Paris to Florence by train

Paris to Florence by train:  A Frecciarossa at Milan Centrale.

small bullet point  General information for train travel in Europe

small bullet point  Trains from Paris to other cities

small bullet point  Trains from Florence to other cities

small bullet point  Trains between other cities

Paris to Florence in a day from €49

You can travel the 1,188 km (738 miles) from Paris to Florence in a single day by high-speed train through some great Alpine scenery, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's not just transportation, it's an epic European adventure with your feet up and a glass of prosecco to hand.  There are several ways to travel from Paris to Florence by train, this page explains the options in each direction and the best way to buy tickets.  Information current for 2024.

IMPORTANT:  On 27 August 2023, a landslide at St Jean de Maurienne blocked the Paris-Milan line. Direct Paris-Milan TGV & Frecciarossa services are cancelled until at least March 2025.  Paris-Switzerland-Milan routes are unaffected.  One Paris-Milan TGV is now running with a bus around the landslide.  See the landslide on video.

small bullet point  Paris to Florence: Which option to choose?

small bullet point  Option 1, Paris to Florence in a day by Frecciarossa (cancelled)

small bullet point  Option 2, Paris to Florence in a day by TGV (cancelled)

small bullet point  Option 3, Paris to Florence in a day via Switzerland (running normally)

small bullet point  Option 4, Paris to Florence with overnight stop in Turin (running, bus around landslide)

small bullet point  Option 5, Paris to Florence via the scenic Bernina Express (running normally)

small bullet point  Florence to Paris: Which option to choose?

small bullet point  Option 1, Florence to Paris in a day by Frecciarossa (cancelled)

small bullet point  Option 2, Florence to Paris in a day by TGV (running, bus around landslide)

small bullet point  Option 3, Florence to Paris in a day via Switzerland (running normally)

small bullet point  Option 4, Florence to Paris with overnight stop in Turin (running, bus around landslide)

small bullet point  Option 5, Florence to Paris via the scenic Bernina Express (running normally)

Route map

Paris to Florence train route map

 

Click for larger map

Highlighted = Paris-Florence train routes.

Red = high-speed lines.

Green = scenic sections of line. 

European Rail Timetable and mapReproduced from the excellent European Rail Map with kind permission of the European Rail Timetable people.

I recommend buying a copy of the European Rail Map for your travels, www.europeanrailtimetable.eu with shipping worldwide.


Paris to Florence by train

Which option to choose?

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Option 1, Paris to Florence in a day by Frecciarossa

A Paris-Milan Frecciarossa at Paris Gare de Lyon

Frecciarossa 1000 at Paris Gare de Lyon.

Frecciarossa 1000 standard class   Frecciarossa 1000 premium class

Standard class.  Above right, Premium class seats, sold as Standard class on the Paris route.

Frecciarossa 1000 Business class   Luggage rack on Frecciarossa 1000

Business class

 

There are luggage racks in all classes.

Frecciarossa 1000 cafe-bar   Room for bags between seat backs

Cafe-bar:  Wine, beer, tea, coffee, snacks & hot dishes.

 

Space for bags between the seats.

Frecciarossa 1000 executive class   Frecciarossa 1000 executive class meeting room

Executive class, 10 luxurious seats at one end of the train.

 

Executive class meeting room.

Frecciarossa 1000   Frecciarossa 1000 executive class

Frecciarossa 1000

 

Executive class, that's my seat with the prosecco...

Scenery in France, en route from Paris to Florence by train

Take a good book, a bottle o' red, and enjoy the scenery from Paris to Florence with your feet up.  These are mountains in France...

Scenery in Italy, en route from Paris to Florence by train

And these are mountains in Italy.  Scenery between Oulx and Turin, courtesy of www.discoverbyrail.com.

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Option 2, Paris to Florence in a day by TGV

Paris to Florence by TGV:  A TGV train at Paris Gare de Lyon

A TGV to Turin & Milan at Paris Gare de Lyon.  There's no check-in, just be on board at departure time.

2nd class on a Paris-Milan TGV   Food on board the TGV from Milan to Paris

2nd class with mix of unidirectional seats & tables for 4.  Seats 2+2 across car width. Larger photo.

 

The cheese platter bought from the cafe-bar as the mountains swept by.

Cafe-bar on the Paris-Milan TGV   1st class on the Paris-Milan TGV

Cafe-bar selling tea, coffee, beer, wine, cold snacks & microwaved dishes.  Larger photo.

 

1st class with mix of unidirectional seats, solo seats, tables for 2 & for 4.  Seats 2+1 across car width. Larger photo.

Scenery in France, en route from Paris to Florence by train

The TGV from Paris to Italy leaves the Paris-Lyon high-speed line then slows right down through the Alpine foothills.  These are autumnal mountains in France...

