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Paris to Roma / Rome by train
How to travel from by train from the capital of France to Italy's equally magnificent capital city
How you travel from Paris to Roma by train depends on whether you set off from the French capital in the morning, or depart in the early afternoon.
Depart from Paris before 07:00 and one one of the two options available for the end-to-end journey involves taking the Italian Frecce train, which has been newly introduced to this route to Italy from Paris; and making a connection on to another Frecce train on to Roma in Milano Centrale station.
The early morning alternative route involves taking TGV train to Torino Porta Susa station and connecting there into a Frecce train on to Roma, and this option is also available when setting off from Paris in the early afternoon.
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!
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Routes
Option 1: taking a TGV train from Paris and connecting in Torino
Journey Summary
10hr 53min - 11hr 2min
Daily
Travel Information
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.
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.
2 x connections per day
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.
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 4 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.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| SNCF Connect | * | |
| Trainline | * |
Train 1
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
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.
Journey Description
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!
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Train 2
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Salerno or Roma
The trains will also call at: Bologna. 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.
Journey Description
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.Option 2: taking a Frecce train from Paris and connecting in Milano
Journey Summary
11h 5min
Daily
Travel Information
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.
1 x connection per day.
Tickets
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.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Trenitalia | * | |
| Trainline | * |
Train 1
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Milano Centrale
These Frecce trains take the same route as the TGV trains, except for;
- they leave the Paris to Lyon high speed line slightly earlier so that they can travel through Lyon
- they travel on the high speed line between Torino and Milano.
Train 2
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
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
Journey description:
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.
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.
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