I would appreciate any comments on whether I am correct in understanding the schedule from Milan to Paris. There seems to be no direct fast train from Milan to Paris that leaves from Milan in the am and arrives in Paris in the early evening. It looks as if I can book passage from Milan (depart 8:10am) to Lyon (arrive Lyon 2:16pm) and Lyon (depart 3pm) to Paris with arrival time around 5:00 to 5:30pm. Is this correct?

I don't think that's correct. I think you are simply arriving in Paris at Gare de Lyon at 3 pm. So you are looking at a different schedule than I am, I guess. It probably depends on the date you want to go, but I see a direct train leaving Milan at 8:10 am and arriving at Gare de Lyon in Paris at 3:15 pm. I'm sure you can find some trains that connect in Lyon, though, and it would take make 1.3 to 2 hours from there to Paris.

It may be the date you want.

Tomorrow, there are direct TGVs at 0640 and at 0810, arriving in Paris at 1355 and 1515, respectively. Schedules are on www.bahn.de.

There are several day train from Milan to Paris and travel time is 7 hours. Where are you looking at schedules?

BTW I found that on Deutschebahn, but I checked SNCF and they show the same thing. IN fact, they don't even propose any route changing in Lyon and arriving in Paris at 5:30 pm, so where you are getting this? They show some changing in Lausanne or Mannheim,and a few other direct ones at different times of day, but that's it. I checked for some weekday in May.

Thanks, everyone. I think I have it figured out. My problem is that I have booked lodging in Sienna from June18th through the 20th. There doesn't appear to be an early train from Sienna to Milan by the time the 8:10 Milan train leaves for Paris. I either have to spend a night in Milan or take the overnight from Milan.

Hi rose,

Have you looked for cheap airlines at www.whichbudget.com?

Yes, to expand on Ira's suggestion, Air France, Alitalia, and KLM fly from Florence to Paris CDG. In cheaper airlines, Easyjet flies from Pisa to Paris Orly, Ryanair Pisa to Paris Beauvais.

If taking overnight train you can just take a short hop to Florence and board the overnight train to Paris there - no need to go to Milan. Artesia Night Train runs nightly - i took it recently.