Rome to Paris: Train, Plane?

If you decide to fly, go with Norm's suggestion for either Vueling or easyJet.

Advance online discount fares for a bunk in a six-person couchette on the direct Rome-Paris night train can be as low as €35. However, they're nearly impossible to book on the Trenitalia site using a US credit card. If you book them on the SNCF site (up to three months in advance), you'll be re-directed to tgv-europe.com, the language will switch to Italian, and you'll have to have the tickets mailed to an address in Italy (like your hotel in Rome).

Spanish discount carrier Vueling flies Rome-FCO to Paris-CDG, while Easyjet flies Rome-CIA to Paris-Orly. Both are good airlines, but I personally prefer Vueling. Both only have schedules until March/09. But go to their websites and sign up for their newsletters to get first word when you can book. Take some time now to review their various check-in deadlines, and, especially, baggage allowances and cabin baggage allotments. Going over their baggage limits can cost big bucks. Avoid Ryanair unless it's your last option. They fly into Paris "Beauvais" airport which is a 90 minute bus ride from Paris (an extra cost, 18 Euro if I remember?) and dumps you off in a big parking lot at Porte Maillot in the northwest corner of Paris.

We flew Ryanair from Paris to Rome for 25 Euros plus some fees--still a good deal. It only took 2 hours. Much faster and cheaper than the train.

I flew Paris-Rome on Vueling. Had some problems buying my ticket online with my CC, but finally managed. Flight was fine, planes are new( not like some of the budget airlines that use second hand planes) and flight took 1.5 hours, better then train I thought, but, most importantly it was CHEAPER to fly. Vueling flys into Charles De Gaulle airport and its easy to get into Paris from there, less then 9 euros and 35 minutes on the RER( suburban train service) .
Avoid flying into Beauvais airport it is like 75 kilometers from Paris and takes longer to get into city center. .

My ticket cost 80 euros, I booked about 5 or 6 months ahead, prices went up closer I got to my July flight.

Adding to my previous post. If you want to take the night train, you could book over the phone. One advantage would be that it should be possible for you to pick up your tickets at the station in Rome rather than having them mailed to your hotel. Go here.

We flew from Paris-Orly to Pisa, not Rome, last fall; however, the prices were really cheap. Of course they advertise as 18 euros or something and add on additional fees, etc. But in the end it was still less than $100 for two of us, so while Rome may be more expensive I'm sure it will be well under $1000! Plus, Orly is an easier airport to navigate. I would definitely use the airline again.

Jessica
Minneapolis, MN