Will be spending 3 nights in Paris in early March, then proceeding on to Florence for 2 nights, then to Venice for 2 nights before flying back to Paris for The Final Night. Two adults and a 13 year old.

France-Italy Flexipass (rail) is around $750 for the 3 of us, and would cover the Paris-Florence and Florence-Venice legs. Any reasonable alternatives? Is a train trip thru Switzerland feasible, and still arrive in Florence that evening? What are my best air options for the Venice-Paris route?

Many thanks in advance.

whichbudget.com is the best source for inter Europe budget airfare.

Hi Tex - For Venice-Paris the budget options are:

www.myair.com (Venice-Orly)

www.ryanair.com (Treviso-Beauvais)

Be aware that Beauvais is some distance from Paris - about 1.5 hrs, I think.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Since you have so few days, are you sure you want to spend an entire day traveling between Paris and Florence? How about flying or doing an overnight train?

Getting from Florence to Venice via train should be fast and inexpensive. But the time from Paris to Florence by train is a minimum of 10 hours, and possibly a lot more.

Doesn't appear either airline flies between Paris & Florence. Any options there?

I know, Jolie--I hate to lose a whole day to a train ride, but if I take the night train I have to worry about arriving (tired) in Florence in the morning and wandering around with luggage until check-in time.

Thank you for the advice on carriers between Venice and Paris. There are two flights available into Orly on the day that I need.

There's a Pisa to Paris Orly flight on EasyJet - I didn't follow whether that would be of any help.

Yes, it's pretty easy -- and quick -- to get to Florence from Pisa. Plus getting to Orly from Paris is easy also.

Sounds like good advice. Mimar, the "pretty easy and quick" way to get from Pisa to Florence. Would that be by train? Is the station close to the airport? Thanks again.

You can get to Florence from Pisa airport either by train or bus.

For train timetables see:
www.trenitalia.com

For buses see:
http://www.terravision.it/florence_pisa.html#

Both trains and buses leave directly from the airport.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Two adults and a 13 year old fit neatly into a three berth sleeper, at a fare with berth of 263 euros. This looks a better buy than the 250 dollars for a flexipass plus berth supplement at 50 euros, and either ticket or pass saves you a night’s hotel bill, and travel time. Times are Paris Gare de Bercy 1900 to Florence 0716. You can dine on the train. The 3-course 'menu del giorno' costs about 26 Euro, and a half bottle of wine about 8 Euro. Credit cards are accepted. A member of staff comes down the train taking dinner reservations soon after departure, starting in the sleepers, and there are usually two sittings at 2000 and 2200. For a description please search under Man in Seat 61 Italy. Or you can go by day to enjoy the views of the Alps. Times are Paris Gare de Lyon 0804, buffet car, via Chambery, Modane, Ouix, Turin, Novara, Milan 1450 to 1510, restaurant car, Florence 1829. I am sorry I am no help on air travel.

Please write again if I can help further.

Ben Haines, London
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