Train Travel

How to travel by train from London to Italy

Visit www.trenitalia.it for train times, fares & online booking. For train times in other countries in Europe visit http://nahn.hafas.de. To check or book Eurostar visit www.eurostar.com and www.ratp.fr for details of Paris metro. For the Circumvesuviana Railway in Italy check www.vesuviana.it and for Venice waterbuses check out www.actv.it

Time: GMT+1 (GMT+2 from last Sunday in March to last Saturday in October)

Currency: £1 = approx 1.4 Euros. $1 = approx 0.8 euros.

Tourist information: www.enit.it.

Why travel by aeroplane when you can have a comfortable and affordable trip to Italy by train.

London to Rome

Arrive in Paris just 2 hours and 50 minutes after leaving London. Time for a short break and then hop on to the overnight sleeper from Paris to Rome. With dinner in the restaurant car and a light breakfast in your sleeper or couchette why would you want to miss the fantastic scenery visible from your train window. You will be able to see the dome of St Peter's from the train before arriving at Rome's Stazione Termini.

With return fares starting at just #59 for the Eurostar from London to Paris and a basic 6 bunk couchette for #52 or spend a bit more for a 4 bunk couchette for #89 return. 1, 2 and 3 bedroom sleeping cars are available and breakfast is included in the fare.

Train times London to Rome

Leave London at 12:09 for Paris on Eurostar, arriving in paris at 15:59. A 13:09 Eurostar is available on Fridays and Sundays arriving in Paris at 16:56 then use the metro to get to the Gare de Bercy station.

On the Palatino express travel from Paris to Rome overnight. The great express train leaves Paris daily at 19:00 and arrives in Rome at 09:42. The Palatino express has 4 and 6 berth couchettes, and 1, 2 and 3 bed sleepers. The restaurant car supplies meals, snacks and drinks. Only sleeping berths are available on the Palatino, there are no seats.

Train times Rome to London:

Return to Paris on the overnight Palatino, leaving Rome at 18.40 and arriving in Paris the next morning at 09:10. Have a couple of hours in Paris, then return to London by Eurostar arriving in London at 13:25.

Fares:

London to Paris by Eurostar:

Paris to Rome by sleeper train:

In a couchette

In a sleeper

6-berth

4-berth

3-berth 2-berth 1-berth

Special one-way fare: From £26 £44 £93 £104 -

Special return fare: From £52 £88 £186 £208 -

Normal one-way fare: £78 £89 £119 £133 £196

Normal return fare: £126 £140 £200 £230 £362

Normal child fare one-way: £41 £44 £74 £81 -

Railpass fare one-way: £19 £33 £48 £56 -

Special fare = means you need to book at least 14 days before travel for couchettes or 30 days for sleeper berths. Limited places available at these prices, no refunds, no changes.

Normal fare = Refundable and flexible. There are no senior or youth reductions.

Child fare = Child 4-11 years with own berth. Return fare twice the one-way fare. Children under 4 free, if they share a bed with an adult.

Railpass fare: This is what you pay if you have railpasses (Eurail, Interail, etc) covering both Italy & France. If your pass only covers one country, the supplement increases.

All fares are per person. You can save about 6% on these Paris-Italy fares by paying in euros at voyages-sncf.com, instead of paying in pounds with UK agencies or websites. Bookings open 90 days before departure. On certain dates, 10-20% higher fares may be charged.

If you are resident in the UK you can purchase tickets for Eurostar and the Paris to Rome sleeper online - visit www.raileurope.co.uk. There isn't a booking fee and tickets can be sent to any UK address. Booking open for the Paris to Italy train 90 days before departure.

To get the best prices break your trip into two separate journeys - first, book the train from Paris to Italy and back. To ensure you get the direct Palatino express select 'direct services'. Leave '2nd class' selected for 6-berth couchettes or 3-bed sleepers, but you must select '1st class' if you want to book 4-berth couchettes or 1- or 2-bed sleepers. To see the different types of couchette or sleeper in each class, select 'options' to switch between them.

When your booking is made for the Paris to Rome round trip - 'add another ticket' and then book your return trip from London to Paris on Eurostar. Remember that when booking your tickets for your return journey, the date you leave Paris for London will be one day after your departure date from Italy to Paris. Tickets are sent from a UK office and normally arrive through the post in a couple of days. Tickets can only be purchased up to 90 days before travel.

The only difference between fares on www.raileurope.co.uk and www.voyages-sncf.com, is the currency the fares are shown in. You may get a slightly better exchange rate if you buy in euros at www.voyages-sncf.com, although you'll then be dealing direct with SNCF (French Railways) in France.

If you want to buy tickets by telephone or in person you can book through any UK European rail agency including Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848 (lines open 08:00 - 21:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00 - 18:00 on Saturdays and 10:00 - 17:00 on Sundays, £6 booking fee applies) or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 512400 (8% booking fee applies).

If you live in the USA, Canada, Australia, etc you can buy tickets for both Eurostar and the Artesia sleeper train online at www.raileurope.com, North America's largest European rail agency and a subsidiary of French Railways. Tickets can be sent to any address in the USA, Canada or worldwide. To get the cheaper fares make sure the journey is treated as two separate trips, but to get the best fares buy at European prices direct with Eurostar online and choose to pick up your tickets at the station. Then purchase your Paris to Rome tickets at www.voyances-sncf.com, remembering to select 'France' which means you can collect your tickets on the day of trave at any main station in France. If you start your journey in Italy you can book by visiting www.trenitalia.it and again pick up your ticket at any main station in Italy by quoting your booking reference.

