Printemps

Hi,
I want to go from Paris to Venice by train and from looking at the timetables I think I would have to change trains in Milan and have 20 minutes to do so. Is this an easy connection? Is there a better route? I want to travel by day. Am coming back from Venice to Aix en Provence (also by train) and wonder if anyone has any advice on that trip as well. I enjoy train travel and don't mind a long journey. Thanks for any input.

ira

Hi P,

The 08:04 from Paris Lyon connects in Milan, with a 20 min connection time.

That should be plenty of time.

You can look up the route at http://plannerint.b-rail.be/bin/quer...n?L=profi&
and follow it on a map at www.viamichelin.com.

You can also fly Paris Orly to Venice VCE in 2hr on www.myair.com for 62E including taxes.

kelliebellie

I would fly Easy Jet or Ryan Air and save yourself a day of travel.

RJD

I have done the trip but only on an overnight train. That journey is pleasant, saves a night's accomodation and works for me. You can find the detail for any trip from Paris to Venice on the SNCF site. Twenty minutes is plenty to change trains in Milan.

GeoffHamer

I have only done the journey overnight, but the daytime journey is quite simple. There's no need to worry about the connection at Milano because there are trains at least every hour from Milano to Venezia so, if you miss one, get the next one. The train from Paris goes via Torino, so you could change there - that would be a better option if you wanted to stop for lunch.

rex

<< I would fly Easy Jet or Ryan Air and save yourself a day of travel... >>

I'm thinking that kelliebellie meant to say &quot;an airline <i><u>like</u></i> Easyjet or Ryanair&quot;.

Because they use ORY and VCE, I would say that the carrier of choice is myair.com

And by the way, I don't memorize these things (they change constantly anyways, as to which airlines serve what routes) - - the source to check is www.whichbudget.com

Best wishes,

Rex

kelliebellie

Thanks Rex! I just bookmarked both sites.

Printemps

Thanks everyone. I appreciate your input. I did check MyAir but unless I misread their schedule there is only one daily flight on weekdays and it arrives around 9 at night. Have done overnight train from Milan to Paris but didn't enjoy it as was in a 6 person sleeping car with four strangers (two of whom were drunk) and it was very cold going through the mountains. Think I will be able to handle the exchange in Milan, especially since there are frequent trains from there to Venice.

ira

Hi P,

www.myair.com lists a flt departing Paris at 09:40 arr VCE at 11:20 for Monday, Mar 13.

However, they seem to have only 1 flt per day.

Printemps

Thanks Ira, I will recheck their schedule. I want to go on either Monday or Tuesday, May 22 or 23. Will be 10 days in Venice then another 10 or so in Aix. I like the train as enjoy the scenery, the feeling of moving from place to place, and the commotion of people getting on and off. Plus, you do go from centre ville to centre ville. Thanks again.

PalQ

If you're going from Paris to Venice and back to Aix and back to Paris by all means investigate the France-Italy railpass - it's even good on the Venice-Paris night train that goes via Switzerland. Details from RailEurope or their agents, like BETS (800-441-2387; www.budgeteuropetravel.com - though a Raileurope agent they don't charge some of RE's handling fees. If not going round trip and ending in Aix probably no to the pass, which is not sold in Europe if you're European.

Printemps

Yes, perhaps I should get the France/Italy pass as will be going Paris /Venice / Aix / Paris, and possibly the odd train trip while in Venice (ie Florence). I am away a month so have the time for train travel. I will check out that site. Thanks very much.

WallyKringen

www.railsaver.com - on 2nd screen check &quot;only if the pass saves me money&quot; and map out your trip, then you'll know if a pass is worth it.

WK

PalQ

&quot;only if it saves me money&quot; is not the only criteria i use for considering whether to purchase a pass or not - there are many others - for example i can save money by buying PREM tickets in Italy and France but this means buying weeks in advance often and locking myself into non-changeable, non-refundable tickets often - pass gives you flexibility and you may travel on trains more than you think - for example if you take night train to Paris your unlimited travel day is the day you arrive (7 pm rule - leave on a night train after 7pm and the next day is your unlimited travel day - one day on a flexi pass to take most night trains) and then your pass is valid the whole next day - good if planning to trek out to Versailles, Chartres, Giverney, etc., would all be covered on the same one flexible day as the night train. I find &quot;only if it saves money&quot; to be a bit myopic, but that's just my opinion.

rex

The &quot;only if it saves me money&quot; does not (typically, as far as I know) compare special promotional fares versus a rail pass. It compares standard, walk-up fares which you can get anytime, without locking you into advanced purchase - - to the cost of a rail pass.

Perhaps you would find it more accurate if they offered a box to click that said &quot;I want to be directed to buy a raill pass, blindly ignoring the fact that ordinary tickets... for the routes I have indicated... would save me money&quot;.

PalQ

Well then the 'only if it saves me money' is not really accurate if it doesn't take into account the price i could really get with PREM fares.
My basic point is that there are other benefits to railpasses than 'only if it saves me money' - I agree that many folks over buy railpasses - lots especially if they blindly go into a travel agent who only knows the word Eurailpass.
Unfortunately some of the benefits of having a railpass - just hopping on the train is being more and more negated by mandatory reservations so you still have to go to the ticket window and lose flexibility of just hopping on trains.
I haven't used www.railsaver.com - does it tell you how much money you would save - this would be a key - if i saved $20 i'd still recommend the pass then in most cases except those with very concrete itineraries. Plus i believe railsaver uses RailEurope fares which are not always accurate - i may be wrong in that and please correct me.
Again, yes many people over buy railpasses and it's good folks point out railsaver - just that besides money there are other considerations.

ira

Hi Pal

&gt;...does it tell you how much money you would save...&lt;

It tells you how much your tickets would cost if you don't buy a pass. Subtract that from the price of a pass. That would be the minimum savings.

It will also tell you what combination of railpass and PTP tickets would be the cheapest way.

Printemps

Hi,
Thanks everyone for your helpful input. I can't get over how much information you have at your fingertips. Anyway I did check out railsaver and in the end bought the pass. I like having it already paid for before I leave. Now I have to figure out the most convenient way to get to Aix from Venice. Thanks again.

PalQ

One way would be to take the Venice-Nice overnight train then go onto Aix in the morning - otherwise leave Venice at 7:52am, arrive in Nice about 5pm and arrivge in Aix at 20:12pm, changing in Nice and Milano. A long day but trains are slow on this trajectory.

Printemps

Yes, I am thinking of that. It does seem like a long day but you still get into Aix at a reasonable time. I guess that 20.12 time is at the Aix TGV station, which means a bus or taxi into town. Venice/Nice overnight probably means a change in Milan as well. Did you use the route planner site to get those times? Thanks for your help.