Monaco

The principality of Monaco lies on the Mediterranean, on the foothills of the Alps.  With a land mass of just 2 square kilometres (less than a square mile) it is the second smallest nation on earth.  Only Vatican City is smaller but, as Vatican City has no public transport, it makes Monaco the smallest nation in the world with a public transport system.


Home to a population of around 31,000 inhabitants, Monaco's small land mass makes it the most densely-populated nation on earth.

A compact bus network comprising five routes is provided by Compagnie des Autobus de Monaco (CAM), serving the communities of Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo and La Condamine.

Frequencies are high - on Mondays to Fridays all 5 routes operate at intervals of between 8 and 11 minutes for most of the day.  During the evenings and at weekends, the routes all run to lower frequencies.  A fleet of single-deck buses is operated.

Although tickets are sold on board buses, it is usually cheaper to buy them off-bus in advance.  A single fare allows unlimited transfers between buses for 30 minutes. 

One railway line passes through - or, to be more accurate, under - Monaco.  Real estate values are high so, in 1999, the railway was diverted through a tunnel in the hillside, releasing land for development.  Monaco Monte-Carlo station (website in French only) is within the tunnel, on the coastal line linking Nice with the Italian border town of Ventimiglia.