I can not figure out how best to travel by train from Amsterdam to Rome. Can anyone help with this? I know we could fly, but we prefer the train and understand we will need to probably change trains??? Looking for most direct and quickest route.
The quickest train route takes 15.5 hours via Paris, with a change of stations in Paris by taxi or subway, plus a connection at Torino. It's relatively expensive, even if you book advance-discount train tickets. How to Look Up Train Schedules Online gives you the DB train schedule link and tips for using it. See also Rick's overview Time & Cost Map and more about Buying Train Tickets. This route via Paris is not well covered by rail passes, so you don't need to consider that option.
I haven't worked out the time or money alternatives but an alternate route would be Amsterdam direct ICE to Basel, change to the Eurocity service which starts in Basel to Milano, then either Freccia or .Italo from Milano to Roma. If Freccia it is from the same Milano Centrale station, in as little as zero stops, into Roma Termini. If .Italo (the sleek fast really cool private company competition to Trenitalia) it is from Milano PG to Roma Tiburtina or Roma Ostiense via Bologna and Firenze.