-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
London to Italy by train
- Thread starter Gadget88
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Turin is a lovely city, elegant and spacious. Depending on your interests you have the Egyptian museum, the national cinema museum in the Mole Antonelliana (take the lift which goes straight up through the centre of the building for views from the spire), the Savoy palace, and the national automotive museum. Sadly the famous Fiat rooftop test track from The Italian job is not open to the public, as the old factory is now a hotel and conference centre.
Porta Nuova station is a major terminus (though if you just wanted to watch the traffic Lingotto might be better), even if the TGV uses the modern Porta Susa. And booking in advance will get you into First Class for as little as €35.
Last edited:
eastwestdivide
Established Member
+1 for Turin. The old Fiat factory at Lingotto with the rooftop test track includes a shopping centre and art collection, obviously both open to the public, and you can see the rooftop test track from the lift up to the art collection. One of the automated metro lines takes you out there from the centre. It's close by the car museum, which is pretty good, even if you're not a complete car nut.
For more rail-based transport, there's the Sassi–Superga tramway/funicular thing, which is a little way out at the end of a tram line. Check if it's open though, as they were having landslip trouble last time I went.
For more rail-based transport, there's the Sassi–Superga tramway/funicular thing, which is a little way out at the end of a tram line. Check if it's open though, as they were having landslip trouble last time I went.
Yes something to consider it’s either that or Milan to stay.
Is the train a decent option obviously flying is cheaper but I prefer trains but fear Italy is quite far away by train. Leaving from Basel or Lyon is an option to keep travel time down too.
Is the train a decent option obviously flying is cheaper but I prefer trains but fear Italy is quite far away by train. Leaving from Basel or Lyon is an option to keep travel time down too.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I guess the flights are not a nice time from your local Northern airport.
As flying is not otherwise a problem, why not take the train down South and avail yourself of the much more frequent flights from Luton, Gatwick or Heathrow? (I suspect the former two are likely to be easier to get to, but the latter is now a very nice experience, a lot of money has been spent on tarting it up from what was probably the worst major airport in Europe to what might well now be the best, at least in the case of terminals 2 and 5).
(Or Stansted if willing to put up with Ryanair, but I hesitate to actually recommend that option)
As flying is not otherwise a problem, why not take the train down South and avail yourself of the much more frequent flights from Luton, Gatwick or Heathrow? (I suspect the former two are likely to be easier to get to, but the latter is now a very nice experience, a lot of money has been spent on tarting it up from what was probably the worst major airport in Europe to what might well now be the best, at least in the case of terminals 2 and 5).
(Or Stansted if willing to put up with Ryanair, but I hesitate to actually recommend that option)
Without looking, it's a good 4hr each way. So yes, but why?
Not a fan of flying but it seems perhaps Paris to Turin to visit Milan by train seems more viable and leaving Rome to Flying.
Looking for more advice do you think I can check out a hotel for the early 6.37 train if the hotel is next door to the station in Paris?
Staying at a hotel in Turin could I make the 6.47? train I mean how easy is it to find the platforms?
If I visited Rome for a day trip how quickly can I see the Spanish steps, Colosseum, St. Peter’s square and Trevi fountain?
My plan would be visit Turin and stay a few nights take a 45 min train to milan and catch the early train to Rome next day. I would then take the 5 hour train trip over to Paris before catching an evening Eurostar to London. If that journey was too tiring I could visit Milan and Turin only by train I don’t fancy going for too long a trip.
Staying at a hotel in Turin could I make the 6.47? train I mean how easy is it to find the platforms?
If I visited Rome for a day trip how quickly can I see the Spanish steps, Colosseum, St. Peter’s square and Trevi fountain?
My plan would be visit Turin and stay a few nights take a 45 min train to milan and catch the early train to Rome next day. I would then take the 5 hour train trip over to Paris before catching an evening Eurostar to London. If that journey was too tiring I could visit Milan and Turin only by train I don’t fancy going for too long a trip.
If I understand the question correctly, you're looking for hotels near the relevant stations in Paris and Turin.
In Paris you will need the Gare de Lyon for trains to Italy. There are a lot of hotels in the area: I have used the Hotel Corail, which is fine on a budget. GdL itself is about the size of London Victoria, and like Victoria in two parts, 'blue' and 'yellow', iirc. One section has numbered platforms, the other lettered. The last time I did the trip the train left from the numbered portion 'Hall 2'.
