jimwoh99

There are sooo many helpful people on here and I need some help. We are traveling from Paris to Nice...staying in Nice a couple of days and then going to Rome. We leave Paris October 15 and plan to leave Nice the morning of the 17th. We definitely want a day train for each leg. I went to the voyages sncf site but it wasn't letting me put my dates in. How far ahead can one book the train? I have no idea what train to get from Nice to Rome and would LOVE suggestions. Any and all help will be appreciated. We are ONLY interested in train travel.

kybourbon

Some countries are 90 days and others are 120 days.

For Nice/Rome, some trains would be slow R trains and you usually can't book those much more than a week out, but you don't want to anyway as the tickets will be more restrictive. R trains don't have discounts or sell out. Extremely long day from Nice to Rome (at least 11 hours with multiple changes). I would look at flights as some of the trains on this route will be old, slow R trains without any amenities (may or may not have AC, won't have restaurant or snack cars, etc.).

>>>We are ONLY interested in train travel.<<<

That's pretty shortsighted and a big waste of one full vacation day just getting from Nice to Rome. I would also reconsider only one day in Nice.

PalenQ

For Nice/Rome, some trains would be slow R trains and you usually can't book those much more than a week ou>

Extremely long day from Nice to Rome (at least 11 hours with multiple changes).>

Well you can easily do Nice to Rome in 8 1/2 hrs and the best departure - 7:50 am from Nice-Ville station (main station) involves an IC train Ventimiglia to Genoa Piazza Principe then chagning to an ES high-speed train to Rome. This is the fastest route - about an hour faster than the coastal routes and in much more comfy and faster trains from Genoa to Rome. And you can get fares as low as 9 euros from Genoa to Rome - IC train Ventimgilia to Rome is fairly flat fare but you can indeed book it on www.trenitalia.com - may involve two tickets not sure - but you need not deal with regional trains on this route unless you do want to take 11 hours!)

Nice to Ventimiglia is by regional train you just buy a ticket on in Nice - ticket valid on any regional train to Ventimiglia, Italian border station where you always have to change trains due to a snafu between Trenitalia and the French Railways that has scrubed the previous direct Nice to Genoa/Milan trains.

For lots of great info on Italian and French trains check out these superb sources - www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com. There is a France-Italy railpass but that would only be of interest to you if you were taking several trains, not just two.

jimwoh99

Wow....that is an eye opener...I thought there would be a speedy train to Rome. We aren't in any real big hurry. We have a tour starting the 19th in Rome. The Paris part we added on our own as the trip by train to Nice. This isn't a speedy vacation. we have time...but not unlimited funds..lol

jimwoh99

Great...8 and 1/2 hours is much better than 11. You people are very helpful. Now I just need to know how early I should get my tickets from Paris to Nice. I tried today but it was not accepting my dates so I was thinking maybe I am trying too early. We prefer a day train in order to see some of the countryside.

kybourbon

>>>Well you can easily do Nice to Rome in 8 1/2 hrs <<<

That's still several changes and most of a vacation day spent on the train. There's a very early train that only requires one change, but I wouldn't inflict that departure time on my travel companions (or myself).

Easy Jet flies Nice/Rome on your date for 43€. Travel time is 1:15 minutes.

jimwoh99

Thank you but we REALLY do not want to fly unless we have to and a bus or rental car is out of the question. We had that day planned as a travel day so we aren't losing it since we hope to see the countryside on the train. We are now thinking of maybe going to Genoa overnight and then to Rome. We are very flexibly until we get to our tour in Rome the 20th.

kismetchimera

When I was a teenager and flying was terrible expensive I used to train from Rome to Avignon...It was a long trip but at that age it was also very exciting.

Now I enjoy flying better..is much easier..

Stopping at Genoa is an excellent idea..

PalenQ

That's still several changes and most of a vacation day spent on the train>

No leave at 7:50 am and you have only two changes - one in Ventimgilia and one in Genoa - where do you get several changes from? And is 7:50 am the early departure you would not inflict on anyone.

Genoa makes a great stopover - really neat old town - one of the best narrow warren of lanes in Europe. Makes sense.

jimwoh99

Ok If I now stay in Genoa overnight, how far is it to Rome and how many more trains do I need?

kismetchimera

Is only 4 hours train ride from Genova to Rome..No train change..

to give you an example...



