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Who or what is Thello?

Pronounced Tell-O, Thello is a partnership between Trenitalia (Italian Railways) and Veolia, a private transport company, formed to run overnight trains between Paris and Italy.  Thello's Paris-Milan-Verona-Venice sleeper train started running on 11 December 2011, replacing the lacklustre sleeper train run by Artesia, a consortium of Trenitalia and French railways, and their Paris-Florence-Rome sleeper train started running on 9 December 2012.  As well as Thello, you can also travel from Paris to Turin & Milan in Italy by daytime high-speed TGV train, see the Paris-Italy TGV page.

On this page...

Thello train times

How much does it cost?

What are the sleeping-cars like?

What are the couchettes like? 

What is the restaurant car like?

How to buy tickets

Luggage, bikes & dogs on Thello

UK to Italy using Thello   

Video guide to the Thello sleeper train

Thello train times...

* = The Thello to Rome departs Paris 19:14 & Dijon 21:51 on Mondays-Fridays, Paris 18:45 & Dijon 21:22 at weekends.

** = Milan Lambrate (see map) instead of Centrale from 1 Sept to 14 Dec 2013, with slightly different arrival & departures times, please check when booking.

In Paris, the Thello train to Venice usually leaves from platform M at the Gare de Lyon, on the main concourse with the famous Train Bleu restaurant.  Why not have dinner there before taking the Thello train?

Florence Campo Marte is on the outskirts of central Florence, see map showing stations.  Frequent local trains link Florence Campo Marte station with Florence's main Santa Maria Novella (SMN) station in the city centre, running every 15 minutes or so, journey time 5 minutes, fare €1.50.  Alternatively, take a bus (routes 12 or 33) or a taxi.  From Florence's SMN station it's just 10 minutes' walk to the Duomo and a few more minutes walk to the Palazzo Vecchio and Ponte Vecchio.  As there's only a small taxi rank at Campo Marte station, a top tip is to have a coffee in the bar across the road and ask the manager to call a taxi for you. 

What's it like on board the Thello train?

All passengers on the Thello sleeper train from Paris to Venice get a sleeping berth in either a proper sleeping-car or more economical couchette car.  There are no ordinary seats.  The berths convert to seating for evening and morning use.  The trains are entirely non-smoking, and there's a restaurant car for waiter-service meals, drinks & snacks.  Incidentally, these trains travel a huge distance at up to 100 mph, and can arrive an hour or so late on occasion, so allow for this in your schedule and any onward connections.  Luggage, bikes & dogs.

Sleeping-cars:  1, 2 & 3 bed sleeper compartments...

A sleeper offers fully-made-up beds in small but cosy private compartments.  Each compartment has an upper, middle and lower bed and can be used for single, double or triple occupancy.  Each bed comes with a soft pillow and duvet, an individual reading light and its own 220v 2-pin socket for laptops & mobiles.  There's a washbasin in the corner and each passenger gets a towel, a small bottle of mineral water and a complimentary toiletries pack containing soap, toothbrush & toothpaste, mouthwash, disposable slippers and (if you really feel you need them) ear-plugs.  There are toilets at the end of the corridor which will be unlocked shortly after departure. 

For the evening & morning part of the journey, the beds fold away to form a private sitting room with sofa.  The seat back of the middle part of the sofa lowers to form a table if you need one.  There's room for luggage on the rack above the window and in the big recess above the door projecting over the corridor ceiling.  The compartment doors have a security deadlock that cannot be opened from outside even with a staff key and there is Closed Circuit TV in the corridor for your safety.  If you like, your sleeper attendant can lock your compartment door while you go to the restaurant car. 

The sleeper attendant will take your ticket and passport soon after departure so you are not disturbed by any ticket or passport checks during the journey, and he or she will give you a voucher for a complimentary light breakfast in the restaurant car next morning. 

Sleepers are ideal for couples or business travellers, but beds are sold individually so passengers travelling alone may book one bed in a 2 or 3-bed compartment and share with other civilised sleeper passengers of the same sex.  Sharing has been quite normal for over 100 years, and once in bed you can't see anyone above or below you, giving you sleeper comfort without expensive sole occupancy.  If there are 4, 5 or 6 of you, you can book a pair of adjacent sleeper compartments with an inter-connecting door, although a 4 or 6 berth couchette is a much cheaper option.  Sleeper compartments with a connecting door will have berth numbers sharing the same first digit, for example 21 & 25 have a connecting door to 22 & 26, see the berth numbering plan.  If you book 4 or more sleeper berths the online system should automatically allocate connecting compartments if possible.

A sleeping-car on the Paris-Venice Thello sleeper train.  A sleeper is the most comfortable way to go...		A sleeper with the beds folded away, sofa out, sink closed..		A 2-bed sleeper with the beds out, washbasin open...

