GeeFish

I am looking to travel the "Italian Riviera, heading towards the French Riviera, and ending in Spain. I would like to take a little jaunt to Switzerland and cannot find an "overnight" train service that would get me there. I would like to reserve a "room" where my family and I can sleep, but I can't seem to locate a train that offers this. I have found seats, but no beds. We are four traveling and two berths is not at all out of the question. Any suggestions??? We could really leave from anywhere in Italy. I used Rome as my destination, as I assumed it was the most popular area to start. Also, anywhere in Switzerland is also open.

kybourbon

There aren't overnight trains between Italy and Switzerland or the Italian and French Rivieras.

You can catch on overnight train from Milan to Barcelona.

greg

If you look at the google map of the area in "terrain" mode you can see the reason for the difficulty. There is a mountain range between French Riviera and anywhere Switzerland. You either have to go up the west side via Avignon/Lyon or if starting from Nice, go east side backtracking into Milano/Torino. Switzerland is easier to get into especially via Milan. Use http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query2.exe/en to tinker with train routes.

Connecting Geneve to Marseille is not bad, but the pretty part of Switzerland and French Riviera are considerably more to the east respectively. You can fly Geneve to Nice on Easyjet.

GeeFish

Thank you so much for your response......I guess we'll be driving to Switzerland instead.....Any place in Switzerland you recommend?

greg

Driving? Are you driving a car rented in Italy, go into Switzerland, and then return the car in Italy?

If you are thinking of doing a one way rental from Italy and drop off it off in Switzerland, France, or in Spain, be sure you plug in sample drop off locations into the rental car site to see what you are up to before proceeding. Many people assume they can do this at similar cost, but freak out when they actually try to reserve a car.

GeeFish

Yes Greg, I would be renting it in Italy and dropping it in Barcelona Spain. I have checked rates, and for approximately two weeks its about $3500 for an intermediate car, that is also with insurance, so I didn't think the rate was too bad. (I was hoping to save a few days car rental by flying into Switzerland and training it Italy and then picking up the car, but since there are no overnight trains to Italy, I'm in the process of rethinking my itinerary.

greg

Have be included ~$600 to cover gas, tolls, vignette, and parking?

StCirq

<< I have checked rates, and for approximately two weeks its about $3500 for an intermediate car, that is also with insurance, so I didn't think the rate was too bad.>>

Are you renting an intermediate armored tank, or a Rolls Royce? I've never heard of anyone paying anything like that amount for a two-week rental in Europe, with or without insurance. I'm in France at the moment with a 3-week rental of a really nice Peugot, no-deductible insurance, CDW, the works, and it was about $600.00.

BigRuss

<<$3500 for an intermediate car . . . I didn't think the rate was too bad>>

Are you daft? That's $250 per day! Did you not do any math? I had a 10-day rental in France of a Mercedes diesel that did 36+ mpg and had room for our stuff and that cost less than $700 with coverage. I don't even know how you can get to $3500 for a two-week rental in the US at a reputable agency, even in NY, even with every additional coverage and prepaying the first tank of gas.

My goodness.

GeeFish

Oh my Gosh.....Please Big Russ, and StCirq.....please tell me where you got such wonderful rates......I guess I am crazy to have thought that $3500 was great......The one thing I realized I forgot to mention was that I am picking up the car in Italy and returning it in Barcelona....Perhaps, thats where my large expenses are coming from.....If you have a better place for me, please please please, let me know.....Thank you so much for your help....

suze

There are day trains between Switzerland and Italy. I'm no expert but have gone between Geneva and Venice by train (transfering Sion).

kybourbon

You might find it cheaper to pick up the car in Switzerland, but without seeing your total itinerary, it's hard to say.

There are regular trains from Milan to many parts of Switzerland. Milan to either Geneva, Basel or Zurich takes about 4 hours with multiple departures each day.

Take a look at Autoeurope for cheaper options. A lease option (must be 17 days or longer) might be cheaper also.

StCirq

Even if you are picking up a car in country X and dropping it off in country Y, that shouldn't add more than about $500 to the cost. Honestly, $3500 is off-the-charts insane for a two-week rental. I always rent from AutoEurope, which is a broker based in Maine. Have rented more than 100 cars from them over 30 years. Many other Fodorites use AutoEurope as well.

nytraveler

Sorry - but that car rental rate is about 5 times what it should be - unless you are renting a Ferrari or something (which doesn't sound right with a family). We have made dozens of rod trips in europe and never paid more than $700 for a week - and that was for a Mercedes. Even a van for 9 people would be way less than that.

If you provide you entire itinerary, people may be able to make better suggestion.

