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While the direct line remains blocked by a landslide
The direct Paris-Turin-Milan route via Modane was blocked by a landslide on 27 August 2023 and now seems likely to remain blocked until the end of 2024. This page shows the alternative train service from Paris to Milan with a change at either Geneva, Lausanne, Basel or Zurich. Suitable connections to/from London by Eurostar are also shown.
Temporary service on the direct route from 10 January:
From 10 January 2024 one 'direct' Paris-Turin-Milan TGV will resume every day in both directions on the direct route via Modane.
Paris Gare de Lyon depart 14:48, Turin Porta Susa 21:46, Milan Porta Garibaldi 23:10.
Milan Porta Garibaldi depart 14:10, Turin Porta Susa depart 15:41, Paris Gare de Lyon 23:14.
However, although this TGV is shown as direct, it in fact incorporates a bus replacement from Saint-Jean de Maurienne to Oulx around the section affected by the landslide. It'll be cheaper than the all-train route via Switzerland shown in the timetable below, but (as I say) involves a bus.
Timetable 2024
How to read the timetable: Read downwards. Each column is an option you can take. You change trains at each grey band.
* Take any Eurostar you like the previous evening and stay overnight in Paris.
** The Eurostar connection leaves 07:01 Monday-Friday, 07:31 on Saturdays, no sufficiently robust connection on Sundays.
*** IMPORTANT: Trackwork at Stresa will close the Simplon route completely from 9 June to 8 September 2024, go via Zurich instead.
How to read the timetable: Read downwards. Each column is an option you can take. You change trains at each grey band.
*** Stay overnight in Paris and use any Eurostar you like the following morning.
How much does it cost?
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Paris to Switzerland by TGV-Lyria train starts at €29 in 2nd class or €51 in 1st class.
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Switzerland to Milan by EuroCity train starts at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.
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All these fares vary dynamically like air fares, so book ahead.
How to buy tickets
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Step 1 book from Paris to Geneva/Lausanne/Basel/Zurich at www.thetrainline.com (keeps all your bookings together in one place, easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).
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Step 2, book from Geneva/Lausanne/Basel/Zurich to Milan at www.thetrainline.com (keeping all your bookings in one place) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in €, $ or £, they'll refund the €3.50 booking fee to seat61 users if you email them after booking at seat61@italiarail.com) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, more fiddly, requires Italian-language place names, see advice on using it).
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Step 3, if you're going to/from London, book the Eurostar at www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
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Booking tips: Booking usually opens 4 months ahead, sometimes less. Don't book Paris to Milan in one go, because websites often offer risky tight connections in Switzerland with insufficient wiggle room in case of delay. Book each train separately, doing a dry run to check price & availability before booking for real. However, always book Eurostar as a round trip if you're returning, as Eurostar return fares are cheaper than two one-ways. All other trains are one-way priced so you can book one way at a time, which makes it easier.
If you're going beyond Milan to Florence, Rome, Venice etc. without an overnight stop, southbound you can book from Geneva/Lausanne/Basel/Zurich to your Italian destination as one transaction, if there's a delay you'll be rebooked on a later train of which there are many. Northbound, I'd play safe and book Milan to Switzerland first, then book a suitable connecting train from your Italian starting point to Milan, allowing at least 45-60 minutes between trains in Milan in case of delay.
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Interrail & Eurail: All these trains are covered by Interrail & Eurail passes, but you need reservations. You can make the Paris-Switzerland, Switzerland-Milan and Italian reservations at the official Interrail & Eurail reservation service, see link & advice here.
Route map
What's the journey like?
Step 1, Paris to Geneva/Lausanne/Basel/Zurich: For photos, information & travel tips, see the TGV-Lyria page.
Step 2, Geneva/Lausanne/Basel/Zurich to Milan: For photos, information & travel tips, see the Switzerland-Milan page.