What's the best way to travel by train around Europe?

Question

I'm studying abroad winter semester in Paris, and I would like to visit Italy as well. I was thinking that I would fly into Milan, and then I would like to see Venice, Florence, and Rome. I noticed that it was somewhat expensive to take the train to these various cities. What is the best way to travel from city to city? Does anyone know of a good website to find train tickets? Also, where is the best place to stay, certain hotels? I'm still new to all of this.

Do you recommend train travel or flying? I figured Paris to Milan by flight would be better then by train, but Milan to Venice, and Paris to Nice would be better train travel.

Answer 1

If you want to move inside just one nation, services like Eurail are generally not advisable; for everything about Italian trains, look here: http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
Trenitalia is the official site for Ferrovie dello Stato (state-controlled railways). There are some smaller companies, but 95% you have no choice but Trenitalia.

Look for trains descriptions http://www.trenitalia.com/en/treni_stazioni/index.html
and Travel conditions http://www.trenitalia.com/en/area_clienti/con_trasp/index.html
especially FAQ http://www.trenitalia.com/en/area_clienti/faq/index.html
for the more important informations; still, take a deeper look on that site for everything else.
You can also buy online, but you can simply buy the tickets inside the railway stations (just be careful about trains where booking is mandatory, like Eurostar).
In order to see the price of a ticket, select departure, arrivals and date the choose one results for details, then click on "Buy"; so you can see all the fares for that ride.

For hotels, you find some on Trenitalia site, yet, or look here http://en.venere.com/ for a list and also customers reviews.

Inside Italy, the best option is train, unless you really want to go from north to south; but for routes like Milan to Rome train is fast enough (4 hours and a half from city center to city center) and cheaper than a flight.

Milan to Florence and Milan to Venice are both less then three hours, Florence to Rome is 1 hour and 40 or 45 minutes. (all intended by using a Eurostar or a Cisalpino train)

Instead, from Paris to Milan is better a flight (but you can consider a train if moving from Paris to Turin, for instance; but look on Trenitalia website for international rides, as well)

Answer 2

You might make Venice and Rome different trips.
It will take as much money and time to go from Venice to Rome as to go from Paris to Venice.
You might even get a cheaper flight Paris-Rome than Venice-Rome.

For train travel within France, and border crossing travel from France, this is the best site:
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/_SvHomePage?_DLG=SvHomePage&_CMD=cmdHomepageUK&WB=HP&rfrr=4685ac17fd2e7656e4918c53b246a3f7

If you do have time but not a lot of money, consider the long distance bus, (not my choice, but a lot of students find it worthwhile):
http://eurolines.com/

As in one of the answers already, buy a Lonely Planet Guide, (useful for Paris too.)
By now you can also find them second hand, from people who have finished traveling the countries they are for. But they are worth the money you pay for them, as you can get hotel or hostel arranged before traveling and save a lot of money that way.

For a young person traveling alone, I advice hostels. Now often hostels also have private rooms, and the dorms are often just 4 or 6 beds.
In the common areas of the hostels you meet other people who are traveling, so you can join up for the day or evening, and you can even arrange for trips together on a later date if you find people you like.
Hotels are more lonely, every body sitting at his own table, pretending that the other people are not there.
If you plan on traveling a lot, invest in an Hosteling International card, safes a little on each stay and gives some more reductions.
If you are not sure you like it, you can also buy 1/6 of the card at each of your first 6 nights of stay. (At least I think they still do.)

Besides Italy you might want to consider a trip to Barcelona, Belgium and maybe one to Switzerland.

Enjoy your stay in Europe.

Answer 3

I'd restrict Greece. Chances of you getting caught because of but one more strike are too prime. If you would mhired a vehicle within the south and desired to drop it off in England that might rate you a fortune. Busses take eternally and aren't very cozy. Out of those choices I'd opt for a instruct

Answer 4

http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/tgv/index.htm
Here's the website for Rail Europe. We traveled on the TGV in France and Italy. I would definitely go this route. These trains are high speed and clean! The local trains can be sketchy as they are older and there is no first class, etc.. I don't really have any hotels to recommend... But I'm sure you could google it. We got all our advice from the Lonely Planet books and it worked out great. They list hotels and contact info as well. Have fun!

Answer 5

Gee, I'm not a traveler, but I thought traveling by train in Europe was fantastic and easy. I remember all the students traveling by train and staying in hostels, but maybe that was the olden days. I did find a sight that I know nothing about--www.railurope.com. Have a great time.

Answer 6

Well interrailing is a good way, but I think only EU citizens can buy such tickets. www.eurail.com/ offer a similar service for non-EU citizens. If you book in advance, it might still be cheaper to fly. ryanair.com , Ireland's low fares airline sometimes has offers of return flights for 20euros.

Answer 7

Bus is cheaper between cities.
Venice is not cheap.....avoid Milan too.
Get down south to Naples by bus...stopping off at small towns on the way. Then bus around .