train travel from uk to italy

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How to travel by train from

London to italy.

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You can travel to Italy by train in a single day, London to Paris by Eurostar in 2h20 from £78 return then Paris to Turin (5h40) or Milan (7h) by TGV or Frecciarossa from €29 each way, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats, free WiFi, a glass of wine to hand and not an airport security queue in sight.

Next morning, another high-speed train whisks you from Turin to Florence in 2h54 from €19.90, Venice in 3h24 from €19.90 or Rome in 4h10 from €29.90.

Great scenery, room to breath, loads of legroom, no baggage fees, no airport taxes, no seatbelt signs, no 2-hour check-ins at remote airports, under 4s go free and around 80% less CO2 than a flight .  Watch the video & see for yourself .

This page explains all you need to know to travel to Italy by train, including the cheapest way to buy tickets either online or by phone.

Train times, fares & tickets

Train travel within Italy

    Turin   Milan   Venice   Bologna

    Florence   Rome   Naples

    Map of Milan    Map of Venice    Map of Florence

    Map of Rome    Map of Naples    Map of Turin

International trains to & from Italy

Other useful information, video guides, useful country information, which route to choose.

There's a choice of train routes from the UK to Italy, some fast & direct, some slower but amazingly scenic.  Browse the list below and click on whichever appeals most.  By all means go out one way & come back another, or stop off on the way, as each train is ticketed separately.

Option 1, by Eurostar & TGV

Breakfast in London, lunch in Paris, tea in the Alps, dinner in Turin or Milan...

This is the easiest, cheapest & fastest way to reach Italy by train (along with option 2).  It's a safe, civilised & scenic way to reach Italy, the route is shown in dark blue on the route map above .

Take a morning Eurostar to Paris from £52 one-way or £78 return then an afternoon high-speed TGV train from Paris to Turin or Milan from €29 each way, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Stay overnight and continue to Verona, Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples next day.

Alternatively, take an evening Eurostar from London to Paris, stay overnight in Paris, then take a TGV from Paris to Turin or Milan, changing at Turin for a fast train to Verona, Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples.

This option has one key advantage over option 2 below:  It's now possible to travel from London to Venice, Florence or Rome in a single day on most weekdays.  Northbound, Naples, Rome or Florence to London is possible in a day, but only on Sundays.

Click here for train times, fares & how to buy tickets .

Option 2, by Eurostar & Frecciarossa

Option 3, by eurostar, tgv & the stuttgart-venice sleeper.

Take a mid-morning Eurostar to Paris, the afternoon TGV to Stuttgart then a high-quality Nightjet sleeper train to Venice.  You don't even need to cross Paris, with this option it's just a 7-minute walk from Paris Nord to Paris Est.

Option 4, by Eurostar & TGV via Switzerland

Just as direct, a little more expensive & with an extra change compared to options 1 & 2, but with some great views of Swiss & Italian lakes (but if you want the ultimate in Swiss Alpine scenery, see option 5 below).  Leave London on an evening Eurostar and stay overnight in Paris.  Next day, take a high-speed Lyria TGV to Geneva, then a EuroCity train through the Swiss Alps to Milan.  Change in Milan for an Italian high-speed train to Verona, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Rome or Naples.  Or you can travel from London to Milan in a day this way, stay overnight and continue to anywhere in Italy next day.  This route is marked in orange on the route map above .  Daily departures.  Click here for train times, fares & how to buy tickets .

Option 5, via the scenic Bernina Express

This is the ultimate scenic option, meaning UNESCO-listed world class scenic.  It's slower than all the other options and takes a little more organisation, but it's worth it.  Travel from London to Zurich by afternoon Eurostar & evening TGV and stay overnight in Zurich.  Next morning, take a Swiss InterCity train to Chur and the fabulous narrow-gauge panoramic Bernina Express to Tirano through spectacular scenery high in the Swiss Alps.  An Italian regional train links Tirano with Milan arriving early evening.  Why not go out this route, and back by a direct route?  See the Bernina Express page for details .

Option 6, via Munich & the Brenner Pass

Take Eurostar & TGV from London to Munich and stay overnight.  Next morning, take a comfortable Austrian EuroCity train from Munich to Verona or Venice via the scenic Brenner Pass through the Alps , changing in Verona for Florence or Rome.  This route is marked in green on the route map above.  Daily departures.  Click here for train times, fares & how to buy tickets .

Option 7, via the Harwich-Hoek ferry

Option 8, via the portsmouth-caen ferry, option 9, by ferry from newcastle or hull, option 10, by venice simplon orient express.

The vintage 5-star luxury option - if you can afford the 5-star price!  The famous & fabulous Venice Simplon Orient Express runs from London to Venice, usually once a week from March to November.  This 24-hour journey in historic restored Pullman cars & Wagons-Lits sleepers costs over £2,000 per person including meals.  Expensive, but you will never regret it.  See the Venice Simplon Orient Express page .

Take your car to Italy by train

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IMPORTANT UPDATE:  On 27 August 2023, a landslide in the Alps blocked the Paris-Milan line. All direct Paris-Milan TGV & Frecciarossa services are cancelled until further notice, at least until the end of 2024.  See the landslide on video .  You can still travel from Paris to Milan via Switzerland, so while the direct line remains blocked, use option 4 instead .  See timetable of alternative Paris-Milan trains .

FURTHER UPDATE:  From 10 January 2024, a temporary service will operate:

Paris Gare de Lyon depart 14:48, Turin Porta Susa 21:46, Milan Porta Garibaldi 23:10.

Milan Porta Garibaldi depart 14:10, Turin Porta Susa depart 15:41, Paris Gare de Lyon 23:14.

This TGV is shown as direct but incorporates a bus transfer around the landslide.

Breakfast in London, lunch in Paris, dinner in Italy.  Every day, three high-speed TGV trains run by SNCF French Railways link Paris with Turin & Milan, with connections to Florence, Venice, Rome & Naples.  Leave London in the morning, have lunch in Paris, reach Turin or Milan in the evening, stay overnight then take a high-speed train to Florence, Venice, Rome or Naples next day.  Or leave London in the evening, stay overnight in Paris and travel from Paris to anywhere in Italy next day.

This route is usually the most inexpensive way to reach Italy by train, as Paris-Milan starts at just €29 each way.  It's a scenic option, shown in dark blue on the route map above , see the video guide , although not as scenic as the more expensive route via Switzerland in option 4 or the ultimate scenic Bernina Express route in option 5 .

Milan is a great city, with the best onward connections to other Italian cities, but Turin is even better and well worth a stopover.  It could be Italy's most under-rated city even if you're not a fan of the 1969 Michael Caine film The Italian Job .  Why not take an earlier Eurostar and have lunch at the famous Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon before catching your TGV to Italy?  Perfect!

Summary timetable southbound

Change in Turin for Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, Verona & Venice , see the Journeys in detail section below .

*  Following day, overnight hotel in Paris necessary.  Why not book an earlier Eurostar and have dinner in Paris?

** The 12:46 Paris-Milan TGV is randomly replaced by a 09:43 on certain dates in 2023 with no connection from London, that's SNCF timetabling for you.

Always check times for your date at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com as times can vary.  Booking usually opens 4 months ahead .

How much does it cost?    How to buy tickets     What's the journey like?    Paris-Milan TGV video guide    Map of Milan showing stations

Summary timetable northbound

For connections from Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, Verona & Venice , see the Journeys in detail section below .

* Following day, overnight hotel in Paris necessary.  By all means book a later Eurostar and have a leisurely breakfast in Paris.

** The 14:10 Milan-Paris TGV is randomly replaced by a 12:10 on certain dates in 2023, that's SNCF timetabling for you.

Check times for your specific date at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com , as times can vary.  Booking usually opens 4 months ahead .

Train times in detail , London to Italy

London ► italy in a single day, leaving 07:55 monday-friday.

For Venice :  Get off in Turin.  A Frecciarossa leaves Turin Porta Susa at 19:10, change at Bologna Centrale arriving Venice S. Lucia at 23:34.

London ► Italy in a single day, leaving 09:24 every day

For Rome, Naples & Salerno :  If you overnight in Turin, a Frecciarossa leaves Turin Porta Nuova at 07:00 or Turin Porta Susa at 07:10, and arrives Rome Termini at 11:49, Naples Centrale at 13:15 & Salerno (for buses to Amalfi) at 14:06.  By all means book a later train and have a leisurely breakfast and a look round Turin.

For Verona or Venice :  If you stay overnight in Turin, there's a Frecciarossa 500 train leaving Turin Porta Nuova at 07:00 or Turin Porta Susa at 07:10, change in Milan Centrale and arrive Verona Porta Nuova at 09:28 & Venice Santa Lucia at 10:42.  If you prefer to stay overnight in Milan, the same train leaves Milan Centrale at 08:15.  But by all means have a leisurely breakfast at your hotel and catch a later train, they leave regularly throughout the day.

London ► Italy with overnight stop in Paris

Step 1, travel from London to Paris on any evening Eurostar you like .

The last one leaves London St Pancras at 20:01 arriving Paris Nord at 23:18, but by all means book an earlier one for an evening in Paris.

Change trains & stations in Paris by metro or taxi from the Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon .

Stay overnight in Paris

The Mercure Paris Gare De Lyon is part of the Gare de Lyon station complex, ideal for catching an early train next morning and great reviews for staff, cleanliness & comfort.  Other recommended hotels near the Gare de Lyon include the Citizen M Hotel (a 2-minute 160m walk from the station, great reviews, 4-star); Hotel Terminus Lyon (in front of the station, 3-star);  Mercure Paris Gare de Lyon (on the station itself, 4-star); Novotel Paris Gare de Lyon (opposite the station, 4-star);  Hotel 26 Faubourg (5 min walk from Gare de Lyon, 2-star).

Step 2, travel from Paris to Turin or Milan by TGV , leaving Paris Gare de Lyon 06:39 every day, arriving Turin P. Susa 12:23 & Milan P. Garibaldi 13:49.

On Saturdays & Sundays there's a later TGV , leaving Paris Gare de Lyon 09:43, arriving Turin P. Susa 15:23 & Milan P. Garibaldi 16:50.

Step 3, take an onward train from Turin or Milan to anywhere in Italy , check times at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

For Bologna, Florence, Rome & Naples, get off the TGV at Turin Porta Susa .  A Frecciarossa leaves Turin Porta Susa at 13:10, arriving Bologna 15:24, Florence SMN at 16:04, Rome Termini 17:49 & Naples Centrale 19:12 & Salerno (for buses to Amalfi) at 20:05.

For Verona or Venice , get off the TGV at Turin Porta Susa and have lunch.  A Frecciarossa leaves Turin Porta Susa at 15:18 arriving Verona Porta Nuova at 17:28 & Venice Santa Lucia at 18:42.  An earlier connection is possible with changes of train in Bologna or Milan, check times at www.raileurope.com , www.thetrainline.com .

Train times in detail , Italy to London

Italy ► london in a single day, leaving milan 06:00 or turin 07:36.

From Venice or Verona :  A Frecciarossa leaves Venice S. Lucia 16:48 & Verona P. Nuova 18:02, change Milan Centrale , arriving Turin P. Susa 20:49.

From any other Italian city, check train times to Turin Porta Susa or Milan P. Garibaldi at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

This train runs every day.  The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a relaxing & comfortable journey, passing directly from France into Italy via Modane and the Mont Cénis tunnel through the Alps, see the video guide below .

Italy ► London in a single day, leaving Milan 12:10 or Turin 13:38 on Sundays

From Naples, Rome, Florence or Bologna :  A daily Frecciarossa 1000 leaves Naples Centrale at 06:40, Roma Termini at 08:10, Florence SMN at 09:55 & Bologna 10:36, arriving Turin Porta Susa 12:49.  An earlier departure is available from Rome, Florence & Bologna if you like.

From Venice or Verona :  A Frecciarossa high-speed train leaves Venice Santa Lucia at 08:18 or Verona Porta Nuova at 09:32, arriving at Turin Porta Susa at 11:38.  Have lunch in Turin.

From any other Italian city :  Check train times to Turin Porta Susa or Milan Porta Garibaldi at either www.raileurope.com , www.thetrainline.com or www.trenitalia.com .  Make sure you arrive in Turin at least 45 minutes before the TGV is due to depart, to allow for any delay.

Italy ► London with overnight stop in Paris, leaving Milan 12:10 or Turin 13:38 Saturdays

From Venice or Verona :  A Frecciarossa high-speed train leaves Venice Santa Lucia daily at 08:18 or Verona Porta Nuova at 09:32, arriving at Turin Porta Susa at 11:38.  Have lunch in Turin.

From any other Italian city :  Check train times to Milan or Turin at either www.raileurope.com , www.thetrainline.com or www.trenitalia.com .  Make sure you arrive in Turin at least 45 minutes before the TGV is due to depart, to allow for any delay.

Step 2, travel from Milan or Turin to Paris by TGV leaving Milan P. Garibaldi 12:10 or Turin P. Susa 13:38, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 19:16.

If you want a hotel room on arrival at the Gare de Lyon, I suggest the Mercure Paris Gare De Lyon as it's part of the station complex.  If you'd prefer to stay near the Gare du Nord ready for a morning Eurostar next day I suggest the excellent 25 Hours Terminus Nord , directly across the road from the Gare du Nord with great reviews & great feedback from Seat61 users.  See other suggested hotels near the Gare de Lyon or Gare du Nord .

Step 3, travel from Paris to London next morning on any Eurostar you like

On Sunday mornings the first train leaves Paris Gare du Nord at 08:12 arriving London St Pancras at 09:30.

Italy ► London with overnight stop in Paris, leaving Milan 14:10 or Turin 15:41 Monday-Friday

From Naples, Rome, Florence or Bologna :  A daily Frecciarossa 1000 leaves Naples Centrale at 06:40, Roma Termini at 08:10, Florence SMN at 09:55 & Bologna 10:36, arriving Turin Porta Susa 12:49.

From any other Italian city :  You can check train times to Milan or Turin at either www.raileurope.com , www.italiarail.com or www.trenitalia.com .  Make sure you arrive in Turin at least 45 minutes before the TGV is due to depart, to allow for any delay.

Step 2, travel from Milan or Turin to Paris by TGV , leaving Milan P. Garibaldi 14:10 or Turin P. Susa 15:41, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 21:14.

The first train leaves Paris Gare du Nord at 07:12 on Mondays-Saturdays arriving London St Pancras at 08:30 or at 08:12 on Sundays arriving 09:30, but by all means book a later one.

Italy ► London with overnight stop in Paris, leaving Milan 16:10 or Turin 17:38 every day

From Naples, Rome, Florence or Bologna :  A daily Frecciarossa 1000 leaves Naples Centrale 10:40, Roma Termini 12:10, Florence SMN 13:55 & Bologna 14:36, arriving Turin Porta Susa 16:59.  By all means travel earlier and spend an afternoon in Turin.

From Venice or Verona :  A Frecciarossa leaves Venice Santa Lucia at 11:48 & Verona Porta Nuova at 13:02, arriving Milan Centrale at 14:15.  Transfer from Centrale to Porta Garibaldi station by metro or taxi .  By all means travel earlier and have lunch in Milan.

Step 2, travel from Milan or Turin to Paris by TGV , leaving Milan P. Garibaldi 16:10 or Turin P. Susa 17:38, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 23:19.

The first train usually leaves Paris Gare du Nord at 07:12 on Mondays-Saturdays arriving London St Pancras at 08:30, but by all means book a later one.  On Sundays the first train is the 08:12 arriving London at 09:30.

How much does it cost ?

London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £97 one-way, £168 return standard premier (1st class).

Paris to Turin or Milan starts at €29 each way in 2nd class, €44 each way in 1st class.

Turin or Milan to Venice or Florence starts at €19.90 each way in standard (2nd) class, €29.90 in business (1st) class.

Turin or Milan to Rome or Naples starts at €29.90 each way in standard (2nd) class, €39.90 in business (1st) class.

Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure.  Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel.  Children under 4 go free.

How to buy tickets

Book at www.raileurope.com

Raileurope.com connects to the British, French & Italian ticketing systems so you can buy all your tickets from the UK to Italy in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or $.  There's a small booking fee.  You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.  Who are Raileurope.com?

When does booking open?

Booking for Eurostar opens 6 months ahead, sometimes up to 11 months.  Paris-Milan TGVs & onward Italian trains open only 4 months ahead, but this varies.  I recommend waiting until booking is open at least as far as Milan, so you can confirm times & prices before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.

There's an annual timetable change on the second Saturday in December, Paris-Turin-Milan TGV bookings for dates after this (including Christmas & New Year) usually open in mid-October.

More about when train bookings open .  You can reserve accommodation before booking your trains risk-free if you use www.booking.com with free cancellation.

Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead

Fares for Eurostar and for French & Italian mainline trains are dynamic like air fares, so book early and search for the cheapest departures.  The cheapest tickets mean no refunds, no changes.

Out one way, back another?

You can go out one way & back another if you like.  Almost all European trains are priced as one-way, where a return is simply two one-ways.  I usually find it easier to book one way at a time.

How to book

First, a reality check.  You can't just put London to Naples into a journey planner and expect it to book you from London to Turin, arrange an overnight hotel with an 8am wake-up call, then book you from Turin to Naples after breakfast next day.  Systems aren't that clever!

You can book from London to Turin or Milan as one seamless transaction, but if you're going further into Italy or want to stop overnight in Paris, you'll need to split the booking.

Method 1 is easiest, use this if you are travelling from London to Turin or Milan in a single day, one-way or return, with or without an onward train further into Italy the following day.

Method 2 can cope with more complex journeys, use this if you're planning an overnight stop in Paris on the way out or the way back, or using different routes out & back.

Incidentally, there are no through tickets from London to Italy, however you book you get a Eurostar ticket to Paris, a French ticket from Paris to Milan and separate onward Trenitalia tickets.  But connections across Paris are protected by the Railteam/HOTNAT and AJC .

1.  Go to www.raileurope.com

2.  Enter London to Turin or Milan , number of passengers, date of travel, set departure time 07:00.

3.  If you're coming back and will also be going Milan or Turin to London in a single day, enter your return date with departure time set to either 06:00 or 12:00.

On French & Italian trains a return is two one ways, but on Eurostar, London-Paris return fares are significantly cheaper than two one ways so a round trip involving Eurostar should always be booked as a return.

4.  Now the science bit.  Click More options and enter Paris Nord as a via station with stopover duration set to 1 hour (to guarantee a minimum acceptable 1 hour between trains in Paris) or 2 hours (a more robust connection, recommended) or 3 hours (for lunch in Paris at the famous Train Bleu restaurant ).  If you don't do this, the system can offer risky cross-Paris connections as tight as 42 minutes.  Advice on crossing Paris .

5.  Run the enquiry.  Look in the search results for journeys with 1 change.  Add to basket.

6.  If you are staying overnight in Turin/Milan and travelling onwards next day, book a suitable train from Turin or Milan to Venice, Florence, Rome (or wherever) as a second separate booking and add to basket.

7.  If you're making a round trip, book a suitable train from Venice, Florence, Rome (or wherever) to Milan or Turin for the day before your return journey from there to London, as a third separate booking, and add to your basket.

First, browse the train times above and find a train service that suits you, out & back.  By all means go out one way and back another, or go outward with an overnight stop in Turin, back with an overnight stop in Paris, whatever.  Note down each individual train you want to book, on what specific date.  Then go to www.raileurope.com

Step 1, book your chosen train from Paris to Turin or Milan, one-way, add to basket.  This is the crucial bit so we do this first & confirm times.

Step 2, book your chosen train from Milan or Turin to Paris, one-way, and add to basket.  Confirm times.

Step 3, book the Eurostar from London to Paris & back as a round trip and add to basket.

Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one ways, so a round trip on Eurostar should always be booked as a return.

Use the suggested Eurostar times above as a guide, but by all means book an earlier Eurostar than the one I suggest going out, or a later one coming back, if you'd prefer a more robust connection (as I do), if the fare is cheaper, or if you want to have lunch in Paris (also me!).

Just remember that with this method, it's up to you to make sure there's at least 60 minutes between trains in Paris southbound, 90 minutes northbound (to include the Eurostar check-in), ideally 2 hours.  So engage brain!  Advice on crossing Paris .

Step 4, if you are travelling beyond Turin/Milan, book a suitable train from Turin or Milan to Venice, Florence, Rome (or wherever), add to basket.  If you're making a same-day connection in Turin/Milan, look for a train leaving at least 1 hour after the TGV from Paris arrives.

Step 5, if you're coming back, book your train from Rome, Florence, Venice (or wherever) to Milan or Turin & add to basket.  If you're making a same-day connection in Milan/Turin, book a train which arrives at least 1 hour before the TGV to Paris leaves.

Travelling from the UK regions

Raileurope can book journeys starting from any British station, not just London.  It allows about an hour for Eurostar check-in.

However, consider booking from London to Italy first, then buying a separate ticket from your local station to London.  There are 2 reasons to do this:  First, you might want a more robust connection between trains in London, say 2 hours.  Second, Raileurope doesn't sell the special tickets to London International CIV which can sometimes save you money in the weekday morning peak, learn about these here .

Child fares & infants

Children under 12 travel at the child rate on Eurostar, on the TGV & on Trenitalia regional trains.

Children under 15 travel at the child rate on Trenitalia's high-speed & intercity trains.

On Eurostar, TGV, Trenitalia & Italo, infants under 4 go free, no need to buy them a ticket, just bring them along.  But they don't get their own seat.

Tip:   You can give an infant their own seat on the Paris-Turin-Milan TGV for €9 with a Billet Bambin .  Simply add the infant to your booking with their correct age.

After booking, you can view & change your Eurostar seats

After you have booked trains between London & Italy using www.raileurope.com , you can go to www.eurostar.com and use the Manage booking feature to view and change your Eurostar seats, see instructions & tips for choosing seats here .

Train seat maps:   Find Eurostar, TGV & Italian train seat maps here .

Or buy at Thetrainline.com

You can also book trains from London to Italy at www.thetrainline.com .

Like Raileurope, it connects to the Eurostar, SNCF (French Railways), Trenitalia (Italian Railways) and Italo ticketing systems so you can easily book all your tickets in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or $ with overseas credit cards no problem.  Who are Thetrainline.com?

Most of the Raileurope booking tips above also apply to booking with www.thetrainline.com .

However, Raileurope.com has a killer advantage, you can specify a via station with a stopover duration.  This is really useful for a London-Milan journey where you want to allow sufficient time in Paris.

