If you’re like me, using a bus or tram is not part of everyday life. Heck, I’d never stepped foot on a bus before I started traveling in Europe. I used the subway once in New York and twice in DC. That’s it. Public transportation was just not part of my daily life and this is true for many Americans.
Arriving in Europe, I looked at the bus like this big speeding object of stress that would make me feel like even more of an idiot in a country where I can’t even speak the language.
In my hope to help Americans traveling in France, I’ve put together a newbie guide to public transport. While these tips are specifically for Nice, the bus and tram systems are similar throughout France and the rest of Europe.