Venice to Paris Train travel

Thanks Steve, But if I choose a route should I buy tickets now, will the cost vary that much?

You'll see from the timetables on the German Rail site that your fastest daytime route with the fewest connections is Venezia Santa Lucia-Milano Centrale-Zuerich-Paris. If you want to stay overnight in two places along the way, you could choose either Lugano or Como which are on the Milano-Zuerich route and Strasbourg which is on the Zuerich-Paris route. You could have an afternoon and evening on the lake in either Lugano or Como and even more time in Strasbourg.

Buying tickets as you go will be cheaper than buying them in the US. The exception would be if you can get discount fares for any portion (like booking Strasbourg-Paris at tgv-europe.com).

When you decide on where you will spend each night, post another note and we'll help you determine if you can still get any discount fares.

Thanks Tim,
Would like to Leave Venice a.m. see Verona then stay the night in Lugano. Maybe see Zurich then a night in Strasbourg and off to Paris or Versailles.

You're welcome, Cindy.

When you first arrive in Italy buy separate tickets for Venezia Santa Lucia-Verona Porta Nuova, Verona Porta Nuova-Milano Centrale, and Milano Centrale-Lugano. If you will be in Italy at least seven days before 28 July, you may be able to get Meno 15 (15% discount) fares (subject to availability).

Buy your Lugano-Zuerich and Zuerich-Strasbourg tickets when you first get to Lugano. No discount fares.

The lowest discount fare tickets are gone for Strasbourg-Paris for 30 July, but if you book today at www.tgv-europe.com, you can still pay less than the standard fare. To keep the site in English and to avoid being bumped to the Rail Europe site which doesn't offer discount fares, choose Great Britain as your country of residence. Either print your own e-tickets or choose to pick up your tickets at a French station.

For an introduction to train travel in Europe, read this article by Rick Steves.