Skip to main content
Solved

First Time Europe Train Traveler… Please help with Travel from Venice to Paris!?!

  • 22 July 2024
  • 8 replies
  • 133 views

Hello All,

My husband and I are planning our 1st trip to Europe and our celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary!!! 🥂💞💐 I am looking for some guidance on the best route to take by train from Venezia Santa Lucia Train Station to Paris Gare de Lyon but I understand it can be another train station and we can take local to get to this one (where our Air B&B is near) the date we will do this is on 4/21/25 or 4/22/25 (which ever date is better for times or cheaper, also can be worked out to do the over night train or slower trains.)

We have the global eurail pass, our dates are from 4/13/25-4/27/25, we will have already used it and been in Italy for 8 days and will stay in Paris for 3 days.

Then my next question is cheapest way to get from Paris to Brussels (Grand-Place)on 4/25/25 for 2 or 3 hours, then we need to catch a train to London (Waterloo Station) then one to Southampton Central Station (near the port).

Any advice or words of travel wisdom would be greatly appreciated 🤗 Thank you, Kim

8 replies

T
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

For timetables you'll have to wait until October-November but we can already suggest routes.

Venice - Paris: the main route should have reopened by then. In a day I'd do Venice - Milan/Turin (13€) + Milan/Turin - Paris (30€).

With 2 days you could consider a stop in Switzerland. Either on a "fast" mainline such as Zurich, Lausanne or Bern or somewhere along the stunning Bernina route (Zurich or Chur would be my choice). For more details: https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/paris-to-venice-by-train.htm#venice-to-paris-via-the-bernina-express (incredible website)

Paris - Brussels: if the city is only a brief stop I would only consider the direct Eurostar for 27€ 2nd class. Not the cheapest but the fastest (1h30). Then 30€ to London, include time for security and passport controls (45-60 min).

Honestly I'd go straight to London for the convenience: what will you do with luggage, etc.?

You'll arrive at St. Pancras International. The transfer to Waterloo isn't the easiest: either a bus (good way to cross the city!), 2 underground lines or 2 trains via London Bridge. For the first two use a contactless credit/debit card, for the last one Eurail valid.

There are plenty of trains between London and Southampton. Seat reservations not possible. Simply hop on the first one.

Some general links:

https://www.seat61.com/how-to-use-a-eurail-pass.htm

https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm

Feel free to ask anything.

K

Thank you for the suggestions! Are these Spring rates/prices? Right now when I tight in these roots on Eurail and RailEurope with the eurail pass 2nd class it gave me prices of $103.50 to go from Venice to Paris for two on a Tuesday in early December ( just picked a random date) $68.90 for Paris to Brussels on a Friday December 6 and same price for Brussels to London or Paris to London by Eurostar.

Also, saw where from Rome to Venice Frecciarossas is $30 for two, I thought that one was $10 a person. Just want to check if these sites are correct. Thank you again!

K and C
T
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

The prices I listed above are seat reservations on top of your Eurail Pass (in €). Advance tickets might be cheaper overall but then you lose all the flexibility (tied to a train).

Eurail is not a product fitting everyone/every trip.

A last-minute ticket between Paris and Brussels or to London will easily be over 100€. Same thing for Rome - Venice while a reservation is set at 13€ per person.

EDIT: I see you mention reservation prices specifically.

Note that eurail.com adds 2€ fee per person per train. It quickly adds up!

Reservation prices depend on the train type/route/company. You could even do Venice - Paris reservation-free or for 10€ altogether!

I'll also add that most trains in December haven't been released yet. Check 2-3 months in advance.

The guide I posted above is quite extensive. Feel free to ask anything more.

K

Yes correct, these prices I got are just the reservation fees with my eurail pass attached and they are coming up that high, not the amounts like I excepted, like the ones you typed above. Do you think these prices are incorrect or just high for this year? I definitely want to plan in advance especially the Venice to Paris, part because I need to make sure I get my Air B&B dates right. I will keep an eye on it to see if things change. Please let me know if you see the same amounts if you take a look on any of the sites. Thank you a bunch!

 

K and C
T
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

I don't see the same prices as you using Rail Europe:

- Paris - Brussels: 2 x 27€ = 54€ (61.50$)

- Paris/Brussels - London: 2 x 30€ = 60€ (68$)

However the prices you listed could match eurail.com since that website adds fees. Please add screenshots in case.

Reservation prices are set*. They could of course slightly increase for 2025 but that hasn't been decided yet.

Honestly you don't need to decide which train in particular you're taking before booking Airbnbs. The question is rather: are you making a long travel day or splitting the journey in 2 days?

Then you'll have dozens of trains to choose from. Timetables will start to appear in October-November.

If you're not in a rush I'd very much recommend the Bernina route. It is stunning all year round. In April you'll go from lush meadows to snowy landscapes on the same little red train (with pull-down windows!).

*except for French domestic trains which have a 10€ limited fare increasing to 20€ when x tickets have been sold.

K

Ok got ya! My dilemma is the extra day 4/21-22 is only there for travel from Venice to Paris with all the conflicting times. Only a handful with some showing through the night. ( 23hr train trips if I don’t want to pay a lot of fees) I was wanting to see how I could work out a schedule with train to train to get me from Venice to Paris. I took a screen shot for a trip starting from Tuesday 6:10 to 19:09 but it says things that I’m not completely understanding, and how I could make reservations when it is really my a actual date to make my reservations for. I have attached screen shots and highlighted what I don't understand, so if you may be able to explain them to me. 

(For 1st picture is this really free and are these trains close together to where I can make it or is there another one that would that me to the same station or the Paris Gare de Lyon Station that is closer)

(For 2nd Picture how do I make a reservation with Eurocity? Is the $29.50 a per passenger or for both of us because I put in both of us when I started the search?  Is the train TER #96230 free? is the 10 minute interchange enough time for me to get to the next train (TGV InOUI #2362)? Would there be another one I could take along shortly? How do I make a reservation with TGV INOUI and what would they cost, there was no price listed? 

I was just interested in running through a scenario of trying to do all this and how it would work, so I can be prepared! Sorry if it is so much but you don’t know how much this will put my mind at ease because this is a once in a lifetime trip🤞🏻❤️ Thank you again!!!!!

K and C
T
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

Venice - Milan: the trains in your screenshot are regional services -> reservation-free. I'm not sure the 5 min connection is enough but you won't have to bother with that anyway.

There's a direct Frecciarossa (comfortable high-speed train) leaving Venice at 07:18 and reaching Milan at 09:45. Tickets are likely not released yet so that's why it doesn't appear.

The EC to Basel costs 13€ pp (29.50$ would be for 2 people then). Reservations are only required until the Swiss border, they're not a thing within the country.

In general regional trains don't have reservations (they're "free" or rather included in your pass). Hop on and sit wherever you want. The front carriages will be less busy in Basel (you'll see).

This is the case for Basel - Strasbourg: 200 km/h regional trains with so comfy old-fashioned carriages.

The above itinerary (07:18 - 19:09) is pretty good. There shouldn't be much changes in the 2025 timetable. Wait and see.

M
Rank
Userlevel 3
Badge +2

I did Bologna to Rotterdam, via Paris, a month ago and what I experienced and learned :

  • Make a detour through Switzerland!
  • It is a long journey with multiple trains through multiple countries, giving plenty of opportunities for missed connections and the hassle that follows. Rather take your time, build in margins and spend the night halfway;
  • reservations take the fun out of traveling by train;
  • high speed trains are convenient but boring. The lower deck of the double decker Geneva-Paris was as claustrophobic as a plane.

Reply


Terms and Conditions & Privacy PolicyCookie settings