Travel

Let’s face it, Paris and Rome are simply two of the glitziest cities in Europe, if not the world. Both are synonymous with great fashion, food, architecture and history, not to mention a wonderful sense of appreciating beauty and simply enjoying life.

There are almost as many ways to make this iconic journey as there are types of pizza, pasta and pastry. You can speed through France and Italy using only high speed connections. You can travel while you sleep on an overnight train. Or you can make the most of your freedom by using regional trains and stopping off in Lyon, Nice or Marseilles.

Or you can head across the mountains into Switzerland, slosh back beer in Munich or stop for a ski break in Innsbruck. With so many options, the journey between Paris and Rome can become an adventure in its own right.

Bear in mind that on fast, overnight and regional train services in Italy and France you’ll need to make a reservation in advance and pay a small fee to do so. Some places are limited so the earlier you can do this the better. Travel on regional trains is slower but simpler: simply hop on and off within the countries your pass is valid for.

Also bear in mind that if you do travel to or through Switzerland, Germany and Austria you will need a pass that is valid in those countries as well. Reservations are rarely required in those countries but always check the fine print for particularly important connections.

Head to the Mediterranean coast from Paris Austerlitz station on the Intercite de Nuit overnight train. On this train, you can reserve a spot in a six-bed couchette (20 Euros) or take a reclining seat (9 Euros).  Keep in mind that this train has a limited seat allocation for pass holders so I recommend you reserve as soon as possible. From Nice, take the SNCF regional train along the French Riviera to the border town of Ventimiglia. The views along this route are truly amazing, so be sure to have yor camera at hand. In Ventimigli, cahange for Milan and then on to Rome, using either high-speed or slower regional services.

You can also travel to Nice using regional trains , stopping off in the lively cities of Lyons and Marseilles en route.

Take the fast TGV train from Paris Gare de Lyon station to Turin’s Torino Porta Susa station in Italy. Switch there for the InterCity Night train to Roma Tiburtina station and wake up in the Eternal City of Rome.

Grab a high-speed train to Geneva, Switzerland from Paris and from there you can take a fast Eurocity service passing alongside Lake Geneva and through an abundance of mountain landscape to Milan. From Milan, you can travel fast with a reservation or slow on the regional trains to reach your final destination of Rome.

Stop off in Munich, Germany for a beautiful train ride across the snowy Alps as part of your journey. Take a City Night Line train from Paris Est station to Munich and either spend the day there before hopping on the City Night Line to Rome or break up the Munich- Rome part of the journey with a sojourn in either mountainous Innsbruck, Austria or Shakespeare-tinged Verona.

Travel direct to Rome

Thello night trains run direct to Rome from Paris Lyons station in around 15 hours. Unfortunately, Thello is a private rail company and isn’t included in the Eurail pass yet so you’ll need to buy a separate ticket to use the service. Find the details here .

Ah, my, but there are loads of different train stations around Paris so make sure you pick the right one. All are well served by public transport but here are a few details to help you along:

• Paris Gare du Nord – this is the Eurostar terminal and the main station connecting France to Belgium and the Netherlands. It’s huge so leave plenty of time to reach the platform you need. It’s also the main connection to airport Paris Charles de Gaulle.
• Gare de Bercy – is smaller than most and acts as the starting point for regional trains to Lyons.
• Gare d’Austerlitz – for the overnight train to Nice.
• Gare de Lyon – home to the grand Train Bleu restaurant, the Thello trains and TGV services to Turin.
• Gare de Paris-Est – a grand Parisian station and the launchpad for trains to Munich.

Again, like most big cities, Rome has more than one train station.

• Roma Termini – is the main, central station that receives services from Munich, Verona, Milan and the direct Thello service from Paris. It also connects to the Leonardo da Vinci Airport.
• Roma Tiburtina receives some services from Ventimiglia and Milan and Roma Ostiense collects trains that travel via Genoa. Both connect to Rome’s Fiumicino airport.

Depending on the route you decide to take to travel by train from Paris to Rome, you might want to enjoy exploring one of these cities as well.

Nice soaks up the splendour of Provence and shares it through its open air markets, expansive beachfront and promenade and range of accommodation that eases the wallet when compared to neighbours Cannes and St Tropez.

Grab a quick taste of Austria in Innsbruck, gateway to the ski slopes and home to pastel-pretty riverside views.

Balance up your “city view” of Italy with a stop in gentle Verona. Check out the amphitheatre, the surrounding hills and even the balcony of Romeo Juliet fame. It’s fictional, of course, but that hasn’t stopped thousands of other lovers so why should you let it stop you?

Thinking about making this route yourself and stopping at some other great destinations along the way? Then find out more about the Eurail passes .

Abigail King is a writer photographer who swapped a career as a doctor for a life on the road. She's written for National Geographic Traveler, the BBC, Red more. At Inside the Travel Lab she does her best to be interesting, inspiring and informative. Ever so occasionally she manages to pull it off.