How to travel from by train from the capital of France to Italy's equally magnificent capital city

Note that the train will depart from the Gare De Lyon in Paris.

On Mondays to Saturdays the 08:01 Eurostar from London typically provides a good connection into the afternoon departure, as it is usually due to arrive into the Gare Du Nord at 11:23.

Making the connection in Torino

If you set off from Paris on the trains, typically scheduled to depart at around 06:47 and 12:47 you will connect into the train on to Roma in Torino Porta Susa station (and not in Milano).
The train on to Roma will likely depart from the same binario (platform/track) that the train from Paris will arrive at, so it's a very straightforward transfer.
The connecting time between trains is scheduled to be around 50 -55mins regardless departure you take from Paris, which allows for contingency in the event of the train from Paris being delayed; though if you set off from Paris at 12:47 you will be connecting into the final direct Frecce train of the day from Torino to Roma.

When taking the TGV from Paris, making the connection between trains in Torino has two major advantages over making the connection from the TGV train in Milano:

(1) The TGVs from Paris arrive at Milano Porta Garibaldi station, but most of the Frecce and Italo trains between Milano and Firenze depart from Milano Centrale station.
Though the Milano Metro links Porta Garibaldi and Centrale.

(2) The TGVs don’t use the high speed line between Torino and Milano, but the Frecce and Italo trains do, so they save around an hour when making the journeys between the two cities.

So making the connection at Torino Porta Susa station is easier and faster and generally no more expensive than travelling via Milano.

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open: around 6 months ahead of the travel date

When looking up this journey on the ticket agents you may see other journey options which involve travelling via Switzerland and making two connections; (1) in either Basel, Geneve or Zurich, and (2) a connection at Milano Centrale.
Though such options are only worth considering if they are considerably cheaper than this routing via Torino.

The Frecce train, which is typically scheduled to depart from Paris at 06:35 has a 40 min connection in Milano Centrale station into another Frecce train on to Roma
Making the transfer in Milano Centrale simply involves walking from one train to the other, though in the event of a delay to the train from Paris, it will be a good idea to move towards the front of the train prior to arrival.
If need be tickets/reservations can be transferred to a train departing later than the booked connection at the Frecce desks on the concourse at Milano Centrale.

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open: 4 months ahead of the travel date

Frecciarossa 1000 trains on the domestic routes within Italy convey 4 classes of accommodation, but the Standard Premier service is not available on this international route.
Also 'Allegro' has been introduced as the branding for the Standard and Business Class, SMTJ isn't certain as to the reason for this, other than to make a distinction with the tickets on the domestic routes.

This journey option, which typically involves departing from Paris at 07:22, has been singled out because it involves making only two changes of train - in Basel and Milano.
So look out for the journey options with only '2 changes' on the ticket search results.
Though the compromise when departing Paris at that time, is spending more than two hours between trains in Basel - though making the connection is virtually guaranteed and there will be time enough for a brunch in the area around Basel SBB station.

Other trains from Paris typically scheduled to arrive Basel only two minutes before the departure of a train on to Milano, but the ticket agents understandably won't allow those making the journey to gamble on making this connection in time.

Making the connection in Milano Centrale

The EuroCity train on from Basel is due to arrive in Milano Centrale at 16:40 and this is a time when there are frequent trains departing for Roma. The typical onward departures are:

• A Frecciarossa 1000 train at 16:58, which is due into Roma Termini at 20:10 - but note that this train is typically scheduled to leave Milano Centrale only 18 mins after the arrival of the train from Basel.
• An Italo train at 17:15, which will be heading to Caserta, and is due into Roma Termini at 20:25.
• A Frecciarossa 1000 train at 17:10, which is due into Roma Termini at 20:50.
  Choosing this slower end-to-end journey time of around 13hr 28min, therefore allows a larger gap between arrival and departure in Milano Centrale, so provides more contingency time in the event of a delay to the train from Geneve.

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings usually open: around 6 months ahead of the travel date

What if the connections are missed

There is relatively new E.U. legislation which protects travellers against financial loss in the event of missed connections due to train delays, and it applies to 'through tickets' - so the advice is to check the T&Cs pre-booking.