London to Florence, Bologna, Pisa, Siena

A leisurely afternoon Eurostar to Paris, a coffee or glass of wine in Paris and then the overnight sleeper down to Florence. Enjoy the view of an enchanting France whilst dining in the restaurant car and wake up in your sleeper or your couchette to a continental breakfast and coffee with a classic Italian view.

Eurostar fares start at just £59 return and £52 return from Paris to Florence in a basic 6-bunk couchette or £89 return in a more spacious 4 bunk couchette. 1, 2 & 3 bed sleeping cars are also available, with breakfast included.

Jump on the Eurostar at lunchtime and arrive in Paris around 4pm. On Fridays and Sundays there is an extra service leaving at around 1pm and arriving at 5pm. Take your time crossing Paris to the Gare de Bercy and then take the Palatino, leaving Paris at 7pm. An early arrival at Piacenza at 4.44am, Parma at 5.14am, Bologna at 6am and Florence at 7.16am.

Connections to Pisa, Siena, Lucca - if you're going to Pisa, a local train leaves Florence (SMN) at 08:07 arriving in Pisa at 09:25. For Siena, a local train leaves Florence (SMN) at 08:32 arriving in Siena at 10:08 and if you are travelling to Lucca, a local train leaves Florence (SMN) at 08:08, arriving Lucca at 09:31.

Train times Florence to London

A local train leaves Pisa at 18:29, arriving Florence (Santa Maria Novella station) at 19:33. Alternatively, a local train leaves Siena at 17:40, change trains at Empoli, arriving Florence (Santa Maria Novella station) at 19:33. A local train also leaves Lucca at 17:32, arriving Florence (Santa Maria Novella station) at 18:52. For all these arrivals take a local train or taxi to Florence Campo di Marti station.

The 'Palatino' leaves Florence Campo di Marte station at 20:53, Bologna at 22:02, Parma at 22:59, Piacenza 23:28, arriving in Paris (Gare de Bercy) at 09:10 next morning. The train has 1-bed, 2-bed & 3-bed sleepers, 4-berth couchettes, 6-berth couchettes & restaurant car. Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris (Gare du Nord) at 11:43 and arriving London Waterloo at 13:25.

Fares:

London to Paris by Eurostar:

Paris to Florence or Bologna by sleeper train:

In a couchette

In a sleeper 6-berth 4-berth 3-berth 2-berth 1-berth

Special one-way fare: From £26 £44 £93 £104 -

Special return fare: From £52 £88 £186 £208 -

Normal one-way fare: £78 £89 £119 £133 £196

Normal return fare: £126 £140 £200 £230 £362

Normal child fare one-way: £41 £44 £74 £81 -

Railpass fare one-way: £19 £33 £48 £56 -

Special fare = Book at least 14 days in advance for couchettes, 30 days for sleepers. Limited places - no refunds, no changes.

Normal fare = Refundable and flexible. No senior or youth reductions.

Child fare = Child 4-11 years with own berth. Return fare twice the one-way fare. Children under 4 free, if they share a bed with an adult.

Railpass fare: This is what you pay if you have railpasses (Eurail, Interrail, etc) covering both Italy & France. If your pass only covers one country, there's a higher supplement.

Instead of paying in GBP in the UK, save about 6% on these Paris-Italy fares by paying in euros at voyages-sncf.com. Bookings open 90 days before departure. On certain peak dates, 10-20% higher fares may be charged.

How to buy tickets - online at www.raileurope.co.uk

UK residents buy tickets for both the Eurostar and the Paris-Florence sleeper train online at www.raileurope.co.uk. There's no booking fee, and tickets can be sent to any UK address. Reservations for the Paris-Italy trains open 90 days before departure.

To get the best fares, treat London to Florence as two separate journeys, one London to Paris, the other Paris to Florence. Book the train from Paris to Italy and back, first. Select 'Paris', 'Florence' and your dates of travel. It helps to tick the 'direct services only' box to make sure it only comes up with the 'Palatino'. Leave '2nd class' selected for 6-berth couchettes or 3-bed sleepers, but you must select '1st class' if you want to book 4-berth couchettes or 1- or 2-bed sleepers. When the results appear, click the word 'options' to switch between the different types of couchette and sleeper in that class. When you've booked the Paris-Florence train, click 'add another ticket' and book the Eurostar from London to Paris and back as a separate journey. Don't forget that on your return journey, your departure date from Paris to London will be the day after your departure date from Italy to Paris. Tickets are sent from a UK office and normally arrive through the post in a couple of days.

Fares on www.raileurope.co.uk are the same as those on www.voyages-sncf.com, but are shown in pounds. You will probably get a better deal if you buy in euros at www.voyages-sncf.com, although you'll then be dealing direct with SNCF (French Railways) in France. You can choose to pick up tickets in Paris or have them sent to addresses in other European countries. Bookings for the Paris-Italy night trains open 90 days before departure.

Select 'Great Britain' to have tickets posted to a UK address. If you want all the cheap fares to show up, you must then select 'payment online in euros', as these fares may not show up if you select 'payment in GBP by contacting Rail Europe in London'. Alternatively, tickets can be posted to addresses in many other countries including most European countries. Leave 'France' selected to pick up tickets at the station in Paris. To get the best fares treat them as two journeys. Book the train from Paris to Italy and back, first. Select 'direct services only' box to make sure it only comes up with the direct train. Leave '2nd class' selected for 6-berth couchettes or 3-bed sleepers, but you must select '1st class' if you want to book 4-berth couchettes or 1- or 2-bed sleepers. When the results appear, click the word 'options' to switch between the different types of couchette and sleeper in that class. Then click 'add another ticket' and book the Eurostar from London to Paris and back as a separate journey. Don't forget that on your return journey, your departure date from Paris to London will be the day after your departure date from Italy to Paris.

