Itinary help - 12 days in early April

If all your destinations are a 'must', I would fly into Zurich, work my way to Rome and then fly to Paris.

Be prepared to get comments that your plan is too much for 11 nights.

As this is your first trip, I think you have vastly underestimated the time involved in changing locations. Now, having said that, can you do this itinerary? Yes. Should you do it? That depends upon what you want to see/do. This itinerary will have you spending the majority of your time in transit - and if that is what you enjoy, then the itinerary works. For example, Venice to Zurich is a 6 plus hours by train, which of course doesn't include travel time to and from the train station, checking in and out of accomodations, meals, etc., etc. Bear in mind that each change of location will eat up 1/2 to 3/4 of a day when you factor in:packing, checking in and out of accommodations, travel to and from train station, etc., etc. If that isn't what you are interested in, I would suggesting picking ONE country - either Italy or France and then build your trip from there. There is more than enough to keep you happily occupied in either location for 10 days. However, if you are determined to include both Italy and France in your itinerary, you could do Rome and then fly to Paris.

It sounds lik you want to take the train from Venice to Paris so you have a scenic ride through the Alps. Is that a good use of your time? You have 11 nights. Your first day is likely to be a jetlagged, sleep-deprived haze, so discount it. Your next day may be a little better or a lot better. You never know how the time change will affect you till it does. Your last day doesn't count because you're just going to the airport.

Day 1 - land
Day 2-3, 2 days in Rome
Day 4, transfer to Venice which will take 6-7 hours out of your day.
Day 5, 1 day in Venice
Day 6-7, ride the train (multiple train changes?)
Day 8-10, 3 days in Paris

All the time and money for 6 full days of sightseeing, plus however much scenery you get from the train (hope for sunshine) on Day 6.

If it were me, I'd fly into Venice (3N), train to Rome (4N), fly to Paris (4N)

Thanks for the feedback. All that I have booked at the moment is flight into Rome and out of Paris and currently 4 nights in Rome (Hotel Oceania). Should train to Venice and then fly to Paris?

Yes, fly Venice to Paris.

I'd probably skip doing a stopover between Rome and Venice. Its only a 3 3/4 hour train ride. I suppose you could stop in Bologna as it is something of a foodie town, but it would require you to buy separate tickets. The high speed trains run rather like airplanes. Deep discounts for advance nonrefundable tickets (you could buy them now), fairly expensive bought spur of the moment, although you can take a Regionale Veloce for cheap from Bologna to Venice that is almost as fast as the high speed trains.

Take an extra night in Venice.

Should train to Venice and then fly to Paris?

Yes

Rome-Venice -Paris should be a much more enjoyable trip, for the time you have, than your original concept.

Much more sensible to keep it simple with only 11 nights.

April
3. Arrive Rome (4N)
4. Rome
5. Rome
6. Rome
7. Train via stop in Florence to Venice (3N)
8. Venice
9. Venice
10. Fly to Paris (4N)
11. Paris
12. Paris
13. Paris
14. Depart Paris

Thanks everyone for the great on point responses! Just another question - If we stop in Florence on our way to Venice - does the train station have lockers that we can store our luggage for a few hours?

luggage storage question--- 'yes'

https://www.firenzelodging.it/luggage-and-storage-services-in-florence/

Thanks Joe!