The Man in Seat 61's opinion:  "I enjoyed travelling on the Thello sleeper train and I'd use it again if I needed to go to Italy time-effectively & cost-effectively.  It's a fun way to travel, but make sure your expectations are realistic.  Thello is not a luxury tourist experience, it's run on a tight budget.  It has inherited the same rolling stock as the previous Artesia service, so don't expect a brand new train, though most things have improved over its poor-performing predecessor.  When I tested the Thello train it left on time, and from the far more accessible Gare de Lyon, not the poorly-equipped Gare de Bercy.  It arrived on time, staff were friendly and helpful, the beds themselves clean and comfortable, and the ride in the sleeping-cars was smooth and quiet unless you opened the window.  I enjoyed dinner in the restaurant and the Chianti was excellent, but remember that the meal is microwaved, plastic cutlery and paper plates have already replaced the china and with just one member of staff the service can be slow when the restaurant gets busy.  So if you're fussy, eat at the excellent & historic Train Bleu restaurant in the Gare de Lyon before boarding or bring your own picnic and bottle of wine onto the train with you.  Thello has inherited sleeping-cars built in the early 1970s which were modernised by Trenitalia several years ago, adding useful features such as LED lighting, CCTV for security and power sockets for laptops & mobiles, but ironically making the cars less comfortable by removing carpet in favour of crude synthetic grey flooring and using cheap materials which have not worn well, such as shiny sticky-back-plastic instead of a proper glass mirror and cream fascia that can show the dirt.  If the service is successful Thello may invest in new interiors.  The photos on this page are real photos of the actual train, what you see is what you get.  No pianos or cordon bleu chefs, no sleeper suites taking up half the car, just a cosy room big enough to sleep in and sit comfortably in.  Paradoxically, I get good feedback about Thello from people who booked a cheap couchette for €55, took a bottle of wine on board and had fun, less good feedback from those who paid much more for a 2-bed sleeper but whose expectations were too high.  In terms of punctuality, I've seen Thello arrive in Venice spot on time, I've seen it at Verona 40 minutes down, and I've known it arrive in Rome an hour or two late, so always allow for a possible delay when booking onward connections."

Couchette cars:  4 & 6 berth couchette compartments...

Couchettes are the economy option, providing basic flat padded bunks at night for 4 or 6 people per compartment, arranged as upper, middle and lower bunks on each side of the compartment.  Each bunk has a reading light and comes with sheet, pillow & fluffy duvet which you arrange yourself.  In the evening and morning, the lower & middle bunks fold away, converting into seats with armrests and small table.  A small complimentary bottle of mineral water is provided for each passenger.  The compartments are air-conditioned with adjustable temperature control.  The sexes are normally mixed in couchettes as you do not normally fully undress, but women travelling alone can reserve places in a 4-berth 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 projecting out over the corridor ceiling.  An attendant is on duty for every pair of couchette cars, who will take your passport and tickets (if it's not an e-ticket) after the train leaves Paris and return them to you next morning, so you are not disturbed by ticket checks or passport control at the Swiss or Italian frontiers during the night.  As well as the normal lock, the compartment door has a red security deadlock which cannot be opened from outside even with a staff key, so you'll be safe and snug.

Top tips:  It's worth paying the extra to travel in a 4-person compartment as this gives you much more space than 6-person occupancy, allowing you to spread out and enjoy your evening on the train.  Middle bunks are probably the best choice, as they are cooler than the top bunks and easier to access, but significantly wider than the narrow bottom bunks.  If you don't want to use the restaurant car, why feel free to bring along your own picnic and bottle of wine, it's allowed!  Note that 4-berth couchette compartments are identical to 6-berth, in fact they have 6 bunks, it's only the number of people per compartment that's different.  A sleeper is a significant step up in comfort from a couchette, but given the price difference a 4-berth couchette is probably the best option for a family of 4, rather than an expensive pair of 2-berth sleepers.

Hello Thello...  A couchette car on the new Thello sleeper train to Paris, seen at the Gare de Lyon platform 'M'.		A 4 or 6 berth Thello couchette compartment in seats mode...

Restaurant car...      See sample restaurant car menu

The Thello sleeper trains feature a proper waiter-service restaurant car, and enjoying a meal in the restaurant as the sun sets over the French countryside and the train speeds into the night is one of the pleasures of overnight train travel to Italy.  Artesia's food got poor reviews, but Thello have new staff and new caterers (a subsidiary of the German airline Lufthansa, no less) and having tried it I'd say it's not bad, even if service can be slow at busy times and paper plates have already replaced the real china shown here.  A 3-course dinner costs €28 or 2 courses cost €24, including a complimentary 'welcome drink' of sparkling Prosecco, or you can eat à la carte.  MasterCard, Visa, Amex and Diners Club credit cards are accepted in the restaurant car, although taking cash is a good idea as I've occasionally known on-train credit card machines to be out of action.  You can't book tables for dinner in advance, simply go along to the restaurant car half an hour after departure to find a seat.  On departures from Paris, expect service to start around 20:30.  The restaurant car also has a buffet counter complete with proper expresso coffee machine serving drinks and snacks which you can take back to your couchette or sleeper, see photo.  A light breakfast in the restaurant car of juice, fresh croissant or pain au chocolat and real coffee is included for sleeper passengers, just go along when you're ready.  Breakfast service starts at 5am on the southbound train, in time for that early arrival into Milan.  If you're in the couchettes breakfast costs either €6 or €9 depending on which option you want.  Enjoy the contrast in scenery between dinner in France and breakfast in Italy!  However, if you'd rather not use the restaurant car, feel free take your own picnic and bottle of wine to eat and drink in your sleeper or couchette, there are no rules against this on the rails, or have an early dinner at the wonderful Train Bleu restaurant inside the Gare de Lyon, a stone's throw from the platform used by Thello.