You can book through any UK European rail booking agency, including Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848 (lines open 08:00 - 21:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00 - 18:00 on Saturdays and 10:00 - 17:00 on Sundays, £6 booking fee applies) or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 512400 (8% booking fee applies).

If you live in the USA, Canada, Australia - you can buy tickets for both Eurostar and the Artesia sleeper trains online at www.raileurope.com. Tickets can be sent to any address in the USA, Canada or worldwide. Just be aware that the prices may be higher than those charged in Europe, for example, none of the cheapest special fares seem to be offered, just much higher full fares. When buying tickets online, treat London-Paris and Paris-Florence as separate journeys. To get the best fares you could always purchase the tickets online as above and select picking the tickets up at the station. For Italy, you can also book Italy-Paris trains at www.trenitalia.it (click 'English', click 'International', and look for 'smart price' when the fares appear). Tickets bought through www.trenitalia.it can be picked up from the ticket counter at any main station in Italy by quoting your booking reference.

London to Venice, Verona & Padua

A lovely afternoon Eurostar from London to Paris in just 2 hours and 40 minutes, then a a couple of drinks in a Paris cafe. Jump on the overnight sleeper direct to Venice from central Paris. With a stunning view over the villages of the french countryside eating a superb meal in the restaurant car, and then having breakfast in your sleeper with a classic Italian landscape - arriving in Santa Lucia station from the causeway into central Venice, just a stones throw from the Rialto bridge and St Mark's Square.

Fares start at £59 return for the Eurostar plus either £52 return from Paris to Venice in a basic 6-bunk couchette or £89 return in a more spacious 4-bunk couchette. More comfortable 1-, 2- & 3-bed sleeping-cars are also available, breakfast included.

Train times London - Venice: Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London Waterloo at 13:41 and arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:23. Cross Paris by métro to the Gare de Bercy. Then from Paris to Venice overnight on the 'Stendhal', leaving Paris (Gare de Bercy) daily at 20:28 and arriving next morning in Brescia at 07:08, Verona at 07:50, Vicenza 08:26, Padua 08:51 and Venice (Santa Lucia station) at 09:27.

The Stendhal has 1-bed, 2-bed & 3-bed sleepers, 4-berth couchettes, & 6-berth couchettes. There is a restaurant car serving drinks, snacks, and affordable full meals. The 3-course 'menu del giorno' costs about 26 euros, and a half bottle of wine about 7 euros. All passengers get a sleeping berth. The Stendhal is run by Artesia, a consortium of the French and Italian national railways.

The return trip - Train times Venice - London: Travel from Venice to Paris overnight on the 'Stendhal', leaving Venice (Santa Lucia station) at 20:04, Padua at 20:37, Vicenza at 20:56, Verona at 21:34, Brescia at 22:13 and arriving in Paris (Gare de Bercy) at 08:23 next morning. The train has 1-bed, 2-bed & 3-bed sleepers, 4-berth couchettes, 6-berth couchettes & restaurant car. Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris (Gare du Nord) at 10:19 and arriving London Waterloo at 11:55.

Fares:

London to Paris by Eurostar:

Paris to Venice or Verona by sleeper train:

In a couchette In a sleeper Basic 6-berth Comfort 4-berth 3-berth 2-berth 1-berth

Special one-way fare: From £26 £44 £93 £100 -

Special return fare: From £52 £88 £186 £200 -

Normal one-way fare: £78 £81 £119 £130 £189

Normal return fare: £126 £134 £200 £222 £356

Normal child fare one-way: £41 £44 £74 £81 -

Railpass fare one-way: £19 £33 £48 £56 -

Special fare = Book at least 14 days in advance for couchettes, 30 days for sleepers. Limited places - no refunds, no changes.

Normal fare = Refundable and flexible - no senior or youth reductions.

Child fare = Child 4-11 years with own berth. Return fare twice the one-way fare. Children under 4 free, if they share a bed with an adult.

Railpass fare: This is what you would pay if you have railpasses (Eurail, Interrail, etc) covering both Italy & France. If your pass only covers one country, there's a higher supplement.

All fares are per person. To get the best deal buy tickets online at www.voyages-sncf.com in euros and you can save about 6% on these Paris-Italy fares by paying, instead of paying in pounds with UK agencies or websites. Bookings open 90 days before departure. On certain holiday dates, 10-20% higher fares may be charged.

Buy tickets online at www.raileurope.co.uk

UK residents can easily buy tickets for both the Eurostar and the Paris-Venice sleeper train online at www.raileurope.co.uk. There's no booking fee, and tickets can be sent to any UK address. Reservations for the Paris-Italy trains open 90 days before departure.

To see the best fares, treat London to Venice as two separate journeys, one London to Paris, the other Paris to Venice. Book the train from Paris to Italy and back, first then select 'Paris', 'Venice' and your dates of travel. You want 'Venice Santa Lucia' if prompted. It helps to tick the 'direct services only' box to make sure it only comes up with the direct train. Leave '2nd class' selected for 6-berth couchettes or 3-bed sleepers, but you must select '1st class' if you want to book 4-berth couchettes or 1- or 2-bed sleepers. When the results appear, click the word 'options' to switch between the different types of couchette and sleeper in that class.

