overnight train trip from Paris Bercy to Rome
 

Do we need to change the train anywhere? It departs Bercy at 19:10 ...I dont think so, but just in case..also do they have passport controls anywhere ( in the middle of the night??)

Hi,

Very good questions.

First, the sleeping car porter will take your passports and give them back in the morning.

Second, the Deutches Bahn website shows that train no. EN227 stops in Florence at 08:54. You could get off and take the ES* 9425 to Rome and arrive 12 min earlier, but you don't have to.

hmm..can I trust them to return my passports?

Yes, they take everyones passport. This is how it has been done forever. The problem is that we Americans don't have alot of trust in people and that assumption is correct when traveling in the US. I have never had a problem. It would be interesting to hear other opinions.

Greg

Well, if I didnt know about this before I went there, I would have been paranoid about someone keeping my passport..but now I know better..

And believe me its not just Americans who would be mis-trustful about someone keeping your passport ( if they were not aware of the procedure beforehand )

You'll be asked for your passport in hotels, also since it is bascially a lawful requirement in many European countries..these days they usually make a phot copy of the first page and then return it. We've traveled on many overnight trains that cross borders and have never had a problem with the railroad personnel retaining the passports..its either that or be awakened in the middle of the night. Enjoy the ride.

The train from Paris to Roma normally goes directly from France to Italy, so there are no passport controls and I think passports are no longer collected by the attendants. Some of the night trains to Italy go via Switzerland and in that case, the Swiss police are entitled to check passports, so the sleeper attendant will collect them.

I would be very surprised if a passport was collected. There is no check when traveling from Austria to Germany either by train or by automobile, or from Austria to Italy. Why should there be a check when crossing from France to Italy? They all signed the same agreement a few years ago. Only when I cross into Switzerland is their a requirement to exhibit one's passport. At the airport in Zürich, passport control the last time consisted of an official waving people in with both hands.