Hello we are spending a few days in Paris in May and then want to travel to northern Italy to see Florence, Venice, etc. Would you recommend train travel? I've heard that transferring in the middle of the night is required.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23564 posts
For that amount of distance you should probably look at air. Probably get a good deal flying between Paris and Rome or Milan via the discount airlines. Check the train schedule at bahn.de
Posted by
Diamondhead, MS
132 posts
We found a $99 2 hour flight Brussels-Venice (Brussels air) It gave us an excuse to visit Brugge then head on.
Posted by
Pantego, NC, USA
1014 posts
Fly a cheap airline. Skyscanner.com has information. Ryanair is $38 and Easyjet is $90.00, flying from BVA to Pisa. From Pisa, a bus is 20 Euro to Florence. Regular airlines are $700.00 plus.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32325 posts
Terri, To begin with, changing trains during the night may be required but that would depend on which train you choose. The quickest trip I could find from Paris to Florence was a departure at 07:42, arriving 17:00 (Time 9H;18M, 1 change in Milan). The night trains on that route were considerably longer! You have three choices: 1.) Use a budget flight from Paris to Italy. I'd suggest using EasyJet from Paris / CDG to Milan / MXP, and then train from there to either Florence or Venice (your choice). Current prices range from €29.99 to €42.99 and the flight is ~1.5H. I would not suggest using flights from Paris / BVA to Italy, as Beauvais is a considerable distance outside Paris, so would require time and money to get there. If you've never used budget flights before, be sure to read their Terms & Conditions carefully, so that you're fully aware of the details. Tickets are usually non-refundable and non-changeable once booked. Also, be sure to pack light as they usually have very restrictive baggage limits and those travelling with heavy kit will PAY! In most cases, only ONE carry-on item per person is allowed, of the approved size and weight. 2.) Spend a long day on the train and enjoy the scenery. 3.) Find an intermediate location (perhaps in Switzerland?) to break the long journey into two parts. Spend one or two nights there and then continue to Italy. Happy travels!
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
If your first stop will be Florence, you could fly easyJet from Paris Orly to Pisa. There is direct service on regional trains from the airport to Florence and the fare is only €5.80. This will be both faster and a lot cheaper than flying to MXP, getting from the airport to Milan, and taking the train from there to Florence.