(The train itself helpfilly has 'Paris-Lyon-Turin-Milan' painted on one side, and 'Milano-Torino-Lion-Parigi' on the other, but does run as half a double unit for part of the journey.)
For Turin to Milan, look for somewhere near Porta Susa station rather than Porta Nuova. PS is a smaller, modern through station built for the high speed line, and easier to navigate. There are hotels nearby (I have one booked for November).
All that being said, Turin to Rome is a long way for a day trip. Milan and Genoa are both well worth a visit, and much closer.
Cheers
In Paris you will need the Gare de Lyon for trains to Italy. There are a lot of hotels in the area: I have used the Hotel Corail, which is fine on a budget. GdL itself is about the size of London Victoria, and like Victoria in two parts, 'blue' and 'yellow', iirc. One section has numbered platforms, the other lettered. The last time I did the trip the train left from the numbered portion 'Hall 2'.
(The train itself helpfilly has 'Paris-Lyon-Turin-Milan' painted on one side, and 'Milano-Torino-Lion-Parigi' on the other, but does run as half a double unit for part of the journey.)
For Turin to Milan, look for somewhere near Porta Susa station rather than Porta Nuova. PS is a smaller, modern through station built for the high speed line, and easier to navigate. There are hotels nearby (I have one booked for November).
All that being said, Turin to Rome is a long way for a day trip. Milan and Genoa are both well worth a visit, and much closer.
Cheers
Attachments
Last edited:
eastwestdivide
Established Member
Personally, I wouldn't try and "do" Rome as a day trip from Northern Italy. It's a capital city with 2000+ years of history, and deserves a longer stay than that.
Yes I found a hotel near the station in Turin so I was hoping to do the trip over 5 days with two stops in Paris. I’m travelling from Edinburgh so im use to the 4 hour journey I don’t know how tiring it would be. My plan would be
Day 1: Edinburgh to London and catch the Eurostar to Paris (I do this trip in October anyway and regularly do it to Brussels)
Day 2: Paris to Turin dropping my suitcases off and heading to Milan for a few hours
Day 3: A long trip to Rome but I could still be there 11am to 7pm and see many sights ?
Day 4: Turin to Paris so another 5 hour leg arrive in Paris at 1.20pm but I can relax and get some lunch catch a late Eurostar back. Stay in London at Kings cross for the evening so it’s only another 2 hours travel that evening.
Day 5: Edinburgh to London
I can add an extra night in if need be but I rarely go away on holiday for more than 5 days and I don’t like flying much. It’s for a honeymoon so I have enough going on with the wedding.
My other opinion is scrap the Rome day out and stick to Turin and Milan as you say as that’s less tiring. However I was particularly keen on Rome due to it being more touristy. I’m not sure what there is to see in Milan other than a couple of sights.
It’s obviously long train journeys but back in January I did Brussels stay over and visited Amsterdam, Cologne and Bruges for a day but these were 2 hour journeys at most where as that’s Rome journey takes much longer, it’s quicker from Milan but I wanted to avoid that 7 hour train journey.
The scenery in the french alps looks great if I do go by train it just boils down to how tiring it would be.
Yes that’s true I would probably fly back at a later date after my wedding. By train it’s quite awkward from London it seems Milan is much easier to get to.
I would have 8 hours in total it was mostly the coliseum I wanted to see but wondered how long queues would be.
But you are right I may be disappointed to leave early. If I stayed in Milan I could extend my day to 11 hours in Rome.
My guess is you are looking at a Freccia from Porta Susa to Porta garibaldi, not a local train - the TGV, despite its name, isn't IIRC allowed to use the HSL for good technical reasons aka it's foreign!
That's a shame as it could do the journey quicker. I'm still waiting on a quicker train to Barcelona but that's not happened in the current timetable.
So whether I fly or get the train if I visit Venice or Milan or Rome is it advisable to pre book if it's not a local train?
eastwestdivide
Established Member
Pretty sure that all Italian long-distance trains (IC, Frecciarossa, Frecciabianca, Frecciargento, Italo) are reservation-only.
They do sell out too - I tried to book an IC on the day of travel and it was sold out, so I had to take regional/regional express trains (it wasn't too far).
So to clarify would I not be able to buy an on the day ticket from Turin to Milan?
