Bella to Rome
 

I am doing some research for a cousin of mine who is going to Europe for the first time. Her plans include visiting a relative who lives in Biella, approximately 1.5 hrs from Milan. She flies to Milan on September 2 where her niece and fiancé will pick her . Their plans include going to Venice and Portofino but don't include going to Rome. She is a staunch Catholic and out of anywhere, she would like to go to Rome. She just didn't think it would be possible to include Rome in this trip however many friends (including me) have convinced her to include it in her plans because she has such a desire to go there. She would like some assistance in helping her to decide- for instance, how easy or difficult would it be to travel by train from Biella to Paris? How long would it take? Is it considered to be safe to travel alone? She flies back to Canada on Sept.16 so she is in Italy for two weeks. Thank you for any responses!

I am sorry, I meant Rome (not Paris)

www.trenitalia.com (click on tutti treni) shows trains every hour or two from Biella S. Paolo to Rome taking 4.5hours with two changes. Looks straightforward, assuming that's the right Biella.

You can look at the train situation at www.trenitalia.com or www.bahn.com. The latter is easier to use.
If starting from Biella, first need to get to Milan. Then it is a trivial 3 hour train trip to Rome.
See if her Church in Canada knows resources for visiting the Vaticans (I am presuming that is what Rome means to her.) For US visitors, there is a site http://www.pnac.org/visitorsoffice/. I don't know about similar resources for Canadians.

It is certainly safe for her to travel to Rome.

If she and her niece are visiting Venice then perhaps she could leave from Venice and go to Rome.

Portofino is pretty but I hope your cousin gets to see Montebianco and the Alps of the val d'Aosta. It is not too far from Biella.

Is it safe for her to travel alone?

If she is using the train, and the main areas of Rome/Milan at sensible times of day she will be safer than similar areas of the USA.

However on if she is especially beautiful she needs to watch out for "wandering hands" a sharp rake to the ankle normally resolves this.