I have been looking at rail europe and trenitalia for overnight train schedules rome to venice. (We will have 5 short days there the beginning of February) I know it's cheaper to buy in Italy, but I can't help it I'm a planner. My problem is, I can't find the same train on both sites and the web site doesn't offer a sleeper car. I guess my question is... Has anyone taken an overnight train and what's the best way to do it? Thanks for any help!

hello desilu - the train trip from rome to venice is not an overnight journey - I may be grossly incorrect here (would not be the first time!) - but I believe the only train that travels overnight along that route is the orient-express.
which - if it is in your budget - you should jump on!

Hi desilu,

I haven't been able to access the Trentalia site for a while but I took a look at the German train schedule.

There's an overnight train departing Rome Tiburtina station (don't know where that is) at 22:53. It arrives Venice SL at 5:31. Total travel time is 6 hrs 38 minutes. There are sleepers and couchettes. Don't know how much sleep you'd get with 12 station stops; you might arrive quite tired. I find I wake up on trains when the motion stops.

Why don't you take an early morning train. There's a Eurostar at 6:55 that arrives in Venice SL at 11:28, or a 7:30 arriving at 12:50.

Hi desilu,

I go with adrienne.

The RailEurope site doesn't list all of the trains.

You can now buy tickets online from trenitalia. See Trenitalia Tickets Online
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34465647

Try going back on the trenitalia website and type in "Roma Termini" and "Venezia" to search. I got that to work. Adrienne is correct, there's an overnight train which leaves from Roma Tiburtina (which is about 4 subway stops from Roma Termini). It leaves Rome Tiburtina at 22:53 and gets in at Venezia S.L. at 5:31a. You want to take the trains to Venezia S.L. and not Mestre. That train does list that they have couchettes in both 1st & 2nd class.

Have a good trip.

Ira - thanks for the new location. I've been using trenitalia.it which doesn't work but trenitalia.com does. One further hint - type venezia s. lucia rather than venezia sl which I was doing. For some reason the site doesn't recognize the abbreviation SL, although it used to.

Sorry for such a late response. Thanks for everybody's help. I'm going to try the Trenitalia website, but am thinking that I might just play it by ear and purchase when I get there. Thanks again!

I do not remember the details but Ben Haines has posted a tip about traveling PAST Venice (to Trieste?) to be able to say on the train until a more civilized hour, and then taking a (one hour?) ride BACK to Venice.

But I agree with others - - it's only 4.5 hours, why not just make it a day trip. Try it during a meal time; there is good (but overpriced) white tablecloth dining car service between Florence and Venice.

Best wishes,

Rex

Rex - the meal is very overpriced...25Euros. Buy a picnic lunch and eat it at your seat.

I suppose you can say that when comparing any white tablecloth dining to a picnic lunch.

But anyhow, I did acknowledge that it IS overpriced. Traveling during mealtime is still a good alternative to "forcing" an overnight ride on this short route.

It is not an over night trip. You need to pay attention to the EuroStar ES or Intercity IC trains which are faster trains. Otherwise you WILL need a sleeper. First class is not necessary either but do purchase a reserved seat in second class it is worth it.
IC