MareW

Hi. On an old thread, posters recommended that the OP drop their car rental off at the airport and take the train into Nice. We'll be dropping off our car on a Sunday, and our hotel is in the center. We haven't decided on a rental company yet, but if there's an in-town option on a Sunday, would you still recommend that we drop the car at the airport?

Michael

Rental offices are often closed on Sunday with the exception of those at the airport or possibly the train station. If you use autoeurope.com or kemwel.com, you will be told, in the process of ordering a rental, which office is open on Sunday. You will be denied your choice if its only location is closed on the pick-up or return day.

joannyc

No, I wouldn't recommend it but, then again, I'm dropping my car off in downtown Nice after I check into my hotel.

I want to drop my luggage before returning the car.

I'm not sure if you will find a city location with a Sunday opening but try the train station.

HappyTrvlr

Drop off at airport which is near city. Then take airport bus into Nice.

MareW

I guess that's a pretty good consensus, LOL. It looks like we would have the option to do the town center, but I'll take the advice and take it to the airport.

MareW

I just realized I misinterpreted joannyc's answer. I wish they would let us edit posts here. I'm still considering then.

ParisAmsterdam

Check the station... it's easily walkable but the airport will require a bus ride to get back into town.

greg

The train route from airport is not one step.
Walk - Airport Terminal 1 to Nice St. Augustin station (that is the rail station near Nice airport) http://en.nice.aeroport.fr/content/d...tin%20V4.2.pdf. I think the rental company lots are on T2 side, so you might have to take a shuttle bus from to T2 to T1 first, then walk to the station.
Train - Nice St. Augustin station - Nice Ville station
Taxi/bus/tram - to your hotel unless your hotel is near the station.

Bus:
#99 - limited stops from Terminal 1&2 to the Nice Ville station http://www.lignesdazur.com/ftp/ligne...05%2013%29.pdf

#98 - stops along the Prom. des Anglais from Terminal 1&2
http://www.lignesdazur.com/ftp/ligne...02%2015%29.pdf

#23 - more frequent stops along the way from Terminal 1 only
http://www.lignesdazur.com/ftp/ligne...2009%2014).pdf

The complete route map is here http://www.lignesdazur.com/ftp/plans...ier%202015.pdf

Returning car in downtown Nice is an option. For example, for Hertz I see several downtown locations open Sunday 830-1230.

If looks like you are coming from Avignon? Another possible option, requiring accounting to see if it makes sense, unless you plan to visit sites in between, is to return the car at Avignon-TGV. I don't know which Sunday in June you are traveling, but on June 8th, I see several 25EU TGV from Avignon-TGV to Nice.
The car return to Avignon-TGV is trivial and the rental lot is right at the TGV station. If you have finished using the car in Avignon, returning the car in Avignon would eliminate toll and gas which, according to www.viamichelin.com, would be around 50EU.
If you are done using the car while in Avignon, you can even return the car earlier to eliminate parking and rental to pay for the taxi to get to the station.
Of course, if this falls on a strike day, you be unhappy taking this route

kerouac

Traffic should be easier on a Sunday, so I would want to drop it off in the city. I have dropped cars at the airport many times but only because I was flying out.

pariswat

For a reason I've never understood, I hate going to/from Nice airport - don't like buses I guess.
So I'd keep the car and drop it in town - after dropping the luggage.
Second best is to go to hotel first, then drop the car at airport if need be. Then at least one of you is at the hotel, take shower / douche whilst the other (usuall the man, go figure) gets to drop the car.

Micheline

We were staying downtown central Nice and drove to the hotel. It was an easy walk to the car rental and back after we dropped off the car. Depends if you can park the car while checking in though. Not always easy and don't know about Sundays. It is a good idea to ditch the car once you arrive in Nice. We were happy to have it and explore the towns before arriving in Nice though.

kerouac

Usually parking is free on Sundays, so if you get lost it can be useful to park the car and go hunting on foot.

MareW

Hmmmm. It's interesting that driving and taking the train would amount to virtually the same cost. We were originally going to drop the car off in Avignon and take the train.

Thanks so much for all the info. If we drive it, it looks like dropping it off in the center will work better, given that it will be Sunday. Hertz was one of two companies we were considering anyway.