train or air

Barcelona to Rome is one long train trip. Its 850 miles by car along and near rocky winding coastline, more by train. There is one connection a day with one change, takes 17 hours and 36 minutes if you don't miss the connection. It leaves Barcelona at 19:38, 13 minute connection at Turin at 08:24 the next day, arrives Roma Termini at 12:29. All the others take between 22 and 27 hours with between 4 and 7 changes of train. I like trains, but I wouldn't do it. I don't fly, but to make that trip, I'd do it.

In my opinion night trains are overrated. Tough to get much sleep because sometimes it is necessary to change trains in the middle of the night. They can be expensive. A budget airline could be a better solution. You are covering a lot of ground it is long way from Paris to Rome. My guideline is about six hours. It a train ride is long than six hours I will opt for a plane but if shorter than the train will probably be faster and much more convenient. Personally I would save Paris or Rome for another trip . Spain and France would be a good focus for a two week trip. Or a focus on Italy but not all three. When you have long travel distances you, obviously, eat up lots of time traveling and add expense to the trip.

I love the trains, but if you really want to cover a lot of ground I'd look into flying. I'd regretfully drop Barcelona, but of course you should follow your preferences.

shira, With a VERY short two-week time frame, using budget flights would probably be the best idea, especially as the all the places you're visiting are a considerable distance apart. As this is your first trip to Europe, you should be aware that while some of the budget airlines offer cheap flights, there are also some "caveats" to be aware of. For example: > They sometimes use a "sliding scale" (tickets become more expensive as the flight fills) > They sometimes have numerous extra charges ( RyanAir is especially good at that - they were recently admonished by a Judge for charging passengers to print Boarding Passes) > They sometimes use very much out-of-the-way airports (such as Paris Beauvais, which is a considerable distance outside Paris). With the airlines that use somewhat "remote" airports, you'll need to budget both money and time to reach the city centres. > Tickets are usually non-refundable and non-changeable once booked. Most airlines in Europe allow ONE carry-on item ONLY! That doesn't mean one plus a "personal item", it literally means ONE ONLY of the approved size and weight (which is often less than the limits here). Be sure to read the Terms & Conditions carefully when you book! For a look at airline choices between the cities you listed, click on This link. Happy travels!