper, from the Port of Nice. Its route stops 30 minutes at Monaco, then an hour in Villefranche bay on the way back. The skipper's fee and fuel are in the fare.
From $987 per group (up to 4)
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Nearly seven hours in Monaco, by sea both ways
Out at 09:30, back from Monaco at 17:00, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays until 31 October 2026.
See this trip
What a boat tour from Nice to Monaco is
Different days are sold under this name, and it pays to know which one you are
buying. The first is a return seat on the scheduled boat run by Trans Côte d'Azur. It lands you
in Monaco for the day and brings you back in the evening. It is transport along the coast, not a
guided tour.
The second is a fast RIB that runs past the capes and into Monaco's harbour, stops to swim on
the way, and turns back without anyone going ashore. The third is a charter for up to four whose
route gives Monaco 30 minutes.
Why choose a boat tour to Monaco
You arrive from the sea
The crossing takes about 45 minutes each way along the shore. You pass Villefranche bay and
the capes on the way, which no road shows you.
A whole day ashore, with the boat home booked
The scheduled boat reaches Monaco at 10:15 and sails back at 17:00. That leaves you nearly
seven hours, and a fixed ride home you do not need to arrange.
Or the harbour from the water, with a swim
The speedboat sees Port Hercule from the water in two and a half hours. It adds the Mala cave
and a swim stop, and you are back in Nice by lunch or by evening.
Strollers are welcome on the ferry
The ferry is stroller accessible and carries up to 200. The RIB is not for children under 4,
for pregnant women or for anyone with back problems.
The ferry vs the speedboat
These answer different questions: do you want Monaco itself, or the coast on the way there?
The charter is included for a party that wants its own boat.
| Scheduled ferry | Speedboat | Private charter |
|---|
| Go ashore in Monaco | Yes, nearly 7 hours | No | 30 minutes in its route |
| Time away from Nice | 09:30 to 18:00 | 2 hours 30 | 4 hours |
| Swim stop | No | Yes, weather permitting | Yes, snorkel gear aboard |
| Days | Tue, Thu, Sat to 31 Oct | Set by the operator | By arrangement |
| Toilet on board | Not stated | No | Not stated |
| Price | $61 to $67 a person | $85 a person | $987 a group of up to 4 |
See the day boat from $61
If Monaco is the goal, take the ferry. If you want the swim and the view, take the speedboat
and plan Monaco on another day.
What you get, and what you don't
- On the ferry: the return crossing and nothing else. There is no guide, and
food, drinks and anything you visit in Monaco are paid separately.
- On the speedboat: a skipper, life jackets and bottled water. Snorkel gear
is not included, and there is no toilet aboard.
- On the charter: the boat, a skipper whose fee is in the fare, the fuel,
drinks and snorkel gear. Snacks, lunch and dinner are not included.
- Going ashore from the speedboat: only by arrangement in advance, with port
taxes to pay.
Monaco's harbour from the water, with a swim
Two and a half hours on a fast RIB past the capes and the Mala cave, with a swim stop when the weather allows. Nobody goes ashore.
Check availability
Planning a boat tour to Monaco
- Budget: $61 to $67 a person for the ferry, $85 for the
speedboat, $987 for the charter and your party.
- Dates: the ferry sails only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and its
last sailing of 2026 is on 31 October. Fix your day before you book anything else around it.
- Arrive early: be at the ferry desk on Quai Lunel 30 minutes before sailing
to swap your voucher. The speedboat meets you at its own pontoon.
- Refunds: each of them refunds in full if you cancel 24 hours ahead. A missed
boat is not refunded.
The map of the departure points shows the ferry desk and the speedboat's pontoon, which are on different quays of
the same port. Our blog post on the coast from
Nice to Monaco names what you pass, bay by bay.
Who should choose something else
- If your only free day is a Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Sunday. The ferry does
not sail then. The speedboat and the charter are the ways to see Monaco from the sea.
- If you want to swim as much as you want to see. The shared swim trips are
compared among the French Riviera boat tours from Nice.
- If you travel after October. The ferry's 2026 season ends on 31 October. Our
guide to boats through the year lists what still sails.
- If you would rather see Saint-Tropez. The same operator runs a day boat
there; see the boat tour from Nice to St Tropez.
Frequently asked questions
Which days does the boat to Monaco sail?
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, from 4 April to 31 October 2026. It leaves Nice at 09:30 and sails back from Monaco at 17:00.
How much is the Nice to Monaco boat?
From $61 a person for the return trip when you book ahead. At the operator's own desk the 2026 fare is €49.50 for an adult and €41.50 for a child aged 4 to 10, and under-4s travel free.
Does the speedboat to Monaco let you go ashore?
No. The speedboat sees Monaco's harbour from the water and turns back to Nice; going ashore is excluded unless arranged in advance, with port taxes. For a day in Monaco, take the Trans Côte d'Azur boat instead.
Can I swim on the way to Monaco?
Not from the scheduled boat, which has no swim stop. The speedboat stops in a cove when the weather allows, and the private charter carries snorkel gear.
Why take the boat to Monaco rather than the train?
For the coast: the crossing takes about 45 minutes each way along the shore. The boat sails only three days a week and only until 31 October 2026, so check your dates first.
Can I bring a pushchair?
On the Trans Côte d'Azur Monaco ferry, yes: its listing says it is stroller accessible. The RIBs have no room for one.
How early should I arrive?
Thirty minutes before sailing at the Trans Côte d'Azur desk on Quai Lunel, to exchange your voucher. Fifteen minutes for Nissa Croisières, which refuses late arrivals, and ten for boarding AMC Cape Grace's catamaran.
Rather swim at the Mala cave, or charter a boat of your own? Every boat trip from Nice is compared on Nice Boat Tours.