How easy?
 

A bit clueless here. How easy is it to get from Paris to either Amsterdam or Rome or both? Thinking of going by train. Is this adviseable? How long does it take? Where can I find info like this? Any suggestions welcome. Thank you for helping a new, clueless traveler!

High-speed Thalys trains run from Paris to Amsterdam. Paris-Roma can be done in one day with a change of train, but it's better overnight - there is a train with couchettes, sleepers and a restaurant car. All European schedules are on www.bahn.de, and more information is on the national railways' websites: www.sncf.fr, www.ns.nl and www.trenitalia.com.

If those are the three cities that you'd most like to see, then I would advise flying int or out of Rome, with the &quot;other end&quot; of your flight into or out of Paris or Amsterdam. This is called an &quot;open jaw&quot;, in case you're unfamiliar with the term.<BR><BR>Then connect the triangle - - loosely speaking - - by flying between Rome and Brussels on www.virgin-express.com<BR><BR>The flights are very cheap and you only have about two hours by train to either Paris or Amsterdam.<BR><BR>And don't forget about the charm of smaller cities in Europe. From Rome, you can spend a great day in Florence (which is hardly &quot;small&quot; at least touristically speaking); from Paris consider Chartres or any of a number of close-by destinations in Normandy.<BR><BR>And if you're passing through Brussels you might consider a day or two in Bruges (and/or Ghent) - - you might find it it scratches some of the same itches as towns in Holland (though admittedly not a little &quot;clone&quot; of Amsterdam in any meaningful sense). Alternatively, you can get a little of the same small-town feel of Bruges in Edam, just 30 minutes form Amsterdam.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>[email protected]<BR>

Thank you for the advice! I will learn the ropes as I go along! : )

You're welcome. Come back often with more questions as your plans evolve.<BR><BR>