Train Trip From Nice to Rome Logistics
 

We (me, mother and daughter) will be taking a three week trip in June. The only piece of it I'm not sure about at this point in my planning is a train trip between Nice and Rome. First, I appreciate those of you will say to fly. We do not want to and are not flying for a variety of reasons. What I'm not sure about is train for a whole day or break it up with an overnight (maybe in Genoa)? We need be in Fregene near Rome at 11:00 AM on June 21, so I'm trying to figure out logistics. We have 7 full days in Nice not counting arrival and departure day, so I'd be willing to give up on of those days (we've been to Nice before) as I realize to make our time we may need to overnight in Rome the day before if we stop in Genoa.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience/advice? Also I'm unsure of the train route, any experiences with the scenery? A scenic route vs maybe a faster but not as scenic route?

Thanks in advance!

Genoa would make a nice stop and so would Florence though that's practically in Rome. You want to get on the few daily trains that run direct Nice to Genoa -other connections involve taking slower trains with a change of trains at the French border to Genoa - lots longer and same scenery. The quickest train would leave Nice-Ville about 8:15am and get to Rome about 5 pm with a half-hour change time in Genoa.

Scenery is nice seasides scenes Nice-Genoa then high-speed line thru tunnels and boring scenery. Sit on right side or seaside side of train going to Genoa for best views. Book segment one at www.sncf.oui- Genoa to wherever at Acquista il biglietto con le nostre offerte - Trenitalia - easy to do both online. For loots on trains and booking and what to expect (sometimes first class may not be much more than cheapest 2nd cl ticket available) - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com. Maybe you could book the whole thing from one site - not sure but www.seat61.com should say.

www.trainline.eu may book the whole thing too and at same fares exactly as on Italian or French sites. Many say bit easier for foreigners to use.

For an alternante more scenic route Genoa-Rome you could stay along the coast and even spend a night in one of the fabled Cinque Terre towns - each has a train station and spend a night or two there - then continue via Pisa along the coast to Rome - lot more scenic than via Florence and high-speed line. Pisa could be another place to break for night or do a stop by the next day just to see the Tower. Find those schedules on Acquista il biglietto con le nostre offerte - Trenitalia - for quick reference schedules I always start with the German Rail site - www.bahn.de/en - which has easy to reference schedules for all European trains - for a detailed look at how to use the Wunderbar bahn.de/en schedule check the home page of BETS-European Rail Experts devotes a half a page of useful things that bahn.de/en site can tell you quickly about a train - whether reservations are mandatory - whether it has and 2nd cl - restaurant car, snacks,wheelchair access and lots more. So check out the seaside route to Rome the whole way Genoa to Rome. Lots better than the boring scenery seen along the high-speed routes Genoa-Florence-Rome - with many tunnels and windblocks and avoiding all towns.

Fastest way but big detour: via Genoa - Milan - Florence (7 1/2 hrs, change at Milan),
shortest (but not fastest) itinerary: via Genoa - Pisa - Grosseto (9 1/2 hrs) change at Genoa and sometimes at Ventimiglia or /and Pisa too)

Places to visit along or close to this itinerary:
Genoa, Golfo dei Poeti (La Spezia - Lerici - Portovenere - 5Terre), Pisa, Volterra, Elba Island, Tarquinia.

Fastest way but big detour: via Genoa - Milan - Florence (7 1/2 hrs, change at Milan)>

Yes the 8:15 am departure from Nice gets you into Rome about 4:30 - including 45 minutes to change trains in Milan: Nice Villedep 08:15 EC 139
EC 140 Eurocity Direction: Milano Centrale
Global price , Bar
arr Milano Centrale 12:50
change trains - time for a drink or snack at station eateries
Milano Centrale dep 13:30 FR 9633 Frecciarossa Direction: Roma Termini
ar Rome Termini 16:29

Milan would make a nice place to spend a half-day or more! Book
tickets for Last Supper painting and trek around the amazing

Thank you for your very helpful suggestions!!!

Be sure again to book those tickets as early as possible.