Nice-Venice by Train
Mar 29th, 2007, 06:24 AM
#1
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Nice-Venice by Train
We're going from Nice to Italy in the end of May. I'm wondering what's the best option:
1. Take overnight train to Venice
2. Take morning train to Milan, explore the city for a few hours, then take a train to Venice.
I'm inclined to take an overnight train for convenience sake but i think that way we would miss a beautiful scenery during day train ride and wouldn't be able to take a peek at Milan-whatever few hours would allow.
Is there anyone who traveled this route, what are general suggestions?
1. Take overnight train to Venice
2. Take morning train to Milan, explore the city for a few hours, then take a train to Venice.
I'm inclined to take an overnight train for convenience sake but i think that way we would miss a beautiful scenery during day train ride and wouldn't be able to take a peek at Milan-whatever few hours would allow.
Is there anyone who traveled this route, what are general suggestions?
Mar 29th, 2007, 06:32 AM
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Except for the portion immediately east of Nice, where the tracks hug the rugged Riviera coast and then the Italian Riviera the rest is blah IMO - it may be light enough at the start to see some of the scenery near Nice though i don't know when the train leaves.
These trains are branded Riviera Trains (Nice-Milan and Nice-Venice overnight) and have a rather Byzantine pricing structure - you could pay lots more on the scene than doing so in advance - look on www.trenitalia.com for online advance specials up to 60 days in advance and also check RailEurope, which surprisingly, especially on the Nice-Milan tickets has at times $25 fares - www.raileurope.com - i always recommend calling BETS (800-441-2387) for any RailEurope product because of their superior service and lack of RE's $15-18 mailing fee for this type of order. Chances are however www.trenitalia.com will be better but check both sources.
If you have a railpass then you just pay for the supplemental sleeping accommodation on the overnight train.
These trains are branded Riviera Trains (Nice-Milan and Nice-Venice overnight) and have a rather Byzantine pricing structure - you could pay lots more on the scene than doing so in advance - look on www.trenitalia.com for online advance specials up to 60 days in advance and also check RailEurope, which surprisingly, especially on the Nice-Milan tickets has at times $25 fares - www.raileurope.com - i always recommend calling BETS (800-441-2387) for any RailEurope product because of their superior service and lack of RE's $15-18 mailing fee for this type of order. Chances are however www.trenitalia.com will be better but check both sources.
If you have a railpass then you just pay for the supplemental sleeping accommodation on the overnight train.
Mar 29th, 2007, 06:46 AM
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Thanks a lot, PalenQ!
Trenitalia for some reason wouldn't let me buy the tickets for this train neither I was able to price it. Yes, it's one of the Riviera trains, called Monte Carlo.
RailEurope doesn't sell tickets for direct train to Venice at all-they all need a stopover in Milan.
Trenitalia for some reason wouldn't let me buy the tickets for this train neither I was able to price it. Yes, it's one of the Riviera trains, called Monte Carlo.
RailEurope doesn't sell tickets for direct train to Venice at all-they all need a stopover in Milan.
Mar 29th, 2007, 07:05 AM
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Trenitalia should give a fare from Ventimiglia (the first station in Italy) to Venezia. The overnight train waits half an hour in Ventimiglia and there are frequent local trains from Nice to Ventimiglia. You could get an earlier train from Nice to Ventimiglia, viewing the coastal scenery, then join the overnight train to Venezia.
Mar 29th, 2007, 07:09 AM
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Hi ID,
>Trenitalia for some reason wouldn't let me buy the tickets for this train...
At www.trenitalia.com
Click "English"
Click "international"
The 22:05 from Nice arrives Venezia San Lucia at 07:36.
You can only purchase as early as 60 days out.
However, you can only pick up your tickets in Italy.
Go to www.voyages-sncf.com
They list a 21:07 arriving VSL at 07:36.
Smart Price tickets for 2 in a 1cl dbl are 170E.
You can only purchase as early as 60 days out.
>Trenitalia for some reason wouldn't let me buy the tickets for this train...
At www.trenitalia.com
Click "English"
Click "international"
The 22:05 from Nice arrives Venezia San Lucia at 07:36.
You can only purchase as early as 60 days out.
However, you can only pick up your tickets in Italy.
Go to www.voyages-sncf.com
They list a 21:07 arriving VSL at 07:36.
Smart Price tickets for 2 in a 1cl dbl are 170E.
You can only purchase as early as 60 days out.
Mar 29th, 2007, 07:48 AM
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I appreciate your replies. Now, as far as I understand I won't be able to use a trenitalia site because i would have to pick up tickets in Italy?
I went to a french site and they do sell tickets for Nice-Venice departing aroung 10pm, it was priced at 160 euro for two. I assume it has a shower in berth. I guess this is the way to go.
General agreement re: stopover in Milan-not worth it?
I went to a french site and they do sell tickets for Nice-Venice departing aroung 10pm, it was priced at 160 euro for two. I assume it has a shower in berth. I guess this is the way to go.
General agreement re: stopover in Milan-not worth it?
Mar 29th, 2007, 08:02 AM
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Some Italian overnight trains have 'Excelsior' sleeping cars with compartments with private showers and toilets.
The standard T3 sleeping compartments have one, two or three berths and wash basins. Toilets are at the end of the carriage, and there are no showers.
The standard T3 sleeping compartments have one, two or three berths and wash basins. Toilets are at the end of the carriage, and there are no showers.
Mar 29th, 2007, 08:26 AM
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I wouldn't assume any double necessarily has toilet and douche in compartment - as they rarely do and not even showers on the train.
Like Geoff says some Italian trains have Excelsior sleeping cars which do have compartments with such. But these, once used on the Paris-Italy Artesia Hotel Trains, were taken off that run because of a slew of complaints - things like sewage backing up into comartments.
Trenitalia took over the Excelsior sleeping cars and refurbished them and is using them on internal routes but i haven't heard of them being on this route.
Like Geoff says some Italian trains have Excelsior sleeping cars which do have compartments with such. But these, once used on the Paris-Italy Artesia Hotel Trains, were taken off that run because of a slew of complaints - things like sewage backing up into comartments.
Trenitalia took over the Excelsior sleeping cars and refurbished them and is using them on internal routes but i haven't heard of them being on this route.
Mar 29th, 2007, 08:42 AM
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traveled to Italy...could have been from Paris with the excelsior cars that have been withdrawn from that run and put on domestic Trenitalia trains. I'm not positive if there are no showers on the Nice-Venice run so check it out more.
Apr 2nd, 2007, 10:20 PM
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Sorry for this simple question, but I haven't seen any mention anywhere on this forum about any sort of specific requirements for the "smart" fares offered. Are they simply earlybird discounts, or do they have certain unusual requirements? Thanks in advance!
Also, does anybody know how much that "supplemental sleeping accommodation" you have to pay even if you have a Eurailpass runs?
Also, does anybody know how much that "supplemental sleeping accommodation" you have to pay even if you have a Eurailpass runs?
Apr 3rd, 2007, 06:43 AM
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For such questions i recommend calling the experts at BETS (800-441-2387) - in my experience and as many others have said - no need to have bought your pass there either.
Sleeping supplements vary greatly as to the type of accommodation you want and the type of train - 'hotel trains' cost more often than regular trains.
Sleeping supplements vary greatly as to the type of accommodation you want and the type of train - 'hotel trains' cost more often than regular trains.
