Congratulations, and it sounds like a well-thought-out trip!

Don't buy a métro pass in advance - it will only cost more and be something else to take across the ocean with you. There are a variety of passes available, some of them pegged to certain métro zones and some pegged to days of the week, so you'll need to google to figure out which one would work best for you (and then buy it when you get there). Then there is always the option of just buying a carnet (book of 10) métro tickets.

There are plenty of Italian train experts on this board, and I'm not one of them, so I'll let them explain about Italian train tickets. I've taken quite a few trains in Italy, though no long-distance ones, and have always found the fares bought right on the spot to be very affordable (though I know there are cheaper options).

Good luck and enjoy

Thank you StCirq! Your suggestion really helped! We will wait till we get to Paris to get the metro pass.

And hopefully someone can give us ideas on the Italian train.

Really appreciated!

I'll be doing the Florence - Rome route in a couple of weeks. It's only 1.5 hour trip and the other trains I've taken in Italy were all comfy and on time.
I'll buy my ticket to Rome when I get to Florence, giving me time to check my itineray.
Never had a problem going to the station and buying on the spot. You can use the auto ticket machine, just remember you're going to Roma!

congratulations , me and my wife just returned from our honeymoon, guess what we flew to paris from canada and flew home from rome to canada (sept 4 to the 24 2012) we had a great time and im sure you will too. Paris as stated above has a great subway system all routes are colour coded. The day pass cost us around 14 euros each (If i remember correctly ). italian trains are easy to book and i would buy it there at the train station. usually if you buy a ticket for a train you can use it for trains leaving (for the same route) at different times of the day. you must validate your train ticket in a machine and i believe you have to use it one hour after validation. have fun on your homeymoon.

In Paris we just always get a carnet at a time - they're single use tickets so two people can easily share them. And when you get low just buy another one.. There may be passes that are cheaper - but these are cheap enough - and who know in advance how often you will be going where - unless your hotel is as the end of hell and gone.

Only did one train trip in Italy as part of a much longer trip - from Strasbourg. All I remember is that a bunch of people piled on the train (express, first class) in Florence, squishing into our compartment/corridor and lighting up cigarettes. I pointed out the no smoking sign and received a rude comment in return. So I went to get the conductor - who herded all of the squishers into 2nd class where they belonged - and had them put out their ciggies.

I was really surprised that they were so rude (but in NYC you can;t smoke anywhere).

>>>italian trains are easy to book and i would buy it there at the train station. usually if you buy a ticket for a train you can use it for trains leaving (for the same route) at different times of the day. you must validate your train ticket in a machine and i believe you have to use it one hour after validation.<<<

That only applies to the old slow R trains. All the faster trains (AV,ES,ESCity,IC) are sold reserve seating only. Tickets with seats listed don't need to be validated in a machine and are for a specific train at a specific time.

daba78, great to hear some Canadians have great experience and went almost same route as we did!

So, if I can take the summary of everyone for Paris: buy metro/day passes there on the spot.

And for Italy: Buy online for better seating?

Any idea which train company?

No, not "day passes," just buy a carnet, which is a bunch (10) of individual métro tickets. And yes, just buy it at the first métro you go to.

The Italian national train company is Trenitalia. As with any European country, there is only one national train co. You don't have a choice. Maybe you can choose a better seat if purchasing online; I don't know and never really care. If you're picky about where you sit, it might make sense to go online and book, though I have no idea how that works. Someone here can explain, I'm sure.

Thank you StCirq! We are really Europe rookies! And I cannot thank Fodor enough to have experts like you to help!

>>>2) Transportation in Italy: We need to train from Florence to Rome. Also to get around Italy. What do you recommend to book ahead? (We are not too familiar with train system here).<<<

Do you just need the one train ticket (Florence/Rome)? Not sure what you mean by "Also to get around Italy". Are you asking about getting around in the cities of Florence and Rome or to other cities? In Florence, you would just walk as the historic center is very compact. In Rome, you might consider a Roma Pass (3 days of transport + 2 free sightseeing admissions and discounts at others).

Hi kybourbon, yes, we will need 1 ticket from Florence to Rome. And because we will stay in Florence for 5 days and Rome for 6 days, we need to know how to get around the city. But I think you answered my question. Thanks.

honeymooner, unless you are traveling on the weekend, you will not have a problem getting a seat reservation at the station. You may not end up sitting together, but often people on the train will move around to give you seats together, and since it is such a short ride, it is not too important.

One thing that is important: don't tarry when the trai arrives. They don't stop for very long. Just a minute or two, so you have to get on quickly. Ask someone on the platform where to stand for your car (carrotte) so you don't have to run to find it. I think car #1 will be at the back of the train. Going in the other direction it is in the front.

We bought metro tickets as needed in Paris but walking is easy except getting from the airport to the city but we bought that ticket when we got there.
From Florence to Rome we bought at the station that morning. Simple.

>>>One thing that is important: don't tarry when the trai arrives. They don't stop for very long. Just a minute or two, so you have to get on quickly. Ask someone on the platform where to stand for your car (carrotte) so you don't have to run to find it. I think car #1 will be at the back of the train. Going in the other direction it is in the front.<<<

If you are taking one of the fast trains (AV/ES), the stops are usually scheduled for 10-15 minutes especially in stations like Florence SMN and Rome Termini. These are "end" stations which means the trains must pull in and then back out. You can't count on the location of the cars because of this (the end of the train at the previous location might not be the same at the next stop).

You might find a discount on Trenitalia in advance if you are sure of your travel times (use the Italian spelling of the cities).
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=c79686605528a110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

Slower trains (IC,R) don't stop as long and stop at smaller pull-through stations (don't have to back out). Often a stop for one of these trains is 1-4 minutes.

If you want to do a day trip from Florence, Pisa by R train (7€), Siena by Sita bus (7€) or Fiesole by local city bus (ATAF - couple of €).

The Roma Pass is good for the metro/bus/trams in Rome and for the local trains to the stops designated in red.
http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=4

The little electric buses run through the center and you can just hop on with the pass (trams too).
http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=9
http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=5

http://www.romapass.it/p.aspx?l=en&tid=2

Thanks, kybourbon, for clarification. I had only experience with "through" stations, so I jumped to a conclusion I should not have.