Hi everybody so I'm still planning my Italy trip, and I have a friend who is studying in Paris. Could I take the train from Florence to Paris? How long would it take and what would it cost? Thanks in advance.

The same sites Man_in_seat_61 gave you about train schedule and prices on you Florence to Copenhagen question, http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...r-ebeltoft.cfm, gives you the train schedule for Florence to Paris. For Basel (Bâle) to Paris fares, use en.voyages-sncf.com/en.

There's usually about one all-daylight option a day, changing at Milan and Geneva (www.bahn.de for simple times and connections. Click on the Union Jack/Tricolour logo in the flag dropdown menu at the top)

It'll be a great deal faster, and usually a great deal cheaper, to fly. There are a few flights from Florence, but they're usually costlier than the train: most people in the area use Pisa, where the airport has a direct, 30 min or so, train link to central Florence.

But taking the train is the maximum adventure, minimum environmental impact, not the other way around!

1) First book the 16:10 TGV high-speed train from Milan Porta Garibaldi to Paris Gare de Lyon arriving 23:19 with fares from €29 using www.capitainetrain.com - To see what the train itself and the journey are like, see the photos and video at http://www.seat61.com/Paris-to-Milan-by-TGV-train.htm - it's a nice scenic ride.

2) Then book the 13:25 high-speed Italo train from Florence SMN to Milan Porta Garibaldi arriving 15:18 with fares from €20 at www.italotreno.it - or book an earlier train and have a few hours stopover in Milan, it has a lovely cathedral.

You could also take an evening Italo, stop overnight in Milan, then take the 06:00 or 08:50 TGVs to Paris next morning, up to you!

Easy Jet from Pisa to Paris Orly will probably be your cheapest, fastest choice.

http://www.easyjet.com/en/

While Pisa airport has train service from Florence, the economical option is the Terravision bus (4.99€).

http://www.terravision.eu/florence_pisa.html

A day train (with several changes) would run around 75-100€ one way if you get advance purchase discounts. A night train (also would require a change) would be around 100€ with discounts.

Whether you take a train or fly, scenic or not, slow or fast, is largely a matter of taste, time and budget.

However, one thing to consider is that, if you take a sleeper, the added cost is probably not more than a night in a hotel and doesn't take up your daytime tourism time.

Firenze S. M. Novella to Milano Centrale
dep 21:00
arr 22:40
-- connect to --
Milano Centrale to Paris Gare de Lyon
dep 22:55
arr 09:30 next day

SS