When you've booked the Paris-Venice train, click 'add another ticket' and book the Eurostar from London to Paris and back as a separate journey. Don't forget that on your return journey, your departure date from Paris to London will be the day after your departure date from Italy to Paris. Tickets are sent from a UK office and normally arrive through the post in a couple of days.

Fares on www.raileurope.co.uk are the same as those on www.voyages-sncf.com, but are shown in pounds. You'll get a better deal buying through www.voyages-sncf.com in euros, although you'll then be dealing direct with SNCF (French Railways) in France.

buy tickets - online www.voyages-sncf.com

The fares on www.voyages-sncf.com (the official French Railways website) are the same as those on www.raileurope.co.uk but by paying in euros you can get a slightly better exchange rate. You can also choose to pick up tickets in Paris or have them sent to addresses in other European countries. Bookings for the Paris-Italy night trains open 90 days before departure.

Select 'Great Britain' to have tickets posted to a UK address. If you want all the cheap fares to show up, you must then select 'payment online in euros', as these fares may not show up if you select 'payment in GBP by contacting Rail Europe in London'. Alternatively, tickets can be posted to addresses in many other countries including most European countries. Leave 'France' selected to pick up tickets at the station in Paris.

To get the best fares, treat your trip as two separate journeys, one London to Paris, the other Paris to Venice. Book the train from Paris to Italy and back, first. Enter 'Paris', 'Venice' (you want Venise Santa Lucia if prompted) and your date of travel. It helps to tick the 'direct services only' box to make sure it only comes up with the direct train. Leave '2nd class' selected for 6-berth couchettes or 3-bed sleepers, but you must select '1st class' if you want to book 4-berth couchettes or 1- or 2-bed sleepers. When the results appear, click the word 'options' to switch between the different types of couchette and sleeper in that class.

Then click 'add another ticket' and book the Eurostar from London to Paris and back as a separate journey. Don't forget that on your return journey, your departure date from Paris to London will be the day after your departure date from Italy to Paris. Tickets are sent from France but normally arrive at UK addresses within a couple of days.

You can book through any UK European rail booking agency, including Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848 (lines open 08:00 - 21:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00 - 18:00 on Saturdays and 10:00 - 17:00 on Sundays, £6 booking fee applies) or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 512400 (8% booking fee applies).

You can buy tickets from the USA, Canada, Australia etc for the Eurostar and Artesia sleeper trains online at www.raileurope.com, North America's largest European rail agency and a subsidiary of French Railways. Tickets can be sent to any address in the USA, Canada or worldwide. Just be aware that the prices may be higher than those charged in Europe - for example, none of the cheapest special fares seem to be offered on www.raileurope.com, just much higher full fares. When buying tickets online, treat London-Paris and Paris-Venice as separate journeys.

But to get the best fares at European prices, buy the London-Paris Eurostar online at www.eurostar.com, selecting the option to pick up tickets at the station. Book the Paris-Venice Artesia train online at www.voyages-sncf.com as shown above, leaving 'France' selected, which allows you to pick up tickets on the day of travel at the ticket office at any main station in France, including Paris Gare de Bercy. For trips starting in Italy, you can also book Italy-Paris trains at www.trenitalia.it (click 'English', click 'International', and look for 'smart price' when the fares appear). Tickets bought through www.trenitalia.it can be picked up from the ticket counter at any main station in Italy by quoting your booking reference.

London to Venice by "Venice Simplon Orient Express": This is a special treat - if you have the money, you can travel from London or Paris to Innsbruck, Verona and Venice in luxury on the Venice Simplon Orient Express (VSOE). The cost is around £1,200 per person one way or £1,800 return including sleeper and meals. If you book online you may find a 25% discount for October and November departures. The train usually runs once a week from March until October on Thursday mornings from London. Beautifully restored 1920s or 1930s Pullmans are your carriage from London to Folkestone with lunch and wine and champagne included. At Folkestone, passengers take road coaches to Calais using the Channel Tunnel. 1920s sleeping cars take passengers from Calais to Paris then on to Venice via the Arlberg Pass, Innsbruck and the Brenner Pass arriving the following evening. For exact details and online booking visit www.orient-expresstrains.com.

It is an expensive trip but it is definitely worth it - it will exceed your expectations! If you board the train with an open mind you will undoubtedly have the trip of a lifetime.

London to Naples

Train times London - Naples: Travel from London to Rome as described above. Leave London at 12:09 and arrive at Rome at 09:42 next day on the overnight 'Palatino' from Paris. A high-speed air-conditioned Eurostar Italia train leaves Rome at 10:45, arriving Naples (Centrale) at 12:30.

Train times Naples - London: Leave Naples (Centrale) by air-conditioned Eurostar Italia at 15:30, arriving Rome 17:16. Travel from Rome to London as shown above.

To buy tickets: You can book the London-Paris and Paris-Rome trains online. Book the train from Rome to Naples online at www.trenitalia.it. Trenitalia offers a hassle-free 'ticketless' option - you book online and simply quote your booking reference to the conductor on board.

London to Sorrento, Capri, Amalfi & Pompeii

Arrive in Naples as above, then from Naples Centrale station, take the 'Circumvesuviana' railway which runs every 30 minutes to Ercolano (Herculaneum), Pompeii and Sorrento. You should not miss a trip to Pompeii's Roman ruins the station you need is Pompeii 'Scavi'. The journey time from Naples to Sorrento is approximately 1 hour. You can check train times and fares on the Circumvesuviana website, www.vesuviana.it.

For Capri, there is a choice of ships and catamarans from Sorrento (crossing time about 25 minutes), or a by ship or catamaran direct from Naples (journey 40 minutes).

