Paris to Rome to Athens
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 7
Paris to Rome to Athens
I have a trip planned this summer to go to Paris then Rome then to Athens and Santorini. I wanted to get advice on traveling between those cities via rail vs. plane. How can I incorporate other cities along the way? I am going from August 19 to September 1.
#2
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Barcelona, Catalunya
Posts: 2,100
With the number of days you have, forget about other cities and fly between the ones you have already planned. Paris to Rome can be a very interesting train trip, with some good intermediate stops (Lyon, Switzerland, Milano, ...) but you don't have the time for that if you also want to visit Athens and Santorini.
#3
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Posts: 7,557
Rome to Athens means several hours in a non high-speed train then 12-20 hours on a boat (depending on which port to use) and then another 3-4 hours on a bus (no more trains from Patras to Athens for another X number of years).
With 10 days available, planes are the only alternative. Mind you, these three cities in just 10 days? I personally doubt that you'll enjoy your trip!
Looked up Paris-Rome: two possibilities to do it in ~13 hours, both leaving early in the morning or, alternatively, a few including the night and being in the train for >18 hours!
Last edited by KLouis; Jan 22, 2015 at 9:00 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LHR- ish
Programs: MUCCI, BA Blue
Posts: 4,295
I certainly think that flying is the only sensible way from Rome to Athens but I do think overnight train from Paris to Rome is a possibility. I agree that you haven't really got the time to make the journey by day train unless you really want to.