Hey guys,

I was told by somebody in France that there is a very pleasant train ride that can be done starting from Marseille that goes to Italy. Apparently, it is along the coast and it is gorgeous; it has the sea on one side and the mountains on the other.

My understanding is that it stops frequently, I think it is a regional train, and I can choose to hop on and off the train whenever I want. I would like to go to Nice or perhaps even a city in Italy, but I don't know which one. I have no knowledge of that part of Italy.

I want to leave on a Monday and be back to Marseille on Wednesday night or Thursday morning since I have a flight out to Greece.

Does anybody have more information about this? I don't know what this train is called, how it works (I like the idea of being able to hop on and off at will but I don't understand how I can purchase that option. How is it called?), does it run during the night so I can sleep in the train and save a night at a hostel, or where I should stop along the way.

Thanks.

No don't run all night.

No special name TMK

Does not run along the coast mainly until after St-Raphael then yes hugs the coast much of the way to Ventimiglia, Italy, the last stop.

Dubbed by some as the Cote d'Azur metro it is a commuter train line that yes stops every few miles, serving places like Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Monaco/Monte Carlo, Menton.

To best use it base yourself in a sweet Cote d'Azur town like Antibes or larger Nice and ride up and down all day - fares are cheap - no advance purchase necessary - no reservations possible.

Now there are mainline TGV and long-distance trains as well but they only stop at a few places.

From Marseilles Saint-Charles (main station) take a TGV or TER type train to Saint-Raphael and switch to this sweet commuter train.

For lots of good info on French trains check these fine IMO sites: www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.com.

For a neat ride up into the Alpes Maritimes that backdrop the Cote d'Azur try the fabled Chemins des fer de Provence (a k a Ligne Digne) that trundles via a tiny narrow-guaged train into the hinterlands of Provence - to sleepy towns like Annot - the justaposition of the glitzy Riviera.

You should take the regional train which has many stops. It departs 12:31 and 14:31. Note that you change trains in Nice.

Marseille-St-Charles 12:31
Toulon 13:19
Carnoules(Toulon) 13:36
Les Arcs Draguignan 13:56
St-Raphael-Valescure 14:11
Cannes 14:37
Antibes 14:48
Nice Ville 15:06
change trains 19 min.
Nice Ville 15:25
Nice-Riquier 15:30
Villefranche-sur-Mer 15:33
Beaulieu-sur-Mer 15:36
Eze 15:40
Cap-d'Ail 15:44
Monaco-Monte-Carlo 15:49
Cap-Martin-Roquebrun 15:54
Carnoles 15:58
Menton 16:01
Menton Garavan 16:04
Ventimiglia 16:13

However, I would change trains in St. Raphael-Valescure and take the slow train to Nice with stops in Dramont, Agay and Antheor-Cap Roux. These are the most scenic stops and it is worth to interrupt the ride and walk around a bit and go swimming.

I was told by somebody in France that there is a very pleasant train ride that can be done starting from Marseille that goes to Italy>

Well the commuter train goes to Ventimiglia in Italy but ends there - whilst Ventimgilia is a thoroughly Italian you can take other local trains from there to San Remo, noted flower growing center and a nice nice town not that far from Nice.

Sit of course on the right side of the train when going east - the most spectacular scenery IME is between Nice and Ventimgilia when the train goes thru an untouched bit of an often over developed French Riviera.

BTW - on these local trains you often have to cancel (compost) your ticket yourself by sticking it into a machine that cancels it so you cannot use it again as some trains may not have conductors but work on the honor system - if you do not cancel it yourself you may be considered to be riding without a valid ticket and be fined and also have to pay the train fare again!

You can of course book a cheap advance-purchase fare on a more comfortable limited-stop TGV between Marseille and Nice using www.capitainetrain.com - assuming you weren't stopping off on this section.

All the trains - TGV and regional - use the same classic coastal tracks.

Then hop on a local regional train Nice-Ventimiglia, 7 euros or so, buy at the station.

Then book a train from Ventimiglia to anywhere in Italy at www.trenitalia.com. V to Pisa or Milan from 19 euros.

