©H.R. Tsua
The Wonder Train
The extraordinary
journey
Nice, 9.15am. On the station platform, you have an appointment with the Alpes-Maritimes. Terminus Tende, 11:33 a.m. Don’t miss out! Comfortably installed on board the air-conditioned train, you’ll discover unique panoramas of the Paillon, Roya and Bévéra valleys. The icing on the cake: from May to October, on the morning run only, a guide will tell you all about this exceptional heritage.
The Train des Merveilles route is recognized asone of Europe’s most astonishing railway landscapes. From Nice to Tende, it takes you through sumptuous landscapes stretching from the Mediterranean coast to the Mercantour National Park. This is what makes the line so special: for justa hundred kilometers, it starts at sea level and climbs to an altitude of 1,000 m…
History
of an extraordinary project
Begun in 1883, the construction of the Nice-Breil-Tende-Cuneo railroad line is atitanic feat. A technical challenge that required no fewer thana hundred bridges and viaducts, and almost as many tunnels and retaining walls.
Inaugurated in 1928, the railroad line is a monumental work of art, admired as much for the landscapes it traverses as for its numerous engineering structures, starting with the helical loop tunnels that allow you to gain altitude through a series of bends within the mountain itself.
A colossal construction site, vertiginous scaffolding and admirable engineering for its time make this railroad line considered one of the most beautiful in the world.
Train Des Merveilles Vallee De La Roya Pango Visual3Train Des Merveilles Vallee De La Roya Pango Visual3|
Interrupted line
A number of engineering structures were destroyed during the Second World War to prevent the supply of German troops stationed in Haute Roya. The line was fully reopened in 1979.
The course
in 6 stages
Seven villages, six stops on the Nice-Tende line. Each one is waiting to show you its attractions: architecture, monuments, crafts, hiking trails… They’re all worth a visit. Often, the result is a beautiful walk with a panoramic view.
Stop off in one (or more) of these villages:
First stop (or starting point) : Sospel in the Bévéra Valley, with its colorful facades and impressive cathedral. Stop off at Breil-sur-Roya, home to a surprising transport ecomuseum, or Saorge, one of France’s most beautiful perched villages. Clinging to the side of a cliff, it forms an amphitheatre above the Roya. Last stop: Tende, a fortified medieval town, where the Musée des Merveilles tells the story of Europe’s largest site of prehistoric engravings.
Tende Et Le Train Des Merveilles Vallee De La Roya Paul SmitTende Et Le Train Des Merveilles Vallee De La Roya Paul Smit|
An ode to
to contemplation
The scenery unfolds before your eyes, each one as breathtaking as the next. You’ll observe the details of viaducts and tunnels, villages and forests. At the end of the trip, you’ll be surprised to see that despite the 800-meter altitude at Tende, the vegetation still retains Mediterranean characteristics: broom, lavender, thyme and endemic orchids still perfume the landscape. Above all, you’ll love this charming, timeless interlude that tastes… wonderful.
Opening hours
& prices
Timetables
- Daily TER line, detailed timetable on the TER PACA website.
- In summer: commentary by a tour guide every day from June 1 to September 1, and at weekends from March 30 to May 26 (+ Monday April 1; Wednesday May 8, Thursday May 9 and Friday May 10; Monday May 20), on the 9:15 a.m. departure from Nice.
- Shuttle service (no booking required) between Tende and Castérino from 1/06 to 30/09 👉 shuttle timetable
Buy your ticket
- Buy your ticket directly at the station or in the online store on the TER PACA website and on SNCF CONNECT.
- Promotional “Day Pass” fares of €20 + €5 per accompanying person, up to 8 accompanying persons or mini-group fares for 3 people 30%, 4 people 40%, 5 to 9 people 50%.
- Pass Sud Azur Explore: train, streetcar, bus, the special vacation transport pass! A single pass to visit the Côte d’Azur, Monaco and the Alpes-Maritimes at a special price.
Access to the Roya and Bévéra valleys
From September 2, 2024
The Train des Merveilles will be temporarily closed from September 2, 2024 until the end of 2025, as the Nice – Breil line undergoes a complete overhaul!
The aim of this major program is to perpetuate the emblematic Train des Merveilles line, which links the shores of the Mediterranean with the communes of the upper Roya valley, provides access to the Mercantour park and, beyond that, is a link with Italy.
We explain how to discover and access the valley’s magnificent villages from September 2, 2024.
Getting to Roya - Bévéra
From Menton
Visiting Sospel
Take bus line 15 (from Menton bus station) 👇
⏱️ Menton – Sospel: 40 min journey time
Visit Tende
Train 1: Train from Menton (SNCF station) towards Ventimiglia 👉 Timetable and ticket purchase
Train 2 : Change at Ventimiglia station and take the Italian train to Tende 👉 Timetable
Or
Board bus 25 (from Menton bus station) 👇
⏱️ Menton – Tende: allow 2h travel time
If you’d like to visit other villages in the valley, our network map will help you find your way around. Buses and trains stop at various villages.
Castérino is linked to Tende by bus 23 👉 Timetable
Train Des Merveilles 2024 Replacement Transportation ImageTrain Des Merveilles 2024 Replacement Transportation Image
Getting to Roya - Bévéra
From Nice
Visiting Breil / Sospel
Take the SNCF bus from Nice city station 👇
Visit Tende
Train 1: Train from Nice SNCF station to Ventimiglia 👉 Timetable and ticket purchase
Train 2: Change at Ventimiglia station and take the Italian train to Cuneo 👉 Timetable (coming soon)
This route also takes you to the villages of Breil-sur-Roya, Fontan, Saorge and La Brigue.
