There are many ways to reach Monaco, despite the fact that there is no international airport in Monaco. You can get to Monaco via air, land or sea.

By Air

The nearest airport is in France (Nice – Cote d'Azur Airport), which is about 22km (about 14 miles) from Monaco. The Cote d'Azur airport is about 24 kilometers (15 miles) away from Monaco. Flight time from New York to Nice is just under 9 hours; while San Francisco to Nice is about 13 hours. European air hubs such as Paris and Brussels are an hour and a half away by air, while London is about 2 hours away. International carriers such as British Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa and Swiss International Airlines all operate flights to and from the Cote d'Azur Airport. There are also budget carriers with good connections within Europe that fly into the Cote d'Azur Airport, such as EasyJet and RyanAir. Some expatriates prefer to fly into a larger air hub (e.g. Paris, Zurich or London), and then transfer either to a regional flight, or drive or take the train to Monaco. For more information, you can call the Call Center (from 7am to midnight daily) at +338.20.423.333 (0,12 / minute charges apply), or email your queries at the website (www.nice.aeroport.fr/contact_en).

From Nice, you can still opt to travel by air via a helicopter onward to Monaco. There are regular helicopter flights to shuttle passengers between Monaco Heliport and Nice's Cote d'Azur Airport. The flight duration from the Cote d'Azur to the Monaco Heliport is around 7 minutes. The Monaco Heliport is located in the district of Fontvieille. The IATA code for the Monaco Heliport is MCM. From the Monaco Heliport, there are also scheduled flights to other destinations such as to St. Tropaz, Cannes and The Alps. It is possible to arrange for a chartered flight direct to your private residence. Two companies offer helicopter flights to and from Monaco: (1) Heli Air Monaco website at www.heliairmonaco.com. Tel: +377.92.050.050 (booking number). (2) Monacair www.monacair.mc or Tel: +377.97.973.900.

By land (rail or road)

Another option is to take a train. The train station (Gare de Monaco) for SNCF train services is in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Unlike other European cities, Monaco does not operate its own train services. The main station is linked into the European rail network, but depending on your point of origin, you may have to change trains in order to get to Monte Carlo. There is some information about the futuristic train station and its rail connections at www.monaco-gare.com Tel: 36 35. Alternatively, you can visit the SNCF website at www.sncf.com.fr, if you are traveling from France to Monaco.

Another way to get to Monaco is to travel by road via private car or bus. Monaco is well connected to the European road network. The A8 highway is the closest main European highway to Monaco, and is about 8km (under 5 miles) from the city center. Exit Monaco – La Turbie (direction of France) or Exit Roquebrune (direction of Italy). Expatriates can hire a private car at most European airports – most major car rental companies have booths at the arrival halls of the airports. Long-term parking is also available in most European airports. If there is someone to pick you up from the Cote d'Azur Airport, the drive between the airport and Monaco takes about 30-45 minutes in good traffic condition. Coaches / buses from the Cote d'Azur Airport are also available, but they do not operate 24 hours, and some might not operate on weekends.

By Sea

Arriving in Monaco by sea is an unforgettable experience. Each year, there are many cruise lines that offer cruises that stopover in Monaco –Crystal Cruises, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Silversea Cruises, and so on. The Regent Seven Seas Cruises and the SeaDream Yacht Club have cruises that start or end in Monaco. The newer Cruise Ship Terminal (Nouvelle Digue de Monaco) is in Port Hercule. From the Port Hercule cruise terminal, it is easy to hop onto a taxi for the last leg of your journey to your final destination. If you have your own private yacht, vessels up to 130 meters (about 427 feet) can be moored at Port Hercule.