★★★★★
The Monaco day boat
A day trip to Monaco that beat the train or the bus, with the coast all the way and a pleasant crew.
Marta · United Kingdom · August 2026
Nice to Monaco Round-Trip Ferry Tickets
A seat on a scheduled boatQuai Lunel, Port of NiceNo swim stopA free day in Monaco
This is a return ticket on a scheduled public boat, not a guided tour. You board in the Port of Nice at half past nine, sail along the coast for about 45 minutes, and step off in Monaco with the day to yourself. The boat home leaves at five and has you back in Nice by six. It sails three days a week until the end of October.
A day in Monaco, by sea both ways
Nearly seven hours ashore
From 10:15 to 17:00, the day in Monaco is yours.
The coast twice
About 45 minutes out and an hour back along the capes.
No traffic, no station
You board in the port and step off by the water.
$61 a person, return
Both crossings in one fare, with nothing added on board.
4.7 from 1,001 reviews
The most-reviewed way to reach Monaco by boat.
Three sailings a week, to the end of October
The boat is Trans Côte d'Azur's day line from Nice to Monaco. In 2026 it sails on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 4 April to 31 October, and on no other days. That makes the calendar the first thing to check: pick one of those three days and build your Monaco day around it. After 31 October the line stops until next season.
The timetable is fixed. The boat leaves Nice at 09:30 and reaches Monaco at 10:15. It leaves Monaco at 17:00 and is back in Nice at 18:00. The crossing takes about 45 minutes going and about an hour coming home. Your ticket covers both, on the same day.
The coast between Nice and Monaco
You leave past Cap de Nice and cross the mouth of Villefranche bay. Then comes the wooded cape of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat with its villas, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, and the cliffs below Èze. No commentary is promised, though on recent crossings the crew has pointed out the sights along the way.
Monaco's harbour is Port Hercule, the only deep-water port in the principality, filled with yachts. If you want the approach without the day ashore, the Monaco speedboat runs in among them and turns back to Nice.
Seven hours in Monaco on your own
Once you are ashore nobody guides you, and nothing in Monaco is in the fare. You have from 10:15 to 17:00 to walk, eat and see what you came for. The Prince's Palace, the Casino and the Oceanographic Museum are the usual choices, and each sets its own ticket.
Seven hours is a long day for some. If you would rather come back sooner, the fixed return is the thing to weigh before you book: there is no earlier boat on this line. If that is too long, the train is your way back, and your return crossing simply goes unused.
Your day, from the desk to the quay
- 09:00 at the Quai Lunel desk. Exchange your voucher 30 minutes before the boat.
- 09:30, the boat leaves Nice. About 45 minutes along the coast.
- 10:15, ashore in Monaco. The day is yours.
- 17:00, the boat leaves Monaco. Be at the boat in good time: it is the only one back.
- 18:00, back in Nice. At the quay you left from.
Who this suits: you want a day in Monaco and the coast as the way there
Book this if
You want to spend a day in Monaco, you would rather arrive by sea than by train or bus, and one of Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday fits your trip. It suits families, couples, and anyone travelling with a pushchair: the ferry is stroller accessible and carries up to 200 people.
Book something else if
You only want to see Monaco from the water: the Monaco speedboat runs 2.5 hours with a swim stop and never lands, for $85. If you want your own boat and your own hours, the 4-hour charter from the Port of Nice is priced per group of up to four with skipper and fuel included. Every way to Monaco by boat is on boat tour from Nice to Monaco.
What the ticket pays for, and what it leaves out
In the fare
- Round-trip ferry ticket between Nice and Monaco
Not in the fare
- Entry to anything in Monaco
- Food and drinks
- Commentary or a guide ashore
The desk at Quai Lunel
The boat leaves from Quai Lunel in the Port of Nice. Look for the Trans Côte d'Azur kiosk with its yellow awning. Be at the ticket office with your voucher at least 30 minutes before departure: you exchange it there for your boarding ticket, and there is no queue to skip, since a booking already holds your seat.
Tram line 2 ends at the Port Lympia stop in the same port. Where each boat in the port boards is on the Nice boat tours map, and the other boats from the same desk are compared in the visitor guide.
Know before you go
- Check the day of the week. It sails only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
- Mind the end date. The last sailing of 2026 is on 31 October.
- Arrive 30 minutes early. Your voucher is exchanged at the desk before boarding.
- Plan your own day in Monaco. Nothing ashore is in the fare, and no guide comes with you.
- Don't miss the 17:00 boat. It is the only sailing back to Nice that day.
- Watch the forecast. The operator may cancel or retime a crossing for weather, a technical fault or too few passengers.
What travellers say about the day boat
★★★★★
The Monaco day boat
Transport and a look at the coastline in one trip. Pleasant and refreshing.
Elena · Canada · September 2026
★★★★★
The Monaco day boat
A good way to reach Monaco, and the time there before the boat back was just enough.
Lydia · United States · September 2026
Frequently asked questions
What time does the ferry leave Nice for Monaco?
At 09:30, reaching Monaco at 10:15. The boat back leaves Monaco at 17:00 and reaches Nice at 18:00.
Which days does it sail?
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, from 4 April to 31 October 2026. On other days there is no ferry on this line.
Is anything in Monaco included?
No. The ticket is the two crossings only, and the palace, the museum and the casino each charge their own entry.
Can I see Monaco from a boat without spending the day?
Yes. The Monaco speedboat runs to the harbour and back in 2.5 hours, with a swim stop, and every option is on boat tour from Nice to Monaco.
I'd rather swim than walk around a city. What should I book?
Try the swim at the Mala cave, two hours on a 12-seat boat with about 45 minutes in the water. It leaves the same port.
Can I cancel?
Yes. You get the full fare back if you cancel at least 24 hours ahead. The crossing is only cancelled when the boat cannot sail.
Other ways onto the water from Nice
Ready for a day in Monaco?
Check which Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays are still open before the line stops on 31 October.
Check availability