Overnight trains -- on time/prone to strikes?
 

Hi all,

I'm planning a trip France and Italy in September and will need to return to Paris from either Venice or Rome (order of itinerary not 100% set yet) in order to catch my flight back to the states. Rather than have to hassle with flying to Orly, getting a hotel just for the night, and then going to CDG the next day, I'm contemplating taking the night train back to Paris. My flight back to the states doesn't leave until 2:30 in the afternoon, so assuming the train arrives in Paris near on-time, I would have 5-6 hours between my arrival in Paris and my departure -- which seems like plenty to get to the airport from Bercy and and check-in.

However, I know the Metro/RER are often hit with strikes, and I was wondering if the international trains encountered this as well? Or if they run late on a regular basis? Obviously, I would really prefer not to miss my flight back to the States.

Any thoughts on the wisdom of this idea?

In my experience overnight international trains are always pronto. Except, believe it or not, in Germany.

Take the train. Even if it is an hour late you are OK.

Hi D,

I make it a rule to be in the departure city the night before my plane leaves.

There is a very small probability that your train will be greatly delayed or that there will be a strike that day, but what are the consequences?

((I))

I'd go back one day ahead, but then I don't like to have arrangements that could potentially end up making me nervous (worrying about the train, etc.).

Why not fly tp paris

Most of my one night train experience has been on Elipsos services either between Spain and Italy or France and Spain.

I have yet to take one, in any direction, which arrived exactly on time.

The latest was 1.5 hours

In terms of possibly flying, there is no reason you have to fly to Orly since budget airline Vueling flies from Venice and Rome to CDG

www.vueling.com

I looked at Veuling. If everything worked out exactly as it was supposed to it'd be a great option -- the flight from Venice would arrive around 10:30, my flight to US leaves at 2:30 -- but my experiences flying in the U.S. have made me FAR too wary to try anything like that (weather, mechanical problems, whatever). Somehow trains seemed like a less risky bet.

I tend to think the voices of better angels will win out on this one, and we will end up back in Paris the night before. We were originally thinking we'd do our time in Paris at the beginning of the trip, but maybe what we will do instead is just one night in Paris at the front (give us a chance to recover from the jet lag) and then our "real" days in Paris at the end?

Hi D,

>maybe what we will do instead is just one night in Paris at the front (give us a chance to recover from the jet lag) and then our "real" days in Paris at the end?<

A good idea.

If you don't have your tickets yet, why not fly into Rome, and then from Venice to Paris, and home from Paris?

((I))

Dawn,

I would never NOT take a train, in Europe, if I thought I was going to have a cushion of 6 hours on the other end and with a four hour cushion with the plane I would probably do that, too...but you have to follow your own conscience.

Just be aware that rail and even plane travel there is not necessarily the same as it is in the US.

Have a great trip.