Soggiorna
In 2001 something happened at Sanremo that rewrote how you move along this whole coast: the single-track railway that ran beside the sea was taken out of service and the line moved inland.
From that day the station has been underground, and the old track along the water has become the cycle path of the "Riviera dei Fiori" coastal park. They are two consequences of the same works, and together they explain why a car is less useful here than in any other resort on the riviera.
By train
The line is the Genoa-Ventimiglia, completed in 1872 and now shifted inland from its original route. Sanremo's station is underground and sits in the centre: you walk out and you are in the city, without the transfer many other towns in the area require.
It is the recommended way if you do not need a car for anything else, and below is why.
By car
The exit is on the A10, the motorway of flowers. That far, it is simple.
Parking, said straight
You will not find a list of car parks with capacities here, and the reason is that we do not have a reliable source listing them for Sanremo. We prefer a declared gap to a list that resembles another town's: a wrong car park printed here would have you driving in circles with the luggage in the boot.
What can be said with certainty is that parking in the centre is limited and paid, and that in high season and during the Festival the problem is not arriving but where to leave the car.
Hence the question that matters, and it goes before booking: does your accommodation have a space? If yes, confirm it; if no, you already know you need a car park and a few minutes on foot.
The buses
The local Riviera Trasporti lines link the centre to the beaches and the neighbouring towns. They are the answer when the cycle path is too long for the time you have, or when it rains.
The cycle path as public transport
Here is the part guidebooks treat as a sporting detail and which is in fact public transport without a ticket.
The path runs for 24 kilometres between Ospedaletti and San Lorenzo al Mare, and between Imperia and Ospedaletti, after the works of spring 2023, 28 kilometres are passable. It is flat because they were rails, it has no junctions, and it passes above all the beaches.
You use it to go to the sea, to have dinner in the next town, to reach Bussana. With a rented bike, a holiday at Sanremo can be had without ever starting an engine — which is why, if you are in the area more than two days, the car is a cost rather than a convenience.
Where it takes you along the shore is in beaches at Sanremo.
If you come by air
The reference points are Nice, across the border, or Genoa. From either you arrive by train on the same coastal line.
Worth remembering
- February means the Festival: hotels, trains and parking all feel it. Factor it in even if you are not coming for it.
- The cycle path does not close, and it is usable out of season too: one of the things that make Sanremo a winter destination.
- Parking is solved in advance, not on arrival.
The overall picture of the city is in Sanremo: a guide to the city.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Sanremo by train?
On the Genoa-Ventimiglia line. The station is underground and in the centre: you step out and you are already in the city, with no transfer needed.
Why is Sanremo's station underground?
Because in 2001 the single-track coastal stretch was taken out of service and the railway moved inland. On the old track beside the sea the cycle path was built.
Where do you park at Sanremo?
Parking in the centre is limited and paid, and in high season or during the Festival it is the real problem of the day. We do not publish a list of car parks because we have no reliable source listing them for Sanremo: it is better to ask your accommodation whether they have a space, before booking.
Do you need a car at Sanremo?
Not for the city, and not for the coast either: between the train, the Riviera Trasporti buses and the 24-kilometre cycle path you reach everything. If you are staying more than two days, the car is more a cost than a convenience.
How long is the Sanremo cycle path?
Twenty-four kilometres between Ospedaletti and San Lorenzo al Mare, on the route of the railway taken out of service in 2001. Between Imperia and Ospedaletti, after the 2023 works, 28 are passable.