Scenery in Italy, en route from Paris to Florence by train

And these are mountains in Italy in summer.  Scenery between Oulx and Turin, courtesy of www.discoverbyrail.com.

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Option 3, Paris to Florence in a day via Switzerland

Scenery along the Haut-Bugey line, seen from the Geneva to Paris train

Scenery from the Paris to Geneva train, as the train snakes through the hills on the wonderfully scenic Haut-Bugey line.

Lake Maggiore, seen from the train

Lake Maggiore, seen from the Basel and Geneva to Milan trains.

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Option 4, Paris to Florence with overnight stop in Turin

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Option 5, Paris to Florence via the Bernina Express - the ultimate scenic route

TGV-Lyria at Paris Gare de Lyon

Paris to Zurich by TGV-Lyria.. This is a 320 km/h double-deck TGV-Lyria train at Paris Gare de Lyon.  Then take a Swiss domestic train from Zurich to Chur.

TGV Duplex cafe-bar   TGV Duplex 2nd class seats, upper deck

The cafe-bar on the upper deck in car 4, serving tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine, beer, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.

 

2nd class seats, this is upper deck seating.  There's a mix or tables for 4 and unidirectional seating.  360Ί photo.

TGV Lyria first class, upper deck   A TGV-Lyria train from Paris to Switzerland

1st class seats on the upper deck, a club duo on the left, a club quatre on the right. 360Ί photo.

 

A TGV-Lyria boarding at Paris Gare de Lyon.  You enter on the lower deck, with 9 stairs up to top deck.

First class seats   Bernina Express panormaic cars

Bernina Express 1st class seats.

 

Chur to Tirano by Bernina Express.

The train descends from the Bernina Pass

The Bernina Express descends from the Bernina Pass.  See the Bernina Express page.

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Florence to Paris by train

Which route to choose?

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Option 1, Florence to Paris in a day by Frecciarossa

A Paris-Milan Frecciarossa at Paris Gare de Lyon

Frecciarossa 1000 at Paris Gare de Lyon.

Frecciarossa 1000 standard class   Frecciarossa 1000 premium class

Standard class.  Above right, Premium class seats, sold as Standard class on the Paris route.

Frecciarossa 1000 Business class   Luggage rack on Frecciarossa 1000

Business class

 

There are luggage racks in all classes.

Frecciarossa 1000 cafe-bar   Room for bags between seat backs

Cafe-bar:  Wine, beer, tea, coffee, snacks & hot dishes.

 

Space for bags between the seats.

Frecciarossa 1000 executive class   Frecciarossa 1000 executive class meeting room

Executive class, 10 luxurious seats at one end of the train.

 

Executive class meeting room.

Frecciarossa 1000   Frecciarossa 1000 executive class

Frecciarossa 1000

 

Executive class, that's my seat with the prosecco...

Scenery in France, en route from Florence to Paris by train

Take a good book, a bottle o' red, and enjoy the scenery from Florence to Paris with your feet up.  These are mountains in France...

Scenery in Italy, en route from Florence to Paris by train

And these are mountains in Italy.  Scenery between Oulx and Turin, courtesy of www.discoverbyrail.com.

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Option 2, Florence to Paris in a day by TGV

Florence to Paris by TGV:  TGV train at Paris Gare de Lyon

A Milan-Turin-Paris TGV at Paris Gare de Lyon.  There's no check-in, just be on board at departure time.

2nd class on a Paris-Milan TGV   Food on board the TGV from Milan to Paris

2nd class with mix of unidirectional seats & tables for 4.  Seats 2+2 across car width. Larger photo.

 

The cheese platter bought from the cafe-bar as the mountains swept by.

Cafe-bar on the Paris-Milan TGV   1st class on the Paris-Milan TGV

Cafe-bar selling tea, coffee, beer, wine, cold snacks & microwaved dishes.  Larger photo.

 

1st class with a mix of unidirectional seats, solo seats, tables for 2 & for 4.  Seats 2+1 across car width.  Larger photo.

Scenery in France, en route from Florence to Paris by train

Take a good book, a bottle o' red, and enjoy the scenery from Florence to Paris with your feet up.  These are mountains in France...  Watch the Paris-Milan TGV video guide.

Scenery in Italy, en route from Florence to Paris by train

And these are mountains in Italy.  Scenery between Oulx and Turin, courtesy of www.discoverbyrail.com.

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Option 3, Florence to Paris in a day via Switzerland

Lake Lugano, seen from a Milan to Zurich train

Lake Lugano on the Gotthard route, seen from the train from Milan to Zurich.

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Option 4, Florence to Paris with overnight stop in Turin

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Option 5, Florence to Paris via the Bernina Express - the ultimate scenic route

First class seats   Bernina Express panormaic cars

Bernina Express 1st class seats.

 

the Bernina Express uses panoramic carriages.

The train descends from the Bernina Pass

The Bernina Express descends from the Bernina Pass.


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