We are getting serious about booking our trip next May/June 2008 and need help with train travel. We will fly into Zurich, spend 3-4 nights in the Lauterbrunnen Valley (weather permitting), then travel to Rome for 3 nights. Next we hope to go to Florence, then take the overnight sleeper train from Florence to Paris (my daughter and I did this last June with your advice and it worked out quite well.)

Do you have advice on how we may do this ? We will be a family of 4, 2 adults and 2 teenagers.
Also, I got on the SNCF website this evening and they said that the tickets couldn't be priced since it was greater than 2 months out.

We are tentatively planning this:

5/26 arrive in Zurich, travel to Lauterbrunnen for 3-4 days
(should we go back to Zurich?)

5/29 travel to Rome

6/2 travel to Florence

6/5 take overnight train to Paris

I am admittedly an amateur with using these websites and appreciate your advice on how to get the best deals.

Thanks to you all for your help!

Karen

>Do you have advice on how we may do this ? We will be a family of 4, 2 adults and 2 teenagers.

The priority of booking is always:
- book the hotels (as early as possible)
- book overnight train trips (about 2 months out to get the low price offers)
- get the day train tickets (Italy: 2-3 days out, Switzerland: doesn´t matter when as long as it is before boarding)

Italian rail: www.trenitalia.com
Swiss rail: www.sbb.ch

Hi M,

www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html offers Smart Price fares to Paris "On the night trains leaving from Rome, Florence, Bologna, Venice and Milan: 35 euros for a couchette in 6-place compartment; 60 euros for a couchette in 4-place compartment".

There is no rush to purchase your train tickets.

How many nights in Florence?

Do you have a hotel?

Thanks for your advice!

The "smart price" ticket overnight from Rome/Florence to Paris looks great. Do you know when we should book this?
Also, is there a similar special from Switzerland to Florence or Rome? I've been looking this morning on the Trenitalia site and there are special fares from Italy to Switzerland cities but we need to go one-way to Italy.

We are looking for a hotel in Florence for 1 or 2 nights (maybe just 1 if we take the overnight train to Paris.) Do you have a favorite, Ira?

I am looking for an apartment in Rome for 3 nights and a hotel in Assisi for 2 nights. Any advice, anyone? We are trying to economize and would like to get a quad where possible to save money.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Karen

If you don't want to do all the discount online things you should consider the Eurail Select pass good in Italy, Switzerland and France - a 3 country Eurail Select. For details and prices: www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.raileurope.com or www.ricksteves.com - prices are the same regardless of where the pass comes from. Not sold in Europe

Runs about $370 or so for 5 days of travel or about $75 a day or 50 euros a day for 1st class travel - only use for long trips - can be flexible and take any train - no need to decide in advance - a huge plus for me.

Not sure how cost effective for your itinerary but if want flexibility yes as full fare prices are very high. Anyway you have all the sources to investigate.