Best Way to get from Florence to Paris? Or Florence to Rome?

Question

Hi! I'm traveling to Florence this summer with a class and we have 3 days of travel time to ourselves over there. I was hoping to go from Florence to Paris OR Florence to Rome. I hear that the train is the best way to travel and I was wondering how much a roudtrip ticket is from Florence and back again on either Paris or Rome. I can't decide which is a good deal. If anyone can help me out I will be so grateful!

Thank You

Answer 1

I would combine Florence and Rome.  Rome is only 1.5 hours from Florence by Eurostar train.  You can use the 29/39 Eurostar promotion and ride in 1st class for 29 euros instead of paying regular fare.

Other options:

Cinque Terre

Venice

Naples/Positano

Italy's rail network Trenitalia - http://www.trenitalia.it/en/index.html

You can actully can do Florence and Paris if you really wanted to.  To get a cheap direct flight to Paris, you'd have to fly out of Pisa which is about 1.5 hour ride from Firenze (Florence) SMN station to Pisa Airport station(yes there is a station in the airport).  Fly with Easyjet from Pisa(PSA) to Paris Orly(ORY) - Easyjet is a discount-no-frills European airlines.   They have strict baggage limits - usually 15-20kg for checked and 8-10 kg for carryon - make sure you read the fine print/frequently asked questions at the airlines specific website - http://www.easyjet.com/splash.asp?lang=e...

The farther out you book the cheaper the fare.

You could also do the French Riviera and stay in Nice.  Take the train from Florence to Nice Ville station and travel 1st class for this trip which is cheap (44euros) and about a 7 hour trip.  Once in Nice, you can take day trips by train to Villefranche, Monaco/Monte Carlo, Menton or the other way to Antibes, Cannes, St-Tropez.  

Need any other help on taking the trains feel free to ask.

Answer 2

i live here in florence, i would recommend you to go only from florence to rome, having only 3 days to spend, it wouldnt be worht seeing florence or rome to paris. i once took a train from florence to paris, and it was a long long long trip, and it cost me about 150 euros round trip.  with in three days only you would be wasting your time on an overnight train ride than enjoying your trip. IF you can find a cheap airline ticket from florence to paris or from rome to paris, then its ok i suppose, but risky since your tight on schedule.

so from florence to rome, or rome to florence you can choose any type of train, there is the direct, intercity, and eurostar. the intercity is the cheapest although its the slowest since it stops in almost every single stop on the way. if you take the direct, it stops only in the main stops. the eurostar, is the fastest and yet most expensive. however from florence to rome in the intercity its about 20 euros, the eurostar about 30. so its only about 10 euros difference.  however pay attention because the eurostar has limited seats and i recommend you to make reservations before hand NOT on the day of your departure. the intercity or hte direct doesnt have  a limit of passengers so that one you can buy on the day you leave.

at the train stations there are these big yellow machines from where you can buy and purchase the tickets without having to wait in line in the ticket booths. the machines come in any language so they are easy to follow and some of them allow credit card or cash, check before you begin using it. remember to VALIDATE your ticket before taking the train or else you get a 30 euro 'multa' for not validating it. you can validate the tickets in any ones of those small rectangular yellow ticket machines by every train.

ok, hope the info helps.

Answer 3

Go to www.trenitalia.it for train information. The site is also in english.

Answer 4

I suggest you to Journey on to Florence  through  the Tuscan  countryside: Lucca, Pisa, Siena, Arezzo and other delightful towns dot the road to Pisa where who are guested of the Agostini family Villa di Corliano. The family - and 2 resident ghosts - still welcome guest at the Villa, much as it they were at the height of its fame in the 1770’s. The stay at Bagni di Pisa (health giving waters are still offered to an international clientele) and visit Pisa during one of the city’s festivals, staying at the Agostini Palace to enjoy the best view of the festivities http://www.provincia.pisa.it/pisalive/it...

