MOVING AROUND THE CROISETTE

Getting around Cannes during the festival

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During festival week, Cannes welcomes tens of thousands of extra visitors into a town that is compact, busy and squeezed between the hills and the sea. The good news is that almost everything you need lies within a narrow strip of seafront, and there are plenty of ways to move along it. The trick is choosing the right mode for each part of your day, so that you spend your time on the pontoons rather than in traffic on the Croisette.

Walking remains your best ally

For most visitors, the most efficient way to get around Cannes during the show is on foot. The Vieux Port, the Palais des Festivals, the old town of Le Suquet, the Rue d’Antibes shopping street and the main hotels on the Croisette all sit within a twenty-minute walk of each other. Cannes station is only a few minutes from the Old Port, and Port Canto lies roughly two kilometres east along the seafront promenade.

Walking also spares you the slow traffic that builds up around the Palais at opening and closing times, when taxis, delivery vans and private cars converge on the same few streets. The one thing that can let you down is footwear. Between the walk into town, long pontoons and repeated boarding, it is common to cover ten kilometres or more in a day, so comfortable, flat shoes that slip off easily are essential. Our guide on what to pack for the Cannes yacht show suggests options that stay smart enough for an evening drink.

Pedestrians on the chequered square near the Palais des Festivals in Cannes

Public transport that genuinely helps

Cannes is served by the Palm Bus network and by regional trains running along the coast. Both are inexpensive and useful once you know which lines matter.

Hotels and beach along the Croisette at sunset

Palm Impérial along the Croisette

Line 8, known as the Palm Impérial, follows the whole Croisette from the port area to the Pointe Croisette near Port Canto, with departures roughly every 15 minutes from early morning until about 9pm. It is the handiest bus for hopping between harbours and hotels.

Palm trees and a grand building in a sunny street in Cannes

Day and week passes

If you plan several trips, a pass quickly pays for itself. The Palm Bus network sells a one-day pass for 4.60 euros on board, a three-day pass for 9.20 euros and a seven-day card for 17 euros. Five Palm Night lines take over in the evening.

French train waiting at a station platform

Regional trains

Cannes station sits a short walk from the Vieux Port. Frequent regional trains link it to Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Nice and Mandelieu, which makes staying outside Cannes realistic. Within the town, the Cannes La Bocca and Le Bosquet stations serve the western and northern districts.

Taxis, ride-hailing and private drivers

Taxis and ride-hailing apps

Taxis Cannes runs a fleet of more than 150 vehicles around the clock, with ranks near the station, the Palais and along the Croisette, and bookings by phone on +33 (0)4 93 99 27 27. Ride-hailing apps also operate in the area. Both are convenient in the morning but become harder to find at closing time, when thousands of visitors leave the harbours at once. If you need a car at 7pm, consider walking ten minutes away from the Palais before ordering one, or wait for the evening rush to ease over a drink.

When a private driver pays off

For buyers juggling appointments at both harbours, a hotel outside the centre and dinner in the hills, a pre-booked chauffeur is often the most practical solution. The driver waits nearby, adapts to schedule changes and removes the need to search for parking or a taxi. It is also the most comfortable way to handle the airport run on arrival day, and our guide to flights and transfers to Cannes explains how to organise it alongside your flights.

Getting around by sea

Passenger ferry crossing the sea

Festival sea shuttles

Inside the show, free shuttle boats link the Vieux Port and Port Canto roughly every 15 minutes from 10am. They are the fastest way to switch harbours and give you a view of the Croisette from the water. Inside the Vieux Port itself, temporary pedestrian crossings called traversantes open on the hour and half-hour for 15 minutes, so check the timing before planning a quick dash across the basin. Outside those windows, the walk around the quays takes longer than you might expect.

Ferries and water taxis

Several companies run boats from the port of Cannes to the Lérins Islands, with crossings of 15 to 20 minutes, which makes a morning on Sainte-Marguerite easy to fit around the show. Water taxis also operate from spring to autumn for private transfers along the coast, at premium rates. Further west, a seasonal sea shuttle links Cannes with Théoule-sur-Mer at the foot of the Esterel, a scenic way to reach a quieter beach after a day at the show.

Two wheels and a few other options

Electric bikes are a fun way to cover the Croisette or to reach quieter beaches beyond Port Canto. Rental shops such as Beach Bikes, Pop’Bike and Yourent hire them by the hour or the day, and a number of hotels and rental points carry the national Accueil Vélo label. Electric scooters and Vespas can also be rented, although riding in festival traffic requires confidence, and you will still need to find a spot to leave them near the harbours.

For a gentler introduction to the town, the little tourist train leaves from the Old Port on three circuits, covering the Croisette in about 30 minutes, the historic quarter in 35 minutes, or both in an hour. It is no way to commute between appointments, but it is a charming way to get your bearings on arrival day. Wherever you are staying, our guide to where to stay during the Cannes Yachting Festival will help you pick a base that keeps all these options within easy reach.

Cyclist riding along a palm-lined seaside promenade

Frequently asked questions