Nice Travel Forum

We are leaving our rental car behind in Nice, and traveling to Cinque Terre, Italy at the end of June.

Should we go ahead and buy a train ticket now, or wait until we are in France? We will be in Nice a week before our travel date and could buy them at that time.

I'm wondering which train to Cinque Terre is the best, and what the intinerary would be? I'm guessing we'd go from Nice to either Levanto or Genoa and then a local train to Riomaggiore.

Can you advise me which way would be the best and if I should buy ahead? Also, do you know where I can purchase tickets now if that's better, and approximately how much they would cost.

We are a family of four trying to stay on a tight budget. :)
I hope this makes sense.
Thanks so much for any advice!
Laurie

We took the train from Nice to Genoa and then the locale from Genoa to Vernazza. I woudn't worry about buying the tickets in advance. I don't think there's any discount.

I've done this trip as well. No need to book in advance. I would just buy the tickets the day before if you are in the area to ensure you can sit together. I found Nice Ville Station to be very busy and the train was full even though it was low season (Nov).

The best choices would be either:

Nice-Genoa-Riomaggiore
One train change only at Genoa Piazza Principe with a hour to wait.

Nice-Genoa-Monterosso-Riomaggiore
You change trains at Genoa and Monterosso arriving in Riomaggiore ten minutes earlier but you have less time waiting at Genoa Station (nothing there to see)

We were unlucky and did that same trip on the day of a train strike in southern France which lead to a strike in Italy. We travelled Nice to Vintimille (border station) and then an Italian train from there to Riomaggiore. We had a Eurail pass and that trip took about 7 hours.