For Positano, Praiano, and Amalfi, frequent bus services (up to 20 per day on weekdays) run from Sorrento, plus the odd one direct from Naples, operated by SITA - visit www.sita-on-line.it.

London to Milan & Turin

You can arrive in Milan on the same day as you leave London by using the morning Eurostar to Paris and then a TGV across the Alps to Milan. For a more leisurely trip take the afternoon Eurostar to Paris and the overnight sleeper to Milan.

London - Milan - by overnight train: Leave Waterloo on the Eurostar at lunchtime and arrive in Paris, arriving Paris Gare du Nord at tea-time. Cross Paris by métro to the Gare de Bercy. Travel from Paris to Milan overnight on the 'Stendhal', leaving Paris at 8.30pm and arriving in Milan (Centrale) early the next morning.

For Turin, leave Milan at 08:13 by Eurostar Italia train, arriving Turin 09:28. The Stendhal has 1-bed, 2-bed & 3-bed sleepers, 4-berth couchettes, and 6-berth couchettes. A restaurant car serving drinks, snacks, and affordable full meals is available. A 3-course 'menu del giorno' costs about 26 Euro, and a half bottle of wine about 7 Euro, major credit cards accepted. All passengers get a sleeping berth.

London to Milan - by daytime train, option 1: Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London Waterloo at 08:12 and arriving Paris (Gare du Nord) at 11:47. Cross by RER to the Gare de Lyon.

Take the high speed TGV from Paris to Turin and Milan at 14.24 arriving in Turin at 7.45pm and Milan at 9.20pm. The train has 1st and 2nd class seats as well as a cafe serving drinks, snacks and meals.

London to Milan - by daytime train, option 2: Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London Waterloo at 10:40 and arriving Paris (Gare du Nord) at 14:17. Cross by RER to the Gare de Lyon.

Take the high speed TGV from Paris to Turin and Milan at 15.50 arriving in Turin at 9.15pm and Milan at 10.50pm. The train has 1st and 2nd class seats as well as a cafe serving drinks, snacks and meals.

Milan to London, by overnight train: Take the Stendhal from Milan to Paris overnight and arrive in Paris at 8.23 the next morning. This train has 1-bed, 2-bed & 3-bed sleepers, 4-berth couchettes, and 6-berth couchettes. You can board the train in Milan from 22:25 onwards. Coming from Turin, take a connecting InterRegional train departing Turin Porta Susa at 20:00 and arriving Milan at 21:42.

Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris (Gare du Nord) at 10:19 and arriving London Waterloo at 11:55.

Milan to London, by daytime train, option 1: Travel from Milan or Turin to Paris by direct high-speed TGV, leaving Milan (Centrale) at 06:43 and Turin (Porta Susa) at 08:10, arriving Paris (Gare de Lyon) at 13:45. Cross Paris by express metro (just 2 stops on RER line D) to the Gare du Nord. The travel from Paris to London by Eurostar.

Milan to London, by daytime train, option 2: Travel from Milan or Turin to Paris by direct high-speed TGV, leaving Milan (Centrale) at 09:13 and Turin (Porta Susa) at 10:40, arriving Paris (Gare de Lyon) at 16:11. Cross Paris by express metro (just 2 stops on RER Line D) to the Gare du Nord. Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris (Gare du Nord) at 17:43 (daily except Saturdays) arriving London Waterloo at 19:25. On Saturdays, depart Paris Nord at 18:16 arriving London Waterloo 19:58.

Fares for London to Milan by overnight train:

London to Paris by Eurostar:

Paris to Milan by sleeper train:

In a couchette In a sleeping-car 6-berth 4-berth 3-berth 2-berth 1-berth

Special one way fare: From £26 £41 £74 £85 -

Special return fare: From £52 £82 - - -

Normal one-way fare: £70 £74 £100 £111 £167

Normal return fare: £112 £126 £162 £186 £304

Normal child fare one-way: £33 £37 £59 £67 -

Railpass fare one-way: £19 £33 £48 £56 -

Special fare = Book at least 14 days in advance for couchettes, 30 days for sleepers. Limited places - no refunds, no changes.

Normal fare = Refundable and flexible but no senior or youth reductions.

Child fare = Child 4-11 years with own berth. Return fare twice the one-way fare. Children under 4 free, if they share a bed with an adult.

Railpass fare: This is what you pay if you have railpasses (Eurail, Interrail, etc) covering both Italy & France. If your pass only covers one country, there's a higher supplement.

All fares are per person. It is possible to save about 6% on Paris-Italy fares by paying in euros at voyages-sncf.com, instead of paying in pounds with UK agencies or websites. Bookings open 90 days before departure. On certain holiday dates, 10-20% higher fares may be charged.

Fares for London to Milan or Turin by daytime train:

London to Paris by Eurostar:

Paris to Milan or Turin by daytime TGV train:

2nd class 1st class

Special one-way fare: From £19 From £37

Special return fare: From £38 From £74

Normal one-way fare: £63 £81

Normal return fare: £104 £126

Normal child fare: £30 £41

Railpass fare: £7 £7

Special fare = Book at least 14 days in advance. Limited places - no refunds, no changes.

Normal fare = Refundable and flexible, but no senior or youth reductions.

Child fare = Child 4-11 years. Children under 4 free.

Railpass fare: This is what you pay if you have railpasses (Eurail, Interrail, etc) covering both Italy & France. If your pass only covers one country, there's a higher supplement.

All fares are per person. It is possible to save about 6% on Paris-Italy fares by paying in euros at voyages-sncf.com, instead of paying in pounds with UK agencies or websites. Bookings open 90 days before departure. On certain holiday dates, 10-20% higher fares may be charged.