The Villa has hosted many illustrious guests such as Gustavus III of Sweden, Christian II of Denmark, the Royal Family of Great Britain, Benedict Stuart Cardinal of York, General Murat, Luigi Buonaparte, Paolina Borghese, Carlo Alberto of Savoy, the poets Byron and Shelley, and various other personages from the history books. The area of the Pisa hills was already an attraction for enlightened travellers in the first half of the 1700s with the growth of the thermal spa of San Giuliano, which became a fashionable spot for the well-off classes. The mansions on the road along the hills, already renowned as places of gentle idleness and relaxation in the heart of the countryside and also for their small industrial facilities for the transformation of agricultural products, soon assumed the characteristics of true leisure resorts, just like those narrated by Carlo Goldoni and which we can continue to enjoy today.

The Relais dell’ Ussero at the Villa Agostini della Seta di Corliano http://www.corliano.it is on the road which runs along the foot of the hills from Pisa to Lucca, passing through the small town of San Giuliano Terme. The Villa is a historical fifteenth century mansion surrounded by a centuries old park. It is a property of great charm in which the owners offer, in 12 rooms and 2 suites, a relaxing stay immersed in the beauties of the local countryside.

Guests, if they like, can join in the day to day activities of the villa. They can have relaxing strolls in the park, potter around in the gardens, chat or have dinner with the owners in the farmhouse of the villa – today a high class restaurant http://www.ladycarlotta.it/

Answer 5

florence to rome --> train: www.trenitalia.com

florence to paris --> could be a train but i recommend a plane: easyjet.com or ryanair.com

the airplanes are cheaper, better, and faster so you wont lose any time traveling! im going to use either one of those two airlines and they have great prices and you dont really need to make a reservation. they are like using the bus.

Answer 6

If you only have 3 days I would recommend Rome as it is a lot closer. Alternatively, if you really want Paris then you should be able to get a cheap flight ticket and it will probably be cheaper than the train. Trains are very expensive within Europe.

Answer 7

Sueet2b has been very helpful IMHO with her post. Like others said, I wouldn't make the trip to Paris that is an incredibly beautiful city (where I lived one year) but considering the time you have at your disposal (3 days) it sounds like a bit of a rush, specially if you went by train. There is an overnight train (Palatino) with which you can be in 12 hours in Paris in case you are interested. Instead, I would take the train and go for three days to Rome (with Eurostar you can be in the capital in 1h 30' approx.) or visit other areas in Tuscany, like the Chianti region or Elba Island or down to Argentario Coast or what about Cinque Terre? (which is actually just outside Tuscany and more precisely in Liguria but anyway ...)

Answer 8

We took the train from Florence to Rome last summer.  It was not very long and was not bad at all.  I am sure the price is cheaper going to Rome because it is closer and still in the same country.

The question however, is that whether you want to be able to tell others or yourself later that you had been to Italy and France, Florence and Paris.  For some, it may sound better to go to different countries.  Since Paris is so well-known and popular, it may make you feel better that you had been to Paris.

On the other hand, if you don't care about this sort of thinking or if you plan to go back to either place later any way, then it may make more sense to spend less money going to Rome instead.

There are plenty of things to see and do in Rome to fill your three extra days.

Either way, you can't lose.

Have fun.

(below just a few pictures from last year in Rome)

Answer 9

I agree, with 3 days don't make the trip to Paris. Rome is only about 90 minutes by train. Think about visiting the Cinque Terre and explore these 5 coastal towns connected by a hiking trail. Afte a lot of time in a city you way want to just kick back and relax. There is also Sperlonga, a great beach city between Rome and Naples.

Answer 10

ROME!  Maximize your 3 days by spending as little time as possible getting to your destination.  You'll be in Rome (Roma) within 2 hours of departing Florence (Firenze).  Read our Italy travelogues for great tips and info (non-commercial): http://www.thetravelzine.com