Florence to Nice rain or plane?
 

HI,
My sister and I are planning a trip to Florence Italy next fall. We also want to spend some time at an apartment our nephew owns in Eze France. Would we better to fly between Florence and Nice or take the train between these two cities? Please advise.
Dolores

yetep,

It really depends on the price of the airfare and how much time you have to get between the two cities.

Depending on the season, there are usually several trains a day between Pisa and Genoa, not as many between Genoa and Nice.

The train beween Pisa and Genoa takes about two hours. You'd switch at Genoa,and get into Nice about two and a half hours later. There's often a wait of at least a few hours between trains.

Yetep

On my first trip to Florence, it rained. While it was not nice, I lived with it. Take that plane!

The reference library of a city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Timetable. Tables 614 and 90 show your connections.

If you sleep well on trains the best rail journey involves a detour via Rome. You pay extra for a ticket Florence, Rome, Pisa to have a full night. Florence SMN 2129 (but Saturdays 2053), restaurant car train, Rome Termini 2305 to 2315, train with couchettes and sleepers, Nice 0954. This saves you a night s hotel bill and gives you a full night s sleep. Otherwise, your connections are these.
Florence SMN 2307, Pisa 0023 to 0245, train with couchettes and sleepers, Nice 0954
Florence SMN 1125, Pisa 1236 to 1303, buffet car train, Genoa 1509 to 1655, buffet car train, Nice 1958
Florence SMN 1335 (but on Saturdays 1300), Pisa 1442 to 1503, buffet car train, Genoa 1709 to 1817, Ventimiglia 2055 to 2150, Nice 2230

The fare by day is 48 euros, by night via Rome 155 euros with a berth in a 3 berth single sex sleeper with a washbasin in the compartment, or 125 euros for a berth in a 6 berth mixed sex couchette with the washrooms at the ends of the corridors, and by night with over two hours wait in Pisa it is 99 euros in a sleeper or 59 euros. To travel first class via Rome in a single or double sleeper costs about 230 euros.

If you need a note on agents who will book you against a credit card please ask me.

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sorry nellyanne, I have to disagree. Take the rain - it's so cleansing and refreshing... planes are over-rated. hehe