Fares on Eurostar from London to Paris start at £59 return 2nd class, £139 return 1st class. Daytime TGV fares from Paris to Milan, start as low as £18 one-way, £36 return if you book online at www.voyages-sncf.com (limited places-book 14 days in advance). The normal one-way fare from Paris to Milan on a TGV is about £64 2nd class.

To buy tickets - online at www.raileurope.co.uk - Tickets for the Eurostar and the Paris to Milan Sleeper or the day time TGV are available to buy online at www.raileurope.co.uk. There's no booking fee, and tickets can be sent to any UK address. Reservations for the Paris-Italy trains open 90 days before departure.

To get the best fares, treat your trip from London to Milan as two separate journeys, one London to Paris, the other Paris to Milan. Book the train from Paris to Milan and back, first. To show the different class of sleeper and couchette, click 'options' and 1st and 2nd class will appear.

Then, click 'add another ticket' and book the Eurostar from London to Paris and back as another journey. Don't forget that on your return journey, your departure date from Paris to London will be the day after your departure date from Italy to Paris. Tickets normally arrive through the post in a couple of days.

To get the best fares from www.raileurope.co.uk as those on www.voyages-sncf.com, choose to buy in euros rather than GBP. Alternatively purchase direct from www.voyages-sncf.com, although you'll then be dealing direct with SNCF (French Railways) in France.

To buy tickets - online www.voyages-sncf.com - The fares on www.voyages-sncf.com (the official French Railways website) are the same as those on www.raileurope.co.uk but by paying in euros you can get a slightly better exchange rate. You can also choose to pick up tickets in Paris or have them sent to addresses in other European countries. Bookings for the Paris-Italy trains open 90 days before departure.

Select 'Great Britain' to have tickets posted to a UK address. If you want to see the best fares select 'payment online in euros', as these fares may not show up if you select 'payment in GBP by contacting Rail Europe in London'. Alternatively, tickets can be posted to addresses in many other countries including most European countries. Leave 'France' selected to pick up tickets at the station in Paris.

To buy tickets - by telephone & in-person you can book through any UK European rail booking agency, including Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848 (lines open 08:00 - 21:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00 - 18:00 on Saturdays and 10:00 - 17:00 on Sundays) or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 512400.

If you live in the USA, Canada, Australia you can buy tickets for both the Eurostar and the Paris to Italy trains online at www.raileurope.com, North America's largest European rail agency and a subsidiary of French Railways. Tickets can be sent to any address in the USA, Canada or worldwide. Just be aware that the fares charged may be higher than those charged in Europe - for example, none of the cheapest special fares seem to be offered, just much higher full fares. As with all tickets to get the best fares, treat London-Paris and Paris-Italy as separate journeys.

For a more cost effective way to buy tickets, visit www.eurostar.com, selecting the option to pick up tickets at the station. Then book the Paris-Italy Artesia train online at www.voyages-sncf.com as shown above, leaving 'France' selected, which allows you to pick up tickets on the day of travel at the ticket office at any main station in France, including Paris Gare de Bercy. For trips starting in Italy, you can also book Italy-Paris trains at www.trenitalia.it (click 'English', click 'International', and look for 'smart price' when the fares appear). Tickets bought through trenitalia.it can be picked up from the ticket counter at any main station in Italy by quoting your booking reference.

London to Genoa, Cinque Terre & La Spezia

Train times London to Genoa: Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London Waterloo at 13:41 on Mondays -Thursdays & Saturdays and arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:23, or 14:09 on Fridays & Sundays arriving in Paris Gare du Nord at 17:53. Cross Paris by métro to the Gare de Bercy. Then hop on the overnight Stendhal from Paris to Milan, leaving Paris at 20:28 and arriving in Milan (Centrale) at 07:10 next morning.

The Stendhal has 1-bed, 2-bed & 3-bed sleepers, 4-berth couchettes, and 6-berth couchettes. A restaurant car serving drinks, snacks, and affordable full meals is also available. A 3-course 'menu del giorno' costs about 26 Euro, and a half bottle of wine about 7 Euro, major credit cards accepted. All passengers get a sleeping berth.

Travel from Milan to Genoa, Cinque Terre or La Spezia by air-conditioned InterCity train leaving Milan at 08:10 and arriving Genoa (Piazza Principe) at 09:42, Monterosso (Cinque Terre) at 11:16 and La Spezia at 11:36. For the other Cinque Terre villages (Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola & Riomaggiore) change at Monterosso for a regular local train service. Check all travel arrangements at http://bahn.hafas.de.

Train times from Genoa to London: Travel to Milan by air-conditioned InterCity train, leaving La Spezia at 18:40, Monterosso (Cinque Terre) at 18:45, and Genoa (Piazza Principe) at 20:19, arriving Milan at 21:50. From the other Cinque Terre villages, take one of the regular local trains to Monterosso to join this InterCity train there - Check all travel arrangements at http://bahn.hafas.de.

Travel on the Stendhal from Milan to Paris overnight, leaving Milan at 23:35 (but you can board the sleepers and couchettes from 22:25 onwards) and arriving in Paris (Gare de Bercy) at 08:23 next morning. The Stendhal has 1-bed, 2-bed & 3-bed sleepers, 4-berth couchettes, and 6-berth couchettes. A restaurant car serving drinks, snacks, and affordable full meals is also available. A 3-course 'menu del giorno' costs about 26 Euro, and a half bottle of wine about 7 Euros. All passengers get a sleeping berth.

Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris (Gare du Nord) at 10:19 and arriving London Waterloo at 11:55.

Fares - Milan to Genoa by InterCity train costs about 16 euros (£12) one-way 2nd class or 21 euros (£15) 1st class. Returns are twice the one-way fare. Milan to Monterosso or La Spezia costs about 21 euros (£15) one-way 2nd class or 27 euros (£19) one-way 1st class, twice this for a return.

To buy tickets: Book tickets to Milan following details above, then book the Milan - Genoa - Cinque Terre - La Spezia train online at www.trenitalia.it, and pick the tickets up from the ticket counter at Milan station just by quoting your booking reference.

London to Ancona, Bari & Brindisi

Train times London to Ancona / Bari / Brindisi (option 1): Hop on the Eurostar from London to Paris then to Bologna by the 'Palatino' overnight train, leaving London Waterloo at 12:09, arriving in Bologna at 06:00. A modern, air-conditioned 'Eurostar Italia' leaves Bologna at 08:56, arriving Rimini at 09:51, Ancona at 10:47, Pescara at 12:03, Foggia at 13:48, Bari at 14:52 and Brindisi at 16:14.

Train times London to Ancona / Bari / Brindisi (option 2): Again take the Eurostar from London to Paris then to Milan by the 'Stendhal' overnight train, leaving London at 13:41, arriving at 07:10 next morning.

An InterCity train leaves Milan at 09:10, arriving Rimini at 12:38, Ancona at 13:34, Pescara at 15:15, Foggia at 17:27, Bari at 18:44. Alternatively, a modern, 'Eurostar Italia' leaves Milan at 11:05, arriving Rimini at 13:51, Ancona at 14:41, Pescara at 16:03, Foggia at 17:50, Bari at 18:54 and Brindisi at 20:10.

Train times Brindisi / Bari / Ancona to London (option 1): A 'Eurostar Italia' leaves Brindisi at 11:46, Bari at 12:58, Foggia at 14:07, Pescara at 15:54, Ancona at 17:16 and Rimini at 18:09, arriving in Bologna at 19:04. Alternatively, there is an InterCity train available from Pescara, Ancona and Rimini. This leaves Pescara at 16:30, Ancona 18:12, and Rimini at 19:22 arriving Bologna at 20:30.

The overnight 'Palatino' to Paris leaves Bologna at 22:02 arriving Paris at 09:10 next morning. A Eurostar connection will get you back to London at 13:25 the next day.

Train times Brindisi / Bari / Ancona to London (option 2): A Eurostar Italia train leaves Bari at 11:03, Foggia at 12:08, Pescara at 13:53, Ancona at 15:16 and Rimini at 16:05, arriving in Milan at 18:55. The night train for Paris leaves Milan at 23:25, and a Eurostar connection will get you back to London at 11:55.

Fares for Bologna to Ancona: Add £13 one-way / £26 return in 2nd class, £18 one-way / £36 return for 1st class. Bologna to Brindisi: Add £33 one-way / £66 return in 2nd class, £44 one-way / £88 return for 1st class. Milan to Ancona: Add £21 one-way / £42 return for 2nd class, £29 one-way / £58 return for 1st class. Milan-Brindisi: Add £40 one-way / £80 return in 2nd class, £53 one-way / £106 return for 1st class.

All these fares include the supplements for the 'Eurostar Italia' air-conditioned quality train.

How to buy tickets: You can book the London-Paris and Paris-Bologna trains online. You can then book the onwards train from Bologna online at www.trenitalia.it. Trenitalia offers a hassle-free 'ticketless' option on its Eurostar Italia trains - you book online and simply quote your booking reference to the conductor on board.

Or you can book through any UK European rail booking agency, including Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848 (lines open 08:00 - 21:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00 - 18:00 on Saturdays and 10:00 - 17:00 on Sundays) or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 512400.

London to Sicily

Train times London to Sicily: Travel from London to Rome as previously. Arrive in Rome from Paris at 09:42 on the 'Palatino'. The 'Archimede' a fast air-conditioned InterCity train, leaves Rome at 11:45, via a scenic route along the coast, and arrives in Messina at 19:13, Taormina at 20:12, Catania at 20:58, and Siracuse at 22:15. Another portion of this train arrives in Palermo at 22:20.

It's direct from Rome to Sicily - to reach Sicily, the whole train is shunted on board a ship and ferried across the Straits of Messina. The crossing takes about 30 minutes, and you can either remain on board the train in the ferry's hold, or go up on deck for some fresh air.

Train times Sicily to London: On the way back there is no easy connection back to Rome to be in time for the Palatino back to Paris. Therefore the best option is to take the Bellini with sleepers (1, 2 and 3 bed) and couchettes (4 berth) leaving Palermo 20.40, Siracuse 20.40, Catania 22.15, aormina 23.00 and arriving in Rome at 8.46am. Have a lovely day in Rome and then return to London as above.

Fare from Rome to Sicily: Add these supplements to the London to Rome fares shown. The fare from Rome to Siracuse is approximately £33 one-way, £66 return including seat reservation and InterCity supplement. Rome to Palermo is about £35 one-way, £70 return. Check Italian rail fares online at www.trenitalia.it.

London to Sardinia

A number of shipping services are available to Sardinia, both from France (Marseille or Toulon) and from the Italian mainland (Genoa, Civitavecchia, Livorno, amongst others). Leaving London, one option is to travel by train to Marseille or Toulon and then take an SNCM ship from Marseille or Toulon to Porto Torres in Sardinia. Visit www.sncm.fr for sailing times and then check train times to connect to.