Thetrainline.com lets you specify a via , but not duration , so I recommend using method 2.

Or book each train separately

Alternatively, you can book each train separately direct from the relevant train operator with no booking fee.  It's more effort than booking everything in one place in plain English at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com and the actual fares are unlikely to be any cheaper, so if you're new to this I'd stick with www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .  If you want to book each train separately, do a dry run on each site to confirm times, prices & availability before booking for real.

Step 1, book the TGV from Paris to Turin or Milan & back using the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com .

It can be used by anyone from any country, a little more fiddly than Raileurope, but no booking fee and a full range of seating options - it even allows seat selection from a seat map if you're booking 1st class.

Step 2, now book a connecting London-Paris Eurostar at www.eurostar.com .

Or book your Eurostar at www.sncf-connect.com if you prefer.

Allow at least 1 hour southbound between trains in Paris, ideally more.  You simply print your own ticket or can choose to collect it at the station from the e-ticket machines.  There's no booking fee.

By all means choose an earlier Eurostar than the one suggested, or a later one on the way back, if you want to stop off in Paris or if it has cheaper fares available.  Just make sure you always allow at least 60 minutes southbound, 90 minutes northbound, to change trains and stations in Paris, ideally more.

Want to choose your exact seat?  www.eurostar.com allows you to choose an exact seat from a numbered seating plan.  First buy your ticket then after payment use the Manage booking facility to change your seats.  See tips on choosing the best seats on Eurostar .

Travelling from outside London?  Buy a separate ticket up to London to connect with Eurostar, see the advice here .

You can buy Trenitalia tickets from Turin or Milan to other Italian cities at www.italiarail.com (in €, £, $ or Au$) or www.trenitalia.com (in €) or www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (in €, £ or $).  Which of these to use?

The competing Italo trains between Milan and Florence, Rome or Naples can be booked direct with Italo at www.italotreno.it (no booking fee) or at www.raileurope.com (with small booking fee).

Booking for Italian trains opens up to 4 months ahead , but the Europe-wide timetable changes on the 2nd Sunday in June and the 2nd Sunday in December often shorten this to around 2 months.

www.italiarail.com is an agency which links directly to Trenitalia's ticketing system.  Easy to use, in plain English, seat61 receives some commission if you book this way and they'll refund seat61 users their booking fee if you email [email protected] with your PNR.

Trenitalia's own site www.trenitalia.com is also now pretty easy to use, although you'll need to use Italian-language place names such as Firenze for Florence and Napoli for Naples, it has a few quirks, especially confusing translations when booking sleepers, so see this advice on using it .  However, there is no booking fee and it allows specific seat selection on high-speed trains for a small fee.

All these sites sell the same tickets at the same prices and all offer ticketless travel for high-speed, InterCity & sleeper trains, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.  Simples!

Or use an Interrail pass

Pass or point to point?

Let's be clear, a pass will not save money over the cheapest point-to-point advance-purchase fares you might see if you book a few months ahead.  But when point-to-point fares are expensive (for example, at short notice) OR you want flexibility, for example the ability to change your mind, re-route or reschedule as necessary, you can travel from the UK to Italy & back using an Interrail pass.

If flexibility is what you want, buy the pass.  If it's about saving money, you'll have to check point-to-point prices and do the maths.

It's worth doing the maths if you are under 28, if you have kids (kids get a free pass when accompanying an adult but still need to pay reservation fees) or if you live a long way from London (as a pass covers you from your home station to London). Passes are available in 1st & 2nd class.

How to use a pass for a trip to Italy

Step 1, buy a 4-days in 1-month Interrail pass from www.raileurope.com (click Rail passes and select Europe ) or www.interrail.eu for €283 adult, €212 youth or €255 senior.  You load the pass into the Railplanner app on your phone.  See pass prices on the Interrail page .

A 4-day pass is sufficient to get from almost anywhere in mainland Britain to almost anywhere on mainland Italy & back again.

A 4-day pass gives you unlimited train travel on any 4 dates you choose in an overall 1 month period.  The first travel day can be any date you select in the 11 months after buying the pass, the overall 1 month period starts from that date.  Learn about how Interrail passes work here .

Step 2, you need a Eurostar passholder ticket from London to Paris & back, €30 each way.  See prices & how to make Eurostar passholder reservations .  Tip:  Eurostar passholder availability is limited, so check availability before buying a pass .

Step 3, you need a passholder reservation on the Paris-Milan TGV, €31 each way.  See cost of reservations & how to make them .

By all means go out one way, back another, with an Interrail pass you can use almost any of the trains & routes to/from Italy shown on this page, find out how to reserve the relevant trains using the Interrail reservations guide .

Step 4, you need a €13 passholder reservation for each high-speed train you take in Italy, €3 for Intercity trains, no reservation needed for regional trains.  See cost of reservations & how to make them .

Or have your trip arranged as a package

Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a tour, holiday or short break for you as a package with rail travel, hotels & transfers.  Their website offers a range of tours, holidays & breaks to France by rail which can be customised to your requirements.  As you're booking a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens to one part of the itinerary such as a strike or delay.

Their most popular trips include UK to Venice via the Alps , UK to Lake Como via the Alps , UK to Florence via the Alps , UK to Rome via the Alps , UK to Amalfi Coast via the Alps , all of which are customisable to your requirements.  They have offices in the UK, USA & Australia.

Byway ( Byway.travel ) is a new UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating .  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, they'll book a London-Italy journey for you as a package, including overnight hotels, starting from any British station you like.

To see pre-configured packages from London to Turin, Milan, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Varenna (Lake Como), Rome, Naples or Catania (Sicily), use the journey planner on their website .

Tip:   First book a one-way outward journey to your destination city on your outward date.  Then change the direction of the arrow and book an inward journey on your return date.  The journey back to the UK can be from a different location if you like, for example if you plan to travel around a bit before your return to the UK.

Alternatively they can build a trip to your requirements, email them or use the contact form .  Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.

Tailor Made Rail also offers packages from the UK to Italy by train which can be customised your own requirements, one-way or round trip, with any stopovers you want.  Indeed, they can organise a trip for you entirely based on your own requirements, they welcome complex itineraries!  As it's a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens on one part of the trip, for example, a national strike.  They're TTA-protected - like ATOL, but not only for agencies that sell air travel.

Call their dedicated seat61 phone line 020 3778 1461 and quote seat 61 when booking.  From outside the UK call +44 20 3778 1461.  Lines open 09:00-17:30 Monday-Friday.  Their website is www.tailormaderail.com/destinations/italy .

Escorted tours to Italy by train

If you'd prefer to go to Italy on an escorted tour with a convivial group of travellers rather than travelling solo or independently, here are the two UK companies which arrange escorted tours by train from the UK to destinations all over Europe on various dates through the year.  Both companies are part of the same group.

How to buy tickets by phone

What's the journey like .

1. London to Paris by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in at London St Pancras as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure .  St Pancras station guide .  Paris Gare du Nord station guide .  How to cross Paris by metro or taxi .

Lunch in Paris at the Train Bleu restaurant?

The trains to Italy leave from the magnificent Gare de Lyon in central Paris.  Why not have lunch (or at least a drink in the bar) at the fabulous Train Bleu Restaurant inside the Gare de Lyon (pictured above right) before catching the train to Turin or Milan?  Paris Gare de Lyon station guide .

2. Paris to Turin or Milan by TGV

SNCF (French Railways) operates three daily 186 mph TGV trains from Paris to Turin & Milan.  Previously operated by Artesia, a consortium of Trenitalia & SNCF, they are now operated entirely by SNCF, officially via a new Italian subsidiary, Società Viaggiatori Italia.  On leaving Paris they sprint over the high-speed line at up to 300 km/h (186 mph) as far as Lyon St Exupéry, but they then slow right down to meander through the scenic Alpine foothills on conventional lines via Chambéry, crossing into Italy at Modane and heading through Turin to Milan.  These TGVs have 1st & 2nd class seats and are air-conditioned with interiors designed by Christian Lacroix.  There's free WiFi, power sockets for laptops and mobiles at every seat, baby-changing facilities and designated spaces for passengers in wheelchairs.  There's a cafe-bar serving drinks, snacks & light meals, or feel free to bring your own food & wine along for the journey.  You can now buy Paris metro tickets from the bar car, too.  1st class TGV passengers can use the Grand Voyageurs 1st class lounge at Paris Gare de Lyon.

3. Turin to Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples by Frecciarossa

Take a Frecciarossa 500 or 1000 from Turin to Florence, Rome or Naples, or a Frecciarossa 700 to Verona or Venice,  All have cafe-bar, power sockets a all seats & free WiFi.  See the Frecciarossa page for more details & photos .

Or try the competition, NTV's Italo

Trenitalia now has competition.  A private company called NTV now runs Italo trains between Milan and Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples, in competition with State-run operator Trenitalia.  On Italo there are 3 classes:  Smart (2nd class), Prima (1st class) & Club (premium 1st), all with Poltrona Frau leather seats and free WiFi.  More about Italo .  Buy tickets at www.italotreno.it .

Video guide :  Paris to Milan by TGV

IMPORTANT UPDATE:  On 27 August 2023, a landslide in the Alps blocked the Paris-Milan line. All direct Paris-Milan TGV & Frecciarossa services are cancelled until at least the end of 2024.  See the landslide on video .  You can still travel from Paris to Milan via Switzerland, so while the direct line remains blocked, use option 4 instead .  See timetable of alternative Paris-Milan trains .

On 18 December 2021, Trenitalia launched a twice-daily Paris-Turin-Milan Frecciarossa 1000 high-speed train , in competition with SNCF's 3 daily TGVs.  In terms of price, speed, facilities and timings the Frecciarossas are pretty similar to the TGVs ( see a blow-by-blow comparison here ), but the Frecciarossa is the newer and more glamorous train with an interior styled by Pininfarina.  It offers 4 classes, including the luxurious Executive class.

The Frecciarossa arrives at the well-connected (and magnificent) Milan Centrale , not the secondary Milan Porta Garibaldi used by the TGV, so with the Frecciarossa I recommend changing in Milan rather than Turin.

London to Venice is 1,645 km (1,022 miles) by train via this route.  London to Florence is 1,685 km (1,047 miles).  London to Rome is 1,946 km (1,209 miles).

If you want to avoid crossing Paris

The Frecciarossa stops in Lyon, so you can travel London to Lyon with a simple same-station change in Lille, stay overnight, then travel from Lyon to Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples next day, with no need to cross Paris!   See the journey via Lyon below .

London ► Italy in a single day

Affordable hotels with good or great reviews just outside Milan Centrale include the Hotel Bristol , Hotel Bernina , 43 Station Hotel , B&B Hotel Milano Central Station , Guesthouse Teodora .  Pricier more upmarket hotels include HD8 Hotel , Glam Hotel , Made to Measure Business , Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson .

For Rome & Naples : A Frecciarossa 1000 leaves Milan Centrale at 07:30, arriving Rome Termini 10:40 & Naples Centrale 12:03.

For Verona or Venice :  A Frecciarossa 500 train leaves Milan Centrale at 08:15 arriving Verona Porta Nuova 09:28 & Venice Santa Lucia 10:42. 

Day 1, travel from London to Paris on any evening Eurostar you like

The last one leaves London St Pancras at 20:01 daily arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 23:18, but by all means book an earlier one.

Day 2, travel from Paris to Milan by Frecciarossa , leaving Paris Gare de Lyon 07:25, arriving Turin P. Susa 13:18 & Milan Centrale 14:07.

Day 2, take a train from Milan to anywhere in Italy , check times at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

For Rome : A Frecciarossa 1000 leaves Milan Centrale at 14:30, arriving Rome Termini 17:40.

For Naples : A Frecciarossa 1000 leaves Milan Centrale at 15:25, arriving Rome Termini 18:40 & Naples Centrale 20:03.

For Verona or Venice :  A Frecciarossa leaves Milan Centrale at 14:45 arriving Verona Porta Nuova 15:58 & Venice Santa Lucia 17:12.

All these trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi

London ► Italy with overnight stop in Lyon

Day 1, travel from London to Lyon with an easy same-station change in Lille

Leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 11:04 every day, change at Lille Europe onto a TGV , arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 17:00.

Or daily except Saturdays, leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 15:04, change at Lille Europe onto a TGV, arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 22:00.

Eurostar and TGV both have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  The TGV by-passes Paris on the high-speed avoiding line.

Stay overnight in Lyon:  The Ibis Budget Lyon Centre - Gare Part Dieu is affordable & right next to Lyon Part Dieu station with good reviews, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Lyon also gets great reviews and is just a few minutes walk away.

Day 2, travel from Lyon to Milan by Frecciarossa , leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 09:30, arriving Turin P. Susa 13:18 & Milan Centrale 14:07.

Day 2, take an onward train from Milan to anywhere in Italy , check times at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

For Rome & Naples : A Frecciarossa 1000 leaves Milan Centrale at 15:10, arriving Rome Termini 18:49 & Naples Centrale 20:10.

All these trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Italy ► London in a single day

From Venice or Verona :  A Frecciarossa leaves Venice Santa Lucia at 16:48 & Verona Porta Nuova at 18:02, arriving Milan Centrale 19:15.

This train runs every day.  The Frecciarossa has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a relaxing & comfortable journey, passing directly from France into Italy via Modane and the Mont Cénis tunnel through the Alps, see the scenery photos here .

Italy ► London with overnight stop in Paris

From Venice or Verona :  A Frecciarossa leaves Venice Santa Lucia at 11:48 & Verona Porta Nuova at 13:02, arriving Milan Centrale 14:15.

Day 1, travel from Milan to Paris by Frecciarossa leaving Milan Centrale 15:53 or Turin P. Susa 16:41, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 22:34.

Day 2, travel from Paris to London next morning on any Eurostar you like

Italy ► London with overnight stop in Lyon

Day 1, travel from Milan to Lyon by Frecciarossa , leaving Milan Centrale 15:53 or Turin P. Susa 16:41, arriving Lyon Part Dieu 20:23.

Day 2, travel from Lyon to London with an easy same-station change in Lille

Leave Lyon Part Dieu at 11:00 by high-speed TGV , change at Lille Europe onto Eurostar , arriving London St Pancras at 15:57.

The TGV & Eurostar both have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  For more details see the Lyon to London section .

Paris to Turin or Milan by Frecciarossa starts at €29 each way in standard (2nd) class, €36 in business (1st) class or €165 in executive class.

Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.  Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel.  Children under 4 go free.

Book at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com

Both websites connect to the British, French & Italian ticketing systems, so you can buy all your tickets in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or $.  There's a small booking fee.  You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.  About Raileurope.com   About Thetrainline

www.thetrainline.com has a key advantage, you can select seats from a seat map on both the Frecciarossa and onward Italian trains.

Eurostar opens 6 months ahead, sometimes up to 11 months.  Paris-Milan Frecciarossas and onward Italian trains open up to 4 months ahead, but it varies.  I'd wait until your trains are open for sale at least as far as Milan, so you can confirm times & prices before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  More about when train bookings open .  You can reserve accommodation before booking your trains risk-free if you use www.booking.com with free cancellation.

Fares for Eurostar & Trenitalia long-distance trains are dynamic like air fares, so book early and search for the cheapest departures.  The cheapest tickets may mean no refunds, no changes.

First, browse the train times above and find a departure that suits you, out & back.  By all means go out one way and back another, or go outward direct, back with an overnight stop in Paris, whatever.

Note down each individual train you want to book on what specific date.  Go to www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

Step 1, book your chosen Frecciarossa from Paris to Milan, one-way, add to basket.  This is the key train so add it first & confirm times.

Step 2, book your chosen Frecciarossa from Milan to Paris, one-way, and add to basket.  Confirm times.

Step 3, book the Eurostar from London to Paris & back as a round trip and add to basket

Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one ways, so a round trip on Eurostar should always be booked as a return. 

There are no through tickets, you'll get separate tickets for Eurostar and for the Trenitalia-run trains, so make sure there's plenty of time between trains in Paris.  Trenitalia is not a member of Railteam so the connection in Paris is not protected by HOTNAT (only by the AJC ), so I'd want at least 2 hours between trains in Paris southbound, 2½ hours northbound (including Eurostar check-in).

Step 4, if you are travelling beyond Turin/Milan, book a suitable train from Turin/Milan to Venice, Florence, Rome or wherever, add to basket.

If you're making a same-day connection in Milan, you can book from Paris to your Italian destination as one booking, the system knows how long to allow in Milan and as this is a through ticket you'll be rebooked on a later onward train if the Frecciarossa from Paris is delayed.

Step 5, if you're coming back, book your train from Rome, Florence, Venice (or wherever) to Milan/Turin & add to basket. 

If you're making a same-day connection with the afternoon Frecciarossa from Milan to Paris, book a train which arrives in Milan at least 1 hour before the Frecciarossa leaves.  You could let the system book a through journey to Paris for you, but it will allow a much tighter connection, there's no later train to Paris so you don't want to miss it!

How to book if you're going via Lyon

If you're going out and back via Lille, it's the same basic process.

Step 1, book the Frecciarossa from Lyon to Milan.

Step 2, book the Frecciarossa from Milan to Lyon.

Step 3, book from London to Lyon & back as a round trip.

I recommend booking from London to Italy first, then buying a separate ticket from your local station to London with at least 2 hours between arrival in London and your Eurostar departure. See advice about tickets to London International CIV .

Children under 12 travel at the child rate on Eurostar and on Trenitalia regional trains.

Children under 15 travel at the child rate on the Paris-Milan Frecciarossa and on Trenitalia's high-speed & intercity trains.

On Eurostar & Trenitalia, infants under 4 go free, no need to buy them a ticket, just bring them along.  But they don't get their own seat.

After you have booked a journey between London & France, you can go to www.eurostar.com and use the Manage booking feature to view and change your Eurostar seats, see the instructions and tips for choosing seats here .

Train seat numbering plans

Frecciarossa 1000 seat map .  For other seat maps see the train seating plan page .

A 4-day pass is sufficient to get from almost anywhere in mainland Britain to almost anywhere on mainland Italy & back again.  A 4-day pass gives you unlimited train travel on any 4 dates you choose in an overall 1 month period.  The first travel day can be any date you select in the 11 months after buying the pass, the overall 1 month period starts from that date.  Learn about how Interrail passes work here .

Step 2, you need a Eurostar passholder reservation from London to Paris & back, €30 each way.  See prices & how to make Eurostar passholder reservations .  Tip:  Eurostar passholder availability is limited, so check availability before buying a pass .

Step 3, buy a normal ticket on the Frecciarossa from Paris (or Lyon) to Milan using www.thetrainline.com .  The Frecciarossa isn't covered by Interrail as it's run by subsidiary Trenitalia France which hasn't signed up to the Interrail Scheme.  But as the rival TGV charges a €31 passholder fee and Frecciarossa fares start from €29, this isn't as big an issue as you'd think.  The Frecciarossa's Serenita fares are refundable less 20% and changeable, up to departure, so you still have some flexibility with this bit.

2. Paris to Turin or Milan by Frecciarossa

Trenitalia's Frecciarossa 1000 has 4 classes, Standard, Premium, Business and Executive.  There's a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's capable of 360 km/h (223mph) but in service it's limited to 300km/h (186 mph) on the French & Italian high-speed lines, shown in red on the route map here .  The scenery is the same as for the competing TGV, see photos of the scenery here .

3. Milan to Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples by Frecciarossa

Take a Frecciarossa 500 or 1000 from Milan to Florence, Rome or Naples, or a Frecciarossa 700 to Verona or Venice,  All have cafe-bar, power sockets a all seats & free WiFi.  See the Frecciarossa page for more details & photos .

Option 3 , London to Venice by sleeper

The direct Paris-Venice Thello sleeper was suspended in March 2020 due to the pandemic and then discontinued permanently.  But there's a direct TGV from Paris to Stuttgart and a high-quality Austrian Nightjet sleeper from Stuttgart to Venice - if you're going to Venice, this option may suit you.

London ► Venice

Venice ► london, how much does it cost.

Each train is ticketed separately, so add up the price for each leg of the journey.  On the sleeper train, berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed, the other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers.  For sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a single-berth sleeper, 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper, 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette & so on.

If you're returning, book the Eurostar as a round trip because Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one-ways.  With the TGV & sleeper train it doesn't matter, a round trip is simply two one-ways and it can be easier to book one way at a time & add to basket.

Another way to book tickets

What's the journey like.

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure .  St Pancras station guide .  Gare du Nord station guide .

2. Paris to Stuttgart by TGV Duplex   See the video guide

In Paris it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est for the TGV to Germany.  Sit back with a glass of red and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views.  The train is equipped with power sockets for laptops & mobiles at all seats in both classes, and a cafe-bar serves drinks, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.  The train soon leaves the Paris suburbs behind and speeds across a vast wide open plateau of woods & farmland at up to 320 km/h (199 mph), past picturesque French villages of the Champagne region.  An hour or two later, the train leaves the high-speed line and slowly meanders through pretty wooded hills, the countryside eventually flattening out towards Strasbourg.  On leaving Strasbourg, look out for Strasbourg cathedral on the left with its famously missing second tower.  Minutes afterwards you rumble across the river Rhine into Germany, before heading on to Stuttgart.  Paris Gare de l'Est station guide .

3. Stuttgart to Venice by Nightjet sleeper

Option 4, London to Italy via Switzerland

While the direct Paris-Milan line is blocked by a landslide, this route through the Swiss Alps is a scenic alternative.

The Paris-Milan trains featured in options 1 & 2 are the fastest & cheapest trains between Paris & Italy and that route is pretty scenic.  But you can also travel from Paris to Italy via Switzerland, travelling from Paris Gare de Lyon to either Geneva , Lausanne , Basel or Zurich by TGV-Lyria high-speed train in 3h10 -4h05 from €29, then taking a EuroCity train from any of those cities to Milan Centrale in 3h30-4h30, also from €29.  Change at Mussolini's magnificent Milan Centrale for Venice, Florence, Rome or anywhere in Italy.  As with options 1 & 2, you can get from London to Milan in a single day, but a journey from London to Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples requires an overnight stop in either Paris, Switzerland or Milan.

Click here for a summary timetable for London/Paris-Milan journeys via Switzerland .

Incidentally, if it's ultimate Swiss Alpine scenery you're after, go for option 5, the fabulous narrow gauge Bernina Express , at least in one direction.  This is much slower than any of the routes described here, Zurich to Milan on 3 trains in one amazing day instead of one train in 3½ hours - but it's worth it!

