Lisa

I hope someone out there can offer some info, advice or suggestions to what must seem like a minor dilemma. For reasons too complicated to go into, my family and I must fly out of Milan to return home to the U.S. at the end of our vacation. We will be staying in Naples through the 26th of August and our flight home leaves Milan's, Malpensa airport at 11:00am on the 27th. We had looked into taking a domestic flt. from Naples to Milan but are hoping that a train would be considerably less expensive but still safe and comfortable. <BR>Does anyone have any experience with this that might be helpful? Any thoughts or suggestions on which lines, how to contact them and ticket purchase would be greatly appreciated. <BR>Also any comments on the Hotel SANT'ANGELO on Via M. Dionigi in Rome? It is in the Vatican area. <BR>Thanks again.

Walter

There are quite a few trains leaving that day to Milan. I'd assume you'd want a non-stop direct train with seat reservations. The hi-speed, modern (bullet-type) train is called the Eurostar (ES) and between 0730-17:30 this ES non-stop leaves every 2hrs. It costs 156,000L ($75) in 1st class and 99,000L ($48) in 2nd class with seat reservations. The journey time is 6:30 and these trains are both safe and comfortable. To see the timetables go to www.fs-on-line.com/ click-on "English" and then "Timetables", us Napoli and Milano, enter the date and *delete and leave blank* the "hours" and "min" box. To get the fares either click-on the train's number (1,2,3,..11) or the blue arrow next to it. I'm sure others will say the same thing about just buying your tickets in Italy if so, as soon as you can the 26th is on a Saturday. If you really want to you can purchase them thru www.raileurope.com with a hefty commission and seat reservation overcharge. HTH Regards, Walter <BR>

Jim

Lisa - Our family had the same dilemma a few years ago. We were in Paris and had to fly out of Amsterdam. We took a night train, arriving at the station in Amsterdam early. It made the connection to the airport easy because we were already at the station. <BR>I recommend you reserve couchettes on the Express train #830 departing the Napoli Centrale station at 8:08pm arriving at the Milano Centrale station at 6:55am. This will give you plenty of time to make your connection at Malpensa. Couchettes are safe because each car has an attendant who is awake all night and you can lock the compartment door from the inside. Good luck.

Debbie

Message: Walter - Read you response to Lisa; need your recommendations. My husband and I will be visiting son/daughter-in-law in Naples for 4-5 days then taking train to Zurich. I have researched via raileurope and found Milan to Zurich connection at $97 (US) ONE WAY (first class) <BR>also need train from Geneva to Paris - ONE WAY (first class) $123 each.....am open to any suggestions; also considering overnight train from Rome to Zurich...

Walter

Debbie: Sorry I can't help you on those journeys or even point you in the right direction/websites. It has been many years (backpacker days since I've trained between countries. Put up a post like "Train Travel between Naples-Zurich & Geneva-Paris" I sure you'll receive some informative and maybe 1st hand responses. Good-Luck Regards, Walter <BR>

Ben Haines

Fodors <BR> <BR>The January issueof the Thomas Cooik European Timetable fares that differ from those you give. It gives Milan to Zurich second class single as 57 US dollars, so first class would be 86 dollars. And it gives Geneva to Paris as 108 dollars by TGV second class, so first class would be 162 dollars. <BR> <BR>The reference library of a city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Timetable. Table 82 shows that you can leave Naples Piazza Garibaldi at 1850, sup in the buffet car, change and have coffee in Rome Termini from 2050 to 2122, and reach Zurich at 0853. The night train, the Gottardo, has two-berth first class sleepers at a supplement of about 90 US dollars a berth. <BR> <BR>High speed trains with buffet cars leave Geneva at 0539 (not Saturdays or Sundays), 0745, 0959, 1241, 1641, 1800 (not Saturdays or Sundays), and 1921 and take four hours or a bit less to Paris. <BR> <BR>Please write if I can help further. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London <BR> <BR>

michael

The Naples train station is a disaster! No one speaks english and everyone is guarding their bags. I would fly to Malpensa.

Lisa

<BR>Many Thanks to Walter and Jim for taking the time to respond to my dilemma. Your suggestions were extremely helpful in helping us to make our final arrangements. Again,...Grazie.