Despite the distance and lack of direct trains, the journey from Paris to Rome is comparatively straightforward.
A combination of two high speed trains and a station purpose-built for high speed rail travel designed around providing step-free access to /from the trains.
Or if you opt to take the route via Milano Centrale, all you will have to do is walk from one train to the other.
Travelling overnight isn't an option worth considering on this route, it's possible to depart Paris on the TGV train to Torino, which typically departs Paris at 14:43 and connecting into an InterCity Notte train on to Roma, but the transfer time is only 18 mins.
Therefore as it's a connection that can't be guaranteed, separate bookings for each train are required, so it's quite a gamble!
When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.
10hr 30 min - 11hr 5mins (approx)
Daily
2 x connections per day
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on SNCF Connect ticket sales. SNCF Connect doesn't charge booking fees and is the online booking service of the national rail operator in France. It also sells tickets for direct high speed trains between France and Belgium, Germany, Barcelona, London, Switzerland and The Netherlands.
SNCF is the national rail operator in France and not so long ago it recently simplified both the range of tickets and the term and conditions of using them.
Therefore the cheapest tickets also become more flexible too.
Other improvements included a simple integration of travelling with bicycles and rail pass users being able to book reservations for national journeys, without paying booking fees.
And it also recently launched SNCF Connect as replacement for its Oui.SNCF booking service.
You can set up a low price alert to let you know when the cheapest price is available for a future journey.
Something else to look out for is that simplest way of travelling with tickets is to use the SNCF Connect App, as booked tickets can therefore be stored on your mobile device, which can then be shown to the train conductors as proof of purchase.
SNCF Connect in the App (Apple) store
SNCF also operates RailEurope, which is in effect a dedicated online booking service for making bookings from outside of Europe.
If you reside outside of Europe you may discover that SNCF Connect rejects phone numbers or card numbers, but RailEurope won't do so.
Though RailEurope will add booking fees when making a purchase
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Note that the train will depart from the Gare De Lyon in Paris.
Making the connection in Torino
If you set off from Paris on the trains which typically scheduled to depart at around 06:45 and 09:45 you cab 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 35 - 45mins, which allows for contingency in the event of the train from Paris being delayed
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.
The TGV heading to Torino and on to Milano will often be joined to another TGV heading to a different destination on departure from Paris.
So don't be surprised, when looking at the departure displays at Paris Gare De Lyon, if you see a train departing at the same time and from the same voie (track/platform as the train heading to Milano.
This other train will also have a different train number.
You won't have to worry about boarding the wrong part of the train - your seat will have been assigned in the train heading to Torino.
The TGVs making the journeys to Italy also spell out where they will be heading to on the exterior of the coaches.
This is, in our humble opinion, one of the most exciting journeys you can take on European express trains.
We love the mix of high speed travel and stunning Alpine scenery
Aside from the wow factor of the speed, most high speed train journeys aren't scenically interesting, when high speed lines pass through hills and mountains, they tend to dive into tunnels.
This journey picks up in terms of scenery once the train leaves the high speed line behind - and that's what makes this journey so exceptional, the alpine views from a TGV train don't get better than this!
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please go here to say thank you.
When departing Paris at around 06:45
Final Destination: Salerno
The train will also call at: Bologna and Firenze SMN and Roma Tiburtina
Leaving the train at Roma Tiburtina can be a good option if your final destination is located along Line B of the Rome Metro.
The train will reverse direction on departure from Milano Centrale and Firenze SMN stations.
When departing Paris at around 09:45
Final Destination: Roma Termini
The train will also call at: Bologna
The train will reverse direction on departure from Milano Centrale.
This is one of the longest European high speed train journeys; the only part of the journey which isn't at high speed occurs when the trains pass through Milano city centre.
It's also a journey of four distinct phases.
(1) The trains speed past the cars on the parallel autostrada for most of the journey between Torino and Milano.
(2) Between Milano and Bologna the trains are at their fastest on this stretch of high speed line - which is fortunate as there's nothing much to see.
(3) Between Bologna and Firenze 99% of the journey is in tunnels.
(4) The high speed line between Firenze and Roma isn't quite as fast as that between Milano and Bologna, but pleasing distant views of hills can be seen from either side of the train.
This is the most scenic part of the train journey.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.
10hr 10min
Daily
1 x connection per day.
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Trenitlalia is the national rail operator in Italy and in addition to its cheaper types of ticket; it also typically offers other discounts available to non-Italians, which include:
The Frecce train, which is typically scheduled to depart from Paris at around 07:30 is usually due to arrive in Milano Centrale shortly after 14:00
When the regular timetable is available, other Frecce trains on to Roma are scheduled to depart Milano Centrale at 14:30; 1500 and 15:10.
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
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.
Final Destination: Milano Centrale
These Frecce trains take the same route as the TGV trains, except for;
Final Destination Roma Termini
The train will also call at Bologna, but this is the only intermediate call by the train which typically departs Milano at 14:30; so this train does not revere direction in Firenze and doesn't call at Roma Tiburtina
This is a journey of three contrasting parts.
(1) Between Milano and Bologna the trains are at their fastest as on this stretch of high speed line they travel up to 290 km/h- which is fortunate as there's nothing much to see.
(2) Between Bologna and Firenze the train are travelling at high speed, but 99% of the journey is in tunnels,
(3) The high speed line between Firenze and Roma isn't quite as fast as that between Milano and Bologna, but as the trains travel at up to 250 km/h pleasing distant views of hills can be seen from either side of the train.
Much of this part of the route is elevated on viaducts, and the video, was taken from one of these.
Then as the train races towards Roma across the farmland, it flashes by a series of villages.
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 second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please consider saying thank you.
This is one of more than 100 train travel guides available on ShowMeTheJourney, which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. As always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney.
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