TRAVELLING BETWEEN 9 JUNE & 8 SEPTEMBER?  With the route via Modane still blocked, they'd have to be stupid to go ahead and dig up the Simplon route as well, right?  Nope, they're doing trackwork at Stresa as planned which will completely close the Simplon route from 9 June to 8 September 2024.  So in this period, only the journeys shown below via Zurich will work.

London ► Italy (in a day, via Geneva)

Day 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar , leaving London St Pancras at 09:31 arriving Paris Nord 12:50.

By all means book an earlier Eurostar for a more robust connection and time for lunch in Paris, I recommend the celebrated Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon (an experience in itself, but beware of the rum baba).

Day 1, travel from Paris to Geneva by TGV-Lyria , leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:18 arriving Geneva at 17:29.

The 300 km/h (186 mph) TGV-Lyria is a double-deck TGV, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

For the last hour the Paris-Geneva TGV takes the Haut-Bugey Line with fabulous scenery, including crossing the Cize-Bolozon viaduct over the Ain gorge, the best view will be on the left hand side, see the scenery photos here .  Book an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck.

Day 1, travel from Geneva to Milan by EuroCity train , leaving Geneva at 18:39 and arriving Milan Centrale at 22:40.

This EuroCity Astoro train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Treat yourself to dinner with wine in the restaurant.

This train takes the Simplon route, in summer when it's light it's a lovely scenic ride, see the photos here :  The train runs along the shores of beautiful Lake Leman all the way from Geneva through Lausanne to Montreux.  The lake will be on the right hand side, look out for the impressive Chillon Castle right by the tracks.  The train speeds south across Switzerland, shortly after Brig it enters the famous Simplon Tunnel , 19 km (12 miles) long and opened in 1906.  This was the longest rail tunnel in the world from 1906 until 1982 when a longer tunnel opened in Japan.  When you leave the tunnel you're in Italy, the train calls at Domodossola and descends from the Alps to the plains, running alongside Lake Maggiore before arriving at the imposing Milan Centrale .

Update:   Between June & September 2024 it's possible the Italians will go ahead with trackwork on the Simplon route, if you find this train is cancelled during this period, use a route via Zurich and the Gotthard instead.

Day 2, travel from Milan to anywhere in Italy :  Trains run at least every hour from Milan to Verona, Venice, Florence, Rome & Naples, check times at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com to find one that suits you.

London ► Italy (in a day, via Zurich)

Day 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar , leaving London St Pancras at 07:01 Monday-Friday arriving Paris Nord 10:20 or 07:31 Saturdays arriving Paris Nord 10:48.  No sufficiently robust connection on Sundays.

Day 1, travel from Paris to Zurich by TGV-Lyria , leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 12:22 arriving Zurich HB at 17:29.

The 320 km/h (199 mph) TGV-Lyria is a double-deck TGV, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Day 1, travel from Zurich to Milan by EuroCity train , leaving Zurich HB at 18:33 and arriving Milan Centrale at 22:50.

This EuroCity Giruno train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Treat yourself to dinner with wine in the restaurant.

This train takes the Gotthard route.  In summer when it's light it's a lovely scenic ride through the Alps and along the shore of Lake Lugano and Lake Como.  In late 2023 and early 2024 the Gotthard Base Tunnel remains partially closed following a freight train derailment, trains are taking the old Gotthard route via the original Gotthard Tunnel taking 4h17, a bonus as it's much more scenic.  Check train times online, if a Zurich-Milan train takes 4h17 it's still diverted over the old scenic route, if it takes 3h17 it's using the fast Base Tunnel again.

London ► Italy (overnight in Paris, via Geneva)

Day 1, travel from London to Paris on any evening Eurostar you like.

Change trains & stations in Paris by metro or taxi from the Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon , it's just 2 stops on RER line D.

Stay overnight in Paris .  The Mercure Paris Gare De Lyon is part of the Gare de Lyon station complex, ideal for catching an early train next morning and great reviews for staff, cleanliness & comfort.  Other recommended hotels near the Gare de Lyon include the Citizen M Hotel (a 2-minute 160m walk from the station, great reviews, 4-star); Hotel Terminus Lyon (in front of the station, 3-star);  Mercure Paris Gare de Lyon (on the station itself, 4-star); Novotel Paris Gare de Lyon (opposite the station, 4-star);  Hotel 26 Faubourg (5 min walk from Gare de Lyon, 2-star).

Day 2, travel from Paris to Geneva by TGV-Lyria , leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 08:18 arriving Geneva at 11:39.

The 320 km/h (199 mph) TGV-Lyria is a double-deck TGV, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck.

Day 2, travel from Geneva to Milan by EuroCity train , leaving Geneva at 13:39 and arriving Milan Centrale at 17:40.

This train takes the Simplon route.  It's a lovely scenic ride, see the photos here :  The train runs along the shores of beautiful Lake Leman all the way from Geneva through Lausanne to Montreux.  The lake will be on the right hand side, look out for the impressive Chillon Castle right by the tracks.  The train speeds south across Switzerland, shortly after Brig it enters the famous Simplon Tunnel , 19 km (12 miles) long and opened in 1906.  This was the longest rail tunnel in the world from 1906 until 1982 when a longer tunnel opened in Japan.  When you leave the tunnel you're in Italy, the train calls at Domodossola and descends from the Alps to the plains, running alongside Lake Maggiore before arriving at the imposing Milan Centrale .

Day 2, travel from Milan to anywhere in Italy ...

For Verona, leave Milan Centrale by Frecciarossa 700 at 18:45 arriving Verona Porta Nuova at 19:58.

For Venice, leave Milan Centrale by Frecciarossa 700 at 19:15 arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 21:42.

For Florence, leave Milan Centrale by Frecciarossa 1000 at 18:10 arriving Florence SMN at 20:04.

For Rome, leave Milan Centrale by Frecciarossa 1000 at 18:10 arriving Rome Termini at 21:49.

For Naples, leave Milan Centrale by Frecciarossa 1000 at 18:10 arriving Naples Centrale at 23:13.

All these high-speed trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

London ► Italy (overnight in Paris, via Zurich)

Day 2, travel from Paris to Zurich by TGV-Lyria , leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 07:22 arriving Zurich HB at 11:26.

Day 2, travel from Zurich to Milan by EuroCity train , leaving Zurich HB at 12:33 and arriving Milan Centrale at 16:50.

This EuroCity Giruno train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

The train takes the Gotthard route, a lovely scenic ride through the Alps and along the shore of Lake Lugano and Lake Como.  In late 2023 and early 2024 the Gotthard Base Tunnel remains partially closed following a freight train derailment, trains are taking the old Gotthard route via the original Gotthard Tunnel taking 4h17, a bonus as it's much more scenic.  Check train times online, if a Zurich-Milan train takes 4h17 it's still diverted over the old scenic route, if it takes 3h17 it's using the fast Base Tunnel again.

For Verona, leave Milan Centrale by Frecciarossa 700 at 17:45 arriving Verona Porta Nuova at 18:58.

For Florence, leave Milan Centrale by Frecciarossa 1000 at 17:10 arriving Florence SMN at 19:04.

For Rome, leave Milan Centrale by Frecciarossa 1000 at 17:10 arriving Rome Termini at 20:50.

For Naples, leave Milan Centrale by Frecciarossa 1000 at 17:10 arriving Naples Centrale at 22:13.

London ► Italy (overnight in Zurich)

Day 1, travel from London to Zurich using any of the departures shown on the London to Switzerland page .

You travel from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord by Eurostar in 2h20, change trains & stations in Paris, then take a 320 km/h double-deck TGV-Lyria from Paris Gare de Lyon to Zurich HB in 4h05.  You can leave London as late as 12:31.

Italy ► London (in a day, via Basel)

Day 1, travel from anywhere in Italy to Milan .   Trains run at least every hour from Naples, Rome, Florence, Venice & Verona to Milan, check times at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com to find one that suits you.

This EuroCity Astoro train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

The train takes the Simplon route.  You'll get great views over Lake Maggiore before climbing into the Alps and passing through the famous Simplon Tunnel , 19 km (12 miles) long and opened in 1906, the longest rail tunnel in the world from 1906 until 1982.  Shortly after Brig, the train passes through the 34 km (21 mile) Lötschberg Base Tunnel and the route through Spiez & Bern to Basel.

Day 2, travel from Basel to Paris by TGV-Lyria , leaving Basel SBB at 12:34 arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 15:40.

The 320 km/h (199 mph) TGV-Lyria is a double-deck TGV Duplex, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck.

Day 2, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar , leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:12 and arriving London St Pancras 19:39.

Italy ► London (in a day, via Zurich)

The train takes the Gotthard route.  It's a lovely scenic ride through the Alps and along the shore of Lake Como and Lake Lugano.  In late 2023 and early 2024 the Gotthard Base Tunnel remains partially closed following a freight train derailment, trains are taking the old Gotthard route via the original Gotthard Tunnel taking 4h17, a bonus as it's much more scenic.  Check train times online, if a Milan-Zurich train takes 4h17 it's still diverted over the old scenic route, if it takes 3h17 it's using the fast Base Tunnel again.

Day 2, travel from Zurich to Paris by TGV-Lyria , leaving Zurich HB at 14:34 arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 17:38.

Day 2, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar , leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 20:12 and arriving London St Pancras 21:30.

Italy ► London (overnight in Paris)

Day 1, travel from anywhere in Italy to Milan.

Leave Naples Centrale by Frecciarossa 1000 at 06:55 (06:40 Sundays) arriving Milan Centrale at 11:35 (11:50 Sundays).

Leave Rome Termini by Frecciarossa 1000 at 08:50 arriving Milan Centrale at 11:58.

Leave Florence SMN by Frecciarossa 500 at 09:55 arriving Milan Centrale at 11:50.

Leave Venice Santa Lucia by Frecciarossa 700 at 07:18 arriving Milan Centrale at 09:45.

Leave Verona Porta Nuova by Frecciarossa at 10:32 arriving Milan Centrale at 11:45.

Day 1, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train , leaving Milan Centrale at 13:10 and arriving Zurich HB at 17:27.

This EuroCity Giruno train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Treat yourself to lunch as the mountains roll by.

This train also calls at Como S. Giovanni at 13:50, handy if you're returning from Como to London.

Day 1, travel from Zurich to Paris by TGV-Lyria , leaving Zurich HB at 18:34 arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 22:42.

Day 2, travel from Paris to London on any morning Eurostar you like.

Italy ► London (overnight in Zurich)

These trains take the Gotthard route.  It's a lovely scenic ride through the Alps and along the shore of Lake Como and Lake Lugano.  In late 2023 and early 2024 the Gotthard Base Tunnel remains partially closed following a freight train derailment, trains are taking the old Gotthard route via the original Gotthard Tunnel taking 4h17, a bonus as it's much more scenic.  Check train times online, if a Milan-Zurich train takes 4h17 it's still diverted over the old scenic route, if it takes 3h17 it's using the fast Base Tunnel again.

Day 1, travel from Zurich to London using any of the departures shown on the London to Switzerland page .

You travel by 320 km/h double-deck TGV-Lyria from Zurich HB to Paris Gare de Lyon in 4h05, change trains & stations in Paris, then travel from Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras by Eurostar in 2h20.  If you leave Zurich at 07:34 you can reach London at 16:39.

You can buy all your tickets together in one place at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

Each train requires a separate ticket, but www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com can book each of these trains as they connect to the British, French and Italian train ticketing systems.  Both are easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards accepted, there's a small booking fee.  Eurostar & TGVs have print-at-home or show-on-phone tickets and Italian high-speed trains are ticketless, you simply print out the booking reference or show it on your phone.

Tip:   www.thetrainline.com now allows you to select seats from a seat map when booking 1st class on a TGV-Lyria or any class on a Trenitalia Frecciarossa.

Eurostar bookings open up to 6 months ahead, sometimes longer.  TGV-Lyria opens up to 4 months ahead, but I recommend waiting until TGV-Lyria opens for sale so you can buy all your tickets together and check TGV-Lyria's arrival/departure times before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  Switzerland-Italy EuroCity trains open for bookings 3 or 4 months ahead.  The booking horizon is squeezed to as little as 60 days for travel on dates immediately after the annual European timetable change in mid-December.

One-way or round trip?

If you are returning, the London-Paris Eurostar should be booked as a round trip because Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one ways.  Beyond Paris, all trains are one-way ticketed so a return is simply two one-ways and it makes no difference how you book.  I find it easier to book one train at a time, one way at a time.

How to book?

Identify each of the specific trains you want to book and note them down.  Do a dry run first to check all train times.  Then book from London to Paris (and back, if returning) and add to basket.  Now book each of the other trains you need, one way at a time, one train at a time.  Add each train to your basket then check out.

Other ways to buy tickets

You can of course buy tickets from each of the relevant train operators' own websites.  This means multiple bookings on different websites, the prices should be the same, but there's no booking fee.  I recommend doing a dry run on all websites before booking for real.

Step 1, book your London-Paris tickets at www.eurostar.com .  You can print out your own ticket, collect it at London St Pancras or load it into the Eurostar app to show on your phone.

Step 2, book your Paris-Switzerland TGV-Lyria ticket at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com .  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.  You can select your seats from a seat map when booking a 1st class ticket.

Step 3, book tickets from Geneva, Lausanne, Basel or Zurich to anywhere in Italy at either www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in plain English, they'll refund seat61 users the €3.50 booking fee if you email [email protected] ) or www.trenitalia.com (requires Italian-language place names, see this advice on using it ).  Both sites sell the same tickets at the same prices and both offer ticketless travel for mainline trains, you print the booking reference or show it on your phone.  You can select your seats from a seat map on Frecciarossas using either of these sites.

Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a holiday as a package, including rail travel, hotels & transfers.  Their website has a range of suggested tours & holidays by rail which can be varied or customised to your requirements.  As you're booking a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens to one part of the itinerary such as a strike or delay.  Their most popular trips include UK to Venice via the Alps , UK to Lake Como via the Alps , UK to Florence via the Alps , UK to Rome via the Alps , UK to Amalfi Coast via the Alps , all of which are customisable to add extra nights or extra cities, with train travel on the outward or return journey, or by train throughout with no flying necessary, it's up to you.  They now have offices in the UK, USA & Australia.

Byway ( Byway.travel ) is a new UK-based eco-holiday firm, with a 5-star TrustPilot rating .  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, they'll book a London-Italy journey for you as a package, including overnight hotels, starting from any British station you like.  Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.

They can build a trip to your requirements if you email them or use this contact form .  Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure .  St Pancras station guide .  Paris Gare du Nord station guide .  How to cross Paris by metro or taxi .

2. Paris to Geneva, Lausanne, Basel or Zurich by TGV-Lyria

All TGV-Lyrias are now double-deck TGV Duplex as shown here , with 3 classes:  Standard class (2nd), standard premiere (1st class) and business premiere (1st class with hot meal & drinks included in the fare).  There's a cafe-bar car selling drinks & snacks.  There are power points for mobiles & laptops at all seats in all classes.  Lyria is a consortium of the French and Swiss national railways, see more about TGV-Lyria .  Paris Gare de Lyon station guide .  Geneva station guide .

3. Geneva, Lausanne, Basel or Zurich to Milan by EuroCity train

Trains from Zurich to Milan are operated by smart Swiss Giruno trains , trains from Geneva to Milan are operated by Italian or Swiss Astoro trains .  Both have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, a pleasure to travel on.  More about these EuroCity trains .  Geneva station guide .  Lausanne station guide .  Basel SBB station guide .  Zurich HB station guide .  Milan Centrale station guide .

Villages & vineyards on the Zurich-Milan Gotthard route on a wintry day.

Lake Lugano , seen from a Milan to Zurich train on the Gotthard route.

This is a much slower option than the others, but you can still leave London on day 1 afternoon, arriving Milan on day 2 in the afternoon, after a slow and fabulous journey on the narrow-gauge Bernina Express from Chur to Tirano through the Swiss Alps.  See the Bernina Express page .

You may prefer some German and Austrian efficiency on your way to Italy, as well as some great scenery, see the Brenner route video .  Travel London to Munich by Eurostar & TGV on day 1, stay overnight, then travel through the Brenner Pass to Italy on day 2.  It may look like a long way round on the route map above , but cheap fares and high-quality German and Austrian-run trains now make this an attractive option.

London ► Italy

Italy  ► london.

Paris to Munich by TGV starts at €39 each way in 2nd class, or from €69 in 1st class.

Munich to Verona, Bologna or Venice by EuroCity train starts at €37.90 each way in 2nd class, €69.90 in 1st class.

On both the Paris-Munich and Munich-Verona legs, accompanied children under 15 go free if you book at int.bahn.de .

Onward tickets from Verona to Florence start at €19.90 each way 2nd class, €29.90 in 1st class.  Verona to Rome or Naples starts at €29.90 each way 2nd class, €39.90 in 1st class.

To book the easy way with all your tickets booked together in one place, in €, £ or £, use www.raileurope.com .

Step 1, book London-Paris then Paris-Munich at www.raileurope.com .

Step 2, book from Munich to anywhere in Italy at www.raileurope.com . 

Add each leg to your basket, then checkout and pay.  International credit cards are accepted and you print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.  For Italian high-speed trains it's ticketless, you simply print out the booking reference or show it on your phone.  There's a small booking fee.

If you are returning, London-Paris is best booked as a round trip because Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one ways.  Beyond Paris, all the onward trains are one-way ticketed so a return is simply two one-ways and it makes no difference how you book.  You may find it easier to book one direction at a time.

Important tip:   www.raileurope.com will easily book the direct trains from Munich to Verona, Venice or Bologna on a direct train.  But if your journey involves a change of train within Italy, for example to Florence, Rome or Naples, add a via station like this:  Before running the Munich to Italy enquiry, click More options , enter Verona (any station) as a via station, enter duration of 45 minutes to ensure a robust connection.  The 09:34 from Munich goes direct to Bologna, so if you want the 09:34 use Bologna Centrale instead of Verona if you're going to Florence, Rome or Naples.

You can also book each train separately.  It shouldn't make any difference to the price and it's more work, but there's no booking fee:

Book London-Paris at www.eurostar.com , then book Paris-Munich at int.bahn.de and Munich-Verona/Bologna/Venice as a second transaction at int.bahn.de .  You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.

Note that int.bahn.de will only book the direct EuroCity trains from Munich to Verona, or the once-daily direct trains to Bologna or Venice.  If you want to travel to Venice or Bologna with a change of train in Verona, or to Florence or Rome with a change of train in Verona or Bologna, you should use int.bahn.de to book the direct EuroCity train from Munich to Verona or Bologna, then use either www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in plain English, they'll refund seat61 users the €3.50 booking fee if you email [email protected] with your PNR) or www.trenitalia.com (requires Italian-language place names and has a few quirks so see this advice on using it , no booking fee) to book the onward train from Bologna to Florence, Bologna to Rome or Verona to Venice and back.

2. Paris to Munich by TGV Duplex   See the TGV Duplex video

Sit back with a glass of red and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views.  The TGV has power sockets for laptops & mobiles at all seats in both classes, and a cafe-bar serves drinks, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.  First class passengers on this route are given a simple but tasty meal box with a small bottle of beer or wine served at their seat, included in the fare.  The train soon leaves the Paris suburbs behind and speeds across a vast wide open plateau of woods and farmland at up to 320 km/h (199 mph), past picturesque French villages of the Champagne region.  After an hour or two, the train leaves the high-speed line and slowly meanders through pretty wooded hills, the countryside eventually flattening out towards Strasbourg.  On leaving Strasbourg, look out for Strasbourg cathedral on the left with its famously missing second tower.  Minutes afterwards you rumble across the river Rhine into Germany, before heading on to Stuttgart and Munich.  Paris Gare de l'Est station guide .  Munich Hbf station guide .

3. Munich to Verona by EuroCity train

These spacious and comfortable EuroCity trains are run by the German & Austrian railways using Austrian carriages.  There's an elegant Austrian restaurant car serving affordable drinks, snacks and meals.  There are power sockets at most though not all seats.  The highlight is passing through the superb scenery of the Brenner Pass between Innsbruck & Verona, with mountains either side of the train, see the video below .  More photos & information about the Brenner Pass EuroCity trains .

Watch the video: Through the Brenner

Option 7, via the harwich - hoek van holland ferry.

The ferry alternative!  If Eurostar fares are expensive, or if you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel, for example if you suffer from claustrophobia, you can travel by train & ferry instead.  At first glance, the obvious route seems to be Dover-Calais, and if you want to travel this way, see the London to Paris by train & ferry page .  Once in Paris you can pick up any of the routes to Italy shown above.  However, I don't recommend this route unless you live near Dover as it lacks integrated ticketing and involves awkward bus or taxi transfers between train & ferry on both sides of the Channel.

Instead, I recommend the Harwich to Hoek van Holland route, marked in black on the route map above .  This is the best ferry route to use, with integrated ticketing and trains arriving directly at the ferry terminal.  It's also a great option if you live in East Anglia, with a direct train connection from Cambridge to Harwich connecting with the overnight ferry.  Indeed, you may simply prefer a relaxing cruise overnight on the Stena Line superferry in a luxury en suite cabin with shower, toilet, satellite TV & free WiFi, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page & watch the video .

London, Cambridge & Harwich ► Italy

You leave London Liverpool Street at 18:45 Mondays-Fridays, 19:36 Saturdays or 20:00 Sundays by direct train to Harwich International.

You leave Cambridge at 19:47 Mondays-Saturdays or 19:45 on Sundays by direct train to Harwich International.

At Harwich, the station is right next to the ferry terminal and you walk off the train into the terminal, check in at the Stena Line desk and walk straight onto Stena Line's luxurious overnight superferry Stena Hollandica to Hoek van Holland.

The ferry sails at 23:00 and arrives at Hoek van Holland at 08:00 next morning, Dutch time.

All passengers travel in cosy private cabins with en suite toilet & shower & satellite TV.  Deluxe Comfort class & Captains class cabins are also available, and there's free WiFi in the lounges, restaurants & bars on 9 deck.  You can get on board the ferry around 9pm, have a late dinner in the restaurant and settle into your cabin.

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and an ordinary seats car.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video .

