Local Tip
Two bureaux stand a few doors apart on Avenue Jean Médecin: Comptoir Financier Arin at no. 9 and BNC Change at no. 17. Arin's website prices are for online orders only, so ask for the counter rate first.
Where to change money in Nice
Nice's tourist office lists two bureaux on Avenue Jean Médecin, the shopping street running up from Place Masséna, and both say they take no commission.
- Comptoir Financier Arin, 9 avenue Jean Médecin In the currency trade since 1858 (once called Sauclières), and an investment-gold dealer too. Open Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 18:50; for Saturdays the tourist office shows the same hours, Arin's own site 09:00 to 17:50.
- BNC Change, 17 avenue Jean Médecin Near the Jean Médecin tram stop; it also deals in gold. Its site lists Monday to Friday 08:30 to 19:00 and Saturday 10:00 to 17:00.
Changing money at the airport
Global Exchange runs the exchange desks at Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE): one before security in each terminal, one in the Terminal 1 baggage hall, and a counter after security in each terminal's departure lounge A. On the airport's list, as shown in October 2026, the Terminal 2 public-side desk opens earliest (05:45 to 20:00), the Terminal 1 arrivals desks keep 06:30 to 20:45, and the airside counters close at 22:00; Global Exchange's own page shows slightly different times.
Shoppers from outside the EU, now including UK visitors, may be able to reclaim VAT, but only if the forms are stamped by customs or at a Pablo terminal in arrivals before security.
ATMs and cards in Nice
If a Riviera card terminal or cash machine asks to bill you in pounds, decline and pay in euros. MoneySavingExpert says this conversion is often worse value than your own card's rate, and that a machine's owner can still charge a withdrawal fee on a card sold as free to use abroad.
Paying for transport in Nice
Lignes d'Azur, which runs Nice's trams and buses, dropped paper tickets on 1 July 2023: trips go on a rechargeable card costing €2, refundable at its sales offices. Its September 2026 fare guide lists a single trip at €1.70 with 74 minutes of connections, an airport return at €10, and passes at €7 for one day, €13 for two and €20 for seven. Tram-stop machines take coins, or a bank card from €1, but not notes. We found no sign that the tram validators accept a tapped bank card, so load the card first and validate it every time you board.
Tram line 2 runs from both terminals to Jean Médecin and Port Lympia in under 30 minutes. Bus 80 to Monaco takes a tapped bank card on board.
Good to know
- Airport taxis charge a fixed €32 to central Nice in 2026, before supplements; the tourist office gives €36 for the trip back, booking included. Fares of €25 or more need a receipt, and the airport says complaints go to the city's taxi inspectorate with that receipt and the roof-sign number.
- Bus drivers sell only an emergency Solo Secours trip, at €2 plus €2 for its card, so arriving with a loaded card is cheaper. Bus 12+ from the airport sells nothing on board.
Key Areas in Nice
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Exchange bureaux, banks and cash machines, as mapped by OpenStreetMap. The map loads only when you ask for it.
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Nice travel money FAQ
Where is the best place to exchange money in Nice?
Avenue Jean Médecin is the place to start. The tourist office lists Comptoir Financier Arin at no. 9 and BNC Change at no. 17; both say they charge no commission, so compare the euros each gives. Arin's online prices do not apply at its counter.
Where can I change money at Nice airport?
Global Exchange has desks before security in both terminals, one in the Terminal 1 baggage hall, and a counter after security in each departure lounge A. On the airport's October 2026 list, the Terminal 2 desk opens first, at 05:45, and the airside counters close at 22:00.
Can I pay for the Nice tram with a contactless bank card?
Not at the validator, as far as we could find. Load a €1.70 trip or a €10 airport return onto a €2 rechargeable Lignes d'Azur card at a tram-stop machine, which takes coins or bank cards but not notes. Bus 80 to Monaco is the exception: tap your card on board.
Checked October 2026. Fees, fares and opening times change, so check locally before relying on them. Sources: Nice Côte d'Azur Airport · Lignes d'Azur · Nice Côte d'Azur Tourist Office · Comptoir Financier Arin · BNC Change · MoneySavingExpert
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