London to Italy by train

[Gadget88]

I thought of a new plan to avoid the Turin to London leg

Day 1: Edinburgh to Paris 6 hours

Day 2: Paris to Turin 5 hour

Day 3: Turin to Rome 4 hours

Day 4: Rome

Day 5: Rome to Turin 4 hour Turin to Paris 5 hours

Day 6: Paris to Edinburgh

Would this work are trains reliable ect?

 

[eastwestdivide]

That looks pretty reliable to me.
- How long for your connection in Turin on day 5? I think Italian high speed services are pretty reliable for timekeeping.
- Is Edinburgh/Paris flying? At 6 hours it must be, surely.

 

[Gadget88]

That looks pretty reliable to me.
- How long for your connection in Turin on day 5? I think Italian high speed services are pretty reliable for timekeeping.
- Is Edinburgh/Paris flying? At 6 hours it must be, surely.

No I always take the train down to London all the way to Paris lol I do this route quite frequently.

I would have 4 hours between arriving in Turin and catching next train to Paris however it takes me to Paris by 10.15pm the flaw with this leg is it’s very late to have a meal. Also late to check onto a hotel too. Seems a lack of trains between 11 and 4pm so I may want to rethink part of the journey.

 

[Gadget88]

I mentioned earlier in topic about getting off train in Turin and changing to a local Italian train rather than have that 7 hour stint on the train from Paris. Positive is I can have a break and go to toilet or have lunch and have around 1 hour connection time assuming times are good? Staying in Milan would reduce my time if I did a day visit to Rome to 2 hours 55 which ain’t bad I worked out I can enjoy a good 10/11 hours in Rome

 

[Gadget88]

So to confirm would this work ok?

Day 1: Edinburgh to Paris 6 hour

Day 2: Paris to Turin 5 hour 40 Turin hour 45 min Turin to Milan 2pm Milan

Day 3: Milan to Rome 2 hour 55 hour arrive 10.14 leave 8 or 9pm

Day 4: Milan to Turin 45 min Turin to Paris 6 hours return leg

Day 5: Paris to Edinburgh 6 hour leave Paris 1pm and leave London 4pm to be back on Edinburgh around 8pm

 

[Gadget88]

I believe you have to stamp tickets in Italy and my Paris check out I would have to be up early for a 6.37am train by getting off in Turin I have time for lunch before Milan

It would involve 3 hotel changes

 

[Gadget88]

Anybody any thoughts? Too much travelling or manageable? Checking out a hotel at 6.15am to catch a 6.37am train be ok? Where would I catch the Turin train is it the same platform daily?

What choice of food is there in turin station if I switch to a local service to Milan?

 

[newmilton]

Turin Porta Susa is not a large station (think Lille Europe) but I seem to recall a few food places on the upper level.

If you have print at home or mobile tickets there is no need to validate them, but conventional paper ones do need to be stamped.

 

[InterCity:125]

If time is limited, you could incorporate the Munich-Rome Nightjet sleeper.

The Paris-milan thello sleeper may be of more use.

 

[Gadget88]

Turin Porta Susa is not a large station (think Lille Europe) but I seem to recall a few food places on the upper level.

If you have print at home or mobile tickets there is no need to validate them, but conventional paper ones do need to be stamped.

So I may be best having a mobile app or printed tickets? Maybe best to book a local service I found I can get off that Train and burn over an hour and still arrive same time roughly as I would staying onboard from Paris to Milan.

Milan wise I guess the catherderal isn’t far away by metro anyway? From what I can see that’s the main thing to see anyway. Would need a good idea what to do to visit round all the sights in Rome in 11 hours too.

 

[JB_B]

If you have print at home or mobile tickets there is no need to validate them, but conventional paper ones do need to be stamped.

My understanding is that anything with a compulsory reservation doesn't need to be validated (including conventional paper tickets for most fast trains - FR/FA/FB/IC). So, for Trenitalia, it's effectively only conventional tickets on Regional (R) and Fast Regional (RV) services that need to be put in the machine. (Online tickets for R / RV are pre-validated with a 4 hour window).

 

[Gadget88]

My understanding is that anything with a compulsory reservation doesn't need to be validated (including conventional paper tickets for most fast trains - FR/FA/FB/IC). So, for Trenitalia, it's effectively only conventional tickets on Regional (R) and Fast Regional (RV) services that need to be put in the machine. (Online tickets for R / RV are pre-validated with a 4 hour window).

Is Turin to milan a set price on the day or would I prefer to book in advance?

