Should I fly or take the train from Paris to Italy
 

After spending time in Paris our next destination is Cinque Terre. My options are a 1h 40m Easyjet flight from Orly to Pisa and then train to La Spezia 1h 40m.. Or train Paris to Milan 7h, then 3hr train to La Spezia.

Obviously the flight would be quicker but would a day train trip be worth the scenery along the way?

Last July, my husband and I arrived at Orly in order to fly East Jet to Naples. The airport had lost its electricity - totally!!! We waited on a line for six hours in a very crowded, steaming lower floor area with illumination from emergency lights. Eventually, power came back and the flights resumed.

There are no guarantees in life. I write this so that you understand things don't always go as smoothly as you might like.

Carol

I would go by train given the choice....

I would also opt for the train, but I love trains and yes, the scenery will be enticing, and when it isn't you can relax.

If any other means is at all resonable I always opt for something other than plane - just because

1) the seating is so much more comfortable
2) you can easily walk up and down the aisles whenever you want
3) you can view at least some scenery
4) there is no interminable waiting around

If time on the ground is important, take the plane. I love trains, but when we were going Paris to Venice it seemed the train options were mainly overnight, which means no scenery. I took the train Paris/Rome many, many years ago and really enjoyed the overnight trip, but wanted more time in Venice last year.

Also, the train was much more expensive then the plane--including transportation from the airport.

Thank you for your thoughts and replys

When I first looked at the train options it seemed like a long day of travel (there were overnight trains as well) but we did enjoy our TGV trip last year in France. Train is more expensive but not too much if I can get Prems. We also flew Easyjet - France to London, last year and did seem to be waiting around the airport a long time (plane was delayed 1hr also). The cattle herding to get a seat was a little stressful (full plane) and keeping baggage at the 20kg mark. The flight itself was ok.

The best day trip leaves at 7.40am from Gare de Lyon goes via Dijon to Milan, TGV site shoes an artesia? train. Overnight leaves Gare de Bercy 10.30pm arrives Milano 5.30am (9hrs). Do the seats recline in First class?

Hi, we used Trenitalia trains quite a lot when we were there in 2008 and I don't recall any seats reclining. I'd probably take the train, but it depends a bit on how long you are going to be in Europe for as it does mean writing off an entire day. Having said that we just used our train days as rest days.

If you do catch the train, can I make a suggestion to buy some food before you get on the train. The food on the trains is expensive and not that good whereas the food at the train stations seems to be pretty good.

Not to belabor the point about flying, but remember that you can be delayed at the train station, as well. And have a long walk pulling your luggage to find your car, then get it up the steps and into the bin at the end of the car. Cattle herding to get on the plane? Don't forget the dead stop getting on the train as people load their luggage in the end bins (which fill up quickly) or try to get them in the overhead. You can also end up sitting opposite and facing your neighbor and keeping your eye on your luggage.

We booked first class on the train from Paris to Amsterdam this past October and, due to the strikes going on, they cancelled several so we spent a good bit of time at the station. Also, food delivery was affected by the strike so they were serving NO food on the train. Couldn't even get a cup of coffee and, again, this was in first.

I DO like trains, I just think you need to consider just how much "better" than planes they really are.

I do love trains, but 10 hours in 1 day would be WAY too much of a good thing for me personally! I would fly, or break up the train ride into 2 days with an overnight somewhere interesting.

In reality I know the flight is the better option but the idea of training through the countryside is appealing.
Hmmm might investigate an overnight stopover, south of France or switzerland?

These days, flights are to be avoided unless absolutely necessary...

If you'd like to see photos of the Paris-Milan scenery and the TGV train itself, go to www.seat61.com/Italy.htm, look for the 'London to Italy by daytime trains' section and look for the 'Introducing the Artesia TGV' photo section.

Yes, the scenery is great, and taking the train from a mere 35 euros (55 in first class) is a real chance to chill-out. Take a bottle of wine (no rules against that on the trains), a good book, relax away from the stresses of flying. The plane will take 4 hours when you include travel to and from airports, check-ins, baggage recalim and all that hassle, so even for this distance the train only really takes a measly 3 hours longer.

Book the Artesia TGV online at www.tgv-europe.com (say you're from Great britain if you're from the USA, else they bump you to their subsidiary Rail Europe) and collect tickets at the station in Paris.

