Fly or Train to Venice?

If it were me, I'd find someplace en route to stay overnight and take the train over two days. I don't know if it's an option for you to carve the extra day out of somewhere else on your itinerary, but in the past when I've been faced with a long day of train-riding, that's what I did, and I don't regret it.

I don't hate flying but I like the way trains in Europe run better;
I never have a lot of time or money to spend on travel;
so I always choose the quickest and cheapest mode of travel; so in your case a I would fly.

I prefer arriving in Venice by train. To leave the Santa Lucia Train Station and see Canale Grande right in front of you is worth getting out of bed early - and you can sleep on the train.

Book early and get two opposing seats with a table. Buy your breakfast on the station and eat it on the train.

I wish I had more time, but I'm locked in pretty tightly to the current schedule. I know that airport is faster and slightly cheaper, but I think I'm leaning towards the train. I thought I was being crazy just considering it, but it seems like some people would make the same choice. Our trip schedule is pretty hectic, so maybe a down day of reading, napping, and video games (teens) on the train will be a nice break.

Does anyone know if the TGV 2nd class seats have power sockets on the long hauls?

I'm am totally with you: the train is so much better than the plane. I don't know how they managed it, but about all aspects of flying are terrible.
I've done this route last year from Turin (Torino). It's a nice train journey through varied landscape and the last part, before you reach Turin, through the mountains. From Turin to Venice is less interesting, but the entry in Venice is unforgettable.
One very early rise. That's true. Regard it as an investment which pays off.

Realize it's a very successful conspiracy to make flying a truly crappy experience. Train for me.

Not that I am recommending it, but Thello runs a night train from Gare de Lyon to Venezia S. Lucia every day at 7:14 pm and arrives Venice at 9:35 am the next day. 2 people in a sleeping compartment starts around 190 EUR total, depending on your travel date.
https://www.thello.com/
Its an option.

The European train expert Man in Seat 61 gives information on the facilities on board of this train.

it's a very successful conspiracy
They hate passengers.

Curious how you get 7 hours for the 1:40 hour flight? How long does it take to get to CDG? (I have a flight from Paris to Venice as well.)

@ Yanksteve, I am wondering the same thing. I've done the trip (coincidentally leaving from near Gare de Lyon) and all-in, including travel time to Orly and arriving 2 hours before the flight left and getting into Venice from the airport, the trip took about 4.5 hours but I guess depending on the time of day and the means of getting to the airport and the staring point in Paris, the trip could take 7 hours.

I figure we have to check out of our hotel by 10:00, so we might as well leave for the airport. The flight we were looking at was 2:30. Arriving 4:00ish in Venice and then we have to get to the middle of Venice from the airport. I figured we would arrive around 5:00 ish, which is when the train arrives a few blocks from our apartment.

That's my weird time justification.

I also don't like to fly but a 10 hour train trip would get old really fast for me. Also, having the choice between sleeping until 9 am and waking up for a 4:45 would be huge factor for me. I'd take 9 or more likely 8 AM any day while my husband can't sleep past 4:30 so the 4:45 wake up time would not matter to him. Hotel check out is at 10 -- that seems early. They might let you stay until noon which is the check out time that I have found to be the usual time. Anyway, this is a matter of personal preference and if you do not want to fly, you should not. But in answer to the question of what would you do? I'd fly but the real question to me is what do you, ericjeneast, want to do. I think you want to take the train and so I say take the train and enjoy yourself

It's a 15 min taxi ride to Paris Orly.
Much easier to get to than CDG.

Arrive 1 1/2 hrs prior to flight.
Intereuropean flight

Orly-Vce 1H35m

1/2 hr by bus into Venice.

45m vaporetto to lodging.

5 hours max. Half the time of the train.

Thanks for all of the ideas and info. After talking to the teens, they said they wouldn't mind having a long boring train day to sleep and unwind. They said they'd rather have a long boring travel day than a short stressful one. Plus they want to see the scenery. So...we got the train tickets. The 7 hour Paris-Milan section was only $52 total more for first class, so we chose that one to be sure of electric sockets and wider seats.

I'm excited about this and I was dreading the other option, so I think we made the right decision for us, even if it doesn't make sense pragmatically.

Have fun. I have taken the Paris to Milan train and there are some stretches of lovely scenery after Lyon.

The arrival in Venice by train is unlike any other train arrival...when you exit the station the Venice you dream about is right in front of you. The canal, beautiful buildings, etc...it's pretty amazing!

I've noticed a lot of people here are big train fans. They award "bonus points" for taking a train versus other forms of transportation. I'm more utilitarian, transportation is transportation. The two important considerations to me are time and money.

To keep my travel sane, I try to keep travel times - on travel days - to a four hour limit. If a train will take more than a four hours, I'll explore two options - break it down into multiple legs with intermediate stops or consider flying. On longer legs, flying will save you both time and money. For me time is very valuable because I have limited vacations days to burn.

I do agree a train is the more comfortable option. Whether it's more interesting is debatable. I think people envision scenic alpine vistas when, much more likely, it's the same view you see driving a car on the highway.

Good for you Eric and Jen, I hope you'll enjoy the trip! Sometimes we just have to do things that seem "right" for us that might seem a bit odd to others. I did this last summer with a trip to Glasgow from Paris -- my dad really wanted to take the train instead of flying, and that trip involved a change of stations, which yours does not! And in fact involved a bit of stress when my elderly parents had real trouble making it on the second train.

But you know what, an hour or two into that ride, my dad turned to me from looking out the window, and said in a quiet voice, "It's like a storybook landscape out there."

I'll always know I helped create that feeling for him. The train it is!!

I hate flying and I love trains. But a distance of that many hours would definitely push me to fly to Venice (VCE). The other plus (to me) to flying into VCE is that you can take a private water taxi across the lagoon (at high speed) into Venice. It's an exhilarating ride and definitely gives you a grand view arriving into the canals of Venice.

Yes, I know the train deposits you at St Lucia right on the Grand Canal, and yes you can hop on a private water taxi there, too, but it definitely won't be the high speed ride like you get from the airport :-)

"They award "bonus points" for taking a train versus other forms of transportation." What's my total now?