Travel Milan to Paris

Hi,

Has the night train between Milan and Paris been cancelled?

Yes, a few years ago now. Sad news on paper, but it was not very reliable, the rolling stock was really ancient and in questionable condition, and it arrived in Milan at like 5.30 AM from Paris so not a huge loss IMO.

Is the high speed train routes a better option then the Airplane of is a mixed pro/con kind of thing.

The train takes 7.5 hours or so: it is about 3 hours slower than if you fly from Linate to Orly (the recommended option): for many people, the time saving is worth the hassle. However, the train times are convenient: you can leave Milan in the early afternoon and reach Paris in the evening, so you do not lose a whole day. Scenery is "meh", despite crossing the Alps - to make it better you can travel via Switzerland but it is more expensive and usually takes 30-60 minutes longer, with a change of trains. A window seat from an airplane will give you great views of the Alps on a clear day.

The main argument in favour of the train is the lower carbon footprint at no extra cost and with a reasonable time penalty.

The night train was operated by a private company that ceased operating with the start of the pandemic. There are also a couple early morning departures taking 7 hours or less. TGV trains depart from Milano Porta Garibaldi station and Trenitalia trains go from Milano Central.

We have taken this trip 3 times. It is a scenic day trip if long. Lunch, snacks, wine, coffee are available on board although we usually bring something we bought at the station. When you count the time needed to go to the Malpensa Airport and then go into Paris from CDG, plus security before the flight, I think the train is about an equal amount of time and much more pleasant.

Trenitalia now also runs on the route from Milano to Paris. Their trains leave from Centrale, and are faster than the SNCF TGVs. They are also, in my opinion, a lot nicer, and usually cheaper as well. Trenitalia now also runs trains between Paris and Lyon and is planning on opening more routes across Europe.

I would not call the scenery from the train "meh". The part between Paris and Lyon is mostly fields, but one you reach the Alps it gets spectacular. You can see a bit of it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B09t_WJz_mM

"Meh" is relative and my initial assessment might indeed have been excessively harsh. To me, it is the least spectacular of the main rail routes through the Alps...but it is still a rail route through the Alps so yes, there are some good mountain views along the way.

A route through Switzerland was mentioned as being more scenic but a bit longer. Anyone know anything about that?

I can't really recommend that, for the same reasons balso gives a "meh" to the direct route. That route route uses the Frejus Tunnel to bore under the Alps and the rest is in deep valleys where the views are not all that great.

The fastest route through Switzerland takes 8 1/2 hours and requires a train change in Basel. The route from Milan to Basel uses 2 large tunnels under the Alps, the Simplon Tunnel and the Loetschberg Base Tunnel. The rest is again in deep valleys. You could take a scenic by way going via Kandersteg, which uses a shorter old Loetschberg Tunnel, but that extends the trip to 9 1/2 hours and adds 2 more train changes.

Then there is the route through Geneva that takes 7 1/2 hours and requires a train change in Geneva. Again, it uses the Simplon Tunnel, but runs along the north shore of the length of Lake Leman (Geneva), so there are some nice views there. The change time in Geneva is only 8 minutes, so that is a bit tight.

We took the fast train from Milan to Paris last year. Took a little over 6 1/2 hours. But we rested, read, and avoided the crazy airport check in, luggage, security, boarding, etc, etc. It make take longer in terms of the trip, but you compensate with just avoiding what I mentioned above.