Looks really good!
Have a look at this for the best ways to get to France (it will take some time) : https://www.seat61.com/international-trains/trains-from-Dublin.htm#dublin-to-paris
I'd seriously consider a ferry to Normandy.
Night trains are far from common now but they do exist. You could take one from Munich to Rome (although that one tends to be expensive and popular). Have a look at https://nachtzugkarte.de/en/
Rome - Paris is a bit too far to do in a day imho. It's doable with some tight connections but it won't be really pleasant.
I'd try to take the Bernina route between Italy and Switzerland : truly stunning all year round! You could do Rome - Chur/Zurich (night) - London (night) - Dublin.
Actually with 2 weeks I might recommend flying one-way as you'll lose quite some time getting out of Ireland/the UK.
Here is a general guide about seat reservations : https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm
You must book the Eurostar well in advance (extremely popular + passholder quota).
Questions very welcome. I'm sure you'll have a great trip! :)
Echo the advice above.
Night trains are great, and I think kids will find them great fun in particular. Just assume you won’t necessarily get a lot of sleep, and don’t ever be tempted to do two nights in a row! The Nachtzug map above is a great overview.
If you go both ways by Eurostar, there are two main routes - one via Paris and Switzerland (the more obvious Paris-Lyon-Turin isn’t possible this summer), another via Brussels and Germany. So you could do one in each direction. But the Dublin-Cherbourg ferry is another very good option, as is a one way flight home from Rome.
Seat61, as linked above, is a treasure trove for planning. Have a look at this page, which shows the main routes down to Italy. https://www.seat61.com/Italy.htm
As you’ll see on the Dublin to Paris page that @thibcabe linked, you can leave Dublin in the afternoon, and be in Paris by early evening if you take the ferry. The times work out quite well for a good night;s sleep, and you could even stop off for a few hours in Cherbourg if you like.
If instead you want to go via Holyhead & train to London, then Eurostar, it can be done in one (long) day. 0805 ferry from Dublin, arriving in Paris 2318.
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After Paris, I would stop off somewhere on the way to Rome. Strasbourg? Switzerland (expensive, but gorgeous scenery, and excellent trains!) or maybe the Italian Lakes/ Milan. Whichever way you go, you’ll almost certainly be routing via Milan anyway. Frequent and good trains down to Rome from there.
(As an aside: book tickets for the Colosseum and other sites you want to visit well ahead of time. They sell out, then you have to buy from touts)
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@thibcabe has already suggested the Rome-Munich sleeper. But if you are struggling to find space on that, there’s plenty of interesting places you could stop en route(ish). Florence, Venice, Innsbruck, Salzburg. Austrian Tirol.
Thank you for the replies so far! Question - is booking 1st class seats for extra small amount each worth it?
For my money, it’s definitely worth it, and I always get a first Class pass. 2+1 seating, quieter, plus more legroom on most trains.
An inclusive meal/ drinks on Avanti to Euston & on Eurostar.
A much smaller snack / drink on Frecciarossa in Italy. On the German & Austrian trains, you don’t get anything included, but you can order from the restaurant car, served at your seat.
