Paris to Venice, plane or train?

Presumably you have considered baggage fees and other rip-offs in your air computations. I'd ask just how much sleep I would get on a train. Are there any changes on the train ride? Is it really "overnight?" I mean, there are few "sleeper" trains anymore-they are an old means of transportation. Are the departure times equally convenient? Any citizenship or visa problems for any of the 3?

We are US citizens, this price is for the whole 3 person sleeper cabin, no stops. We have never tried to sleep on a train or plane so no idea there. Departure time on the train is acceptable, the flight is later than I would prefer.

Fly. Chances are you won’t get any sleep on the train, so you will feel grotty the following day.

EasyJet don’t charge for hand luggage and they have no weight limit on hand luggage.

Be at the airport 75 minutes before your flight.

We took the Austrian NightJet train from Vienna to Bologna. We had a two person sleeping berth. While the train was spotless and on time for the most part, the amount of sleep we managed to get was minimal. The train rocked side to side pretty much the whole night keeping us awake and we are normally pretty sound sleepers. The only sleep we got was when they stopped at the Italian border for about an hour. So while it was an experience, I think we'll stick to day trains from now on.

Go to the Man in Seat 61 site to learn all you want to know about train travel in Europe.

OK thanks, I will stick with flying, plan is only to have backpacks anyways so luggage won't be an issue.

I'd would also recommend flying on that route as it will not only be faster but a more efficient use of your travel time. I assume the easyJet flight departs from Orly? You'd also have to allow time to get to the airport, check-in, security, etc. and of course some time when you arrive in Venice to get to the city.

For travel from Paris to ORY, you could use the RER and then the automated train. However I'd probably ask the staff at your hotel to pre-book a shuttle as that would be easier.

If your budget will allow, I would highly recommend opting for a few of the frills with your flight, such as Speedy Boarding and advance seat selection. I've found that makes the budget airline experience so much more enjoyable. That will also give you more generous baggage allowances.

I've taken EasyJet from Paris/CDG (not Orly) to Venice and it was very easy. I paid for my bags ahead and for seats so I had early boarding.

If it's a clear day the window seat affords a gorgeous view of the Alps!

This flight goes out of Orly, was hoping to save money by not booking seats but I am flying with kids so probably should so we all sit together and I don't have to get there super early and stress about it.

At the moment I am doing the 6:40 flight out of Paris so we have more time there before moving on to Italy so taking a night train wouldn't offer too much more time on the departure side. Basically I would like to leave in the evening from Paris anyways so neither has a benefit there. It is really just the cost and the amount of time spent traveling along with the ability to sleep I suppose.

Assuming we could sleep on the train and the prices were similar it seems like maybe the train would be better? I have checked out the seat 61 site in the past but not in detail.

So I checked the cost of the couchette and it is 350.40 €, from what I just read the couchette is a stripped down version of the sleeper and is more of a military style rack bed then an actual bed and is missing the bathroom?

I love train travel. It is relatively stress free and in Italy, it is efficient and generally comfortable.

I hated the night train from Venice to Paris. It was noisy, bumpy, and I am certain I slept no more than an 1 1/2 to 2 hours during the whole night. The movement of the train gives you a sensation that you are falling out of the couchette.

It was indeed memorable, but not pleasant. Oh, as a postscript, we didn't eat much in Venice before the departure, thinking we would "splurge" and eat in the dining car. I feasted on a roll and a can of pate of some sort, while my girlfriend gagged down some kind of cutlet. The wine was awful, as well. Orient Express, it was not.

Thanks for the feedback, I think that affirms to stick with EasyJet and just do the flight, seems like less prone to displeasure.

How well do you sleep on a plane ?
DH and I took couchettes from Munich to Paris a few years back: I, who sleep well on a plane, was fine the next day but he felt cramped and uncomfortable in the couchette bunk. The next time we flew.

Never tried to sleep on a plane or train, we are flying overnight to get to Europe so hopefully I can sleep.

In a few weeks, we're taking the night train from Venice to Paris. When I was doing my initial planning, the flights were either oddly timed or had a layover someplace. It just seemed really stressful and not that cheap after adding fees, seats and getting to the airport. Then, there's dealing with whatever the Italian equivalent of TSA is. I'm coming in with very low expectations. We've got a private compartment and will bring a picnic and wine. We get the better part of a day in Venice and arrive in Paris in the morning. It may be something we only do once. It could be horrible or it could be wonderful but it will still be an adventure.

I took the Paris to Venise sleeper about 7 years ago, totally agree to not getting much sleep, especially with a group of excited Italian teenagers returning from a school trip to Paris next door!

I would take the train, more comfortable for me, and considering you would need an additional night at the airport and airport hassle it means not of a big difference. Dont forget the Easy Jet is a low-cost airline thus less comfort than a regular one

We did Munich to Paris in second class couchette sleeper and slept very well. There is something about the sounds of the rails and movement of the train that puts me to sleep.
Hate flying and never can sleep on the plane. I would take the train.

Anyone know how early I would need to arrive at the Paris airport to fly out on EasyJet and how much time I will spend after getting off the plane to get into Venice?

An hour to the airport from Paris, then 2 hours before departure for security, etc.

If you arrive at Venezia Santa Lucia station on the Grand Canal (what a VIEW!) you are right in the action.

If you arrive by plane, not counting taxiing time, waiting for the steps to be wheeled up to the plane, walking (carefully) down the steps, and walking into the terminal, I'd say its about 30 minutes or so, Both countries within Schengen so no immigration or customs, just some additional time if you have checked luggage.

Then it is either expensive water taxi (€110+) which is a bit of a walk and moving sidewalk away, then 20 minutes or so depending on destination, or unpleasant Alilaguna boat (under €20) and maybe an hour or so depending on destination (no view), or frequent bus and vaporetto (€6 plus vaporetto pass or ticket), 20 minutes on the bus and however long by vaporetto but you are there! The bus stop at P Roma is just across the Grand Canal from the train station which is where you would have started if taking the train in.

Thanks Nigel, so it sounds like 3 hours on the Paris side to get to the airport, go through security and get in the air then another hour and a half when I arrive to taxi, get off the plane and take the bus into town?

If I took the train, do you think I would save enough time to make it worth it?

I only fly if I can't avoid it - I'm one who figures that a day of travel is a day of travel and I may as well avoid the security theatre, the crazy crowds, and all the unpleasantness of flying (at both ends, and the middle), to say nothing of the Easyjet rules and tiny seats - and settle into a train ride or drive (I drive my car to Italy most years) and I enjoy the journey.

But I may be unique. My day is devoted to travel so I travel.

I'd never say to anybody that anything is "worth it" or not - I believe that that is a personal choice when in possession of all the data.

Fair enough, I don't like airport security/stress either and the idea of a overnight train "sounds" fun at least to do once but I would regret it if I couldn't sleep. The two hour flight would not affect my sleep but sounds like it will be about 6 hours total start to finish but I guess to your point travel is travel and each has a pro/con.