European transportation/trains vs. air

I would fly too. The train sometimes takes too long and you probably
don't have THAT much time in Europe. Besides, trains can get quite
crowded and unpleasant, especially in Italy (people smoke, drink, eat and what not).

Well, I don't know if it still holds true, but in '99, we got tickets for whatever the high end ride was from Rome to Bologna, eurostar??, and had to stand, not having gotten precise reserved seats. Er, we thought we did.

I thought it was fairly funny but my not-quite-friend-who-begged-to-go-along-with-me-on-trip was enraged for a good half day. The lesson is not about which train, although that and the seating is useful to be clear about, but, no, the question is about who you go with. (I was so happy, after Bologna, to watch the pear trees stream by..... while I sat, looking out the window.)


I like both trains and planes, so I'm no help.

Oh, wait, on your question, the flight does sound smartest, from Pisa. Around Italy, I liked the trains. But then, I liked the few buses I took too, for example, the bus from Siena to Arezzo. Also liked driving, at least within Tuscany.

Thanks, from what I've searched so far the train tickets aren't much cheaper than flying. The flight from Pisa to London just makes sense but what about the other destinations. I was originally thinking of trains for all the other places. What about from London to Paris? My other dilema is should we take an overnight train from Paris to Milan or fly and book another hotel night.

I suppose that will be true.

However:
- re train tickets: sometimes those tickets became up to 50% and more cheaper when you choose a different connection/different trains,
- re flight tickets: don't get blinded by "9 € tickets" but look for the the "all inclusive price" (= including taxes, charges, fuel surcharge etc).

Pisa to London certainly would be best flying.

Thanks Walter. Do you recommend any web sites for choosing train itineraries?

I'm off to bed, if I don't respond to any replies I'll catch up in the morning. Goodnight.

Just found that British Airways offer 56 € flights in April.

Best website? Well the most comprehensive might be by the German Raolway - but they can't show all prices, it seems ( something about 20 hours from Pisa to London)

I'm definitely going with British Airlines for the flight from Pisa to London, will book today. Paris to Milan??? I'm going to have to consider that. Any suggestions out there for London to Paris. I assumed that the Eurail was the way to go for that. If we take an overnight train from Paris to Milan though I should probably get that booked soon.

I'd say it depends on how your route will look like. Flying London- Pisa is good, and after that, go by train! Pisa- Cinqueterre- Genova- Lake Como- Paris, for instance. You'll be rewarded with some very nice vistas! Me and my wife visited Liguria last year in summer(the province where Cinqueterre is), very nice!
Or try to go west after Cinqueterre, it's ALL Riviera after that! Riviera dell' Fiore and Côte d'Azur, and all that jazz! It is spring, after all! Lots of exclamation marks this time!!!

I think, bigdice, martybarker had made the plans for the tour already some moths ago and booked the lodgings (see first post here and the other threads about that tour) :wink:

Have a good flight and a nice time in Florida, bd!!

OK, and thanks, walter!

Re: European transportation/trains vs. air


Train is more fun, flights are usually cheaper.. if you take a budget airline.

Pisa-London I'd definitely fly. Thats a long-ass train ride, plus there's lots of budget airline fares between UK and Italy.

But on your way to Pisa - from Paris to Lake Como for example, through the Alps - that should be a wonderful train ride, in terms of the views you get.

As for the budget airlines, here's some:

ryanair.com
easyjet.com
airberlin.com
wizzair.com
skyeurope.com

Havent checked whether those fly in the direction you're looking for, some of them are regional. But easyjet and ryanair cover most of Europe I think.

Also, WikiTravel has more info and an overview of budget airlines.

Mind you, budget airlines are... budget. No meals, no opportunity to book a certain seat..

Echo that. When I travel by train internationally I always use the German railway's website to plan the times etc - its really comprehensive and practical.

But, yeah, it doesnt give prices for (most) international journeys.


Is that true outside Germany, resp. for international tickets? I know they have this really sucky, and highly complex, new system in Germany (coupla years now?), where your ticket is only valid for a specific train connection, with prices varying depending on how long in advance you buy it, and how 'desired' the route is - pretty much the airlines system. If you miss your train, its not just your seat reservation thats gone, you have to buy a whole new ticket, at the expensive last-moment price.

It must work well for serious, determined and punctual people who plan everything weeks ahead and know exactly what they want to do (like, urr, Germans :wink: ), but for the "hop in a train, where shall we go next?, wait I'm gonna stay a day longer with my friend" people it's really annoying.

But, at least last time I travelled through Germany, you're not bothered by any of that if you have an international ticket, bought in a third country. Like, two years ago, I bought a ticket from Hungary to Holland, and it just determined the route I had to travel, but I could stop midway for a day, travel on the next morning, etc, freely, paying only the small seat reservation fees as I went along.

And I dont know whether other countries that have this flexible pricing system, does France have it, Italy?

There are, however, of course always varying standard reduction schemes - like, for example, if you buy a return ticket it can be a lot cheaper if there's a weekend in between the journey there and the journey back (but that doesnt apply here).

It's even worse in Britain. Changing trains can lower the fare of the original price. Due to different companies all over the place
Buying more tickets for the same train [even same company!] - instead one ticket for A to D, you buy one for A to B, one for B to C and one for C to D - lowers the price even more!

Thats privatisation for you...

Eurostar from London to Paris 94USD per person. Does that price sound right? And the time slots are booking up. Just wondering if I should snag 2 tickets and have it taken care of or if there is another way to go.

$94 seems to be the cheapest.

It depends on distance and duration of stay at each destination. Generally speaking, flights in Europe are cheaper if tickets are purchased there because of all the competition - especially between the major cities. But as Walter has said, make sure the ticket price includes all the taxes and fees.

Well, just checking Easyjet flights - picking the cheapest flight that goes at a reasonable hour on April 11 (you said you were going next month) - it says a ticket for one would come down to 36 GBP including taxes - thats 70 $.

Then add the cost of taking the train or underground to and from the airport (I dont know about London Luton, which this flight departs from, but the train out from London to Gatwick Airport alone is something like 20 $).

Doesnt look like flying would be cheaper than the train in this case.

Also, the train takes two and a half to three hours; whereas the flight would take 1 1/4 hour, but you'd have to add getting to the airport, being there at least an hour in advance, preferably more (London security is tough nowadays, last time I was there we all had to take our shoes off when going through luggage control for example)..

I dunno. Train sounds good..