In effect 'the terms' for 'through tickets' now protect travellers against financial loss in the event of missed connections due to train delays, in non-exceptional circumstances, and this includes expenditure on hotel fees (up to a limit) if an overnight stay is required in Milano.
Though these new E.U. 'rules' protecting against financial loss don't apply in the exceptional circumstances causing a delay to the trains from Paris or the train from Geneve - and these include; extreme weather conditions, damage to the track by a naturally occurring event such as a flood, the behaviour of a third party such as persons on the track; and on-board emergencies.

Though there is also an Agreement of Journey Continuation Policy, the AJC, which the operator of all the trains on this route have signed up to
Under the terms of the AJC the ticket holder can take the next train on to Roma / Rome, with no need to book new tickets and the exceptional circumstances don't apply - but the AJC doesn't cover the costs of overnight accommodation, if the arrival from Geneve into Milano is then after the final train of the day on to Roma has departed.

Much more info is available on this ticketing guide**](/train-ticket-guides/booking-and-using-tickets-for-european-journeys-involving-more-than-one-train/)

Seat Reservations:

There are mandatory on all trains along this route, so are automatically included when booking tickets, but users of rail passes, will need to pay rail pass reservation fees per train.

This journey option, which typically involves departing from Paris at 08:18, has been singled out because it involves making only two changes of train - in Geneve and Milano.
So look out for the journey options with only '2 changes' on the ticket search results.
Though the compromise with this routing is spending more than two hours between trains in Geneve - though making the connection is virtually guaranteed and there will be time enough for a brunch in the area around Geneve station.

Making the connection in Milano Centrale

The EuroCity train on from Geneve is due to arrive in Milano Centrale at 17:40 and this is a time when there are frequent trains departing for Roma. The typical onward departures are:

• A Frecciarossa 1000 train at 18:00, which will be heading to Salerno via Napoli and is due into Roma Termini at 21:10 - but note that this train is typically scheduled to leave Milano Centrale only 20 mins after the arrival of the train from Geneve.
• An Italo train at 18:20, which will be heading to Napoli, and is due into Roma Termini at 21:25
  Choosing the slower end-to-end journey time of around 13hr 7min, therefore allows a larger gap between arrival and departure in Milano Centrale, so provides more contingency time in the event of a delay to the train from Geneve.
  A Frecciarossa 1000 train at 18:30 which arrives in Roma Termini at 21:40 - but because this train departs after those other two services, the ticket agents don't tend to offer the end-to-end journey that involves taking this train.

The alternatives on this route via Geneve

There are other daily journey options via Geneve which are around 45 mins faster, but these journey options involve making an additional connection between trains in Brig.
Connections between trains at Swiss stations tend to be very reliable, but it's an inconvenience that can be avoided.

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings usually open: around 6 months ahead of the travel date

What if the connections are missed

There is relatively new E.U. legislation which protects travellers against financial loss in the event of missed connections due to train delays, and it applies to 'through tickets' - so the advice is to check the T&Cs pre-booking.

In effect 'the terms' for 'through tickets' now protect travellers against financial loss in the event of missed connections due to train delays, in non-exceptional circumstances, and this includes expenditure on hotel fees (up to a limit) if an overnight stay is required in Milano.
Though these new E.U. 'rules' protecting against financial loss don't apply in the exceptional circumstances causing a delay to the trains from Paris or the train from Geneve - and these include; extreme weather conditions, damage to the track by a naturally occurring event such as a flood, the behaviour of a third party such as persons on the track; and on-board emergencies.

Though there is also an Agreement of Journey Continuation Policy, the AJC, which the operator of all the trains on this route have signed up to
Under the terms of the AJC the ticket holder can take the next train on to Roma / Rome, with no need to book new tickets and the exceptional circumstances don't apply - but the AJC doesn't cover the costs of overnight accommodation, if the arrival from Geneve into Milano is then after the final train of the day on to Roma has departed.

Much more info is available on this ticketing guide.

Seat Reservations:

There are mandatory on all trains along this route, so are automatically included when booking tickets, but users of rail passes, will need to pay rail pass reservation fees per train.