Italy ► Harwich, Cambridge & London

Day 2, travel from Stuttgart to Amsterdam on ICE trains , leaving Stuttgart Hbf at 09:23, changing at Cologne Hbf & arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 15:29.  The ICE trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Day 2, travel from Amsterdam to London overnight by Stena Line Rail & Sail .

You leave Amsterdam Centraal at 18:35 by Dutch intercity train to Schiedam Centrum and change onto the frequent metro to Hoek van Holland Haven.  At Hoek, the metro station is next to the ferry terminal.  Check in at the Stena Line desk and walk up the gangway onto the luxurious Stena Line superferry Stena Britannica and sail overnight to Harwich in a cosy private cabin with shower, toilet & satellite TV.

The ferry sails from Hoek van Holland at 22:00 and arrives at Harwich International at 06:30 next morning (day 3), UK time.  Day 3, take a train from Harwich to London Liverpool Street arriving around 08:56, or from Harwich to Cambridge arriving 09:41 (10:39 on Sundays).  See the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details .

Step 1, buy a Stena Line Rail & Sail ticket from London to Hoek van Holland online as shown on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page .

Buy the onward metro & train ticket to Amsterdam as shown on that page.

Alternatively, stay in Munich & take a daytime train next day

1. London to Amsterdam by train & ferry

A train takes you from London's Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich.  You walk off the train, into the terminal, get your boarding card & cabin key at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the overnight ferry to Hoek van Holland.  The superferry Stena Hollandica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world.  All passengers travel in private cabins with shower, toilet & satellite TV.  There's a self-service restaurant if you want a late dinner, and there are cafes and bars.  There's free WiFi in the public areas on 9 deck.  The journey from London to Holland is explained in detail on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page .  See the video .

The Stena Britannica at boarding at Harwich, a floating hotel with private cabins, restaurant, bar, lounges, shop & kennels.

Above left, a standard outside cabin.  Larger photo .   360º photo .  Above right, the Stena Plus lounge with complimentary red & white wine, tea, coffee & snacks.

Above left, the bar on 9 deck. Above right, a Captain's Class cabin with complimentary minibar, toilet & shower.

2. Amsterdam to Stuttgart by ICE

ICEs are German Railways' premier trains, with 1st & 2nd class, a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

3. Stuttgart to Venice by Nightjet sleeper train

This modern sleeper train is a pleasure to travel on, whether in the privacy of your own sleeper or in economical couchettes.

Option 8, via the Portsmouth - Caen ferry

This route is ideal if you live on the south coast.  It's also a good alternative to Eurostar from London if you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel or if Eurostar is expensive (for example, at short notice) - although the train/ferry/train transfers are much easier via Harwich & Hoek van Holland as stations & ferry terminals are integrated, on the Portsmouth-Caen route a taxi transfer is needed between train & ferry in Portsmouth, and a bus or taxi transfer in Caen.

Step 1, travel from London or Portsmouth to Paris overnight by train & ferry.

You leave London around 18:00 by train to Portsmouth, take a taxi to the Continental Ferry Port and sail overnight from Portsmouth to Caen with Brittany Ferries, sleeping in a cosy private cabin with shower & toilet 22:45-06:45.  Next morning, transfer to Caen station by bus or taxi and take a train into Paris St Lazare , arriving around 11:05.  Transfer from Paris St Lazare to Paris Gare de Lyon by taxi or metro .

Step 2, travel from Paris to Turin or Milan on the afternoon TGV or Frecciarossa through the French Alps.  Stay overnight in Turin and take an onward train to Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples next morning.

For details of the Paris-Italy journey see here for Paris-Venice , here for Paris-Florence , here for Paris-Rome & here for Paris-Naples .

You can take a train up to London and travel from London to Italy as described above, of course, and this is often the easiest and fastest option.  If you want to do this, read this advice on buying connecting train tickets up to London .  But DFDS Seaways run an excellent daily overnight cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam, and P&O Ferries sail overnight from Hull to Holland.  Then there's a Nightjet sleeper from Cologne to Innsbruck for onward EuroCity trains through the scenic Brenner Pass to Italy.  So why not by-pass London, and have a day in Amsterdam into the bargain before travelling on to Italy?

Newcastle & Hull ► Italy

Day 1, take a train to either Hull or Newcastle, whichever is most convenient for where you live.

In Hull, transfer to P&O ferry terminal and sail overnight from Hull to Rotterdam by P&O cruise ferry, with bus/train connection to Amsterdam Centraal.  The ferry has bars, restaurants & cosy en suite cabins.  For details of schedule, fares & tickets, see the Hull-Rotterdam page .

In Newcastle, transfer to the DFDS ferry terminal at North Shields and sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam by DFDS Seaways cruise ferry.  The ferry has bars, restaurants & cosy en suite cabins.  For details of schedule, fares & tickets see the Newcastle-Amsterdam page .

Day 2, spend the rest of the day in Amsterdam, all the sights are an easy walk from Amsterdam Centraal .  Left luggage lockers are available .

Italy ► Hull & Newcastle

Day 1, travel from anywhere in Italy to Innsbruck via the scenic Brenner Pass.  You can check train times at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com , I'd allow at least an hour between trains in Innsbruck.  For example, the 13:35 from Venice Santa Lucia arrives Innsbruck Hbf at 18:36.

Day 1, take the Nightjet sleeper train leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 20:44 and arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 09:59 next morning.

Spend some time in Amsterdam, left luggage lockers are available at Amsterdam Centraal .

Day 2, travel overnight by cruise ferry either with P&O Ferries from Rotterdam to Hull or with DFDS Seaways from IJmuiden (near Amsterdam) to Newcastle, whichever is most convenient for where you live.  Next morning (day 3) transfer to the station and take a train home.

For details of timetables, fares & how to buy tickets from Amsterdam to the UK via these ferry routes, see the Hull-Rotterdam page or the Newcastle-Amsterdam page .

Fares & how to buy tickets

Step 1, start with the ferry.  Go to www.dfds.com for Newcastle-Amsterdam, www.poferries.com for Hull-Rotterdam.

Step 2, book the Amsterdam-Innsbruck sleeper train at www.thetrainline.com , looking for the direct Nightjet train with 0 changes.

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself, all per person per berth.

Step 3, book the train from Innsbruck to Verona or Bologna from €39 at either int.bahn.de or www.thetrainline.com .

Step 4, book onward trains within Italy at either www.thetrainline.com or www.italiarail.com (they'll refund the small booking fee to seat61 users if you email them at [email protected] with your PNR) or Italian Railways' own site www.trenitalia.com , looking for cheap super-economy or economy fares from Milan to Florence, Rome, Naples or Venice from just €19.90 upwards.  Both sites sell the same tickets at the same prices and both usually offer ticketless travel, you simply print out the booking reference or show it on your phone.  However, Italiarail.com is in plain English and happily accepts English place names, whereas Trenitalia.com requires Italian-language place names, for example 'Roma' for Rome, 'Napoli' for Naples, 'Firenze' for Florence, 'Venezia Santa Lucia' for Venice and has a few quirks, although one advantage is that it allows you to select specific seats.

Step 5, now buy train tickets to Hull or Newcastle as shown on the UK page or use www.nationalrail.co.uk .

You sail overnight by cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam (DFDS) or Hull to Rotterdam (P&O), with private en suite cabins, restaurants, bars, cinema, a floating hotel.  If travelling with DFDS from Newcastle, a transfer bus takes you from IJmuiden ferry terminal to Amsterdam Centraal station next morning.  If travelling with P&O from Hull, a transfer bus takes you from Rotterdam Europoort ferry terminal to Rotterdam Centraal , from where frequent Dutch trains run to Utrecht.

Option 10, by Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

London to lake como.

Como is such a popular lakeside destination!!  Como San Giovanni is the mainline station on the Zurich-Milan main line, also linked to Milan Centrale by frequent regional train.  On the other hand, destinations on the eastern side of Lake Como, such as Lecco, Varenna (for the ferry to Bellagio), and Bellano are on a local line linking Milan Centrale with Tirano near the Swiss border.

To reach Como San Giovanni there are two basic options:

By all means stay overnight in Milan and see a bit of the city next morning.  Regional trains link Milan Centrale and Como San Giovanni every hour throughout the day, fare €4.80, use www.trenitalia.com to find train times.  No reservation is possible or necessary for these regional trains, just buy a ticket and hop on the next train.

To reach Lecco, Varenna (for ferry to Bellagio), Bellano:

Option 1, first travel from the UK to Milan by Eurostar & TGV as shown in the London to Milan section above , stay overnight in Milan (or Turin if you prefer), then take a regional train from Milan Centrale next morning.  You can check times for these regional trains at www.trenord.it .

Option 2, Bernina Express:   It may be slower and a bit more expensive, but it's the ultimate scenic route from the UK to Bellano, Varenna or Lecco.  You take Eurostar & TGV from London to Zurich on day 1, stay overnight, on day 2 you take the fabulous Bernina Express Swiss panoramic train to Tirano and a connecting regional train from Tirano to these Lake Como destinations.  See the Bernina Express page for details .

For Lake Como ferry services, including the ferries to Bellagio & excursions, see www.navigazionelaghi.it

London to Lake Garda

Take the scenic route from London to Verona via Munich, as shown in the London to Italy via Munich section above .

You take Eurostar to Paris, a high-speed TGV from Paris to Munich, stay overnight then take a EuroCity train through the lovely Brenner Pass to Verona.

For Lake Garda ferry services, including excursions, see www.navigazionelaghi.it

London to Pisa, Siena, Lucca, Modena, Ravenna, Livorno

Pisa is famous for its leaning tower, Siena for simply being a fabulous city in the heart of Tuscany.  They are easy to reach by train from London, no flight necessary.

London ► Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Livorno

In Siena, the station is at the foot of the hill and it used to be a steep trek up to the old town.  However, there's now a series of modern escalators and moving walkways that ferry you painlessly to the top of the hill, from where it's just a minute or two walk to the Porta Camollia at the entrance to the old town.  From the Porta Camollia it's a pleasant 15 minute stroll to the famous Piazza del Campo .

London ► Modena, Ravenna

What are regional trains like.

Italian regional trains come in many different shapes & sizes.  Below, trains of this type link Florence with Pisa, Livorno & Siena.

London to Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri , Ischia, & Elba

Sorrento, pompeii & herculaneum.

Travel from London to Naples using any of the options shown in the London to Naples section .

Then take the Circumvesuviana Railway ( www.eavsrl.it ) from Naples to Herculaneum (Ercolano), Pompeii or Sorrento.  These little narrow-gauge electric suburban trains run every 30 minutes throughout the day, no reservation necessary (or even possible), you just buy a ticket at the station and hop on.

The Circumvesuviana trains leave from Naples Garibaldi station, downstairs from Naples Centrale where your mainline train arrives.  Just follow the signs to Circumvesuviana , it's round a corner at the side of the concourse, along a passageway and the Circumvesuviana platforms are half-underground round the back.  Don't follow signs to Piazza Garibaldi as this is another set of mainline platforms in the same triple-station complex, it's Circumvesuviana you want.

Naples to Pompeii costs around €3.20, journey time 40 minutes.  Naples to Sorrento €4.50, journey time 55-65 minutes.

The Circumvesuviana trains are old and have no air-con, but some new air-conditioned trains are now in service.  You'll get great views of the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius on the way to Sorrento.  Outside the weekday rush hours it's not usually crowded, there are lots of seats, frequent trains and it's very easy to use.  Luggage just goes on the floor.

You can check train times on the Circumvesuviana Railway website www.eavsrl.it , and can check fares at public transport website www.unicocampania.it -if you can work out how to use it!  Note that the Circumvesuviana is a private railway, separate from Trenitalia, so railpasses and ordinary Trenitalia tickets are not valid.  For the same reason you won't find train times & fares to Pompeii or Sorrento on www.trenitalia.com , although there's another (less convenient) Pompeii station on a regional route run by Trenitalia, but this is further from the ruins.

For more about visiting Pompeii by train, see the Pompeii page .  That page also explains how to take a bus to the summit of Vesuvius.

First, travel from London to Naples using any of the options explained in the London to Naples section .

Then take a taxi or walk (about 29 minutes walk) from Naples Centrale to Naples Beverello ferry quay.  Fast ferries taking just 45 minutes link Naples Beverello with Capri every hour or two between 07:00 &18:00, see www.snav.it for times & fares.

The ferry costs around €20.10, plus a euro or two for each item of large luggage.  No pre-booking is necessary for the ferry, just turn up and buy a ticket.

Alternatively, you can take the local Circumvesuviana Railway to Sorrento ( www.eavsrl.it ), from where there are regular ferries to Capri, crossing time about 25 minutes, fare €18.10.  Just be aware that it's a longish steep walk from Sorrento Circumvesuviana station down the hill to the ferry terminal.

Ferries from both Naples & Sorrento arrive at Capri's busy Marina Grande , there's a funicular railway up the steep hillside to Capri town itself.  Bring plenty of money to Capri, even a small beer costs over €7!

Then take a taxi or walk (about 29 minutes walk) from Naples Centrale to Naples Beverello ferry quay.

Sail from Naples to Porto Ischia with either www.caremar.it (sailings every hour or two, crossing time 45 minutes by fast ferry or 90 minutes by conventional ferry) or www.alilauro.it .

First, travel from London to Florence using any of the options explained in the London to Florence section .

Then take a local train from Florence SMN to Piombino Marittima via Pisa and Campiglia.  www.trenitalia.com will give you train times.  Moby Lines ( www.moby.it ) sail every hour or so from Piombino to Portoferraio on Elba, crossing time 1 hour, foot passengers €12 one-way.

London to Salerno & the Amalfi coast

Step 1, travel from London to Naples using any of the options explained in the London to Naples section .

Many of the Frecciarossas from Turin or Milan to Naples continue beyond Naples to Salerno, so try booking it to Salerno.

You can check train times & fares and buy tickets from anywhere in Italy to Salerno at either www.italiarail.com (they'll refund the small booking fee to seat61 users if you email them at [email protected] with your PNR) or Italian Railways' own site www.trenitalia.com .  Private train operator Italo also goes direct from Milan or Florence to Salerno several times daily, buy tickets at www.italotreno.it .

Step 2, regular SITA buses link Salerno with Amalfi, running every hour or better between 06:00 & 22:30 on Mondays-Saturdays, slightly less frequently on Sundays, journey time 1h15, fare about €2.20 one-way, you buy a ticket at the tobacconists shop inside Salerno station.

To check bus timetables, see www.sitasudtrasporti.it (in Italian only, click Orari then Campania ).  To check fares, you'll need to use public transport site www.unicocampania.it , click English top right then Fares & Tickets .

Alternatively, a nicer option is to take a ferry from Salerno to Amalfi or Positano, see www.coopsantandrea.com .  These small coastal ferries sail from Salerno's Concordia dock, a 650m 8-minute walk from Salerno railway station, journey time 35 minutes to Amalfi, or 70 minutes to Positano.  This is a pleasant way to go and in summer it avoids the heavy traffic on the coastal road.

At time of writing, they had departures from Salerno at 08:40, 09:40, 10:40, 11:40, 14:10 & 15:30, with additional sailings at 13:00, 16:40 & 18:00 via Cetara/Maiori taking 60 minutes to Amalfi, but check www.coopsantandrea.com for current timings.  Fare around €9 Salerno to Amalfi or €14 Salerno to Positano, large luggage €2 extra.

Alternatively, regular buses link Sorrento ( see above for how to reach Sorrento ) with Positano, Praiano & Amalfi, with the occasional bus direct from Naples, also operated by SITA, see www.sitasudtrasporti.it (in Italian only, click Orari then Campania ).  Sorrento-Amalfi takes 1h40, buses run hourly or at times half-hourly, fare around €2.90.  The journey along the coast road is dramatic, the bus hugging the cliff and it rear end swinging out precariously at every hairpin bend, with regular stand-offs where the bus cannot pass oncoming traffic on the narrow roads without someone backing up!!

Private transfer from Naples Centrale station to Praiano, Positano or Amalfi hotels?   If cost is no problem, a private transfer from Naples Centrale railway station to Positano or Praiano costs around €95 one-way for up to 3 people, or around €110 to Amalfi.  Try www.amalfishuttle.com or www.positanoshuttle.com (it's the same people - click 'transfer' at the top).  I have not had any reports about them yet, so feedback would be appreciated. They will also do transfers from Sorrento Circumvesuviana station, which would reduce the cost.

London to Genoa , Cinque Terre & La Spezia

You can travel via Paris & either Milan or via Nice.  Both options are shown here, though the route via Nice is probably more scenic, possibly cheaper, and you won't have to get up as early!  You can also travel by daytime trains with an overnight hotel stop in either Milan, Turin, Paris or Zurich .

This is the cheapest, fastest and most comfortable option from London to Genoa.  The whole journey can be done in just one day.

The Paris-Milan line is blocked by a landslide, probably until summer 2024.  In the meantime, travel from London to Milan using option 4 instead, then take a train from Milan to Genoa.

London ► Genoa, Cinque Terre, La Spezia

It's a relaxing and comfortable journey, passing directly from France into Italy via Modane and the Mont Cénis tunnel through the Alps, see the video guide .  The TGV has 1st & 2nd class seats and a cafe-bar serving drinks, snacks & hot dishes.

La Spezia, Cinque Terre, Genoa ► London

It's a relaxing and comfortable journey, passing directly from Italy into France via the Mont Cénis tunnel through the Alps and Modane, see the video guide .  The TGV has 1st and 2nd class seats plus a cafe-bar serving drinks, snacks & tray-meals.

Option 2, by Eurostar & TGV via Nice

London ► san remo, genoa.

For example you can leave Nice at 09:20, change at Ventimiglia, arriving San Remo at 11:18 and Genoa Piazza Principe at 13:05.

Genoa, San Remo ► London

Option 3:  by eurostar and sleeper train via nice.

For example you can leave Nice at 10:36, change at Ventimiglia onto a regional train, arriving San Remo 12:11 & Genoa Piazza Principe 14:17.

London to Civitavecchia

Civitavecchia is the cruise port just north of Rome, often used as a starting point for Mediterranean cruises.  It's also a departure point for ferries to Sardinia.  Civitavecchia is on the main Genoa-Pisa-Rome rail route, just 81 km (51 miles) north of Rome.  Frequent Frecciabianca, InterCity and regional trains link Rome Termini with Civitavecchia, and you'll also find direct trains from Genoa & Pisa to Civitavecchia.

The InterCity trains from Rome take 50 minutes and cost €10, the Frecciabianca trains take 40 minutes and cost €14, but Frecciabianca & IC trains only run every couple of hours and require a reservation.

The regional trains take 49-68 minutes but run at least once per hour, often up to 3 times an hour, costing only €5 one-way, no reservation necessary, buy a ticket and hop on the next train.

For travel from the UK to Civitavecchia, it's usually easiest and fastest to travel to Rome, then back north to Civitavecchia by regional train.  See the London-Rome section above , then use www.trenitalia.com to find train times and fares from Rome to Civitavecchia.  Buy tickets as far as Rome in advance, but it's just buy your Rome-Civitavecchia ticket at the station on the day, using the Trenitalia ticket machines which have a touch screen with English language facility.  No reservation is required or even possible for regional trains, you just buy a ticket and hop on the next train.

In Civitavecchia, the station is an easy 10 minute walk from the port entrance, though if you have heavy bags you may prefer to use a taxi.

London to Rimini, S.Marino, Ancona , Bari, Brindisi

London ► rimini, ancona, bari, brindisi, lecce.

The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a relaxing and comfortable journey, passing directly from France into Italy via Modane and the Mont Cénis tunnel through the Alps, see the video guide .

Step 3, an air-conditioned Frecciarossa 500 leaves Milan Porta Garibaldi at 10:13, arriving Rimini 12:38, Ancona 13:34, Pescara 14:44, Foggia 16:19, Bari Centrale 17:27, Brindisi 18:24 & Lecce 18:50.  The train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

There are earlier departures from Milan if you're in a hurry, but these leave from Milan Centrale so you need to transfer from Porta Garibaldi to Centrale by metro or taxi .  Check train times using www.raileurope.com , www.thetrainline.com or www.trenitalia.com .

Lecce, Brindisi, Bari, Ancona, Rimini  ► London

Day 1, an air-conditioned Frecciarossa 500 leaves Lecce 12:06, Brindisi 12:29, Bari Centrale 13:30, Foggia 14:36, Pescara 16:10, Ancona 17:25, Rimini 18:17, arriving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 20:47.

If you'd like more of an evening in Milan there are earlier departures, but these go to Milan Centrale so you need to transfer to Porta Garibaldi .  Check train times using www.raileurope.com , www.thetrainline.com or www.trenitalia.com .

Stay overnight in Milan .  The AC Milano Hotel (a Marriott Lifestyle Hotel) is 350m from Milan Porta Garibaldi and gets good reviews.

Day 2, travel from Milan to London, leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 06:00 by high-speed TGV to Paris then Eurostar to London arriving in the evening, as shown in the London to Milan section above .

How to reach San Marino

For San Marino, take the train to Rimini.  Buses to San Marino leave from outside Rimini railway station every hour or so between 08:10 & 19:25 in winter, between 06:45 & 20:30 in summer, less frequently on winter Sundays, journey time 50 minutes, fare around €5 one-way.

Run by Bonelli Bus, the buses are air-conditioned with WiFi.

You can check bus times & fares at the Bonelli Bus website www.bonellibus.it .

You can check these fares & fares for other journeys using www.trenitalia.com .  Advice for using trenitalia.com .

London to Trieste

Along with Turin, I'd say Trieste is one of Italy's most under-rated cities, figuratively left out in the cold when it comes to the Venice, Florence, Rome tourist trek.  Which is a shame, as like Turin it's a wonderful city to visit with a significant history.

Travel from the UK to Venice using any of the options suggested above .

Regional trains then link Venice and Trieste every hour, journey time 2h05, fare around €14.50 each way.  No reservation is necessary or possible, tickets cannot sell out, and you can simply buy a ticket from the Trenitalia self-service machines at Venice Mestre or Venice Santa Lucia and hop on the next train.

You can check Venice-Trieste train times at www.trenitalia.com .  Tip:  Some Venice-Trieste trains take 3h via a longer & more expensive route, so look for one taking 2h05 or so.

There are a couple of direct Milan-Trieste Frecciabianca trains every day, you can also check these at www.trenitalia.com .