As for overnight trains - not at all sure why you want to do this - although if you look you can find it on some routes. But you seem confused about the accommodations. You say 2 berths - but you talk about your family. You have to have a berth for each person - you can;t just stack people up like cordwood. And with a family I would rent all of the berths in the compartment - for 4 or 6 or whatever you need.

GeeFish

Ok, here's my itinerary....(It is certainly subject to change and nothing definite has been planned)

Land in Rome (spend 3 days)

Drive through Tuscany (spend 3 days)

Visit Siena, Pisa, Cinque Terre (spend 2 days)

Drive through Milan to Switzerland (spend 2 days)

Drive from Switzerland to Genoa (spend 1 night)

Drive from Genoa to Monaco then on to Nice (spend 1 night)

Drive from Nice to Montpelliar (?sp) (spend 1 night)

Drove from Montpelliar to Barcelona (spend two nights)

Depart from Barcelona, back home.

I just went on the Auto Europe website and it will not lot allow me to rent a car in Rome and return it Barcelona. Any other suggestions.

Thank you all so much for your great suggestions.... Keep them coming....

StCirq

<<Land in Rome (spend 3 days) NOT ENOUGH TIME IN ROME

Drive through Tuscany (spend 3 days)

Visit Siena, Pisa, Cinque Terre (spend 2 days) SIENA AND PISA ARE IN TUSCANY. YOU CAN'T DO THEM BOTH PLUS CINQUE TERRE IN TWO DAYS. FORGET THE CINQUE TERRE. DO YOU HAVE MAPS????

Drive through Milan to Switzerland (spend 2 days) FORGET THIS.

Drive from Switzerland to Genoa (spend 1 night)WHY? FORGET THIS, TOO.

Drive from Genoa to Monaco then on to Nice (spend 1 night)MONACO IS A WASTE OF TIME. FORGET IT, TOO.

Drive from Nice to Montpelliar (?sp) (spend 1 night)ONE NIGHT IN MONTPELLIER IS NOT WORTH IT, THOUGH IT'S A GREAT TOWN.

Drove from Montpelliar to Barcelona (spend two nights)DON'T KNOW WHY YOU ARE EVEN BOTHERING WITH THIS ITINERARY. YOU'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE BUT NOT STOPPING ANYWHERE USEFUL FOR LONG ENOUGH AND GOING TO PLACES THAT AREN'T WORTH THE TRIP.

Depart from Barcelona, back home.

I just went on the Auto Europe website and it will not lot allow me to rent a car in Rome and return it Barcelona. Any other suggestions.

Sorry, but this trip sounds nasty to me and no fun at all, and I spend oodles of time in Europe. And I can't believe AutoEurope won't let you do that - did you call them?

GeeFish

Wow, St Cirq shot those ideas down quite quickly. Without going into too much detail, I have already been to italy before. We are looking to go back to see the parts of the country that we were unable to see the first time. I have seen all of Rome on my previous trip, Rome was were I was landing and spending my first 2 1/2 - 3 days, revisiting some areas in Rome we really liked and getting our jet lag adjusted. We are looking to drive through many areas of Tuscany, we haven't pinned down exact locations yet. While I realize Pisa and Siena are in Tuscany, those are two areas we want to visit, whether its for a day driving through, or spending a night...Nothing is set in stone. (I have done the Siena, Pisa trip before and driving through was just enough for me). We then wanted to start heading around the Italian/French Riviera, which is why we wanted to see Cinque Terre. (Again, a drive by, maybe lunch kind of thing). We figured at this point we shoot up to Switzerland (as realistically we are only 4 hours away) and spend the night, and then head toward Genoa (as a stopping resting point while we continue down the French Riviera) I have always wanted to see Monaco and Nice, and again, we figured we are only a short distance from Spain, so why not. We are traveling with two kids (16 and 3) so our itinerary is quite flexible. So while you think this trip sounds nasty, I am quite looking forward to the experience. Since you are so well versed in Europe, what are the suggestions you have?

We have two weeks....and thought, two weeks, four countries would be a great trip...

I have not called AutoEurope yet, but they will be first on my list as soon as our dates are confirmed.

Thank you again for your feedbsck

GeeFish

I also want to mention that I would be taking this trip either mid June 2013 or early July 2013

GeeFish

@ny traveler: my wording was definitely wrong, yes, I would get a berth for everyone and of course in the same compartment. My original thought was to travel from Milan to someplace in Switzerland and then spend the night and the whole next day and then take an overnight train back to let's say genoa. But I haven't been able to find a train that would do that overnight... I don't mind the train stopping, but I don't want to switch trains somewhere. Nor do I want to stay on a train for 8+ hours during the day. I'd rather sleep during the trip as I will be traveling with the kids. (16 & 3)