Overnight Train travel
 

I am embarking on a month in France/Italy and would be interested in the opinions of anyone who has travelled overnight on any of the below routes. We thought this would save us travelling during the day and save on some accomodation.<BR><BR>Milan - Paris<BR>Paris - Bayonne<BR>Bayonne - Nice<BR>Bolzono - Milan<BR>Nice - Genova<BR><BR>Any info appreciated.

The night train from Milan to Paris Bercy is described on www.seat61.com. There is a night train from Paris Austerlitz to Bayonne (continuing to Irun). There is a night train from Bayonne (coming from Hendaye) to Nice. There are no night trains from Bolzano to Milan and Nice to Genova because the distances are too short.

I've done Geneva/Venice and Venice/Paris on overnight trains. I guess your first task is to figure out if they are even available on the routes you need. I got a private sleeper car (once alone, and once sharing with my traveling companion) for about the price of a hotel room. It was *great*.

If there are night trains for your destiantions I would recommend it. But by all means look into a sleeping compartment for one, two, three, or four (or how many are traveling) It is a heck of lot more private and beats sleeping in a lounge chair all night. Eat before you board though or bring a &quot;picnic&quot; snack - many of the trains have no club car - or if they do - the food is not very good. The price usually includes a poorly made continental breakfast.

There is a note on getting the best from sleepers and couchettes at http://www.twenj.com/tipsnighttrains.htm<BR><BR>The reference library of a city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Timetable. This show times for your sleeping car trains<BR><BR>Milan 2155 Paris 0841<BR>Paris 2314 Bayonne 0644. To have a longer night carry on to Hendaye at 0722, double back, Hendaye 0739, Bayonne 0815 (but on Sundays 0831)<BR>Bayonne 1838 Nice 0749. 4 and 6 berth couchettes, but no sleepers<BR>Bolzano - Milan 5 1/2 hours, by day. A through restaurant car train runs Bolzano 1729, Milan 2050<BR>Nice - Genova 3 hours, by day<BR><BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to Europe<BR><BR>Ben Haines, London<BR><BR><BR>