London to Sicily

UK to Sicily by train?  No problem.  You can travel all the way by train, experiencing one of Europe's last train ferries where the train is shunted onto a ship for the short sea voyage across the Straits of Messina to Sicily, or you can use an overnight cruise ferry to Sicily from either Genoa or Naples.  Each of these three options is explained below.

Option 1, London to Sicily in 48 hours

This is the fastest option: London to Milan by Eurostar & high-speed TGV on day 1, an overnight hotel in Milan, then Milan to Sicily on day 2.  By all means spread it out more by stopping off in Paris, Milan, Rome or Naples on the way, or travel one way using this fast option and the other way using more leisurely option 2.  It's your call!

London ► Sicily

Day 2, travel from Milan to Naples by Frecciarossa 1000 , leaving Milan Centrale at 08:30 and arriving Naples Centrale at 13:10.  Standard, premium, business & executive classes with free WiFi & cafe-bar.

Day 2, travel from Naples to Sicily by air-conditioned InterCity train , leaving Naples Centrale at 13:45 arriving Palermo 23:05, Catania 21:37 & Siracuse 22:53.

Yes, all this InterCity train really is direct from Naples to Sicily (in fact, it starts in Rome).  It's a lovely run, along the Italian coastline often just feet from the water.  When the train reaches Villa San Giovanni at 18:05, the whole train is shunted onto a ship and ferried across the Straits to Messina, see video & more about the trains to Sicily .  The crossing takes about 20 minutes, and you can either remain on board the train in the ferry's hold, or get out and go up on deck for some fresh air.  Travelling on both a train and a ship at the same time is a fascinating experience !  The train has no catering car, so remember to take your own picnic and bottle of wine for the journey.

If you want to stop off in Rome or Naples , you'll find two daytime InterCity trains and an overnight sleeper linking Rome and Naples with Sicily, see the Trains to Sicily page .

Sicily ► London

Day 1, travel from Sicily to Naples by air-conditioned InterCity train , leaving Siracuse daily at 07:32, Catania at 08:41 or Palermo at 06:50, arriving Naples Centrale at 16:17.

This InterCity train is shunted onto a train ferry to cross the Straits of Messina, a fascinating experience in itself, see video & more about the trains to Sicily .  It's a lovely run, along the Italian coastline often just feet from the water.  The train has no catering car, so remember to take your own picnic and beer or bottle of wine for the journey.  The train continues to Rome, but you should get off in Naples.

Or book it as a holiday package.  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, Byway.travel can book a London-Sicily journey for you as a package, one-way or round trip, including the overnight hotel and starting from any British railway station you like - see their pre-configured one-way & return package to Catania using the journey planner here .

Byway ( Byway.travel ) is a new UK-based eco-holiday firm, with a 5-star TrustPilot rating .  They use ITX (inclusive tour) rates, not normal ticket prices.  Byway also includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption and re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.  They can adjust packages as necessary if you email an enquiry to them.

What is the InterCity train like?

These InterCity trains are composed of older carriages, but comfortable and fully air-conditioned with 1st & 2nd class in open-plan carriages, 2+2 across the car width in 2nd class, 2+1 in 1st class.  There may be a refreshment trolley, but take your own picnic & wine.  Seat reservation is now compulsory on all InterCity trains. 1st class has power sockets for laptops, 2nd class usually doesn't.

Option 2, using the Milan-Sicily sleeper

This is a longer more leisurely 2-night option, with 1 night in a hotel in Paris and one night aboard the Milan-Sicily InterCity Notte sleeper train, an epic journey in your own private room from Northern Italy to the toe of Italy, then over the Straits of Messina to Sicily on board a train ferry - a unique experience.  There's some truly great scenery on the way, through the Alps on the Frecciarossa and along the Italian coastline on the sleeper in daylight.  By all means travel one way using this option, the other way using option 1.

The last one usually leaves London St Pancras at 20:01 daily arriving 23:27, but by all means book an earlier one and spend a pleasant afternoon or evening in Paris.

Stay overnight in Paris:   The Mercure Paris Gare De Lyon is part of the Gare de Lyon station complex, ideal for catching an early train next morning and great reviews for staff, cleanliness & comfort.  Other recommended hotels near the Gare de Lyon include the Citizen M Hotel (a 2-minute 160m walk from the station, great reviews, 4-star); Hotel Terminus Lyon (in front of the station, 3-star);  Mercure Paris Gare de Lyon (on the station itself, 4-star); Novotel Paris Gare de Lyon (opposite the station, 4-star);  Hotel 26 Faubourg (5 min walk from Gare de Lyon, 2-star).

Perhaps have dinner at the famous Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon.

Day 2, travel from Paris to Milan by Frecciarossa 1000 , leaving Paris Gare de Lyon 07:25, arriving Turin P. Susa 13:18 & Milan Centrale 14:07.

Day 2, travel from Milan to Sicily overnight by InterCity Notte sleeper train , leaving Milan Centrale at 20:10 every day, one portion arriving next day at Palermo at 16:55, the other portion arriving at Catania Centrale at 14:32 & Siracuse at 15:48, see the timetable here .

It's the longest sleeper ride in Italy, and one of the longest in Europe.  The train has sleeping-cars with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, and 4-berth Comfort couchettes, see the photos below.  There's no restaurant car, so take your own supplies and maybe a bottle of wine, although in the sleepers the attendant will serve you morning tea or coffee, included in the fare.

Day 1, travel from Sicily to Milan by direct InterCity Notte sleeper train , leaving Palermo at 12:58 every day, another portion leaving Siracuse at 13:35 & Catania Centrale at 14:54, arriving at Milan Centrale at 11:20 next morning.

The sleeper train travels along the coast of Sicily, then crosses the Straits of Messina from Messina to Villa San Giovanni aboard a train ferry, a unique experience.  The train then travels by daylight all along the coast of southern Italy, often only feet from the sea with some lovely views before travelling through the night to Milan.

Have lunch in Milan, I recommend the excellent and typically Italian restaurant Noblesse Oblige , 5 minutes walk from Milan Centrale , see www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com & See map showing walking route .

Day 2, travel from Milan to Paris by Frecciarossa 1000 leaving Milan Centrale 15:53 or Turin P. Susa 16:41, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 22:34.

Stay overnight in Paris.

Recommended hotels near the Gare de Lyon:  Citizen M Hotel (just along the road from the station with great reviews, 4-star); Hotel Terminus Lyon (right in front of the station, 3-star);  Mercure Paris Gare de Lyon (on the station itself, 4-star); Novotel Paris Gare de Lyon (opposite the station, 4-star);  Mistral Hotel (800m from Gare de Lyon, 1-star);  Hotel 26 Faubourg (5 min walk from Gare de Lyon, 2-star).

Next morning, transfer by metro or taxi to Paris Gare du Nord .

Day 3, travel from Paris to London on any Eurostar you like.

The first train currently leaves Paris Gare du Nord at 07:03 on Mondays-Saturdays arriving London St Pancras at 08:30 or at 08:13 on Sundays arriving 09:30, but by all means book a later train and have a leisurely breakfast.

Paris to Milan by Frecciarossa starts at €29 each way in standard (2nd) class, €36 in business (1st) class or €165 in executive class.

Or book it as a holiday package.  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, Byway.travel can book a London-Sicily journey for you as a package, one-way or round trip, including the overnight hotel and starting from any British railway station you like.  Byway ( Byway.travel ) is a new UK-based eco-holiday firm, with a 5-star TrustPilot rating .  They use ITX (inclusive tour) rates, not normal ticket prices.  Byway also includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption and re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.  They can adjust packages as necessary if you email an enquiry to them.  They can build a trip to your requirements if you email them or use this contact form .  Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

What's the Milan-Sicily sleeper like?

Above, a Comfort couchette car on the Milan-Palermo overnight train, boarding at Milan Centrale.

Travellers' reports

Traveller Andrew Clayton reports:   "We took the daytime InterCity train from Naples to Siracuse, having first loaded up with essential supplies (water, bread, cheese, wine etc.) as there is no catering on the train.  Rather than buy at Naples Centrale where there's only limited food shopping, we went out of the station and found nearby shops that sold all we needed – at much lower prices.  There was attractive scenery - sea and mountains - almost all the way to Villa San Giovanni where the train is loaded onto the ferry to Sicily in two sections.  We were in the last coach and discovered that, if you went to the end, you could look through a glass door to see the coaches go onto the ferry and be tied down. It is safe to leave large luggage on the train during the crossing when most people go up on deck."

Traveller Kathryn Vale reports:   "Our train trip to Palermo was a success: London to Paris by Eurostar, TGV to Toulon then local train to Monte Carlo (all stops to visit family!).  Then Ventimiglia-Genoa and Genoa-Palermo all for €68 including 4 bed 'couchette promiscuo' with juice and newspaper on waking (although no food to buy on board) AND the amazing train on the boat to Messina. We had blue sea on our right shoulder from daybreak in the couchette and all round the coast and some lovely interior trips within Sicily by train too.  The trains were great, the time keeping fine (except the Genoa train which was 40 minutes late, but we caught up on the next day), the staff were helpful - even with not much English/Italian between us!"

Traveller Steve Hutchinson reports:   “We picked up the Rome to Sicily sleeper after having arrived in Rome earlier that morning on the DB sleeper from Munich, enabling an interesting comparison between overnight trains! We had a T3 3-berth sleeper on the Sicily train, which was very comfortable with ample room for our luggage. Despite it being around 30c on departure at 2120 the air conditioning was working quite well, so a comfortable night’s sleep was assured. We woke in the morning as the train was running along the Calabrian coast with amazing views of mountains in the distance. The train then arrived at Villa San Giovanni around 06:00 where it was shunted onto the train ferry. It was effectively split into two portions to fit on the boat. The crossing took about half an hour. We all got off the train and went to the upper deck of the ship to see the views of Sicily on the approach and to get some coffee, which was very welcome! After arriving at Messina the two portions of the train – one for Palermo, the other for Catania and Siracuse - were hauled into the station. This gave the opportunity for anyone who’d got on the wrong portion in the hold of the ferry to change over! There were excellent views of Mount Etna as the Siracuse portion ran along the east coast of the island. The whole journey was amazing; you felt you’d actually travelled and arrived, rather than being delivered in a sterile aircraft. On the return a week later we boarded the sleeper train at Siracuse after an excellent meal at a restaurant round the corner from the station. Arrival at Rome was the following morning around 10:00, after a good night’s sleep”

Traveller Edward Rolands reports:   "We took the overnight train to Sicily, booking a 4 berth “comfort” couchette. Booking in advance at www.trenitalia.com meant it only cost €34.  It had a lot more space than the 6 berth variety and the air conditioning was functioning a lot more effectively too making for a much better nights sleep. We woke up in the morning as the train was pacing along the Calabrian coast with some lovely views of mountains in the distance and cliffs dropping in to the sea. The train then arrives at Villa San Giovanni where it’s shunted on to the ferry, a process which takes about half an hour.  You may be shunted on to the ferry, then shunted off again, then shunted back on again, as the train is broken up so that it fits!  The crossing takes about half an hour and you can get off and go on deck to enjoy the view - and get some basic refreshments.  On arrival at Messina it takes about half an hour to reconstruct the train which will now be in two bits, one for Palermo, one for Catania & Syracuse. Our Siracuse section was shunted into the platform at Messina Centrale first, 5 minutes before its departure time.  However it was held there until the other section was reconstructed and shunted in to another platform, so we ended up leaving over 20 minutes late.  The final section along the Eastern coast of Sicily has some great views of the mountains in the distance and of course Mt Etna. The train arrived at Taormina only 15 minutes late - the staff seemed keen to make up more time as it didn’t hang around before carrying on it’s journey South.  Overall the journey was brilliant and much better than any flight!"

Option 3, by cruise ferry from Genoa

This takes 2 nights from London to Palermo, not 1, but it's a more leisurely option with a cruise thrown in.

Option 4, b y overnight ferry from Naples

London ► sicily ► london.

Step 1, travel from London to Naples by train .

Step 2, sail from Naples to Palermo by overnight cruise ferry.  Two companies run daily ferries with comfortable cabins with en suite showers, sailing around 20:00 and arriving around 07:00, in both directions.  See www.tirrenia.it & www.snav.it for times, dates, fares & online booking.

London to Sardinia

London to sardinia by train & ferry.

Getting from the UK or mainland Europe to Sardinia without flying is easy, as there are a whole range of ferries to Sardinia, from both France (Toulon or Nice) and Italy (Genoa, Civitavecchia, Livorno & others).

You can travel by train from London to Toulon or Nice, then take Corsica Ferries to Porto Torres in Sardinia.

Step 1, check sailing dates & times using the Direct Ferries website or at www.corsica-ferries.com . 

Step 2, check train times to connect using the London to France page allowing at least 2 hours between train & ferry, preferably more to allow for taxi transfer to port, check-in time, and for any delay.

The ferries from France aren't the most frequent, so you might prefer to travel via Italy.  Grandi Navi Veloci and Tirrenia Lines have overnight sailings from Genoa to Porto Torres in Sardinia on most nights of the year, as well as sailings from other Italian ports.  Another ferry company with regular sailings to Sardinia from Civitavecchia near Rome is Sardinia Ferries .  Start by visiting the Direct Ferries website which can book most ferry routes and operators, or see each ferry company's own website to confirm sailing dates, times and fares.  Then see the London to Genoa or London to Rome sections above to arrange trains to connect.  Remember to allow several hours for a safe connection between train and ferry, to include ferry check-in time, transfer from station to port, and to allow for any delay.

Book the ferry first.  You can book the ferry online at the Sardinia Ferries , Grandi Navi Veloci or Tirrenia Lines websites or check prices & buy tickets for all operators in one place at www.directferries.com .

Then book the train from London to Genoa or Rome as shown on this London to Italy page , or from London to Marseille or Toulon as shown on the London to France page .

Trains between major towns in Sardinia:  See the train travel in Italy page

Holidays & tours by train.

The following companies can arrange a short break, tour or longer holiday to your own specification, either within Italy or from the UK to Italy by train, leaving on any date you like.  As you're effectively booking a package, not travelling independently, another advantage is that they'll look after you if anything goes wrong, for example a strike or major delay.

Railbookers, railbookers.co.uk

Railbookers are an experienced train travel specialist who arrange holidays or short breaks with train travel, transfers & hotels all arranged.  If you tell them what you want, they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it out for you.

Their most popular trips include UK to Venice via the Alps , UK to Lake Como via the Alps , UK to Florence via the Alps , UK to Rome via the Alps , UK to Amalfi Coast via the Alps , all of which are customisable to add extra nights or extra cities, with train travel on the outward or return journey, or by train throughout with no flying necessary, it's up to you.

Byway, byway.travel

Byway ( Byway.travel ) is a new UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating .  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, they'll book a holiday to Italy for you as a package, including train travel from the UK and hotels, starting from any British station you like.

They can build a trip to your requirements, email them or use the contact form .  Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

Tailor Made Rail, tailormaderail.com

Escorted tours.

If you prefer to travel with a group of like-minded fellow travellers with a professional tour guide taking care of you, the following companies organise tours by train from the UK to Italy and other European countries, with regular departure dates throughout the year.

Great Rail Journeys, greatrail.com

Rail discoveries, raildiscoveries.com, european rail timetable & maps.

Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south.  Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted.  See an extract from the map .  Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).

If you have a decent guidebook you'll see so much more and know so much more about what you're looking at.  It's a sound investment when you remember what you're spending on the whole trip!  I think the Lonely Planets or Rough Guides are the best ones out there for the independent traveller.  My own book is an essential handbook for train travel to Europe based on this website called " The Man in Seat 61 ".  Published in June 2008 and revised April 2010, it's available from Amazon.co.uk with shipping worldwide.

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk

Alternatively, you can download just the chapters or areas you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website , from around £2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.

Recommended hotels

Here are my suggested hotels in key Italian cities, conveniently located for arrival by train and all with good or great reviews.  You are unlikely to be disappointed by any hotel scoring over 8.0 out of 10 on Booking.com .

The lovely Turin Palace Hotel, directly opposite the via Paolo Sacchi side exit from Turin Porta Nuova .

There are lots of hotels near Milan Centrale , used by the Frecciarossa to/from Paris, the EuroCity trains to/from Switzerland and the majority of Italian domestic trains.

Affordable hotels & guesthouses with good or great reviews just outside the station include the Hotel Bristol , Hotel Bernina , 43 Station Hotel , B&B Hotel Milano Central Station , Guesthouse Teodora .

M ore upmarket hotels include HD8 Hotel , Glam Hotel , Made to Measure Business , Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson .

At the top end, the 5-star Excelsior Hotel Gallia is just across the road, you won't go wrong with that.

Near Milan Porta Garibaldi (used by the TGV to/from Paris), the AC Milano Hotel (a Marriott Lifestyle Hotel) is just 350m from the station and gets good reviews.  Also try the Holiday Inn Porta Garibaldi , which offers family rooms.

Hotels near Verona Porta Nuova station with good or great reviews include the Corte Merighi Rooms & Breakfast , Novo Hotel Rossi , Guesthouse Verona or (a little closer to the centre, but with fab reviews) the Relais Empire .

Location, location, location!   Some people try to save money by staying on the mainland at Mestre , hotels in Mestre being naturally cheaper.  It's an option, but don't do it if you don't have to.  You want to be a resident in Venice, not a serial day-tripper, so try to find an affordable place in the historic city of Venice itself.

Venice Santa Lucia station is walking distance from everywhere in central Venice including the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco, so a hotel near the station which you can easily walk to with your bags makes a lot of sense.

Relatively inexpensive places with good reviews near Venice Santa Lucia include Albergo Marin , Hotel Marte , La Loggia della Luna , Albergo ai Tolentini .

An excellent upmarket choice just 5 minutes walk from Venice Santa Lucia is the small and intimate Hotel Canal Grande - I've stayed there myself.  Also try the Abazzia De Luxe .

For the least expensive places in central Venice check www.hostelworld.com .  Use the map view to see places in Venice itself.

Of course, if you have the financial backing for a water taxi, then fine, stay near San Marco or wherever you like.  My son nagged me continually until I caved in and splurged €70 on a water taxi from Santa Lucia station to St Marks.  I have to say that it was the best thing I have ever done in Venice, and that includes a gondola ride!

If you do decide to stay in Mestre to save money and travel in & out of Venice by train every day, try the Hotel Cris which has great reviews 200m from Venezia Mestre station , and the Best Western Plus Hotel Bologna .

In Florence

For something fancy, try the Hotel Santa Maria Novella with a 9/10 review score and rooftop terrace overlooking the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella.  It's a mere 5-minute 400m walk from Florence Santa Maria Novella station .

For something more affordable but also an easy walk from the station, try the Hotel Art Atelier .

Other hotels nearby with good reviews include C-hotels Club , 7Florence B&B , Hotel Lombardia .

There are many hotels near Rome Termini .  However, an affordable top choice with a 9/10 review rating is the Hotel Diocleziano , a 5-minute 400m walk from Roma Termini's main entrance, set in a 19th century building next to the Terme di Diocleziano ancient Roman baths.

An upmarket option near the station is Hotel Le Petit , an 8-minute 700m walk from the station, also with great reviews.

Other hotels near the station with good or great reviews include The Hive Hotel , Dream Station , The Republic Hotel .

There are lots of hotels near Naples Centrale .

The Starhotel Terminus is just across the road from the station, gets great reviews and has a roof terrace with views over the Bay of Naples.

The Hotel Potenza is only a little further into the Piazza Garibaldi, cheaper, also with good reviews.

The Unahotel Napoli is highly recommended, on Piazza Mancini overlooking Piazza Garibaldi, on the far side facing the station.

Also consider the Pit Stop Napoli Centrale .

Hotels close to Paris Gare de Lyon

If you need to stop overnight in Paris on your way to or from Italy, these hotels near the Gare de Lyon get good reviews: 

Mercure Paris Gare de Lyon (on the station forecourt itself next to the station's famous clock tower, 4-star);

Citizen M Hotel (just along the road from the station, 4-star, great reviews);

Hotel Terminus Lyon (right in front of the station, 3-star);

Novotel Paris Gare de Lyon (opposite the station, 4-star);

Mistral Hotel (800m from Gare de Lyon, 1-star);

Hotel 26 Faubourg (5 min walk from Gare de Lyon, 2-star);  More Paris hotels .

Entrance to the Mercure Hotel at the Gare De Lyon , right next to the station's famous clock tower.  Handy for early trains!

Booking.com for hotels

I generally use Booking.com for hotels for 3 reasons: 

(1) It keeps all my hotel bookings together in one place;

(2) I've come to trust Booking.com 's review scores;

(3) Booking.com usually offers a clearly-marked Free cancellation option. 

Free cancellation means you can secure hotels risk-free even before trains open for booking, and if necessary change those bookings if your plans evolve.

If I'm only staying a night or two, I look for a hotel near the station to make arrival & departure easy.  You can enter the station name (e.g. Berlin Hbf ) as search location.  If staying longer, I look for a hotel close to the sights, entering the name of a city attraction as the search location, then using map view.

AirBnB:  Airbnb.com

www.airbnb.com began in 2008 when two designers who had space to share hosted three travellers looking for a place to stay.  AirBnB is a platform which connects hosts with guests, so you can now book a room in people's homes, or an apartment, flat or house which people want to rent out.  It can be nicer than a hostel, cheaper than many hotels.

Backpacker hostels:  Hostelworld.com

www.hostelworld.com offers online booking of dorm beds or cheap private rooms in backpacker hostels most European cities at rock-bottom prices.  It's one way to cut costs significantly compared to using a hotel every night.

Car hire comparison: www.carrentals.co.uk

The award-winning website www.carrentals.co.uk compares many different car hire companies including Holiday Autos, meaning not only a cheapest price comparison but a wider choice of hire and drop off location.

Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance.

You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer.  It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit.  These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here .  Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a European mobile data package and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list .  There's no need to buy a physical SIM card!  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data .

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works:   1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android .  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than getting a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card , they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  Why you need a VPN

When travelling you may use free public WiFi which is often insecure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained .  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using this link you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I also get some commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, hotel bookings and Interrail or Eurail passes are often now held on your mobile phone.  You daren't let it run out of power, and you can't always rely on the phone's internal battery or on being near a power outlet.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or Buy from Amazon.com .

Touring cities?  Use hill walking shoes!

One of the best things I've done is swap my normal shoes for hill-walking shoes, in my case from Scarpa.  They're intended for hiking across the Pennines not wandering around Florence, but the support and cushioning for hiking works equally well when you're on your feet all day exploring foreign cities.  My feet used to give out first and limit my day, now the rest of me gives up before they do!

