More travel info within Europe Cont.

I would like to talk about traveling from Venice or Rome to Paris in this post.

If you want to see some of the country side and you are not opposed to train travel - this is a good option.  You can book an overnight sleeper car and wake up at your destination.  Granted it is a 15 hour and 26 min trip but you would save on a hotel and you would be sleeping part of the trip.  This type of travel is not for everyone.  We did it traveling from Shanghai China to Xian China and loved it.  AGAIN THIS IS NOT FOR EVERYONE.

 

The train from Rome to Paris is longer but it is a chance to see some of Europe:

 

 

I saw this on Trip Advisor:

 

Re: Venice to Paris by train

Mar 04, 2013, 6:14 AM

 

You have two main options:

1) The most time-effective is the Thello sleeper train, leaving Venice Santa Lucia station (in central Venice, on the banks of the Grand Canal) at 19:57 every night arriving Paris Gare de Lyon in central Paris at 09:30 next morning.

It feels really quick as you're asleep for most of it (I find the sleepers smooth and quiet, and beds comfortable) and of course it's direct.

Book at www.thello.com, fares from an amazing €35 in 6-berth couchettes, €55 in 4-berth couchettes or from €145 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper.

This video shows you what to expect: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfjiaO2lyOw

It's run by the Italians, so don't expect luxury, just reasonable comfort. I find people who pay a cheap price, bring a bottle of wine and have fun, well, they enjoy it, fussier people who expect the Orient Express are disappointed.

2) You can also travel by daytime train.

This means booking one of the three daily Milan-Paris trains at www.tgv-europe.com (select 'Afghanistan' if you're from the USA to avoid being diverted to Rail Europe).

Fares for this start at just €29, although €45 to €55 is more usual. You print your own ticket.

The scenery on this route isn't bad, see the video I took last year, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B09t_WJz_mM

Then book any hourly train from Venice Santa Lucia to Milan Centrale to connect with this, from just €9 at www.trenitalia.com allowing at least an hour to change trains and stations in Milan, as the TGV leaves from Porta Garibaldi station. It;s a €6 5-min taxi ride or 25 min walk between stations.

You can often switch trains in Turin instead, to save changing stations in Milan, see if there's a suitable Venice-Turin Porta Susa direct train, then book the TGV Turin-Paris instead.

I'd be tempted to do an overnight in Turin, a lovely and hugely under-rated Italian city, even if you're not a fan of Michael Caine in 'The Italian Job' as I am!