 

[Gadget88]

I notice the Paris to Turin timetable changes in different months is the 6.37 available in July 2019 anytime tables anywhere? Does the snow ever delay the trains going through French alps?

 

[30907]

I notice the Paris to Turin timetable changes in different months is the 6.37 available in July 2019 anytime tables anywhere? Does the snow ever delay the trains going through French alps?

2019 timetable probably available mid October. There can be changes for the summer but major ones should be flagged up well in advance.
Snow blocking the line in July would be a very rare event

Is Turin to milan a set price on the day or would I prefer to book in advance?

Depends on the train - Regional are walk up (but only valid a few hours), Freccia are cheaper if booked in advance, but tickets are booked train only AFAIK.

BTW - Edinburgh to Paris by rail would be 8 hours not 6.

 

[SHD]

Would need a good idea what to do to visit round all the sights in Rome in 11 hours too.

All the sights? It's not nearly feasible in a month, let alone 11 hours, and Rome is a famously tiring city to stroll around (these hills are real hills) with a rather inadequate transportation network (and not useful for most tourists anyway).

What are you more interested in? Ancient Rome? Religion? Art? Baroque architecture? Italian lifestyle/food? Let's try and build a sensible itinerary.

 

[Gadget88]

All the sights? It's not nearly feasible in a month, let alone 11 hours, and Rome is a famously tiring city to stroll around (these hills are real hills) with a rather inadequate transportation network (and not useful for most tourists anyway).

What are you more interested in? Ancient Rome? Religion? Art? Baroque architecture? Italian lifestyle/food? Let's try and build a sensible itinerary.

Just the coloseum and Tervi fountain. Would be happy to leave it at that.

 

[Gadget88]

But I wasn’t sure if it would be too much travelling each day so trying to build up a good plan where maybe I can try Italy but decide from there if I would go back and visit Rome I thought of this plan too:

Day 1: Edinburgh to Paris 6 hours on trains

Day 2: Paris to Zurich 4 hour 11.26 arrival full day in Zurich

Day 3: Zurich Milan 3 hour stay there from 10.30 - 7pm

Day 4: Zurich Paris 4 hour

Day 5: Paris Edinburgh 6 hours

I’m trying to keep it down to 5 days and I have been keen to visit Switzerland but was more Basel I fancied. I’ve never been to Switzerland before so not sure what to expect. I could visit Milan from there avoiding Turin.

 

[Gadget88]

My longest trip so far has been this:

Edinburgh to Brussels 6 hours on trains
Brussels to Amsterdam 2 hours
Brussels to Bruges 1 hour
Brussels to Cologne 2 hour
Brussels to Edinburgh 6 hours

So the switzerland option would add 2 hours on trains going via Turin it’s almost 6 hours which isn’t ideal but possible I feel if I could do the above via Switzerland I would find 2 days in Milan possible and Rome for a day.

My first trip had a return so it’s 4 hours on a train anyway so Paris to zurich may not be too bad. Not to sure what scenery I would see though?

 

[newmilton]

But I wasn’t sure if it would be too much travelling each day so trying to build up a good plan where maybe I can try Italy but decide from there if I would go back and visit Rome I thought of this plan too:

Day 1: Edinburgh to Paris 6 hours on trains

Day 2: Paris to Zurich 4 hour 11.26 arrival full day in Zurich

Day 3: Zurich Milan 3 hour stay there from 10.30 - 7pm

Day 4: Zurich Paris 4 hour

Day 5: Paris Edinburgh 6 hours

I’m trying to keep it down to 5 days and I have been keen to visit Switzerland but was more Basel I fancied. I’ve never been to Switzerland before so not sure what to expect. I could visit Milan from there avoiding Turin.

I know French-speaking Switzerland better, having had a friend living in Geneva for ten years, and while I haven't been to Zurich I believe it is very similar: lovely lakeside setting, hugely efficient public transport, but otherwise a bit sterile (I stand to be corrected!). I think Lausanne or Lucerne are probably more attractive places to break your journey. Lausanne is probably cheaper too - though that is a relative concept in Switzerland!

You could take the Paris-Lausanne TGV and spend a day there, then pick up the train to Milan, which would take you around Lac Léman via Montreux and down the Rhône valley, through the Simplon tunnel and down past Lago Maggiore (possibly more scenic since the new tunnel has opened on the other route); or you could aim for Lucerne (not sure of the best route) and take in the Swiss National Transport Museum ... well worth a visit.

