Public transportation in the French Riviera is very efficient, timely and convenient if you want to explore the coastal towns like Cannes, Antibes, Monaco, Villefranche, Menton. But if you want to go off the beaten path and inland, you'll notice that public transportation is rather scarce. Renting a car instead is more suitable for the hill towns and the hidden attractions.

One of the biggest train stations in the Riviera is Gare Nice Ville, in Nice. Trains going through this station connect the Riviera to all other French cities as well as to many European cities.  

The SunBus in Nice is the most efficient form of public transportation and has many bus routes. You can get more information at the main bus station on the Place Massena or at the tourism office on the Promenade des Anglais. While public transport is readily available in Nice and even preferable to renting a car because of the limited parking, the traffic and the expenses, it is not as accessible in other towns in the Riviera. Luckily, most other towns are so small that you will not need any other mode of transportation except your own feet to see everything.