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Train to Italy: Rail travel from the UK to Italy

From the archives: ideas for planning a train journey between the UK and Italy

By train from the UK to Italy

It is surprisingly affordable and straightforward to travel from the UK to Italy by train, as long as you are prepared to research and book your rail trip in advance. Just how straightforward your journey is will depend on your final destination in Italy and whether you prefer to travel overnight, break your journey in an intermediate city, or arrive in one day – which is just about possible for some Italian cities. This article provides information on routes, trains and timetables to help plan rail travel to and from Italy.

There are a number of ways to break your journey down into separate legs, and to buy tickets. Shopping around is complicated but can sometimes save money: for example, the Italian railway website (see our links at the foot of the page) sometimes offers very cheap deals on international journeys from Italy to other parts of mainland Europe. Booking your Eurostar journey separately may mean you can find special offers, and be more flexible with your travel arrangements. A more simple option, though, is to visit Rail Europe , where you can book tickets from London to major Italian cities in one transaction.

You can read more about travelling by train within Italy in my article Trains in Italy .

Why travel by train to Italy?

There are many advantages to travelling by train to Italy. If you travel by day, or break the journey in an intermediate destination, the experience could become an enjoyable part of your holiday. Train travellers are not subject to the same stringent luggage restrictions as air travellers (although the Eurostar does have its own rules and checks). Many find rail travel more relaxing and enjoyable than flying, and it makes your holiday more environmentally-friendly and slow-paced. You avoid delays which may affect air travel – recent examples include strikes and closed airspace due to volcanic ash clouds.

Would-be rail travellers should note that trains do have their own disadvantages. Obviously the duration of the journey makes rail travel impractical for a short break in Italy. Travelling from the UK to Italy means you could be affected by rail strikes in any one of the UK, France or Italy. Bad weather, too, can cause delays. The easiest journeys involve night trains which won’t suit every traveller, with comfort and privacy being issues in shared compartments. Trains can also be more expensive than flights, although by advance booking you may find competitive deals.

London to Paris

The first stage of a rail journey from the UK to Italy is travel by Eurostar train under the Channel to Paris. Departing from London St. Pancras International, the journey takes two hours and 15 minutes, though you must allow at least 30 minutes for checking in and baggage screening. France and Italy are one hour ahead of the UK, so if you leave London at 4.02pm, you’ll arrive in Paris at 7.17pm. You can get the best-value fares by booking well in advance, and being flexible about which service you take. Tickets go on sale 90 days before travel.

Alternatives to this London-Paris journey are ferry travel, or leaving the Eurostar at Lille and changing to a train heading for the south of France.

> Find a hotel in Paris

From Paris to Italy

In Paris, travellers must change stations to embark on the second stage of the journey to Italy. This can be done by direct Paris-Italy trains or by changing in Switzerland.

Artesia trains – a joint venture between the French SNCF and Italian Trenitalia – operate direct services between Paris and Italian cities several times a day. Daytime trains leave from Paris Gare de Lyon and night sleeper trains depart from the Gare de Bercy.

If you want an interesting train journey to be part of your holiday experience, you’ll probably become absorbed in researching the many different route combinations. Instead of taking the direct Artesia service, it is possible to change in Basel or Zurich, reaching Milan via the Gotthard Pass. The timings of these routes via Switzerland can be tempting for travellers wanting to make the journey in a day, but these journeys can depend upon perilously-short changes between trains. These three-country journeys are best researched on the efficient German railways website (see links below), but buying tickets will be more complicated and you’re unlikely to find such cheap offers on prices. Note that if you have any visa restrictions when travelling in Europe, you should be aware that not just the Zurich trains but also the overnight Paris-Italy trains pass through Switzerland and you should have the correct paperwork.

Rail journey suggestions

The times and prices here are intended as an illustration – although accurate when written, railway companies change their schedules from time to time, so you should always confirm the latest details when making a booking.

Destination Venice

How to get from london to venice.

At the time of writing, the only direct trains between Paris and Venice are overnight services. This is a time-efficient way to travel (and saves on hotel costs) but doesn’t allow you to enjoy the scenery. Leave London in the early afternoon – or earlier if you fancy a bit of time in Paris. The evening Artesia train leaves Paris Gare de Bercy at 8.33pm and arrives in Venice at 9.34 the following morning. A daytime option, with one change in Milan, leaves Paris Gare de Lyon at 7.42am (too early for the earliest Eurostar, so you’d need to spend a night in Paris), and arrives in Venice at 5.40pm.

A scenic but more complicated route is to travel via Switzerland, with a change at Zurich. You can leave London on the 5.25am Eurostar, catch the 10.24am TGV to Zurich from Paris Est, and then change in Zurich to the 3.09pm train for Milan (this is a very rushed change). With another change in Milan, this journey should get you to Venice at 9.40pm. A more relaxed option would be to break your journey with a night in Zurich.

Venice to London

Returning to the uk overnight.

The Artesia overnight train leaves Venice in the evening (7:57pm), arriving at Paris Bercy Station early in the morning (8:19am). The standard ticket price is €127 but a cheap advance ‘Smart price’ ticket costs just €45. By travelling across Paris and getting straight on the Eurostar, you could be in London for lunch. This train also stops in other Italian cities: Padua, Vicenza, Verona, Brescia and Milan.

Daytime options

At present the best option for enjoying a daytime journey from Venice to London, enjoying views of Italy and France, is to break your journey in another northern Italian city. There is a very early train from Milan, stopping in Turin, which arrives in Paris at lunchtime. This would allow you optional time to sightsee for a few hours in Paris before boarding a Eurostar train to London.

Another option, which would mean arriving late in Paris and spending the night there, is to catch the 4.10pm train from Milan Centrale, arriving at Paris Gare de Lyon at 11.28pm. You can easily travel from Venice to Milan in time for this train, perhaps with some time to see Milan. There’s a choice of trains and prices from Venice to Milan; with the swiftest connection being the 12.50pm train from Venice, arriving at Milan Centrale at 3.25pm.

It is possible to make the journey in one day if you are prepared to risk several tight changes. A 6.20am train from Venice to Milan, followed by a 9.10am train to Zurich and then a 1.02pm train to Paris Est will get you to Paris in time to transfer, catch a Eurostar and arrive in London just after 8pm. A later departure from Venice, at 7.50am or 8.09am, changing in Milan and in Basel, should get you to Paris in time for the last Eurostar, arriving in London at 10.34pm.

Destination Milan

London to milan, how to get from london to milan.

Milan is a key transport hub for nothern Italy, with connections to the Italian lakes and other northern Italian destinations. It is possible to travel between the UK and Milan in one day without any overnight stops, although direct trains are not at the most convenient times for long-distance travellers. The Milan-Paris trains can be a useful leg of a journey from other parts of Italy. The direct daytime trains also stop in the city of Turin.

There are direct trains to Milan from Paris Lyon at 7.42am, arriving at 2.50pm (this one is too early for a Eurostar connection), and at 3.24pm, arriving at 10.25pm. This latter connection means you only have to leave London at 10.25am, offering a comfortable start to your journey. Travellers can also opt to travel with a change of trains at Zurich, as detailed above in the Venice directions.

If you prefer to arrive in the morning, you can leave London around 4pm and catch the 8.33pm sleeper train from Paris Bercy, which arrives in Milan at the rather brutal time of 5.38am.

Milan to London

The Artesia overnight train to Paris leaves Milan Stazione Centrale at 11.25pm and arrives in Paris at 8.19am (this is the train from Venice).

There are currently two direct daytime trains from Milan to Paris. The morning train to Paris leaves Milan Stazione Centrale at 6.40am, arriving in Paris at approximately 2pm – ample time for catching an afternoon Eurostar train to London. The second option is a 4.10pm train, which arrives at Paris Gare de Lyon at 11.28pm. This is too late to catch a Eurostar onwards to London, but might be a practical option if you fancy spending a night in Paris with some sightseeing the next day.

It is also possible to travel with a change in Switzerland – for example, leaving Milan at 9.10am, a very quick change in Zurich, arrival at Paris Est at 5.24 and return to London at around 8pm. Check the connection times for Zurich journeys, though, as they can be dangerously short. A more comfortablely timed option leaves Milan at 11.20am and with a change in Basel, would get you to London at 10.34pm.

Destination Rome

How to get from london to rome.

Rome is in central Italy; its status as Italy’s capital and its location make it the gateway for the central and southern parts of the country. There are fast trains from Rome to most Italian cities, and slower trains connecting smaller destinations. Trains from Paris and Milan to Rome also stop in Florence.

To travel overnight to Rome, you can leave London on the Eurostar at around 2pm, getting to Paris for the 6.52pm EuroNight train from Paris Bercy to Rome Termini. This sleeper train pulls into Rome at 10.12am. By catching an onward connection you could get right down to the south of Italy by the second night of your trip.

To make the trip in the daytime, you could travel to Paris in the afternoon or evening, spend one night in Paris, then catch the 7.42am Artesia train from Paris Lyon to Milan. Changing to a high-speed Italian service in Milan will get you to Rome at 6.45pm, in plenty of time for a relaxed Roman evening meal.

Rome to London

By leaving Rome at 8pm on a train for Milan, you can change at Milan Centrale to the 11.53pm night train for Paris Bercy (arriving at 8.19am). This journey would get you to London by the middle of the day.

You can accomplish the Rome-London journey in a day if you are prepared to change 3 times. Catching a Rome-Milan train at 8am gets you to Milan in time for an 11.20 train to Basel in Switzerland. Change to a Paris train at 4.02pm, arriving at Paris Est at 7.34pm. Transfer to the Gare du Nord, catch the last Eurostar at 9.13pm and you’ll be in London at 10.34pm.

By leaving Rome at 12.15 on a Rome-Milan service, you can reach Milan in time for the 4.10pm train from Milan Centrale (arriving in Paris Gare de Lyon at 11.28pm, as above).

A European city itinerary

If you have leisure time, you could take a slow journey from Italy stopping off for a taste of European cities. I wanted to travel from Venice to London avoiding the night train. After shopping around for cheap advance fares, I decided to spend two days travelling, with an overnight stay in Milan. Venice to Milan is a fairly short journey; in Milan I had an afternoon for sightseeing before spending the night in a cheap hotel near Stazione Centrale. Taking the early morning train (a 6am start) from Milan to Paris meant I could travel in daylight and enjoy the view from the train windows, followed by a few hours in Paris prior to catching the last Eurostar for London. The cost for my journey was as follows: €30 Venice to Milan; €55 hotel in Milan (single room); €50 Milan – Paris (first class ‘Smart Price’); £45.50 Eurostar Paris – London. This gives a total of approximately £160 sterling.

Tickets and timetables

Please note that times and prices listed above were correct at the time of writing, but timetables and ticket prices are liable to change. Planning an international rail journey will always require fresh research. Note that different railway companies ‘release’ their tickets at varying times – frequently, but not always, three months in advance.

The Trainline : Train tickets within the UK, for connections to London St. Pancras International. The station is alongside King’s Cross overland and underground station.

Eurostar: Eurostar travel from London St. Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord. You can check timetables, look for the cheapest fares and make bookings on their website. You can book up to four months in advance.

Trenitalia : The Italian rail company, for tickets between Italy and France, and within Italy. Check the drop-down list of tariffs and offers to find the cheapest fare to which you are entitled. Although many domestic Italian rail tickets can be printed at home, currently international tickets need to be collected from a machine at an Italian station. So for UK residents, this puchasing method is only practical for the return Italy-Paris leg of your trip, unless ticket conditions change.

Rail Europe: An easy one-stop shop for buying cross-Europe rail tickets. The website doesn’t always offer as many options and special offers as booking your tickets separately, but it is much simpler and easier. They include routes via Lausanne and Zurich. Choose a specific hour rather than a time of day when searching (I found that selecting ‘morning’ did not offer me a cheap 6.40am option).

TGV Europe : The French railway website sells tickets to travellers from other countries, including the UK, who can arrange for tickets to be posted free of charge, or collected at a French railway station ticket machine. Note that the website does not seem to work with all internet browsers.

www.bahn.de : The German railway website is a renowned resource for researching journeys throughout Europe. It’s particularly helpful if you’re planning a route through Switzerland, not covered on the Italian or French booking websites. However, it does not sell tickets for journeys outside Germany.

Italian rail journeys

> Trains in Italy – more information about train travel within Italy > Italy travel itineraries – my suggested Italy travel itineraries are all based around public transport and most involve scenic railway journeys. Highlights include the picturesque cross-country railways of Puglia in the south.

• Travel & transport
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Italy travel itineraries

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The Man in Seat 61 – European rail travel advice

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London to Italy by Train: Everything You Need to Know

This page contains affiliate links. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Traveling from London to Italy by train is our favourite way to get to Italy. We’ve done the journey in one direction or the other four times now and have never regretted our decision.

It can be difficult to resist the lure of incredibly low prices on budget airlines, but flying is always unpleasant: the long drive to inconveniently located airports; the hassle of security; removing liquids, laptops and shoes; endless queues and waits in crowded hallways to board the plane, and then the cramped flight itself.

Taking the train may be more expensive and time-consuming, but it’s a much more enjoyable way to travel.

It’s comfortable and spacious, you can enjoy the scenery along the way, and you end up in the centre of cities rather than at some distant airport.

While it is possible to travel from London to Italy by train in a single day, the journey is more enjoyable if you allow a few days and break up the journey along the way (we love a good excuse to visit Paris!).

Routes by Train from London to Italy

Perugia, italy to london by train: our experience, how to book a london to italy train trip, eurostar details, how much does the train from london to italy cost, would we travel by train from italy to london again.

The Quickest London to Italy Train Route

When taking the train from London to Italy this is the easiest, cheapest, and fastest route:

• Eurostar train from London St Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord (2hrs 20 minutes)
• TGV train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Turin or Milan (5.5 hours or 7 hours)

Wherever you are heading in Italy you will need to change at Paris and either Turin or Milan. You can then connect to other trains across Italy.

It is possible to do this journey in one day if you take the 8.01am Eurostar from London and connect to the 12.44pm TGV, which arrives in Turin at 6.15pm or Milan at 7.49pm.

You’ll likely need to stay the night in Turin or Milan before connecting to other Italian cities.

There’s also a 3.12pm Frecciarossa train from Paris to Milan, but it doesn’t arrive until after 10pm, so I think the TGV is a better option. If you stay overnight in Paris, you could consider their morning train.

The Frecciarossa is a newer train (opened in 2021) that’s run by Trenitalia.

Below you’ll find our experiences on different routes from Italy to London plus costs and how to book tickets.

Transferring Stations in Paris

We always like to spend at least one day in Paris on our way down to Italy, but if you are leaving straight away on the TGV you’ll need to travel from the Gare du Nord station to Gare de Lyon.

This takes about 10 minutes on the RER D train (buy a metro ticket from the machine for €2.10), but I recommend allowing at least an hour to make your connection.

Sleeper Train From London to Italy

The direct Thello sleeper train from Paris to Venice was discontinued in 2020.

If you really want to take an overnight train from Paris to Italy, the only option now is taking the TGV from Paris to Stuttgart and picking up the Nightjet sleeper train direct from Stuttgart to Venice.

We’ve never done this route as we find it difficult to sleep on overnight trains and the daytime TGV is more comfortable. It also requires that extra change in Stuttgart now.

London to Turin Train

The train journey from London to Turin is a distance of 921km and about nine hours travel time (including a transfer in Paris). 

Turin Porta Susa is the first major stop in Italy on the TGV from Paris, and it’s often the best place to make a connection to other destinations in Italy.

We’ve travelled from Paris to Turin twice and it’s an easy, affordable (from €29 if you book far in advance), and scenic (via the Alps) trip that takes about 5.5 hours.

First class tickets are often only €20 more than second class if you book in advance, so it’s worth paying for the extra space.

TGV trains from Paris to Turin depart three times a day at 6.44am, 12.44pm, and 2.44pm. You can check times and buy tickets at SNCF.

On one trip we spent a few days in Turin (an underrated city that’s well worth visiting) before renting a car to explore the beautiful Langhe wine region of Piemonte.

On another trip we had an hour in Turin (enough for lunch) before continuing on the Frecciarossa train to Bologna (just over two hours) where we spent a week.

London to Milan Train

The TGV from Paris continues to Milan after Turin and takes 7 hours.

It arrives at Milan Garibaldi station so make sure that you get an onward train from the same station to avoid the hassle of traveling across Milan (many trains leave from Milan Centrale). It might be easier to change in Turin.

See the Turin section above for TGV train details.

We’re not a huge fan of Milan but it’s a good base for visiting the Italian Lakes—we love the little village of Varenna on Lake Como.

We also did the reverse trip from Milan to Paris (and on to London)—see our detailed report in the Perugia section below.

If you’d like to take an even more scenic route to Italy you could travel via Switzerland.

This involves taking the TGV from Paris to Geneva or Zurich (3.5–4.5 hours) and connecting to the Eurocity train to Milan (3.5–4.5 hours). This is a good option if you’d like to stop in Switzerland on the way.

London to Rome Train

To travel from London to Rome by train you’ll have to first take the Eurostar to Paris and then the TGV to Turin (5.5 hours) where you can pick up a train to Rome (4.5 hours).

You could do this in one day by getting to Turin as described above (leaving at 8am) and then connecting to the 7.10pm Frecciarossa train from Turin to Rome, which arrives at 11.49pm.

London to Venice Train

To travel from London to Venice by train you’ll have to first take the Eurostar to Paris.

You then take the TGV from Paris to Turin (5.5 hours) and connect to a Trenitalia Frecciarossa train to Venice (3 hours).

You could do this in one day by getting to Turin as described above (leaving at 8am from London) and then connecting to the 6.50pm Frecciarossa train from Turin to Venice, which arrives at 10pm.

See above for details on travelling to Turin and for the sleeper train option to Venice (via Stuttgart as the direct service was discontinued).

When we travelled from London to Venice by train we took a long way round via Slovenia—see below.

London to Venice by Train via Slovenia

We once spent two weeks traveling from London to Venice by train . We travelled with an Interrail pass which allowed us to hop on and off trains all over the continent.

Our long detour took us from London – Paris – Munich, Germany – Ljubljana , Slovenia. Slovenia is a gorgeous country that’s well worth the detour and it’s easy to get around by train.

To continue to Italy we took the train from magical Lake Bled in Slovenia to Venice.

To do this take the train from Bled Jezero to Nova Gorica (1.5 hours), walk 100 metres over the border to Italy and take a short bus ride to Gorizia Station where you can pick up a train to Venice (2 hours 15 minutes). Reservations aren’t needed for this route as it’s all on regional trains.

You can check train times for the Slovenia section at slo-zeleznice.si .

From Venice we continued our train trip down to Puglia and on to Sicily .

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A few years ago we travelled from Perugia, Italy to London, which is a distance of 1750 km and around 14 hours of travel time. We took four days to do the journey and broke it up with stops in Milan and Paris.

To make the long trip more comfortable, we travelled first class (except on the Eurostar), which wasn’t much more expensive than standard class.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of our experience. Note that train times may have changed since our trip.

Day 1: Perugia to Florence

2 hrs 4 mins (09:53-11:57)

The first train of our trip was a regional train from Perugia to Florence.

It was the most basic train we took but first class was empty and quiet and we had four seats to ourselves. Simon managed to work despite the lack of tables.

Italy was in the midst of a relentless heatwave so we were glad of the cool air conditioning.

The journey took us through the Umbrian and Tuscan countryside past olive groves, vineyards, fields of bright yellow sunflowers, and the terracotta roofs of hill towns.

Florence is one of our favourite cities in Italy so it was a shame we only had an hour there.

Despite the heat we walked the ten minutes from the station for a glimpse of the glorious (if incredibly crowded) Duomo and a slice of pizza.

Day 1: Florence to Milan

1 hour 40 mins (13:00-14:40)

The fastest and fanciest trains in Italy are the Freccias and we took the Frecciarossa from Florence to Milan.

Seats in business class were comfortable and wide with tables, power sockets, lots of luggage space overhead, and a free drink and snack.

The scenery wasn’t the most exciting of the trip—lots of tunnels until Bologna and then flat countryside. The trip was over in no time, though.

Milan was steaming hot so we were glad our apartment was near the Eataly food emporium—an air-conditioned haven for Italian food lovers where we browsed the supermarket aisles and enjoyed a gelato and coffee.

We were visiting during the Milan Expo so we spent the evening wandering the huge site. Some of the architecture was impressive, especially the beehive themed UK pavilion.

Day 2: Milan to Paris

7 hours 26 mins (8:45-16:11)

The next day, we took the TGV from Milan to Paris.

You can get some great deals on first class on the TGV—it only cost us £4 more than second class.

Our carriage was full and disappointingly we had the seats next to each other going backwards with only a half window view, rather than the duo seats at the window with a table in-between (if you book direct with TGV you can choose your seats).

But the seats were wide and comfortable, with power sockets and large pull-down tables. The seats also recline slightly without affecting the legroom of the person behind you.

There are no free drinks in first class and the shop/cafe is very expensive, so we recommend stocking up with more than you think you’ll need before getting on the train.

As we stepped onto the train in Milan we left Italy and entered France before we even reached the border—the staff spoke French and the cafe served French classics.

The joy of travelling by train in Europe is the seamless border crossings—the train didn’t stop at the border and we never had to show our passports. It was just as easy as travelling within a country.

Over seven hours on a train may seem a lot but the journey passed quickly and comfortably. I read books and watched a film, and Simon was incredibly productive the whole day—he finds it easy to focus on trains and made some major progress on his latest project.

We could get up and walk around when we wanted, and we enjoyed the views along the way—the lush rice fields of northern Italy and the mountains of the French Alps.

We could have continued on the same day to London but we decided to spend two nights in Paris staying with our friends.

Day 3: A Day in Paris

Two nights in Paris wasn’t enough but we did our best to enjoy it.

I did a long run to the Louvre, we drank wine and ate cheese in the park, enjoyed croissants and thick hot chocolate at the fancy Angelina tea room, and walked endlessly through the beautiful streets.

Read our recommended itinerary for one day in Paris . 

Day 4: Paris to London

2 hours 17 mins (12:43-14:00)

We love the Eurostar! It’s amazing that in just over two hours you can get from Paris to London. There’s no reason ever to fly this route: the train is quicker, more comfortable, and takes you direct from city centre to city centre.