Explore Ventimiglia (go on market day). Then board an Italian train and go a bit further to Bordighera and have a lovely lunch by the sea.

Also, a stop in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat with a visit to Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild.

A stop in Villefranche-sur-Mer (aim for a non-cruise day if you can) is also a lovely expedition.

https://www.google.com/search?q=trai...=1600&bih=1075

Images of the Train des Pignes - a k a Chemins de fer de provence - a k a Ligne Digne

the narrow-gauge mountain train going from Nice into the hinterlands of sleepy Porvence - pignes means pine trees (I believe) and this train is a favorite of hikers who get off at one station and hike on footpaths to another station.

Really for something way different hop the Train des Pignes in Nice for a great day out and a bit of the Cote d'Azur that few tourists see - no glitz here just sleepy old villages populated by a generally ordinary hard-working folk - today's peasants IMO.

Get off the coastl train at the Cap d'Ail train station, which is right smack on the sea - well just above it - and do a sweet two-mile flat stroll on paved footpaths - no cars - to Monaco - getting on the train after the several minutes it takes to see all that is interesting in this postage-stamp-sized country.

https://www.google.com/search?q=cap+...=1600&bih=1075

Gorgeous Cap d'Ail to Monaco walk - one of the nicest walks I've ever taken in Europe - and short and sweet - if warm you can stop and go swimming - and if you did not bring your swim suit it's OK - you may well see skinny dippers along the way so don't be bashful!

http://french-riviera-blog.com/2011/...-coastal-path/

Thank you for this...I have a great day planned now!

Hey guys,

I wanted to take the time to reply to you all. Sorry I am late, it has been a pretty crazy week and Internet connection isn't great in Crete.

I ended up going from Marseille to Hyères. A friend recommended me that place. Took a train from Marseille to Toulon, transfer, then to Hyères. I didn't have much time there, I walked to the beach. About a 30-45min walk. The beach was very cold and windy, saw some people windsurfing and they looked like race cars. They were zooming through. Pretty cool. I wish I had more time to explore a beach that is further south but for a day trip it was pretty cool.

Here was the problem and the reason why I only had about 1.5 hours in Hyères. There are no trains from Hyères to Cannes or Nice. So I had to take a train back to Toulon and then to Nice. That killed a lot of time and was quite costly. I then went to Nice on the same day.

The next day, I did as you recommended, took the train to Cap d'Ail and walked to Monaco. Despite a greyish weather, it was a very nice walk. I recommended it to my friend from Canada that I bumped into in Nice.

I then took the train to Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. It was nice, I went there mainly because my friend used to go there when he was a kid and it was nice to see what he did when he grew up. I wished I made it all the way to Ventimiglia but didn't have enough time. I started my day too late (around 2PM).

I recommended my friend to take the train, instead of the bus, to Cap D'ail, and then walk to Monaco, and then visit Italy. We had breakfast in Nice, they did that and got to eat lunch in Monaco, and had supper in Ventimiglia. Sounds like a very good day trip to make from Nice.

A few pointers: in France, they love to rename city names. There is no Ventimiglia destination. You must look for Vintimille. The regional ticket booth (the blue one) can be a little intimidating but don't be. It's actually fun when you think about it. With the knob and the button in the middle, it's like playing an old arcade game from the 80s-90s.

On my way back to Marseille, I stopped at Cannes, the day the film festival opened, it was packed. The beach was packed and not as charming as the one in Nice. The beach in Nice is filled with big rocks, no sand, so it is nice to walk on the beach with shoes but hurts as hell barefoot. The beach at Villefranche-sur-mer looks much nicer to go to than at Cannes or Nice.

I would definitely do this again, but with more time. Like at least 5 days, if not 7-10 days. I did all of this with 2 nights and it was a little rushed.

thank you for the report.

I did as you recommended, took the train to Cap d'Ail and walked to Monaco. Despite a greyish weather, it was a very nice walk.>

Yes it is a whole different French Riviera along that path - pristine, un-developed - the real beauty of an untoched coastline in an area where the coast is often degraded by development.