Dinner in the restaurant car as the overnight Thello train to Venice speeds south across France...  See sample menu		The tables in the Thello restaurant car are smartly laid out in green or burgundy...

Grilled Atlantic salmon steak with white and wild rice and vegetables, washed down with a nice Chianti...		Raspberry & chocolate fondant cake for dessert...		Complimentary light breakfast for sleeper passengers...

How much does it cost?

• Thello fares from Paris to Rome, Florence, Bologna, Venice, Verona or Milan start at €35 one-way in 6-berth couchettes, €55 in 4-berth couchettes, or €145 in a 2-bed sleeper.  That's one-way per person per berth, with berths sold individually, no need to book a whole compartment. Prices vary, so book ahead for the best rates. 

• Children under 4 sharing a bed go free (no need for a ticket, just bring them along), children under 12 go at the child rate.

• Here's a more detailed fares table:

How to buy tickets for Thello...

• You can buy Thello tickets at www.italiarail.com. 

  Anyone can buy tickets here in either direction.  It's ticketless, you simply quote the PNR number on board.

  Booking usually opens 120 days ahead, except when engineering work or the timetable changes in June & December shorten this.

  You'll need passport numbers, full names & contact details for each passenger.

  Children under 4 sharing a bed go free on Thello, children under 12 go at the child rate.

  Yes, if you book 2 tickets for a 2-bed sleeper or 6 tickets in 6-berth couchettes, you'll normally all be together in the same compartment. The exception would be if you were booking at short notice and there were only a few berths left on the train.

  You may find this Thello berth numbering plan useful.

  If there are 3 of you and you want sole occupancy of a 4-berth compartment (for example), simply book 4 tickets in 4-berth, re-using a name and passport number.

  There's a small €3.50 booking fee which will be refunded if you email them your PNR at seat61@italiarail.com.

• Or you can buy Thello tickets at the Thello website, www.thello.com.  Click the UK flag top right for English.  www.thello.com is simple to use as it's specifically designed to book these Thello trains so you can quickly see the cheapest fare for each type of couchette and sleeper.

  Bookings usually open 120 days ahead, except when engineering works or timetable changes shorten this.  You'll need passport numbers, full names & contact details for each passenger.

  You don't get a ticket, simply a booking reference (PNR) to quote on board.

• www.raileurope.co.uk can also sell Thello tickets, but be warned, Thello have only allowed them to sell the more expensive fares.  For example, Paris-Venice starts at €35 (£32) at www.italiarail.com & www.thello.com but starts at £73 on Rail Europe.

• I recommend booking any onward trains separately at either www.italiarail.com or www.trenitalia.com.  Always allow at least an hour after the scheduled arrival of the sleeper for connections, preferably more, as it often runs an hour late or even longer.  If you're happy with 'no refunds, no changes to travel plans', you should look for a cheap super-economy or economy fare.  If the sleeper runs late and you miss the connection, you should be entitled to be re-booked on a later train, even with a Super-economy fare, under the CIV international conditions of carriage.

• The Thello office at Paris Gare de Lyon.  If you want to buy tickets in Paris, or have any problem or issue relating to Thello or your Thello tickets, go to the Thello ticket office open 10:00 to 20:00 every day, located at the side of the station accessed from the main ticket hall.  See this photo so you know what you're looking for.

Luggage, bikes & animals on Thello trains...

There are no baggage weight limits, you can take pretty much what you like as long as you can carry it, although a limit of two large items and one smaller item is quoted by Thello.  You simply take your bags on board with you and put them in your compartment, on the various racks.  Bikes, surfboards and skis aren't carried, although it is likely that semi-dismantled bikes concealed in bike bags as ordinary luggage may be OK.  Dogs, cats and other small animals are carried free if they weigh less than 5Kg and are in a basket, cage or container no bigger than 50cm x 30cm x 25cm and as long as no other passengers sharing your compartment object (it may be better to reserve a whole sleeper compartment).  Guide dogs are accepted, but otherwise larger dogs aren't carried.  Left luggage offices at stations in Paris & Italy.

Watch the Thello video guide....

More Thello sleeping-car photos...

Complimentary toiletries pack in sleepers...		CCTV in sleeper corridor...		Sleeper, showing luggage space above the door.

More Thello couchette car photos...

6 or 4 berth couchette compartment...		Compartment, corridor side...		Couchette car corridor...

Buffet car food....		The Thello office in Paris...
Snack selection in the bar part of the restaurant car.  Or feel free to bring your own picnic and wine for the journey...		Thello has its own ticket office at Paris Gare de Lyon, located to the side of the station, off the main ticket hall.

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