 

[Gadget88]

I know French-speaking Switzerland better, having had a friend living in Geneva for ten years, and while I haven't been to Zurich I believe it is very similar: lovely lakeside setting, hugely efficient public transport, but otherwise a bit sterile (I stand to be corrected!). I think Lausanne or Lucerne are probably more attractive places to break your journey. Lausanne is probably cheaper too - though that is a relative concept in Switzerland!

You could take the Paris-Lausanne TGV and spend a day there, then pick up the train to Milan, which would take you around Lac Léman via Montreux and down the Rhône valley, through the Simplon tunnel and down past Lago Maggiore (possibly more scenic since the new tunnel has opened on the other route); or you could aim for Lucerne (not sure of the best route) and take in the Swiss National Transport Museum ... well worth a visit.

Cool sounds an option too.

I don’t know how much I would enjoy switzerland and struggling to find a good hotel in Zurich too.

Another option is I do Turin change to Milan and see how I feel for Rome on the day if I don’t fancy more travelling stick to Milan.

I looked at Chambéry to break the journey up but that doesn’t seem that exciting either.

Has anybody ever done the 5 hour leg from Paris to Turin and returned around 3 days later? I hear some people fly back just not sure how tiring it would be.

 

[Alfonso]

Cool sounds an option too.

I don’t know how much I would enjoy switzerland and struggling to find a good hotel in Zurich too.

Another option is I do Turin change to Milan and see how I feel for Rome on the day if I don’t fancy more travelling stick to Milan.

I looked at Chambéry to break the journey up but that doesn’t seem that exciting either.

Has anybody ever done the 5 hour leg from Paris to Turin and returned around 3 days later? I hear some people fly back just not sure how tiring it would be.

Travelled bristol-Milan in a day using the paris-milan tgv. Personally I don't find sitting down either in a seat or on a bar stool in the bar car tiring. Came back with an overnight stop in Brig - Swiss mountains of more interest than Swiss cities - then tgv from Lausanne as described above. as far as I understand, you don't want to leave too early, arrive too late, fly,spend too long on a train, or visit anywhere for very long, and this is possibly a honeymoon. It sounds a bit glass half empty? Flying one way would give more time to do stuff, a deluxe sleeper would give you an ensuite bathroom from Paris to northern italy, or blow the whole thing off and stay somewhere fancy closer to home?

 

[Gadget88]

Travelled bristol-Milan in a day using the paris-milan tgv. Personally I don't find sitting down either in a seat or on a bar stool in the bar car tiring. Came back with an overnight stop in Brig - Swiss mountains of more interest than Swiss cities - then tgv from Lausanne as described above. as far as I understand, you don't want to leave too early, arrive too late, fly,spend too long on a train, or visit anywhere for very long, and this is possibly a honeymoon. It sounds a bit glass half empty? Flying one way would give more time to do stuff, a deluxe sleeper would give you an ensuite bathroom from Paris to northern italy, or blow the whole thing off and stay somewhere fancy closer to home?

Yes I’m limited to 5 days or 6 at most due to cost. Some people have suggested it’s doable and others say it’s too tiring. I’m on the fence about if it’s worth getting the train to Italy or also Barcelona as that’s 6 hours. Man on the seat is quite influential but I don’t fancy sleeper trains. With Turin it being all mountains and uphill I just wondered if that journey is more tiring than a flat trip. I watched a Top gear where they did London to Milan in a race and the trains do look very nice.

I’m quite happy with the Edinburgh to Paris part but like I say I’ve yet to travel more than 2 hours each way next day to my destination as getting the train to Europe is still new to me.

 

[Chris225]

As i said at the start of the thread it is very similar to what i have booked for 5 weeks time although i added some flights so i can make the Paris motor show.

I fly from Edinburgh to Paris and stay the night,
Then take the TGV Lyria to Zurich and spend the night there.
Next morning on to Chur and then the Bernina express through the swiss alps to Tirano then onto Milan past Lake Como.
Next day i travel on the Freciarossa 1000 in Executive class to Naples and onto spend the night in Sorrento,
On the final day i'm going to look around Pompeii then back to Naples to fly direct back to Edinburgh.

The middle day will be tiring but hopefully given decent weather quite spectacular views.

Looking at your plans i would say you should have no problems with what you are planning and is easily doable.

 

[ac6000cw]

With Turin it being all mountains and uphill I just wondered if that journey is more tiring than a flat trip. I watched a Top gear where they did London to Milan in a race and the trains do look very nice.

I’m quite happy with the Edinburgh to Paris part but like I say I’ve yet to travel more than 2 hours each way next day to my destination as getting the train to Europe is still new to me.

Unless you really don't like mountain & lake scenery, a trip through the mountains is far, far more interesting/less boring ride than racing across the flatlands (especially if you haven't been to the area before). You almost seem to want to come up with reasons for not doing a trip.