You might, however prefer to travel via Italy. The Grandi Navi Veloci and Tirrenia Lines have overnight sailings from Genoa to Porto Torres in Sardinia as well as other Italian ports. Sardinia Ferries also has regular sailings to Sardinia. Again check the train websites for connection times.

To buy tickets: Always book the ship first. You can book the ships online, or by phone with the relevant company's UK agents. The UK agent for Grandi Navi Veloci is Viamare Travel on 020 7431 4560, for Tirrenia Lines it is SMS Travel & Tourism, 020 7244 8422, for SNCM it is Southern Ferries, on 020 7491 4968.

Call any UK European rail agency, to book the train from London to Genoa, Marseille or Toulon. For example Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 512400 or Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848.

On-board accommodation - Sleeping-cars are mini hotels on wheels, with made-up beds in carpeted compartments with a washbasin. It's a bedroom at night, with the beds folding away for evening and morning use, converting the compartment to a private sitting room with sofa and coffee table. Compartments are single-sex, unless all the berths in a compartment are occupied by people travelling together. Passengers travelling alone can book a bed in a 2-bed or 3-bed compartment and share with other passengers of the same sex. There's lots of privacy. There's lots of room for luggage above the window and above the door over the corridor ceiling. The compartment door has both a normal lock and a security lock which CANNOT be opened from outside (even with a staff key), so you are safe and snug. Each sleeping-car has its own attendant who can provide 'room service' of drinks & snacks. There is a VIP lounge for sleeper passengers upstairs at Paris Gare de Bercy (open 17:30-20:30 daily) and at some Italian stations, with newspapers, magazines and complimentary non-alcoholic drinks. It costs more but travelling in a sleeping-car is much more comfortable than a couchette and well worth the extra cost. All cars are non-smoking.

Couchettes are basic fold-out beds at night for 4 or 6 people. Each bunk has its own reading light and is supplied with bedding which is made yourself. As with the sleeping berths, the compartment converts to a seating compartment. The couchettes are normally mixed sexed as you do not normally fully undress, but women can ask to travel in a ladies-only compartment if they wish. There's plenty of room for luggage under the seats, on the luggage rack and in the big recess above the door over the corridor ceiling. The compartment door has both a normal lock and a security lock which CANNOT be opened from outside (even with a staff key), so you're quite safe. An attendant is on duty, one attendant for every two couchette cars. All cars are non-smoking.

Tip: If you plan to travel in a couchette, it is well worth paying the small extra charge to travel in a 4-berth compartment - these have much more space per person than the 6-berth couchettes, allowing you to spread out and enjoy your evening on the train.

Enjoy sitting in a confortable chair by day and be in the same room which converts to your bedroom by night.

Sleeping-cars from Paris to Italy - 1, 2 or 3 bed sleepers. The sleeper rooms are carpeted with a washbasin. Attendants are available to convert your rooms to bedrooms at night. A toiletry pack including soap and towels and a small bottle of water are complimentary. Your fare also includes a hot drink and a croissant in the morning. VIP lounges are well worth the extra cost.

Restaurant car

Staff take your dinner reservations soon after departure with two sittings available at 8pm or 10pm. Your meal is served with the superb view of the French countryside out the window. The standard 3 course meal costs around 26 euro and half a bottle of wine around 7 euros. If you do not wish to eat in the restaurant you can take your own food and drinks and eat in your compartment. Breakfast is available and costs around 5 euros.

4-berth 'Comfort' couchettes

Comfort couches are modern and air conditioned. Upper and lower bunks and complimentary bed linen are included but washrooms are at the end of each corridor. A complimentary bottle of water is provided for each passenger. A 4 berth couchette is a good option and a good way to travel on a budget. During 2006, they are due to be replaced with refurbished couchette cars with compartments that can be used as either 4-berth or 6-berth.

6-berth couchettes

If you are travelling on a very tight budget these are for you - basic beds in 6-bunk compartments, each supplied with bed linen. Bunks fold away to form seats for daytime use. The 6-bunk couchettes are much more crowded than the 4-berth variety - an upgrade to 4-berth is well worth the extra. During 2006, these basic French couchette cars are due to be replaced with nicely refurbished Italian couchette cars with compartments that can be used as either 4-berth or 6-berth.

The Thomas Cook European Timetable

A must for any independant travel across Europe is the Thomas Cook European timetable. It contains train, bus and ferry times for every country in Europe together with weather and currency information. It only costs around £11.50 from the bureau de change in any UK branch of Thomas Cook, or you can buy online at www.thomascooktimetables.com. For rail maps of train routes in Europe The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe is a great buy.

Guidebooks

Guidebooks are essential for any independant travel. Lonely Planets or Rough Guides are highly recommended.

Finding hotels & guesthouses in Italy

For hotels and guesthouses all over Italy, see www.venere.com, is an Italian based company that specialises in its own country's hotels. The price you see is the price you pay - no hidden extras - and you just pay the hotel when you get there.

Backpacker hostels

Visit www.hostelbookers.com for a private room or dorm bed in a backpacker hostel and is much cheaper than a hotel if you're on a tight budget. Checkout the feedback from www.hostelbookers.com users - its always useful.

Escorted holidays to Italy by train

There are various organised escorted tours available from tour operators - a well known one is Great Rail Journeys which offer upmarket holidays by train to various destinations in Italy including all-inclusive tours. From cities such as Florence, Venice and Rome to Sicily, Naples, Capri, Pompeii and Lake Garda are all covered by an organised tour. Other countries are also available - call 0845 402 2068 for more details.