Hello!

Does anyone know the best and preferably the most direct way to get from Florence (Firenze S.M. Novella station) to Paris (Gare de Lyon station)? I'm traveling with 2 other people that are on a tight budget so we were looking at taking the overnight train on September 3rd. I've looked on trainline.eu and it looks like there are multiple stops. Any advice on the most efficient way would be greatly appreciated! Is it better to book in advance or book while we're in Europe? And how do we book a private cabin? Thanks!

I'm no expert but we did a Venice/Paris overnight train (actually it was in Milan where we got on the overnight train). We just booked our cabin at the train station in Venice the day before. We were just two people in a cabin with two single bunk beds. For 3 people I think you'd be in a couchette?

www.thello.com is the official site for Thello night train which runs Paris-Milan-Venice. Change in morning in Milan for Florence.

Buying in advance should yield discounts over just buying once in Paris. Private cabins for 2 however are very pricey - 45 euros p.p.possible in a coucheette (4-6 people including strangers)- flying would probably be cheaper than a private compartment -but with night train you do save on a night's accommodation.

You'd still have to buy a Milan to Florence ticket - www.trenitalia.com.

For lots on night trains and trains in general- www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com.

Depending on what accommodation you want on the train (seats v. beds), you might find that the cheapest air fare is lower or very competitive to the lowest train fare. For example, Ryanair flies Pisa to Paris Beauvais on Sept. 3rd from 54 pounds. If you flew the next day at 6:20a, the fare is from 45 pounds. The Trenitalia fare for the overnight in a cabin is well over 100 euros.

http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en
[Search Firenze and not Florence.]

Don't forget to consider you'd need a hotel in Paris or Florence for the night you would have been on the train.

www.skyscanner.com will show you no-frills one-way plane tickets for under $100 US, but buy them now. I wouldn't even consider a night train with a transfer, and I like trains.

On the French rail site, sncf.fr , you can buy the tickets together with your chosen type of accomodation. If you buy a month in advance, there are good discounts. I believe you have to change in Milan.

I've taken this train, but some years ago. It didn't have good reviews (and still doesn't) but I wasn't expecting luxury. It was better than the old couchette trains I used to take when I was young.

I suggest you bring your own food and beverages aboard, including water to brush your teeth. The water in the bathroom was not potable, although that may have changed.

Depending on what accommodation you want on the train (seats v. beds)>

No regular seats on this hotel train - minimum is a couchette.

See: https://www.seat61.com/international...Florence-Paris

Option 3 is the night train.

On the other options I can attest to Turin being worth seeing, and that the scenery between Turin and Lyon is good.

<I wouldn't even consider a night train with a transfer, and I like trains.>

I don't think they would be transferring on the night train?

Ours was a regular day train to Milan, then the night train thru to Paris.

they would transfer off the night train in Milan around 6am and get on a train to Florence.

Could be good or bad experience. We took a night train from Rome to Paris 10 years ago and shared a six berth couchette with a rowdy bunch. We didn't have ad much fun as they did.

PalenQ - They are going Florence to Paris, not the other way around.

I would never do a shared couchette, for me a night train would have to be in a private compartment (myself solo, or with one traveling companion).

Ok - yes easy enough just join the night train at Milan -maybe spend the day in Milan?

thanks for correction - lot more convenient that way -to Paris.

the Rome-Florence-Paris night train was scrubbed several years ago so via Milan is now the only option.

I've always taken 4-berth couchettes on that night train -three times I did it and it was fine -if I could have afforded private solo cabin definitely would have.

I would recommend Turin over Milan, and if there are three of them they can get a three bed sleeper.

Yes a 3-person compartment would be sweet - go to www.thello.com and get a price for all three and if good book NOW!

I did a dummy date for Sep and said 290 euros for three was cheapest -not sure that was in a 3-person compartment however.

Ok Im seeing a flight on RyanAir from Pisa to Paris. Does anyone know if thats reliable? Is there a train from Florence that goes directly to the Pisa aiport?

Not directly but take the Pisa airport people mover or whatever they call that transport thing to Pisa Centrale station for umpteen trains an hour to Florence. Mainly regional trains you can just hop on-buy a Florence ticket at the airport.

We've taken the Pisa to Paris RyanAir flight without any problems. RyanAir was very strict about carryon luggage size.

I gave wrong direction but same from Florence -take train to Pisa Centrale then people mover right to airport.

Also I'm not finding any trains from Firenza SM Novella to Pisa Centrale that gets in earlier than 5:52 am? If we do the Ryanair flight at 620am I don't think that will give us enough time?