In general, European trains are much the same as ones in the UK, except that they are more spacious and are far more likely to be electrically propelled. Service levels, timekeeping, reliability etc. vary from country to country (just like they do in different parts of the UK), but the countries you'll be traveling through are fine.

The scenery through the Alps is, in general, just stunning (and you can still take a local/regional train over the original Gotthard Pass route in Switzerland, if you don't mind the extra time/changes compared to using a longer-distance express via the new tunnel - it's very, very, well worth the ride).

(and I don't think I've ever met anyone who's been to Switzerland and not liked it - apart from the prices...)

 

[Gadget88]

As i said at the start of the thread it is very similar to what i have booked for 5 weeks time although i added some flights so i can make the Paris motor show.

I fly from Edinburgh to Paris and stay the night,
Then take the TGV Lyria to Zurich and spend the night there.
Next morning on to Chur and then the Bernina express through the swiss alps to Tirano then onto Milan past Lake Como.
Next day i travel on the Freciarossa 1000 in Executive class to Naples and onto spend the night in Sorrento,
On the final day i'm going to look around Pompeii then back to Naples to fly direct back to Edinburgh.

The middle day will be tiring but hopefully given decent weather quite spectacular views.

Looking at your plans i would say you should have no problems with what you are planning and is easily doable.

Cool so do you feel going via Zurich is best or Paris to Turin? Hotels wise I feel Milan seems nicer. I would have to stop at Paris on way there and way back but that’s not a bad thing. I’m going to Paris again next month so I will be able to check out the Gare de Lyon and hotels near by.

 

[Gadget88]

Unless you really don't like mountain & lake scenery, a trip through the mountains is far, far more interesting/less boring ride than racing across the flatlands (especially if you haven't been to the area before). You almost seem to want to come up with reasons for not doing a trip.

In general, European trains are much the same as ones in the UK, except that they are more spacious and are far more likely to be electrically propelled. Service levels, timekeeping, reliability etc. vary from country to country (just like they do in different parts of the UK), but the countries you'll be traveling through are fine.

The scenery through the Alps is, in general, just stunning (and you can still take a local/regional train over the original Gotthard Pass route in Switzerland, if you don't mind the extra time/changes compared to using a longer-distance express via the new tunnel - it's very, very, well worth the ride).

(and I don't think I've ever met anyone who's been to Switzerland and not liked it - apart from the prices...)

Yes the scenery looks great I always wanted to see the Alps. For me I worry Switzerland is a bit quiet compared to other cities I visit like Paris or Berlin. Really I’d have to visit it to see what it’s like. Do they speak much English?

 

[Chris225]

Cool so do you feel going via Zurich is best or Paris to Turin? Hotels wise I feel Milan seems nicer. I would have to stop at Paris on way there and way back but that’s not a bad thing. I’m going to Paris again next month so I will be able to check out the Gare de Lyon and hotels near by.

Personally i'd go via Zurich, I do like Switzerland very much. I go a Daytrip to Geneva for the motor show every year and if i ever had a chance i'd move there without hesitation such a lovely city. Although you are correct it is quiet which is why i like it so much. And don't worry about English speaking too much I barely know any French and get by just fine.

My hotel in Paris is the citizenM at the Gare de Lyon so i'll be able to tell you about it soon.

 

[ac6000cw]

Yes the scenery looks great I always wanted to see the Alps. For me I worry Switzerland is a bit quiet compared to other cities I visit like Paris or Berlin. Really I’d have to visit it to see what it’s like. Do they speak much English?

You are very unlikely to have any language problems in Switzerland - it's a multi-lingual country anyway, and it's been catering to tourists for a very long time. Quite often you'll try and ask something in poor French/German/Italian and they'll answer in perfect English...

Switzerland does tend to be quite an 'orderly' country, which gives the impression it's 'quiet' but actually it's just that they don't go around being raucous, badly behaved and making a nuisance of themselves...

 

[Craig2601]

If hotels are looking expensive, try Lausanne, Ibis and Ibis budget are often very cheap there (and in many other places in Switzerland) especially compared to the normal hotel prices there!

 

[Gadget88]

If hotels are looking expensive, try Lausanne, Ibis and Ibis budget are often very cheap there (and in many other places in Switzerland) especially compared to the normal hotel prices there!

Yes they are not expensive as such just a lack of big brand chains near the station I prefer to stay in well known brands bit off by one which was seemingly in a red light area which I thought was only Amsterdam.

I will have to rethink my plans.