projet-metro-nice-monaco-italie

A metro could come to life between Nice and Monaco!

undefined undefined 1 octobre 2025 undefined 19h00

The Editor

© Vue aérienne de Monaco - Shutterstock

Stuck in traffic every morning between Nice and Monaco, drivers dream of going underground and zipping to the Principality in just a few minutes. This project, championed by Philippe Ortelli, president of the Federation of Monegasque Enterprises, is making a comeback, and it could truly change the lives of thousands of cross-border workers.

The idea isn’t new, but it’s coming back stronger than ever: building an underground metro line connecting Nice to Ventimiglia, passing through Monaco. On the proposed route, about a dozen strategic stops: Allianz Riviera, Nice-Nord, Pasteur, the different neighborhoods of Monaco (from Fontvieille to Saint-Roman), Carnolès, and finally the Italian border town.

An express metro to link Nice, Monaco, and Ventimiglia

Results on paper: Nice-East reachable in 11 minutes, the airport in 23 minutes from Monaco. This will surely make everyone who spends over an hour in traffic envious. Estimated at 4 billion euros, the project would be paid off over a century, just like major international railway projects. “The ticket would cost just over a euro, but still less than fuel, tolls, and parking,” insists Philippe Ort.elli.

If the head of FEDEM is bringing this topic up again, it’s because the situation is becoming unbearable for both employees and employers. Every day, thousands of workers waste a ton of time on the road trying to get to Monaco. Current solutions? Park and Ride lots, shuttles, reduced traffic in Cap-d’Ail, but these measures are considered insufficient. And traffic jams are getting worse, atpoint of not discouraging some employees from coming to work...

A colossal project but deemed realistic

This cross-border metro is the promise to ease congestion on the Côte d’Azur while developing a broader job pool, particularly on the Italian side. While some municipalities like Villefranche-sur-Mer or Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat may not be served (due to geological constraints), the impact would still be significant for regional mobility. No expropriations are planned, no major nuisances anticipated, and a metro that would run 24/7. The idea still makes some skeptics smile, but for its supporters, it has everything to become a project of the future. The question remains whether this engineering dream will become a reality… or if the Nice-Monaco metro will remain a beautiful azure utopia for a long time to come.

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