Travelling from France to the UK isn’t quite as seamless as from Italy to France.

You have to check-in for the Eurostar at least 30 minutes before departure and you need to pass through a passport check and luggage security scanners.

It was quicker and easier than airport security, though, and you don’t have to worry about the size of your liquids.

When we arrived an hour in advance, the Eurostar waiting area at Gare du Nord was very crowded as trains leave every 30 minutes in the busy summer holidays, so there were two trains worth of people waiting to board. Once the first train left we were able to get a seat.

Although we didn’t travel first class on the Eurostar it was a comfortable journey with lots of luggage storage above seats and large pull-down tables.

There are UK and European power points at every seat on the Eurostar and USB sockets in Standard Premier and Business Premier.

We arrived in London to torrential rain and were tempted to get straight back on the Eurostar to Paris!

Booking Individual Tickets 

To get the best rates on the train trip from London to Italy you need to book at least 2-3 months in advance and travel at off-peak times.

Eurostar tickets from London to Paris cost from £41 one way and can be booked up to 330 days in advance. You can book on the Eurostar website .

TGV tickets from Paris to Turin or Milan cost from €29 in second class or €39 in first class and can be booked six months in advance. You can book on the SNCF website .

For onward tickets in Italy use Trenitalia. Again if you book in advance you’ll get the best deals. For example Turin to Rome on the Frecciarossa train costs from €45.

You can usually book up to four months in advance on the Trenitalia website . Make sure to use Italian place names (i.e Torino not Turin). 

Booking the Entire Journey with Rail Europe

If you don’t want to book each ticket individually you can use Rail Europe (previously called Loco2).

Rail Europe makes booking trains across Europe easy as you can buy tickets on the French, Italian, and British railways all in one place. It costs the same as booking direct plus a small transaction fee. 

We booked with Rail Europe for our Umbria to London train trip and it was simple. You enter where you are travelling from and to and your dates and the site will suggest the best route.

You can also customise the search by adding a “via station” and stopover duration—very useful if you’d like to spend a night or two somewhere or have time for lunch along the way.

You can choose your seating preferences, but they aren’t guaranteed and we found we didn’t get the seats we wanted (the couple seats on the Freccia or TGV). If you want to select your exact seats, you’ll need to book direct with each train network.

On Rail Europe you pay for your tickets in British pounds, Euros, USD, AUD or CAD. They accept international credit cards so anyone can use the site. 

They charge a transaction fee of £6.45 (€7.45, $8.45) on non-UK train journeys over the value of £15, $15 or €15. 

Each network has different ticket collection methods so read the instructions Rail Europe gives you.

For Perugia to Florence we had to collect our tickets in the station using a reference number, Florence to Milan was ticketless (as are all the Freccia trains in Italy) and we just showed the reference on our phone, and for the TGV we had to print the eticket (mobile tickets are now available).

We were impressed by the service and think Rail Europe is the easiest way to book your train tickets between Italy and the UK.

Booking each leg of the trip directly is more work, but the main advantage is being able to choose your seats.

Travelling with an Interrail or Eurail Pass

If you want to travel between the UK and Italy as part of a longer train journey across Europe, then consider purchasing an Interrail (for UK/EU citizens) or Eurail (for everyone else) rail pass. 

We’ve travelled with a one month Global pass three times now and love the freedom it gives us to hop on and off trains all over the continent.

Some trains (including the Eurostar and fast trains in Italy) do require seat reservations for a small fee. See my Interrail planning guide for everything you need to know. 

The Eurostar is definitely the best way to travel between London and Paris. There are 16 daily trains to choose from, the fastest journey time is just 2 hours 20 minutes, and fares start from £44 each way.

For more comfort, space, and included meals you can pay extra to travel Standard Premier or Business Premier, but we’ve always found Standard class comfortable enough. 

When travelling on the Eurostar you can sometimes take advantage of their Eurostar 2 for 1 deal which gives you 2 for 1 entry to popular Paris museums such as the Musée d’Orsay and Les Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais. All you have to do is show your Eurostar ticket. Check on the website to see if the offer is currently available.

You can buy tickets from Eurostar.com or as part of a longer journey on Rail Europe .

The further in advance you book, and the more flexible you are with the day and time you travel, the lower the train fare will be.

Here is what we paid per person for a one way journey on our previous trips: 

London – Paris – Turin – Bologna

We travelled during the week in April and booked three months in advance: 

• Eurostar London to Paris £44
• TGV Paris to Turin £34.50 (First class)
• Frecciarossa Turin to Bologna £22 Total cost: £100.50

Perugia – Milan – Paris – London

This Italy to London train journey was in July and we booked six weeks in advance on Loco2 (now Rail Europe): 

• Perugia to Paris via Florence and Milan £92 (First class)
• Eurostar Paris to London £41 Total cost: £133

The train may seem more expensive than a flight on a budget airline, but once you include transport to and from airports, booking admin fees, and baggage charges if you don’t travel hand luggage only , the difference isn’t so great.

We think the higher cost is worth it for a more enjoyable and civilised journey.

Absolutely!

We always find the train journey much more pleasant and less tiring than being treated like cattle on a cramped low-cost airline.

On the train we have space to move around, comfortable seats with plenty of legroom, and we can enjoy the scenery or work along the way.

We don’t have to worry about baggage allowances, the size of our liquids, or two hour check-in times.

We get to add in some bonus cities along the way and the journey is much more environmentally friendly.

If we have a few extra days to spare we’ll definitely travel by train again.

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66 Comments

We hate flying. So are you able to give un complicated directions to southern Italy. Like many we just want the easiest route . Not a holiday By train. Does the St Pancras train stop at any stations before it reaches the tunnel? Please could you help. Thank you

Reply ↓

I answered that question at the very beginning of the Route by Train from London to Italy. You should check the Eurostar website for stops on that route.

Hi thinking of going from London to Rome by train do they provide anywhere to store a invalid scooter? Thanks Helen

I’m afraid I don’t know. I would try contacting the train companies (start with Eurostar).

My friend and I are in our 70’s. Is there a service to help you connect with the correct train and from train station to hotel? Also, any problems with the corona virus traveling on the trains?

I haven’t heard of a service like that I’m afraid. I would arrive at the station in plenty of time before your train departs to allow time to find your platform (you can always ask the staff). Taking a taxi from train station to the hotel would be easiest.

I don’t know when you are planning to travel but coronavirus is still a huge problem. It’s not currently possible to do this trip as Europe has closed its borders to non EU residents (which includes Brits now). Even by the summer there will still very likely be a risk travelling by train even if borders reopen.

Hi! We are planning a family trip to London this June with our 2 little girls (6 years old and 4 years old). We have a round trip (plane ticket) to London for 14 days and want to do a trip to Italy in the middle of our trip. We already did a trip to Paris via train from London. Where would you suggest for us to visit in Italy with that time frame and would you still recommend the train right over flight? Since we would need to travel back to London. Thank you!

It depends how much of that time you want to spend in Italy.

I think the journey is best done over two days, although it is possible to get to northern Italy (Turin or Milan) in one day. The total journey is 10 – 12 hours with at least one change in Paris, so it would be quite tiring, especially with two small children.

Where you go depends on your interests – there are so many options but I would stick to Rome or further north because of travel time. Turin is the nearest major city and there’s some lovely countryside nearby. Milan is a bit further. To get to somewhere like Venice, Florence or Rome you’d have to spend a night or two in Turin before continuing on.

If you only have a few days available, I would probably fly.

Recommendations appreciated for a trip/route from UK to Puglia with my 3 daughters?

It really depends how long you have and where interests you. London – Paris – Turin – Bologna – Rome – Puglia (perhaps start in Bari) is a great route. We did this once (but with Rome after Puglia – the train from Bologna to Puglia is quite long in one go though). There are so many options once you get to Turin or Milan.

Hi Your post really helpful we are planning to have a european tour nxt year we will start from London my worry is the hotel or accommodation. Would it be ok to have a walk in booking just in case that our journey will delay or what ever happened.. Please advise Thank you so much

I recommend booking hotels in advance to make things easier. It’s unlikely your journey would be delayed that much. If you prefer flexibility, you could just turn up but in the summer it might be difficult to find places.

hi, loved your blog found it very informative. Im from South Africa and wanting to travel to Europe. Now after i have read your blog I feel that i should do my own travel plans instead of the travel agency. You have made this journey sound so simple to plan thank you

I’m glad it helped! It is pretty simple to travel around Europe so I’m sure you can manage without a travel agent. Good luck and enjoy!

I am traveling from the US to London to visit family then on to Florence Italy by train. Planning a 2 day stay over in Paris. Are we late in purchasing train tickets for late June and what kind of luggage may we take on these trains with us?

It’s not too late, but prices might be higher now. I would book asap. You can take any kind of luggage – plenty of people take large suitcases but these can be more difficult to store as you’ll have to find space in the luggage racks at the end of the carriages. We take maximum carry on sized bags and these fit in the overhead storage on most European trains (including Eurostar). Enjoy the journey!

Hi, great to read your insights! we are travelling in August and arrive in Rome after a cruise – we have 3 nights there and then plan on train to London.. where would you recommend stopping for a night or two? We have had Milan, Paris and Reims suggested to us… unfortunately we cant avoid the weekend . thank you!

Paris would be my top choice. If you’d like to stop in Italy, I prefer Turin over Milan. I would look at train times too because you’ll likely have to choose between a really early departure from Rome to catch the morning train from Milan/Turin to Paris or get the late afternoon one and arrive after 10pm in Paris. A night in both Turin and Paris would avoid the issue (but choose a hotel near the train station to make the journey less of a hassle).

So glad to have read your article. We are planning to go to Pompeii from London with my six year old boy in August. We’ve decided not to take the flight but go on train. Any suggestions on how we should book tickets? We may stop somewhere in Italy on the way, perhaps Rome if it’s on the way. Many thanks, Rui

Sounds like a great trip! Rome would be the obvious place to stop. You can use Loco2 to book train tickets (reviewed in this post). Otherwise you would have to book individually with Eurostar, SNCF (for the TGV from Paris to Italy), and Trenitalia (for the Italy portion). Enjoy!

Hi. I am going to see a friend in England whom I have not seen in 28 years! After that I want to see Italy. This blog is great. I am nervous but excited! Where or how do I begin ?

How exciting! It depends how much time you have, but if you want to travel by train I’d recommend a stop in Paris and then the most popular spots in Italy are Venice, Florence and Rome (you could visit them in that order). I’d recommend a side trip to the Tuscan countryside from Florence as well.

If you have longer to explore there are so many amazing places in Italy. You can see the posts we’ve written here: https://www.neverendingvoyage.com/category/countries/europe/italy/

You could look on the Loco2 website to play around with train times and see what’s feasible for you.

Have an amazing time! Erin

Hi, loved your blog. If I wanted to do a train trip through Italy starting in Paris, Florence, Venice, Rome, then back to Paris. In which order should i do this trip by train. Thank you very much.

I would probably do Paris-Venice-Florence-Rome (via Turin)-Paris.Enjoy!

Glad to have found this article on internet. I’m starting to plan a trip for my daughter and I from London to Rome in November. What is the best station to use in Rome? Also, any idea on price for this time of the year? It’s early to get ticket prices on Loco2. Thanks a lot.

Roma Termini is the main station in Rome and is where the fast trains will likely stop. Prices vary so dramatically I can’t say for sure, but you should pay less than we did as November is low season. For the lowest prices book three months in advance and avoid weekends.

Hi! I was so happy to find this. You explained everything so clearly. It will be my first time traveling to Europe. Im wanting to hop a train from London to Italy but will want to do an overnight, straight thru where we can sleep in a cabin type room. Any suggestions?? Keep up the good work!!

Hi Rose, You could take an afternoon Eurostar train to Paris then the overnight train from Paris direct to Milan, Verona or Venice and arrive in the morning. They have sleeper cabins for 1-3 people or cheaper couchette cabins with bunks for 4-6 people. Have an amazing trip! Erin

This article is so helpful! You write in such a clear way and I am very thankful. You have given me so much help so that I can plan my trip! I have a question too. The trains you mentioned between Rome and Paris: do they offer a roomette like Amtrak in America does? Some trips in America are better in the roomette we have found-more space, quieter, calmer atmosphere… Thank you again and keep up the great articles, Frances in the Upper South

Hi Frances, I’m glad you found the post useful! The TGV train that we usually get doesn’t offer private cabins, but the overnight Thello train between Paris and Venice (it stops at Milan where you could change for Rome) does—their Premium Cabin is for 1-2 people.

Have a great trip! Erin

Hello, I am a single mom from Chicago, my daughter and I will like to explore Europe on the train, it will be our best trip ever, I have a little limitation due to a knee injury, my question is if there any areas that I should be concern due to my limitation.

Hi Maria I am sure you’ll be fine. I imagine the trickiest thing will be getting on and off trains. I recommend packing light so you don’t have so much luggage to lug around, but at least you’ll have your daughter to assist you.

Some railway companies offer assistance for disabled travellers so you might want to look into that if your mobility is very limited. More info here: https://www.seat61.com/Europe-train-special-needs.htm

Have an amazing trip! Erin

This sounds like a great way to explore Paris AND Italy! Would love to try this out!

We love having an excuse for Paris! We definitely recommend it!

Are you allowed to exit the train at any station – for example if you find a town that is on the route that you want to explore – and take another train later? Thank you for your website. I have never been to Europe, but always thought I would love to be able to travel Europe by train.

Steve Atlanta, GA USA

Usually the cheapest tickets are booked in advance for specific trains. If you want that kind of flexibility though I highly recommend a Eurail pass – it’s a great way to travel.

I just wanted to thank you for sharing your trip with us. I want to see many regions of Italy and was not sure the best way to plan it out. Thank you.

Train is a fantastic way to explore Italy – have a wonderful trip!

May God bless Italy (Amen…………..

How wish I can go to london and get more Educated I will seriously focus and feel happy but I’m only praying to God for my dreams to come through, He/She who’s gonna be my mentor I’m promising that you will never be disappointed cause you make me to be somebody when I’m no body, I’m an orphan I was born on October 8 1998, I lost my father on the 1of Jenuary 2015 and lost my mother on the 13 of Jenuary 2016 I’m so sorry please don’t be offended for saying this cause I knew I’m not the only one such thing has happened to just that it pains me a lot to remember the death of my parents may there gentle soul rest in peace, My name is Okafor jimmy I live in Italy, please our people I really need your help +393512470150 my number -Thanks and God bless you.

I’m so much happy for it’s real.

You did it just the right way – I love to slow down while travelling by train… :-)

I’d always catch a train over the plane. Even the cheap seats on the train tend to be more comfortable. The not having to go through a bunch of queues, security, getting to the airport insanely early all seems worth it. Also, there is something much more romantic and adventurous about travelling by train that you don’t get when you hop on a budget flight.

It helps that I’m a total overplanner too and can grab the super cheap fares by booking early :)

It helps so much if you can book in advance – there are some great deals to be had.

Love this post!!! you show us a different way to travel around europe and it doestn matter if is alot of time , sometimes i really hate airports

I totally agree with the budget airlines being located in stupid places – Unless you live in London, Stansted is just a real pain to get to. Glad you enjoyed the train journey, and overall, I don’t think it is massively more expensive, especially considering that you can stop off at interesting cities along the way. The trains as you have shown them also look a lot easier to work on than using a laptop on a plane!

What a great way to travel. We have somehow been convinced that travelling by plane is more comfortable and faster. But is it really? Hours to get to an airport the 3 hours in advance required; lines; all the bothers of packing and unpacking all the time to go through customs; a plane where there hardly is any room to move around and then doing it all over again once landed. I live in Sardinia and have to take a plane whenever I have to travel, but I do prefer trains.

Excellent Story. The train was awesome.

Great trip and great cities to visit. I love going on vacation with the train. It’s something magical about the whole experience. Also, nice pictures!

I absolutely love train travel. Whenever I get the chance I travel this way. It’s also can be more efficient as you don’t have to check in early, commute to the airport and once you arrive by train usually you are right in the middle of the city. So much more relaxed.

Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Europe is a beautiful continent among all.

This is a very timely post as I’m planning on heading back to the UK from Thailand overland! Great post & I’m now super excited for the Italian leg of our trip :)

Wow, that sounds an amazing trip! Enjoy!

I’ve also met a lot of people who prefers slow traveling with trains; not only that it’s comfortable, hassle-free, you’d also get to witness the most beautiful scenery along the way.. I guess that’s what we all love about traveling through trains. You have beautiful shots, btw. :)

I love this post–you break it down with so many useful tidbits. It’s been many years since I’ve taken multi-day, long-distance train ride in Europe. I’ve started taking the train more here in California for short trips and am loving the convenience and comfort.

Looks great! We’ve been talking about taking a train journey rather than a flight to London but always assumed it would be too expensive and time consuming. I think we’ll look into it more now. :-)

Anyone can do it! Start with a weekend tour in England – there’s great riding there, and the National Cycling Network is an easy place to start. Don’t camp – do the credit card touring style – and keep mileage low.

Careful though, as you might get addicted. Let me know if you ever need advice on gear or bikes, I’m happy to help.

Nice write up – sounds like a good trip!

Trains are fun, but don’t forget bicycling! That slows down the experience even more. We’re loving our cycle tour of Europe right now. I will say that the train system here is SO much better than the one in the U.S.

We are always so impressed by long distance cyclists! We’re not that hardcore ourselves :)

And it’s better for the environment! :)

Yes, definitely!

I’ve done Sicily/Calabria/Puglia to Somerset (and back again) a few times, and I far prefer it to flying as an experience. When I have the time to do it, I tend to do minibreaks of 1 or 2 days in Rome (which is where all the trains to and from the south originate/finish) and Paris, just to break the journey up a little bit. It’s a journey I haven’t done for a couple of years, but this is the second story I’ve seen about train travel in as many days, so I’m getting the urge to do it again! Loco2 is new to me, and looks great – I shall have to check it out …

Yes, the journey to Sicily is particularly interesting as you get the whole train on the ferry experience!

how do you go about planning this. I am trying to plan our trip and do not know where to start. Want to go from Rome to London Please email me [email protected]

The Man in Seat 61 is the best resource https://www.seat61.com/Italy.htm#London to Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples

I hope you don’t mind me replying to your email only I noticed you wrote your trip as ‘Somerset……to’. I am returning from many years in Australia next week to live in south Devon and have had almost a life-long wish to take my mother to Rome for a few days in October. Unfortunately, she’s now 91 and although remarkably well for her age standing in airport queues and the whole airport experience would not be good for her. I was thrilled to discover the train travel option. Absolutely wonderful. I’d like to have 2 stopovers on the way. Would you have any suggestions please? Also, with Rome. I am hoping there will be some fast track options for entry to major tourist attractions? Thank you for any advice.

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• Mar 4, 2022

How to travel from the UK to Italy without flying

There are several ways to travel to Italy from the UK without flying thanks to Eurostar's service from London connecting with a variety of high-speed train services from either Paris or Lille/Lyon and to northern Italy. The good news is that you can reach cities such as Turin and Milan as well as lakes Como and Garda in the north of Italy within a day from London. The following morning you can then whizz down by train to further destinations in Italy , including Rome, Florence and Naples, to the Amalfi Coast, and across by ferry to the islands of Sardinia and Sicily.

There is also a slower route to Italy by ferry from Harwich in the East of England to Rotterdam in The Netherlands and then onward by train to Italy, or alternatively, if you live in the North of England or Scotland, you could take the ferry from Newcastle or Hull to The Netherlands an then onward by train to Italy. For detailed information to how to take public transport to the UK's ferry ports, see Green Traveller's Guide to travelling as a foot passenger from the UK to Europe .

Our team has tried and tested many of these routes and so we have tried to summarise all the available options in this post based on our experience. On arrival in Italy, there are plenty of options at rail terminals for onward travel by rail and bus.

It's a lovely journey by train to Italy. Photos: Eurostar and Wix Media

By train from the UK to Italy

Route 1: via paris.

It is possible to travel by train to Italy in a day from the UK. The fastest route is to take the Eurostar from London St Pancras International Railway Station then change in Paris to catch one of the many high speed TGV trains to Turin and Milan in northern Italy. For instance, you could catch the 10.22am Eurostar and reach Turin at 9.18pm and Milan at 10.07pm. You could also take any Eurostar to Paris and stay overnight in the French capital and then catch one of the high-speed TGV trains to Italy the following day.

See our detailed guides for sample departure and arrival times and transfers in Paris:

Train from London to Milan (the arrival station is 'Milan Porta Garibaldi')

Train from London to Turin ('Torino Porta Susa')

Train tickets provided by Trainline:

In Paris, you have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, which can take about half an hour on the Paris RER line (it's only two stops, though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer - you have about an hour and a half to get the connection, though you could get an earlier train and spent a bit more time in Paris, e.g. have lunch at the wonderful Train Bleu Restaurant in Gare de Lyon). At Gare de Lyon, you board a TGV high speed train to Torino Porta Susa station, which continues to Milan Porta Garibaldi .

See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris .

Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris

If you want to break the journey en route (either on the outward journey and/or on the way back) and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris, there are lots of lovely places to stay in Paris conveniently near both Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations:

Hotels near Gare du Nord, Paris (where Eurostar arrives from London)

Hotels near Gare de Lyon, Paris (for your departing train to Italy the following day)

Return journey back from Italy to the UK via Paris As with the outward journey via Paris, you can travel back from Italy to the UK in a day by train via Paris. For instance, you could take the 6.00am train from Milan or the 7.39am from Turin to Gare de Lyon, transfer across Paris to Gare du Nord to catch the Eurostar and arrive back in London at 4.37pm.

Route 2: Via Lille and Lyon

If you prefer not to cross Paris to change trains, then the option of simply changing trains in Lille could be for you. It requires a simply same-station change of train in Lille down to Lyon where you stay overnight (there are plenty of hotels very close to the station in Lyon - see below), and then in the morning you can take a ' Frecciarossa' high-speed train to Turin and Milan. These Frecciarossa trains are run by Trenitalia (the Italian railway operator).

Hotels near the railway station in Lyon ( for your departing train to Italy the following day)

Onwards by train through Italy from Turin and Milan

There are onward trains from Turin and Milan to destinations throughout Italy. It's just a short onward journey to both Lake Como (Como San Giovanni) and Lake Garda (there are two stations on Lake Garda (it's a big lake!): Desenzano del Garda-Sirmione and Peschiera del Garda). In fact, both lakes can reached in the same day from London – just take the onward train from Turin or Milan –Lake Como is just 50 minutes from Milan and Lake Garda is about an hour and half from Milan.