Even better (but more expsneive), take a Lyria TGV Paris-Zurich, stay over, then take a Zurich-Milan train through the Gotthard pass route through the Alps. Book the latter train at www.sbb.ch, the Paris-Zurih one at www.tgv-europe.com.

Lots of pros and cons and as much as I like trains there are advantages to taking the plane in terms of overall time and the flights aren't always delayed..sometimes it goes rather smoothly but let's talk about "all that time" you are going to spend on the rails:

you get to see some scenery
you can actually get up and move about on the train and even get off for a moment or two at the stops in between
you get to experience that swirl of humanity and wildlife (the birds) at Milano Centrale and after all, isn't this part of what you came to Europe FOR? You can even bump into all those "locals" everyone SAYS they are dying to meet
the seating on the train is more comfortable
the luggage allowance is vastly larger
so you have to pull it to the door of the train and heft it on..you get to WAIT for it at the airport (lucky you) and hope that it arrives (sometimes)

And when you get to your final destination your room will probably be ready!!!

I would think there is a night train with couchettes (sleeping compartments) from Paris to Milan (in response to your question about reclining seats - or did this apply to a long day trip?) I'm a fan of the trains too - between the luggage restrictions on what is a 2 week interntional trip for me, and the getting to and from the airports I usually consider a train trip (sometimes an overnight) as the first option when changing cities. We've met some interesting folks on the trains (usually share a compartment) and I like getting on in the evening with a bottle of wine, watching the sceneery for a bit and then waking up in a new city. Have a nice trip!

I always enjoy the train ride. The Paris to Milan stretch is not that memorable. I've traveled that stretch several times at night. The last time I made sure to take it during the day to catch the scenery. I wasn't thrilled by it. I would still pick train over plane any day. The hassle of getting to the airport, security, delays, etc. are not worth it in my opinion.

I have taken the Artesia overnight trains from Paris to Italy many times and this not only saves travel time in the day but on the cost of a hotel. You can get private doubles or multi-person and cheaper couchette style berths. And you can nab some nifty deep discounts at www.voyages-sncf.com if you act far enough in advance. Yup you do not see the scenery much at night but neither do you in an aeroplane. Ideally I would go via Switzerland and stay in a lovely place like the Interlaken area - about half way - for a few days. But to go straight thru during the day is a long long haul and actually the scenery on the fastest route, via France and Italy only is not IMO all that scenic - the Switzerland route is but it requires more changes of train and usually takes longer.

Thank you for all your replies and ideas.

I have been really thinking about the train idea. I have looked at overnight from Paris to Milan, 1st class with 2 person berth I can get for 115 euro each. A good price i think.

I have also looked at day train trips and especially one via Zurich. We could either stop overnight in Zurich or go straight through. This is via the Gotthard Pass as previously mentioned by man_in_seat_61. Friends told me they went this way and stopped over in Bellagio, which was beautiful.

I must admit I'm moving away from the flight idea and leaning toward the train.

The trip jigsaw pieces keep moving around!

I have gone over and over the options of getting from Paris to Maranola (CT)and frankly none of them are very good. I really am all over the place trying to work it out.

Options: - Paris to Maranola morning depart 10h 30m 4 train changes
- Paris to Maranola overnight train similar time to above and again 4 changes
- Paris to Nice 5 hr, stopover 1 night next day 6hr trip 4 changes
- Flight Paris to Pisa 1hr 50m, train Pisa to Maranola about 2hr 30m. This flight is with Easyjet, however when I do a search for flights up to June there is a flight at 6.15am and one at 11am. But searching in August there is only a 6.15am flight and no later flight on Tuesdays which is the day we wanted to fly out of Paris. Do you think this is just a summer thing and the 2nd flight will resume in September - we need a flight in late September.

Realistically thinking the train options is a lot of getting on and off trains and waiting for connections - some 1 hour. DH is not keen.
Getting to Orly for a 6.15 flight, taxi would be the best option. Costs?

This is not an easy jigsaw piece to fit in the trip organisation. Any other suggestions would be most appreciated.

Is the mistake trying to get the entire distance to Maranola by train? It is pretty well out in the sticks (or Oz equivalent). If you flew to Pisa, would you not rent a car? Why not then take the train and rent a car?

Just a thought.

Easy Jet flights are only currently listed through Aug.28. You need to wait a month or so and check schedules again.

Hi aussie

Have a great trip!!!

I hope this helps: I think you may have other options. I did this (it was about 100 years ago, but it was a lot of fun). I went via train. Here's the deal, I think you may have better luck looking at train trips from Paris to <i>Genoa</i>, then to La Spezia then to 5 terre.

