Practical information
Trains, buses, public lifts, slopes and emergency numbers: the essentials for getting around Monaco on foot. Timetables change, so always check the official websites.
Arriving by train
Monaco-Monte-Carlo station is an underground station, opened in 1999 and run by SNCF. It sits above the Sainte-Dévote valley, near the northern border with France.
It is served by regional TER trains of the Côte d’Azur on 2 lines: Les Arcs-Draguignan to Menton, and Grasse to Ventimiglia, via Cannes and Nice. On weekdays there are about 48 return services a day to and from Nice. Ticket machines are available, the ticket desks open on weekdays, and a staff member is on hand every day.
The station has several exits at different levels. Lifts and passages link it with the Sainte-Dévote valley, from which the harbour is a few minutes’ walk downhill.
CAM buses
City buses are run by the Compagnie des Autobus de Monaco, CAM. Daytime lines are numbered 1 to 6: line 1 links Monaco-Ville with Saint-Roman, line 2 Monaco-Ville with the Exotic Garden, line 3 Fontvieille with Hector Otto, line 4 Fontvieille with Saint-Roman, line 5 the Hospital with Larvotto, and line 6 Fontvieille with Larvotto.
Evening lines (N1, N2) and express lines (X1, X2, X3) complete the network. Near the station, the Pont Sainte-Dévote stop is served by lines 2, 4 and 5 among others, and the Place Sainte-Dévote stop by lines 1, 2, 3 and 6. Real-time times, fares and the network map are on cam.mc.
Public lifts and escalators
Monaco is built on a slope between the sea and the mountains. To link the different levels of the city, 79 public lifts, 35 escalators and 8 moving walkways are spread across the territory (figures from the Monaco public service, February 2023).
Some examples: between Place des Moulins and the Larvotto beaches, between the Casino Terraces and Boulevard Louis II, between Place Sainte-Dévote and the Moneghetti district, or between the Princess Grace Hospital and the Exotic Garden. Following these lifts often spares you long climbs.
Slopes and walking tips
Distances are short, but the slopes are real. To give you an idea, the climb up Avenue d’Ostende, between the harbour and the Casino, reaches a gradient of about 12%, and Casino Square is 44 metres above the lowest point of the circuit.
Wear comfortable shoes, bring water and a hat in summer, and take breaks in the shade. Where you can, go up by lift and come down on foot. During the Grands Prix and major events, some streets and pavements are closed: follow the signs on site.
For public toilets and their accessibility, see the Monaco Town Hall website, mairie.mc, which keeps this information up to date.
Emergency numbers
In an emergency, dial 112, the European emergency number, which works from a mobile phone. In Monaco the fire brigade answers on 18 or 112, and the police on 17, or +377 93 15 30 15.
The emergency department of the Princess Grace Hospital can be reached on +377 97 98 97 69. For an on-call doctor in the evening and at night, the number given is 116 117. For sea rescue, dial 196. These numbers are for guidance: check them on the official websites before your stay.
- European emergency
- 112
- Fire brigade
- 18 or 112
- Police
- 17 or +377 93 15 30 15
- Hospital A&E
- +377 97 98 97 69
- Sea rescue
- 196
- Buses
- cam.mc
- Public toilets
- mairie.mc
Getting around Monaco on foot
Slopes, public lifts, escalators and the official map: everything you need to walk around Monaco without wearing yourself out.
A city on a slope
Monaco rises in tiers between the sea and the mountains, on a very small territory. Distances are short, but the slopes are real. The climb up avenue d’Ostende, between the harbour and the Casino, reaches a gradient of about 12 %, and Casino square stands 44 metres above the lowest point of the Grand Prix circuit.
According to Monaco’s public service, thanks to the public mechanical links you can cross the whole Principality on foot in less than an hour.
Public lifts and escalators
To link the different levels of the city, the Principality has built a network of public mechanical links. Monaco’s public service lists 79 lifts, 35 escalators and 8 travelators, according to its page updated in February 2023. These figures may change as works progress.
Some lifts are tucked inside buildings or at the end of passages, so look out for the signs in the street. The underground Monaco-Monte-Carlo station is also linked to several districts by passages, lifts and escalators. A good habit: go up by lift, come down on foot.
With a pushchair or reduced mobility
With a pushchair, a wheelchair or difficulty walking, choose lifts rather than escalators and stairs. Plan your route in advance on the official map, which shows the lifts district by district. During the Grands Prix and major events, some pavements and passages are closed: follow the signs on site.
For public toilets and their accessibility, the Mairie de Monaco website, mairie.mc, keeps this information up to date.
The official « Monaco Malin » map
The « Monaco Malin » brochure, published by the Government, shows how to get around the Principality on foot. Its map shows, district by district, the lifts, escalators and travelators, pedestrian routes, electric bike stations and public transport, as well as tourist sites and health facilities.
You can download it from monservicepublic.gouv.mc, or pick it up from the Department of Forward Studies, Urban Planning and Mobility, 5 promenade Honoré II, Monday to Friday during office hours.
- Public lifts
- 79
- Escalators
- 35
- Travelators
- 8
- Official map
- Monaco Malin
- Information
- +377 98 98 22 99