See our guides to how to travel to the following destinations, with sample schedules and transfers, all the way from London:

Train from London to Rome

Train from London to Florence

Train from London to Naples

Return journey back from Italy to the UK via Lyon and Lille As with the outward journey via Lille and Lyon, you can travel back from Italy to the UK by train via Lyon and Lille (you can actually do the return journey in one day). For instance, you could take the 6.25am train from Milan or the 7.11am from Turin to arrive in at Lyon at 11.08 then take the 11.35am train to Lille arriving at 3.48pm to catch the 4.48pm Eurostar and arrive back in London at 5pm – or if that's a bit tight (remember you'll have the 45-60min check in time for Eurostar), you could catch the 7.35pm Eurostar arriving in to London at 7.57pm.

By ferry and train from the UK to Italy

There are three options to go by ferry:

i. From Harwich in the East of England to The Netherlands and then onward by train to Italy. The ferry service is Stenaline's integrated Rail & Sail initiative, which combines a rail ticket to Harwich with the cost of the overnight ferry over to Hoek van Holland (Rotterdam). The joy of this trip is that as well as the excellent on board facilities on the ferry (including restaurants and cabins) it's just a short walk from Harwich railway station on to the ferry, and also on arrival off the ferry at Hoek van Holland to the departing train. On arrival at Hoek van Holland you can take the train to Amsterdam and then onwards to Munich (arriving in the early evening) and then catch any number of trains to Italy, including an overnight sleeper train to Venice (from where you can take trains to Florence, Rome and Naples).

ii. From Hull to The Netherlands and then onward by train to Italy. P&O operates an overnight cruise ferry from Hull to Hoek van Holland (Rotterdam) from where you can take the train via Amsterdam and the sleeper from Munich to Venice (see above).

Tickets provided by P&O ferries:

iii. From Newcastle to The Netherlands and then onward by train to Italy. DFDS Seaways run an overnight cruise ferry from Newcastle to IJmuiden (Amsterdam) from where you can take the train to Munich and then the sleeper to Venice (see above).

Tickets provided by DFDS Seaways:

The slow route to Europe, by overnight ferry from Harwich, Hull or Newcastle to The Netherlands

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Please note : The information on this page aims to give you a reasonable idea of train and ferry routes, times and tickets, in order that hopefully there’s enough detail to know what's available, how to plan a journey and where to book tickets. The information was up to date at time of publication, but services do change from time to time and we cannot take responsibility for any errors or inaccuracies we provide. Always confirm details when you book with the relevant travel operator. If you are aware of any inaccuracies, we'd really appreciate being informed via our contact page so we can make the relevant changes to the information provided for the benefit of other travellers.

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Train strikes in May 2024: Full list of dates and lines affected

Rail lines are set for disruption in the week following the first May bank holiday as train drivers at 16 rail companies strike on different days.

Monday 29 April 2024 09:17, UK

Train drivers will stage a fresh wave of strikes and overtime bans in May, causing disruption to the rail network.

The strikes are part of a long-running dispute over pay.

Members of Aslef union at 16 rail companies will walk out on different days from 7 to 9 May.

Additionally, all members will refuse to work any overtime from 6 May to 11 May.

Here is a full list of the services affected by strikes and when.

Rail strike dates

Tuesday 7 May

Strikes will affect c2c, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern, Gatwick Express and South Western Railway.

Wednesday 8 May

Strikes will affect Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway and West Midlands Trains.

Thursday 9 May

Strikes will affect LNER, Northern Trains and TransPennine Express.

Overtime ban dates

From Monday 6 May to Saturday 11 May union members will not work overtime.

Overtime bans, an action short of a strike, means some services may not be running or may be reduced as drivers refuse to work their rest days.

People are advised to check before they travel, as some areas may have no service.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

How do strikes and overtime bans affect services?

Strikes tend to mean services on lines where members are participating are extremely affected or cancelled entirely, whereas overtime bans often lead to reduced services.

Are there strikes on the Tube too?

There have been regular strikes on London Underground too recently, and while there aren't any planned walkouts for drivers, customer service managers are set to walk out on Friday 26 April in a dispute over terms and conditions.

There will also be an overtime ban for the customer service managers on the following days:

Monday 29 April

Tuesday 30 April

Wednesday 1 May

Tuesday 2 May

Wednesday 3 May

Thursday 4 May

Friday 5 May

The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) says the action by its members is likely to cause Tube stations to close at the last minute, including on the Saturday following the strike (27 April), while TfL has said on its website "some stations may need to close at short notice".

Despite the warning, a TfL spokesperson has said they aren't expecting significant disruption.

This action follows strike action taken by the same workers on 10 April, which the TSSA said had a "real impact" with "many stations shut at short notice".

They say they are "extremely concerned" about TfL's 'Stations Changes' proposals.

"We have made it clear that our union will not accept the continued threats to our members' roles, locations, terms, and conditions to stand unchallenged," a TSSA spokesperson said.

"We will continue to take sustained action until London Underground is prepared to negotiate with us in good faith."

Commenting on the impending strikes, a TfL spokesperson said: "We are disappointed that TSSA is continuing with this strike action following a consultation process.

"While we don't expect this action will cause significant disruption, we urge TSSA to continue to work with us to help find a resolution.

"There are no planned job losses as part of these vital changes which will improve the service we provide to customers at our stations."

How can I stay in the loop?

You can use the National Rail's journey planner to see when trains are running.

Be sure to check it close to when you plan to travel, as it will be updated regularly.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Why are the strikes still happening?

Aslef rejected a two-year offer of 4% in 2022 and another 4% this year, saying it is way below inflation, and is linked to changes in terms and conditions.

Aslef said train drivers have not had an increase in salary for five years, since their last pay deals expired in 2019.

The union said after its members voted overwhelmingly in February to continue taking industrial action, it asked the train operating companies to hold talks.

General secretary Mick Whelan said the year-old pay offer of 4% and another 4% was "dead in the water".

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My four-day rail and ferry adventure from the UK to Albania

From London to Tirana, via Chambéry’s medieval streets, bustling Bari and Albania’s dynamic capital, this trip across Europe has treats at every turn

M y overriding memories of crossing countries by train, on a trip from London to Albania, are of half-empty carriages and countryside sweeping past windows bathed in the soft orange glow of sunset. I remember cypress trees, red-roofed villages with square churches, farmland in neat strips and row upon row of vineyards.

On my London-Paris-Chambéry-Turin-Bari-Tirana journey over land and sea, there was, for long stretches, little to do. The wifi was patchy. It took a while to adapt to having so much time to simply watch the world go by, travelling through landscapes without having to navigate them.

The biggest stress happened long before I set off, when a landslide not far from the French border with Italy blocked the rail line between Chambéry and Turin, forcing a closure that continues today. Byway, the no-fly operator I had booked with, offered to reroute me through Nice and on to Turin via the Vermenagna valley (with changes in Tende and Cuneo), or book me on the FlixBus service over part of the Mont Blanc massif. I was keen to see Chambéry and the Alps, so I chose the bus.

People seemed surprised when I told them I was travelling overland to Albania. As I gushed about the romance of slow travel by train and sleeper ferry, and my excitement about Tirana, I got comments about being “brave”. I didn’t feel especially brave: all the planning, tickets and hotel bookings were done for me, and friendly help was a WhatsApp call away if needed.

I just had to download the Rail Planner app for my Interrail pass and make sure I was at the right station at the right time (Turin was the biggest challenge: it has four main railway stations and taxis scream between them bearing anxious-looking passengers).

The entire journey took four days. If I did it all again, I’d stay longer in Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot – and remember to buy my Paris Métro ticket from the cafe on the Eurostar.

Day one: London to Chamb éry

First to Paris’s Gare du Nord, then the metro to Gare de Lyon, where I make a beeline for a cafe opposite the station. Noise pervades the pavement tables of Café Terminus, but the cacophony is delightful – an atmospheric place for a citron pressé .

I’m in plenty of time for the train to Chambéry and, excitingly, am on the upper deck. Soon, we break free from the suburbs to trace huge stands of forest. Beyond Lyon begins a ripple of hills, lazy rivers and thickly forested slopes. As evening approaches, it’s all Alpine scenery. I arrive at an almost-empty station and walk to the boutique Hotel des Princes in Chambéry’s old town.

Chambéry has an Italian feel – it was the seat of the House of Savoy before the dynasty moved on to Turin – and its medieval alleys, cathedral and pastel-coloured townhouses are quietly impressive. The 1838 Fontaine des Éléphants sits in the middle of the closest square to the old town, and peeking from the end of every street are the Bauges and Chartreuse mountain ranges. My stay is peaceful and easy.

Day two: Chamb éry to Turin

From Chambéry, the train to Turin would take about 2½ hours, but the bus takes double this. I’m on the top deck again, which is worth it for the sight of misty fingers of early morning light breaking across the mountain ridge. Snoozing backpackers rouse themselves to snap pictures of remote Mont Blanc peaks, before slumbering once more through the tunnel to Italy. In Turin there’s perfume in the air from the blossom-covered trees.

Turin’s grid of long, straight boulevards is testament to its development by the Romans – the redbrick Palatine Gate is another Roman relic – and its grand piazzas, royal palaces and graffitied colonnades date from the city’s Savoy heyday in the 16th and 17th centuries. Today, the number one attraction is the Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum).

My favourite moments? Ricotta and fig ice-cream on Piazza San Carlo, an aperitivo on off-the-beaten-path Via Sant’Agostino and the towering neoclassical Mole Antonelliana (national museum of cinema). I eat Turin’s famous doughy pizza al padellino (pan pizza) and spend a comfortable night in the eaves of Hotel Urbani in 19th-century residential streets close to the grand Porta Nuova train station.

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Day three: Turin to Bari

The views from my next train are of cinematic Tuscan scenes. Scorched fields, vines and Italian cypress trees. Neat red roofs and shabby-chic farmhouses. Fluffy clouds cling to hills that Google Maps tells me are the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. After hours of soothing golden landscapes, the opal-blue Adriatic wallops into view just north of Ancona. Beach bars whip by and cypress trees are replaced with palm trees: I’ve arrived in the south of Italy.

Bari is hands down my favourite stop. The noise, heat and energy as we step off the train in the early evening are joyous. After Chambéry and Turin, Bari feels brash, a little rough around the edges even; a proper port city. The labyrinthine alleyways of the whitewashed old town are almost cliched in their cuteness. Despite the troupes of tightly packed headphone-wearing Americans following guided tours, it somehow manages to retain a tranquil atmosphere.

Old ladies yawn from the shade as tourists surreptitiously snap pictures and laundry flutters from balconies. I could stay for ever, but after 24 hours (which includes a lot of pasta, a stroll along the posh promenade to the not-so-posh city beach and a night in an elegant aparthotel, Residence Zodiacus , halfway between the station and the old town), it’s time to board the night ferry to Albania.

Day (and night) four: Bari to Tirana

I arrive at the ferry on foot and am escorted through the car deck to jokes about going in the wrong direction (to Albania, instead of from it). In the early morning I spot a pink sky through the cracked window of my comfy en suite cabin, and head to the top deck to see the sun rise over the distant outline of Albania. Disembarking in the port of Durrës is a bit of a scrum and there’s a bus to the capital waiting, but I opt instead for a five-minute taxi ride to the centre of town and breakfast of pastries and espresso on a dazzling white road lined with boutiques and palm trees. I later regret this though, as the aircon on the grubby public bus I eventually take to Tirana is more tired than I am, and drops me in an urban sprawl miles from the centre.

Tirana itself is a revelation. My hotel, Padam Boutique , is a grand villa with handsome rooms and floor-to-ceiling windows, and there’s striking new skyward architecture on every nearby street. A short stroll away is the landmark Pyramid of Tirana , which stands as a symbol and monument to change (and is fun to climb at sunset). Skanderbeg Square – a jumble of buildings erected on a roundabout at the time of the celebrations to mark the fall of communism in 1992 – is now a pedestrianised, glossy public space. There are nods to Albania’s recent, wretched history behind the iron curtain, of course – the Bunk’Art and Bunk’Art 2 museums, in nuclear bunkers are unmissable – but Tirana and the country are more than just the last century. My journey is done, but it feels like Tirana is just getting into its stride.

The trip was provided by Byway , which offers sustainable travel and accommodation packages across the UK and Europe. Its Alps to Albania trip costs from £679pp

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Lake Como’s little sister is ‘most underrated’ spot to visit in Italy with £27 flights

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Crystal clear blue water, charming cobbled streets, picturesque buildings, and brightly coloured blooms everywhere.

This could be a description of Lake Como or Lake Garda , which are two of the most popular lake destinations in Italy . But it’s not. 

Lago d’Orta, or Lake Orta as it’s also known, is the little sister of Lake Como and is often overlooked for the more famous destinations, but as a smaller spot, it’s much more budget friendly and easier to explore in a short amount of time. 

Lake Orta is roughly an hour’s drive from Milan airport, located in Piedmont in northern Italy, a region of the country which borders France and Switzerland. The area is known for having a sophisticated cuisine and wines, meaning you’ll eat and drink very well during a visit here.

You’ll also be treated to a real feast for the eyes, with stunning views and architecture. On Tripavisor, those who’ve visited have hailed the lake ‘beautiful’, a ‘hidden gem’, and like something out of a fairytale such as Cinderella.

If this hasn’t already tempted you to visit, then perhaps a closer look at what the area offers will…

Things to do at Lake Orta

The main town is known as Orta San Giulio and is a quaint spot filled with cobbled streets, old stone walls, and little squares. Shops and businesses are crammed into the narrow lanes, with a number of boutiques, antique shops, cafes, and restaurants for you to peruse at your leisure.

Walking around the town, taking in the views from different spots will be a highlight, leaving you feeling like you’re in a movie. 

As well as the main town, there’s an island in the middle of the lake known as Isola di San Giulio, which is known as the island of silence. There is a silent walk around the island, and visitors are urged to respect this, muting phones, not speaking, and enjoying some peace and tranquillity.

During the walk, you’ll come across the stunning Basilica di San Giulio, a Benedictine monastery. The interior of the Romanesque style church is adorned with many frescos painted between the 14th and 16th century, plus various carvings, all depicting saints.

@theposhbackpacker There’s more than just Lake Como! #italy #lakes #northernitaly #piedmont #traveltok #como #orta #italianlife #summerholiday ♬ Little Things – Adrian Berenguer

@sagelining Risposta a @shaunak_980 💸 Budget-friendly alternative to Lake Como: Lake Orta, Piemonte, Italy. ‼️More info: with this, I don’t want to discredit Lake Como: i’ve been there, it’s beautiful and I definitely want to go back. But, as the lake is really big and needs at least 2 days to be fully explored (so you will be spending on the accommodation) i think #lakeorta is a valid day-trip alternative. Way less famous, you only need half a day to fully visit this little gem, it’s really small and there are many free or low budget activities to do. I will make a detailed video later. :) #summerinitaly #italiansummer #italyaesthetic #travelitaly #italytravel #ortasangiulio #lagodorta #summer2023 ♬ Glisten by the Wind – nick leng

@travelwithmansoureh you probably never heard of this Italian #lake it is one of the most beautiful lakes in #Italy #lakeorta #hiddengems #traveltiktok #bucketlist #traveltoitaly ♬ original sound – Mansoureh

There’s only one restaurant on the island (Ristorante San Giulio) and a small souvenir shop for those wanting to remember their time there. 

Visitors to Lake Orta can take a boat from the town to the island from Piazza Motta, the main square in Orta San Giulio, where you’ll also be able to stop and get some ice cream, as well as pasta spots, Italian charcuterie, or enjoy a glass of the Barolo wine the region is famous for.

Wine lovers staying in the area may also want to consider taking a drive to Langhe to visit some of the Barolo vineyards. The trip will take a little over an hour, but you’ll be spoilt for choice once you arrive with wine tastings galore.

For the most part Lake Orta will be a great place to visit for a little R&R, and those wanting to relax can do so at Spiaggia Miami, a sandy beach in the corner of the lake, flanked by lush green trees. The views are dreamy, as is the space which has its own bar and restaurant, offering everything from sandwiches to cocktails. 

You can kick back on a sun lounger, spritz in hand and feel as if you’re at the seaside. Or if you’re feeling a bit more active, guests are also able to hire pedal boats, canoes and boats. 

It’s worth noting that the beach isn’t free to visit, and guests are charged €32 euros for a full day with two people, two sunbeds or deckchairs, and an umbrella, or €22 for a half day. Children’s admittance (aged 2 to 10) costs €4 euros each, and any additional adult guests are €10 each. Half day tickets are valid from either 9am to 2pm, or 2.30pm to 7.30pm.

Food and drink in Orta San Giulio

It’s no secret that there’s an abundance of incredible food and drink in Italy, and this is no exception in the town or Orta San Giulio. Although the region’s specialities might not be for everyone.

Liver will be found on many menus, as well as Piedmontese Beef (Fassona), hazelnuts, truffles, and plenty of cheese.

There’s three Minchelin star dining to be enjoyed at Villa Crespi, a luxury five-star hotel which houses chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo’s signature restaurant.

The menu features dishes such as burnt sea bass with lettuce salad, squid linguine, pigeon with pineapple, liver and Verjus sauce, and a unique Raspberry and horseradish dessert. Prices here start from €190 for two courses fom the à la carte menu.

Other fine dining options include Locanda di ORta, Ristorante Teatro Magico, and AM Bistrot. Those looking for more affordable options might head to Ristorante San Giulio, Birreria il Cantuccio, or La Motta.

Of course, there’s also plenty of gelato to be enjoyed, and various other Italian sweet treats including buns filled with pistachio, ricotta, or dark chocolate, sweet focaccia breads, and a selection of pastries.

How to get to Lake Orta

Lake Orta doesn’t have an airport, so in order to visit travellers will need to fly in to Milan and then either drive an hour to the town, or utilise public transport.

You can take a train from the airport to Milano Centrale Railway Station where you can then get a train to Pettenaso. From there it’s a 20 minute walk to the town, and this journey takes just under four hours in total.

Flights from London to Milan can currently be purchased very cheaply, with Skyscanner showing one-way flights in May for as little as £12-£15 each way. One deal with Ryanair costs £27 for a return trip between 15 and 21 May. In June Wizz Air is also offering flights from £48.

The flight from London is non-stop and takes two hours.

Direct flights to Milan usually depart from London Gatwick Airport, London Stansted Airport and Manchester Airport.

What’s the weather like at Lake Orta?

Lake Orta is best to visit between April and October, when the weather will be warmer. Like most spots in Italy, the town will be warmest in the summer months of July and August when temperatures hit highs of 29C.

These sunny summer months will also be the busiest time of the year to visit Orta, so if you’re looking to go at a quieter time then Spring or autumn might be better, as the weather will still be relatively warm. In April and October temperatures still reach around 17C.

Five fab hotels to stay at in Lake Orta on Booking.com:

• Casa Fantini – Lake Time – £423 per night
• Relais & Chateau Villa Crespi – £430 per night
• Hotel Bocciolo – £142 per night
• Hotel Madonna di Luciago (in nearby Armeno, a 20 minute drive) – £34 per night
• Hotel La Bussola – £123 per night

Where to stay in Lake Orta

There are numerous hotels listed on booking.com in Orta San Giulio meaning you’ve got plenty of options to choose from. But if you hate the thought of making that decision, we’ll make it a little easier for you.

These are some of the top hotel picks on the website, which range from more luxurious stays to affordable rooms in neighbouring locations.

Booking.com’s top choice is Casa Fantini — Lake Time, a five star rated boutique hotel with gorgeous lake views. The establishment combines modern design with natural materials in all its rooms, with each one containing a balcony or terrace overlooking the iconic island on the water. A stay here doesn’t come cheap though with prices starting from £430 a night. 

Their mid-range price suggestion is Hotel Bocciolo which is located near the shore of the lake, close to the main town square. Rooms here will start from £142 a night. 

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But if you’re looking for a budget stay, then Hotel Madonna di Luciago should be top of your list. Room prices start from £34 a night, but this one isn’t actually in Lake Orta, it’s a 20 minute drive away in Armeno, so if you want to stay here, you’ll need a car or be willing to fork out for a taxi. 

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April 26th - From Italy's tracks: assessing UK's proposed rail reforms Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

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In today’s podcast, I’m aboard an Italian train, reflecting on the Labour Party's vision for the UK's railways. From the comfortable and punctual Italian rails, we dive into the Labour Party’s initiatives to address the UK’s rail system issues.  This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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UK and Italy to build on cooperation to stop migrant crossings

The Home Secretary met Italian counterparts and other key figures in Rome to discuss tackling the migrant crisis. Both countries agreed to step up efforts across Europe and Africa.

The UK and Italy have pledged to build on their strong cooperation to stop illegal migrant crossings to Europe.

The Home Secretary, James Cleverly, met Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi in Rome on Tuesday (April 23) to discuss the work that both countries are doing to stop the viability of crossing routes through the Western Balkans and North Africa.

The ministers said that, while coordinated action had shown good promise, both sides would step up efforts and do more in source and transit countries.

Both leaders praised the joint working of law enforcement agencies in tackling organised immigration crime, including work to break up supply chains for small boats. They pledged to push forward further action to disrupt the networks of people smugglers. 

They also discussed how both countries would continue to look for innovative solutions. The Home Secretary updated on the UK Government’s Rwanda scheme while Italian Interior Minister Piantedosi spoke about Italy’s deal with Albania to process asylum seekers.   

The Home Secretary also thanked Italy for its leadership on migration through its G7 Presidency and the Rome Process.

Yesterday, the Home Secretary also visited the small island of Lampedusa, which, last year, was the busiest migration hotspot in Italy, with around 110,000 migrants landing there.

He went on a police vessel to understand how they conduct activities against migrant smuggling and was given an operational briefing on how agencies respond to mass landings. 

At a reception facility he spoke to the International Organisation for Migration, the International Red Cross. The Home Secretary was shown the medical centre, family accommodation and the registration office at the site. 

On Tuesday the Home Secretary visited the General Command of the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre. 

He was shown the state-of-the-art technology used by the Italian Coast Guard during complex search and rescue operations. 

The Home Secretary thanked the Italian Coast Guard for preserving life at sea and praised the joint working between UK and Italian authorities.

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