According to my notes, we left Paris at 8 pm staying in a groovy couchette. We arrived in Genoa at 6 am. At that time I thought we'd have to switch trains, but the train conductor told us not to get off the train, that it continued to La Spezia. We arrived in La Spezia just as dawn arrived. Descending the train in the still of the morning and hearing that beautiful language over the "altoparlante" is a memory I will NEVER forget.

From there we were directed to the "binario" that took us to Riomaggiore in Le Cinque Terre.

Aaaaah l'Italia, mi manca molto....

In boca al lupo (Good luck!!!)

>>>According to my notes, we left Paris at 8 pm staying in a groovy couchette. We arrived in Genoa at 6 am.<<<

That must not exist anymore as Trenitalia doesn't show any trains from Paris to Genoa that don't involve changes just to get to Genoa. I don't see any overnight train between the two.

ky: You are so right. Glad I prefaced my suggestion with the words "<i>may</i> have other options". Now that I did a little digging, it would appear that my suggestion is obsolete! I'm sorry aussie!!!

We rented a car in Paris, drove to Beaune and spent the night, then a night in Vevey, a few days in Canelli in Piedmonte, before heading down to the CT, it was all very easy drive. Why mess with planes and trains when you can just throw all your stuff in the trunk and travel your way :)

Thank you all for your replies. It was nice to wake up this morning and view some help from the Fodors friends.

An over night train to Genoa would have been perfect, dawn in La Spezia, alas its not running any more. Last night I checked about one thousand (slight exaggeration - felt like that any way) training combinations for stops here there and everywhere. What it boils down to I think is the leg after the fast train from Paris. Whatever combination either Milan, Zurich or Nice route the aweful part is the leg to Cinque Terre.

Should we hire a car after the bulk of the train journey? We have 4 nights in Cinque Terre and I thought it would be a waste to sit a car in some carpark for that length of time. We will need a car for our Tuscany leg (about 8 days) which starts after Cinque Terre. I must admit after reading some info on Fodors about driving from France into Italy it was a little scary - we do drive on the other side of the road here -. Not to mention the drop off rates in another country.

The Paris Milan train does stop in Turin, maybe that is an option to hire a car from there (1 day, worth it?)

If we fly to Pisa we would have travelled to Cinque Terre by train. I am trying to put the pieces together now as I am on a holiday break and have time to research. Some places in Italy are already booked.

My apolgogies, in my tiredness last night I misspelt Manarola.

Aussie, your trip and our trip are looking almost the exact same! I've recently looked at RyanAir out of PARIS (Beauvais) into Pisa, and then the hourly trains into Vernazza for me, but Manarola for you.
Super Shuttle from Paris hotel doorstep to airport is $60 total for the two of us, Airfare on Ryan Air $45 US each ( https://www.bookryanair.com/SkySales...=Google#Select ), and $30 each train transfers from Pisa to Cinque Terre ( http://www.rome2rio.com/s/Pisa-Airpo...Italy/Vernazza ). We will be in Vernazza for dinner and vino for the price of $105 each.

Hopefully this works for us. I'm interested in what you have discovered or booked since your last post in Dec.

That post was Dec 2010. The trip is long over, but it's always better to take Easy Jet from Paris than Ryan Air. Paris Orly is easily reached (and much cheaper to reach) from central Paris (closer than CDG too). The airport Ryan Air uses is an hour way from Paris. Easy Jet is a much better airline also.

Yes Ryan Air goes often in Beauvais - at least an hour northwest of Paris - you have to pay for the Ryan Air bus too - all things equal do as kybourbon suggests - Orly is much more practical.

Anax yes our trip was in 2011 and we had a fantastic time.

WE flew Easyjet out of Orly. I looked at catching a train to Orly but in the end we got a taxi trip was quick and cost us 35euro well worth it in my opinion, rather than lugging our bags.

I have flown Easyjet on many sectors throughout Britain and Europe and all good, more reliable in my opinion than Ryanair.

Pisa airport is really easy to fly into and not very busy. We bought train tickets at the ticket booth and walked the short walk (200 meters?) to pick up a train at the airport into Pisa, from there we picked up a train to La Specia and then one to Manarola. We LOVED Cinque Terre, spent 4 nights there during a lovely September late summer.
Ate delicious foods, walked some great trails with amazing views and just loved the 5 towns. Enjoy!