Hello - I am trying to book tickets for the Euronight train from Venice to Nice, France for mid-september. Since we can't risk the chance of this train getting booked, we wanted to reserve seats before our trip. So I was wondering what the best site to book this ticket would be. I know raileurope is not the preferred site on Fodors since the rates are much higher. So I went to Trenitalia and tried using the Italian and English versions with no sucess. It doesn't actually allow me to purchase the ticket and gives timetables for the year 2001 or 2002. I don't know what I am doing wrong. Are there any other sites I can try using?

Also - how safe are the Euronight trains? Has anyone taken this route?

Hi HH,

Trenitalia won't let you book international routes from its website.

Use http://www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic

How come the US is the only country that is not on the list of places they can send the tickets to? If I were to select Italy - where would I pick them up from? Also - I noticed there is a print tix option. has anyone ever used this?

Ok i have been trying a few things so I can order my tickets via SNCF.com. I noticed that when I put France as the pick up country - it allows me to select "Pick up from an SNCF train station". So what exactly does this mean? I really have to pick it up from a French train station or can i go to an Italian train station and pick it up - since I am going from Italy to France, that is the logical way for me. However, if I enter Italy as the country I want the tickets sent to, the only option of receiving the tix is through mail. what should I do?

If you have your Venice hotel booked already (and I hope you do for mid-September) you could use the hotel as your mailing address. If you do, I suggest you let the hotel know to expect tickets and to hold them for you.

Has anyone taken this route? How is the Euronight in terms of safety and comfort? When you are in a couchette - is it better to reserve the lower, middle or top? How can you find out how many people the couchette of this particular train will hold? I just a bit weary about the train ride. We don't have a choice since there aren't any budget airlines from Venice to Nice. Please advise. what should we expect and what can we do now during reservations to make the trip as easy as possible.

Couchettes are usually arranged 3 to a side of the compartment, for 6 total. If you're in a compartment with a family and their luggage it can be very crowded and noisy.

Does anyone know of a budget flight from Venice to Nice?

I checked on www.whichbudget.com for you and no flights between those cities are listed. You sound stressed about this train; I wouldn't be. How soon are you arriving in Europe before you must catch this train? Plus, you can book through a third party like Rail Europe or EuropebyTrain if you don't mind paying "convenience fees". It's my experience, for whatever it is worth, that buying your tickets and reservations at least three days before departure works well in mid-September.

Try alpieagles.com for your flight from Venice to Nice. Nice may be listed as Nizza.

Yea, I am getting a bit stressed. I've been reading posts as well as other sites about train travel and it seems like Italian routes are a bit "shadier" than others. And I don't know how well I would be able to sleep on a train - 10 hours is a long time. But there are no flights!!!

Maybe you shouldn't take the night train. There are plenty of trains during the day; a faster one that will get you to Nice at 8:00PM, in time for dinner.

How about taking the train from Venice-Milan ( about two and a half hours on the EUROSTAR) then a flight from Milan-Nice?

Hey, weadles

Good idea.

However, alpieagles flies from Venice to Nice.

See www.whichbudget.com and click on "fly to".

I swear this wasn't there yesterday ;-)