I can prebook Rome my question is would be worth while doing an Italy trip with long 4 or 5 your legs over 4 days or would that be too tiring? Has anybody here done a train journey 4 hours there and 4 hours back in a day e.g Edinburgh to London?
I could just visit Turin and Milan but it was Rome in particular I wanted to visit. I looked at Cologne to Berlin in a day visit that’s also 4 hours so wonder how easy it would be to do these types of journeys?
I can prebook Rome my question is would be worth while doing an Italy trip with long 4 or 5 your legs over 4 days or would that be too tiring? Has anybody here done a train journey 4 hours there and 4 hours back in a day e.g Edinburgh to London?
I could just visit Turin and Milan but it was Rome in particular I wanted to visit. I looked at Cologne to Berlin in a day visit that’s also 4 hours so wonder how easy it would be to do these types of journeys?
There are both high-speed and local trains between Turin and Milan. Even the stopping services take only an hour or thereabouts, and they are walk-up tickets (remember to validate them - FS show no mercy to tourists!).
The Trenitalia app is also very good, and allows you to buy e-tickets on your 'phone for any service, even local ones, and they don't have to be validated.
I suppose it's a personal thing how much of a day trip you want to spend on a train (if you do go to Rome, make sure your Turin-Milan and Milan-Rome trains use the same station in Milan); but if you wanted a longer trip than Milan, Genoa is also worth a visit - regular trains throughout the day taking 2hrs, no advance booking needed.
PS The Milan-Rome services get very full, though being reservation only you are at least guaranteed a seat.
The Trenitalia app is also very good, and allows you to buy e-tickets on your 'phone for any service, even local ones, and they don't have to be validated.
I suppose it's a personal thing how much of a day trip you want to spend on a train (if you do go to Rome, make sure your Turin-Milan and Milan-Rome trains use the same station in Milan); but if you wanted a longer trip than Milan, Genoa is also worth a visit - regular trains throughout the day taking 2hrs, no advance booking needed.
PS The Milan-Rome services get very full, though being reservation only you are at least guaranteed a seat.
Last edited:
So it’s a bit like Germany having to stamp your ticket? Can you just show a print out ticket on the Paris to Turin train? I would have stayed in Milan had it
Not been a 7 and a half hour train journey find that a bit much. However I found hotels in Milan looked better. I could change in Turin but the return leg is half 7 from Turin to Milan.
I noticed Venice is only 3 hours from Turin so I could look at doing that next time.
And yes perhaps the mobile app would be best then.
I would have a limited time in Italy but the upside is an evening in Paris and on return I would have a day in Paris.
Quite right: I see there are some direct Turin-Rome trains (it might be worth checking Italo as well as Trenitalia).
And a print-at-home ticket on the Paris Turin TGV does not need to be validated before boarding. They just scan the QR code. (Some Paris termini are introducing platform gates: not sure about GdL but if so you just hold the code to the scanner like boarding E* at St Pancras.)
And a print-at-home ticket on the Paris Turin TGV does not need to be validated before boarding. They just scan the QR code. (Some Paris termini are introducing platform gates: not sure about GdL but if so you just hold the code to the scanner like boarding E* at St Pancras.)
duesselmartin
Established Member
Has construction not yet started on that line? Arguements seem to go on forever. But then I dont expect this government to outlive the year 2018.
I believe freight on the Turin -Frejus-Tunnel line is almost non existant but has potential esp. for the bi-modal market.
matacaster
On Moderation
- Joined
- 19 Jan 2013
- Messages
- 1,603
Haven't had time to read full thread, so this info might be useless!
1. Have you considered a Trenitalia pass?
2. There's a train from Rome (around 22.30) to Venice (around 06.30). It gets very full and it helps if you are able to look after yourself! An Italian policeman pulled a gun on one person who was making a nuisance of himself - that worked. In fairness, I wouldn't have argued with the female guard who was built like that big woman in Prisoner Cell Block H.
1. Have you considered a Trenitalia pass?
2. There's a train from Rome (around 22.30) to Venice (around 06.30). It gets very full and it helps if you are able to look after yourself! An Italian policeman pulled a gun on one person who was making a nuisance of himself - that worked. In fairness, I wouldn't have argued with the female guard who was built like that big woman in Prisoner Cell Block H.
- Status