Genova Brignole
12:16 Roma Termini
16:28 04:12
FRECCIABIANCA
9773 Image
Price starting from 60. 50 per person

Hez

I am doing this exact same route in July and opted for train from Paris to Nice and then Easy Jet from Nice to Rome. It was substantially less expensive, and way less time consuming. Perhaps if I were retired and had many days to just enjoy the travel I would have done the train, but really it doesn't make sense if you have any sort of time constraint.

annw

Most of the time I and we prefer train travel as well. We like the slower pace, seeing the country, not driving, and not flying. If you want to go by train, stick to your guns.

On rare occasions we will fly instead, like Venice to Berlin, for example, or London to Bologna, but most of the time, for us the train travel is part of the fun.

kismetchimera

Flying is the best route from Nice to Rome..Usually I take the Blue Express or easyjet.

http://www.blu-express.com/en/index.html

jimwoh99

My wife and I are both retired. We have no real time constraints and we have allowed for travel time. We want the train for 2 reasons 1. my wife doesn't really like flying. We will be flying from Toronto to Paris and then flying back home at the end of our trip. That is plenty for her.. and 2. We want to leisurely see the countryside without driving. It seems many of you do not understand that and keep wanting us to fly. We do not WANT to fly. We know it is faster...isn't life already fast enough? I do appreciate the hints given about train travel and approximate costs. You have already changed my mind about staying 2 days in Nice. We will stay 1 day and then travel by train to Genoa for 1 day and then on to Rome.

kismetchimera

The scenery from Nice to Genoa is very pretty..You will enjoy it..
We were just trying to make your travel easier for you..
..

kybourbon

>>>You have already changed my mind about staying 2 days in Nice. We will stay 1 day and then travel by train to Genoa for 1 day and then on to Rome.<<<

If you mean you will stay one night in Nice, you will not have one day to actually see Nice. Two hotel nights in Nice = one sightseeing day. I don't see the point of going to Nice if you aren't going to allow time to visit Nice. I would just take a day TGV Paris/Milan and the fast train Milan/Rome.

The responses you got were because you seem to be a novice train traveler. As long as you know the regional train between Nice/Ventimiglia has no amenities, no reserved seating (you could possibly have to stand awhile)and the IC train has no amenities (you can reserve seats on the IC). The fast AV train between Genoa/Rome will be much better (restaurant and snack car).

Spending three days in a row on trains will not be fun.

>>isn't life already fast enough?<<<

The way you are traveling through this area is not allowing anything but fast. Since you have plenty of time, spend some days in Nice, visit things in the area, spend some time in Genoa or south of there in the CT.

If you plot out the logistics of this, you will realize it takes more time than you think. Every time you change locations you lose at least 1/2 day and sometimes a full day. Checking out of your hotel in Paris, getting to the train station, taking the train to Nice (about 6 hours), finding your hotel in Nice, checking in - you've spent an entire day and you are planning to get up early the next day to get a train to Genoa?

Hez

FYI - my train from Paris to Nice is at 7:45am and arrives at 1:37pm. You really would end up with very little time in Nice if you depart the next morning.

If you're not connecting straight on to Rome - you could definitely take a later train from Nice, say the 1:55 that gets you to Genoa at 5:06pm.

And I agree with kybourbon - the reason I chose to fly Nice to Rome was specifically so I could travel more leisurely. I don't find shlepping my bags from train to train, or sitting on crowded rickety old regional trains very relaxing. But to each their own.

PalenQ

As long as you know the regional train between Nice/Ventimiglia has no amenities, no reserved seating (you could possibly have to stand awhile)and>

no this is misinformation IME - in the morning rush hour most folks are going into Nice not out of it - I have spent weeks in Nice on business off and on and have taken those commuter trains and rarely have seen anyone standing. I think kybourbon has probably never taken that train or she would not say that - of course a commuter train has no amenities but it's just like riding the REr in Paris - no amenities and just a short ride.

Not sure why kybourbon is misstating the case for taking the train as you want with things that just are incorrect - like taking 11 hours vs 8.5 and having to take regional trains when the best link involves IC and high-speed trains.

???

Breaking your journey in Genoa is a good idea - a really sweet old-worldish town.

annw

To each his or her own; DH and I find train travel very relaxing -- even with the train stations, changes, etc. (granted that part is less fun).

Some of our best travel memories are on train trips.

We have stressful lives most of the time. We can really slow down on the trains. I know it's not for everyone but I am with OP.