The Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis is reexamining the project for tramway line 4 between Nice and Cagnes-sur-Mer. Announced this Tuesday, October 13, 2026, this decision provides for the study of several transport solutions, including a high-level bus service (BHNS). The project cost, close to 400 million euros, and the opposition of the Cagnes municipality are motivating this change of direction.
The future of tramway line 4 between Nice and Cagnes-sur-Mer is being called into question. Éric Ciotti, president of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, announced the launch of an opportunity study entrusted to the Société des Grands Projets (SGP). The objective is to examine the different possibilities for service between the Grand Arénas district, in Nice, and Cagnes-sur-Mer, passing through Saint-Laurent-du-Var.
The tramway is no longer the only option being considered. The study will focus in particular on the possibility of implementing a high-level bus service (BHNS), as well as other modes of transport. The consideration will also be extended to serving Vence, with a bus connection.
This reorientation comes as the project cost reaches close to 400 million euros and full commissioning is now announced for the end of 2032. The Metropolis also wishes to take into account the position of the new municipality of Cagnes-sur-Mer, which is opposed to the implementation of this line.
Preparatory works already underway in Saint-Laurent-du-Var
The project had nevertheless passed several stages. The first preparatory works began in Saint-Laurent-du-Var in March 2025, with the demolition of a building located south of the station and road development work. A temporary parking lot with around one hundred spaces was to be set up on this site, before the creation of a 285-space park-and-ride lot.
In July 2026, the administrative court in Nice had rejected a complaint filed by residents against the declaration of public utility of the line. The court had considered that additional elements provided on financing made it possible to regularize the file. This decision had confirmed the declaration of public utility, without ending political opposition to the project.
The situation evolved after the 2026 municipal elections. Elected mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer in the first round, Bryan Masson had opposed the construction of the tramway and had advocated for the implementation of a high-level bus service operating in dedicated space.
During the election campaign, Éric Ciotti had committed not to impose the tramway on a municipality that rejected it. The president of the Metropolis now intends to respect this position and favor a solution developed in consultation with the municipalities concerned.
The Société des Grands Projets tasked with studying alternatives
To conduct this study, the Metropolis is relying on the Société des Grands Projets, chaired by Jean-François Monteils. The organization is involved in particular in the implementation of major transport infrastructure, including the Grand Paris Express.
The study will need to compare service possibilities between Nice and Cagnes-sur-Mer, not limiting itself to the tramway. The BHNS is among the solutions being examined, in particular due to its potentially lower infrastructure cost. The terms of better service to Vence will also be studied.
The Metropolis indicates it wants to develop public transport “useful to residents, financially sustainable and respectful of local realities.”
No precise timeline for the submission of the study conclusions has been announced in the information provided. The choice of the future mode of transport therefore remains open. The Metropolis’s decision marks a new stage for service to the west of the Alpes-Maritimes, while the initial project had already been the subject of preparatory work and judicial validation.
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