Alternatives to train to get from Nice to Geonva?
 

I am sure there is a bus or other chartered way to get to Genova from Nice...any suggestions?

Also, anyone know what the main train station is in Nice? I am hearing Ville and St Roch - CONFUSED! thanks!

There used to be a bus Nice- Genoa from the center of town, but I don't know if it operates any longer. I'm wondering why you wouldn't want to take the train when it's so easy-just 2.5 hours from Nice.

I want to pre-purchase tickets. I have been trying to purchase through trenitalia.com but the website it keeps asking me to enter a coach and seat number, but doesn't give me any diagrams to choose from then won't let me progress from there.

The main train station in Nice Is Nice Ville. You might try sncf.com, but I do not like their site. It's not necessary to buy in advance unless you are doing it for convenience.

I can't imagine why anyone would bother to book tickets in advance for a journey like this.
If the Trenitalia website is asking you to choose a seat number, it's in case you want to seat near somebody who has already booked a seat. If you don't know anybody who's booked on this train, then you don't need to specify a seat number.

ditto

Even Raileurope sells $20 fares on the Riviera Trains Nice-Milan via Genova so it may behoove you to book in advance - though like Geoff says the savings can't be much off the full fare of probably $50?

But these trains are 'global priced' meaning a Byzantine pricing structure and showing up you pay top dollar.

We wanted a specific train from Nice to Genoa, and first class was sold out (or not available on this train?), second class getting close. This was buying the tickets a month or more ahead of time.

So, yes, try at SNCF.

Mimar - what site told you first class was sold out

just curious - if it were Raileurope.com they often seem to say Sold Out when in fact they have not loaded it

First class sold out a month before? Sorry - I don´t believe it. Not for a day train.
OTOH if you used one of the sites like RailEurope, what PalenQ described often takes place.

In the summer months, popular train routes can be sold out a month in advance. Anyway, take the advice of other posters here and try raileurope or sncf.

I cannot imagine that all the trains between Nice and Genova would be fully booked a month in advance or even a week in advance. As well as the through trains, there are connections at Ventimiglia about every hour. These are trains used by local people who wouldn't dream of booking tickets in advance.

>In the summer months, popular train routes can be sold out a month in advance.

In USA maybe where the train frequency seems to be measured in trains per week. Not so in France or Italy.

Well if bent on trying Raileurope then i always recommend BETS 800-441-2387, a RE agent who will give you personal service and track down any availability even on trains RE does not list - demand Byron. I agree that this ticket, esp in first class would pretty much always be available in Nice, esp if there a few days ahead of time - or from any French station. Re does list some $20 fares on these trains but the number of seats are low - but i agree for many novice travelers paying a bit more can be priceless and you have ticket in hand and just have to show up for the train.

PalenQ, it was SNCF. They didn't exactly say it was sold out; there were no tickets available. It was a Wednesday, June 1. Not a weekend, not a holiday. I was very surprised.