Overnight train Florence to Paris

That's a long trip by train, so a flight might be better on that route. I haven't checked flights from Florence but you could also have a look at budget flights from Pisa (I believe easyJet operates on that route to Paris / ORY).

Ken is indeed right, check EasyJet Pisa to Orly.

I've done the train in the opposite direction. It was shockingly yucky, didn't feel like a nice French train at all. I was surprised.

Best journey by train for you as a comparison.

FR 9556
Dep 21:00 FIRENZE S.M.N. (Italy)
Arr 22:40 MILANO CENTRALE (Italy)

EN 220
Dep 23:05 MILANO CENTRALE (Italy)
Arr 09:55 PARIS GARE DE LYON (France)

We did an overnight train from Munich to Paris decades ago in 2nd class couchettes. It was inexpensive and we slept well.

I would do it again, but I don't know how much train travel has changed in Europe?

Ah, but Munich to Paris was DB's City Night Line, and City Night Line is no more. The Milan to Paris train is operated by Thello.
The man in seat 61's opinion:
https://www.seat61.com/thello-train-from-paris-to-italy.htm

Vern, in your first thread you stated that you had 10 days for this trip - including travel to and from Europe from the West Coast - and wanted to do Venice and Paris: 5 adults. Gosh, realistically, this only gives you 7.5 days/8 nights or so on the ground. You're thinking of adding Florence too? Just for the day or overnight?

It's not impossible but I'm curious given that former discussion.

Thank you, all. Hi, Kathy - didn't think anyone was keeping track 😁😁. We're doing 15 days now including travel time. We have 2 full days and 3 nights in Florence. I'll check out seat51 and "cheap" flight alternatives. Just wanted to give my nieces interesting experiences, first-time travelers outside the US West Coast.

Hi back, Vern!
Nope, not stalking you but I often take a peek at past posts for a few more insights. It helps sometimes! Happy to see that you were able to add more days! 😁

Vern, for another train experience, take them cross-country on Amtrak. California Zephyr from Oakland/Emeryville to Denver is scenic, or continue across the plains to Chicago or all the way to the other coast.

I have not done it since 2012, but we took the Thallo night train from Paris to Milan and then took a high speed train on to Rome. Our purpose was to save sight seeing time not to save money or to save actual travel time since noght trains are sleep time. For us it worked. We left Paris in the evening and Rome at ten, rested and able to sight see. We've had similar luck taking other night trains. The overnight trains we try to avoid are those whose travel time is under nine hours. That doesn't allow enough time to prepare for bed, sleep, take a spit bath, and dress.

Nightjet is new. If I were you I'd take it. But I'm not you and experiences on night trains differ. We sleep reasonably well on them. My husband cheats with a sleeping pill to make that so. The rhythm of the train puts me to sleep. Not everyone sleeps well. You must know yourself to guess how you will do. Night trains stop and start all night. The beds are camping/cabin quality. The whole experiece is much more like camping than it is like staying in a hotel. The morning begins with cleaning one's bits in a moving bathroom not much larger than a plane lavoratory.

So, if you think you will sleep well on the train, take it and save a day or sightseeing. If not, take an early or late flight.

On longer night trains you may have a great, nice, or unpleasant, cultural experince if you use couchetts. We've been lucky in that regard.

Note that the Thello train does not stop, at least to take on or discharge passengers, between Milan and Dijon. where it stops at 6:43. That gives almost 8 hours uninterrupted. Not to say it might not pull onto a siding to let a freight through or change crews. It does cross a border.

aha, I stand corrected. Thello took over the service the year after I took the train - and indeed it does look a bit more pleasant now (love the reference to the previous service as "lacklustre." Indeed!) I'd never run across the information or thought to check. Thanks Sam! (Not to mention I love spending time on the Man in Seat 61 site, always a treat!)

Edit to add:
Love this note on his post providing his analysis on the Thello experience:

Indeed, if you're the sort of person who starts giggling when the next thing on Thello goes wrong, is missing or doesn't work, you'll be fine (and in life generally, probably...), but if you're the sort of person who gets indignant and writes snotty reviews on Tripadvisor, I'd stick to the daytime TGV trains and a hotel.

@ geo...That Munich to Paris night connection is no longer in service...unfortunately. I took that CNL night connection a few years ago, Paris to Munich.

The night trains are a great experience and time saver. Double check your dates as this train does not run every day. Have a great time!