Nice-SPDV Bus Schedule confusion

[janoma]

How come I get different routes and schedules for the #400 Bus from Nice to SPDV from these 2 different sites???? The first one is the one I've been planning with, but on the Eze/Nice post, they showed the second one. Can one of the experts clarify for me? Thanks!

 

http://www.cg06.fr/document/?f=servir-les-habitants/fr/400.pdf

 

http://www.lignedazur.com/contact/index.asp?rub_code=14

 

They both are called the 400 bus, but the second one doesn't stop in SPDV?????

[Hlitner]

How come I get different routes and schedules for the #400 Bus from Nice to SPDV from these 2 different sites???? The first one is the one I've been planning with, but on the Eze/Nice post, they showed the second one. Can one of the experts clarify for me? Thanks!

 

http://www.cg06.fr/document/?f=servir-les-habitants/fr/400.pdf

 

http://www.lignedazur.com/contact/index.asp?rub_code=14

 

They both are called the 400 bus, but the second one doesn't stop in SPDV?????

 

My short answer would be, "this is France." My long answer would be, "this is France." Fortunately, they do run buses on this route about every 45 min. Just get yourselves to the Gare Routiere bus station when it's convenient and you will find the next bus posted on the big board. When you get to St Paul de Vence, there is a schedule posted at the bus stop for the return times. The buses in this part of France do a good job keeping to the schedule...unless they run into unexepcted traffic.

 

Hank

[janoma]

Thanks Hank, but my big concern was that the "lignedazur" doesn't have a stop for SPDV? Goes directly from Cagnes-sur-mer to Vence? Are these 2 completely different bus lines that follow the same route (and thus the line, rather than the bus, is #400) but make different stops?

[alcman]

I highly doubt these are two routes. The common stops on both schedules seem to lineup. I suspect that one schedule does not list all the stops for reasons only the French would understand. SPDV is the stop before Vence. One scheule makes you extrapolate.

Jerry

[Hlitner]

I do not have a clue as to why the French like to complicate things, but I guess it's just part of the culture :) There is only one bus line marked #400 and only one bus company doing that run. All the bus #400s stop outside St Paul de Vence.

I should post one warning regarding the 400 bus (I have posted this several times in the past few months). That bus route originates at the Nice Gare Routier Bus Station (located just north of the old town) where it is easy to find the bus and get a seat. The line than snakes through downtown Nice, goes past the Nice Cote d'Azur airport (stopping to pick up passengers along the route) and finally gets to Cagnes sur Mer before turning inland to go to St Paul de Vence. Many folks like to take the train to the Cagnes sur Mer stop and than pick up the 400 bus outside the station. But, there have been a few reports that if the bus happens to be full (and this can happen in the busy tourist season and on popular Sundays) some of the drivers will simply bypass that Cagnes sur Mer stop and leave tourists stranded at the train station (the next bus would not be for at least 45 min). Hence, we now recommend that getting the bus at the Nice Gare Routiere is the best course unless you want to take a small gamble.

Hank

[janoma]

Thanks for the update Hank....I guess what was really throwing me was, not only the list of additional stops, but also the substantially expanded frequency of the buses...particularly in the Villefranche-Nice portion, but also the Nice-SPDV portion...I was having difficulty with the "cg06" schedule in that I didn't think they were frequent enough to make it feasible to do (given that we're tendered in Villefranche and can't guarantee what time we will get off the ship); but if the lingedazur list is accurate, then we have many more options and I'm more inclined to give it a try. I suppose the worst that happens is that we get to Nice, decided we don't have enough time to go to SPDV, and just walk around Old Town for a few hours (I hadn't really looked at that option til yesterday and think it might be just as interesting). So I think it's worth taking the bus to Nice and decide what to do when we get there!

 

One last question - which I asked on another thread but perhaps you have a more definitive answer: Prior posts on this subject indicated that you walked a few blocks from the ship and could catch the bus near the Pharmacy - but of the 5 Villefranche stops listed on the lignedazur schedule, I have no idea which one is the one I want. Also, if we decide to go to Villa Ephrussi instead (if we get off the ship too late), I understand the bus goes there - is it the same bus (albeit going in the opposite direction I believe)? If so, what stop is that? Thanks!

[Hlitner]

I can't really help with the bus stops in Villefranche. It's been a few years since we used that bus and I do not trust info that old. But, somebody here should post that info. You are correct that the Villa is in the other direction (towards Nice) and you can get there by using the bus going towards Monte Carlo (just ask the driver where to get off the bus). We really do enjoy Nice old town so if you can get to St Paul de Vence and than have some time in Nice on the return you should be a very happy cruiser.

 

Hank

[Susan-M]

Janoma ... just a suggestion to email the Villefranche-Sur-Mer tourist office and ask them about the bus stop. It worked for me when we went ( at that time, they advised l'Octroi stop on Ave. du Mal Foch.) See the bottom left corner of this site for an email link to their tourist office: http://www.villefranche-sur-mer.fr/tourism/

[janoma]

Thanks Susan - I just emailed them...let's see what they have to say (they'll probably say: stay in Villefranche!). I note that both of these bus websites are listed in the transportation section of their home page...making it look like 2 different bus lines entirely!

 

Jo-Ann

[janoma]

Susan - here's their response (which I have asked them to clarify):

 

From the cruise terminal, you will follow sign to “Centre ville – Octroi”, and once you arrive on the main road, you will see the “pharmacie” on the opposite side of the road. Next to it, the bus stop to go to Nice “gare routière”, named Octroi.

[so that confirms that question: Octroi it is!]

From Villefranche-sur-Mer to Nice “gare routière”: #100, one bus every 20 minutes (http://www.cg06.fr/document/?f=servir-les-habitants/fr/100.pdf).

Then from Nice “gare routière” to Saint Paul: #400, follow the time table: http://www.cg06.fr/document/?f=servir-les-habitants/fr/400.pdf .

Note that they only point me to the "cg06" schedule (which is the one I've been working with from the beginnig) - never the "lignedazur" schedule (which was new to me this week).

Am I reading the lignedazur schedule incorrectly? It shows 5 columns of bus times per page, correct? Very specifically, there's a 10:30, 11:00 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. #400 bus from Nice to Vence (on Sunday); on the "cg06" schedule, there's a 10:30 then an 11:45 - nothing between. This is the most relevant schedule difference between the 2, but there are many others; just want to make sure I'm working from the correct one...sorry to be a dolt.

[Susan-M]

Janoma ... I agree that it is confusing. Since TAM operates the 400 bus, best to go with their schedule, but I would also be questioning lignedazur re the difference (they have a contact section at the bottom of the page, in the link that you provided in your first post). And, as Hank mentions, check the signs at the departure stops in Nice and Vence to confirm the departure times.

[janoma]

Thanks for the suggestion Susan - I'll give that one a try (hope they speak English!). Guess I'm just trying to decide where I'm going for the day before I actually get on the bus!

 

Jo-Ann

[alcman]

In reading the TAM schedule, I noticed that it applies to all year, i.e., those times that are season independent. The other schedule is for a specific date which is not that far into the future and is currently in season. It is possible that additional times are added in season and the pdf file from TAM does not include those additional seasonal runs. If you want to know additional runs beyond the pdf file, you would ahve to check online near the appropriate date.

Jerry

[janoma]

Jerry - you're brilliant! I never noticed that part (probably 'cuz I'm reading a tiny pdf!)....that makes perfect sense (and is certainly something I would have thought the tourist office might have indicated!). Looks like we can get there after all.....