Est. 2006
Shining a light on the green and gorgeous
Produced by Green Traveller Media
What is green travel?
Flight-free from the UK to Europe
Foot passenger ferries to Europe
UK to Ireland
Map of UK Ferry Routes to Europe
Scotland to Europe
North of England to Europe
Wales to Europe
Southwest England to Europe
UK to Italy
UK to Spain
UK to France
Sleeper trains
in the UK
Train travel to Europe:
Eurostar Route Map
Under 5 hours
by train from London:
Amsterdam
Brussels
Cologne
Ghent
Lille
Paris
Arrive same day by train from London:
Antwerp
Avignon
Barcelona
Basel
Bayonne
Bordeaux
Brive
Geneva
Hamburg
Interlaken
Lausanne
Marseille
Milan
Munich
Nantes
Nice
Toulouse
Turin
Valence
Zürich
Snow Trains to French Alps
Require overnight stopover from London:
Copenhagen
Florence
Lisbon
Naples
Rome
Sicily
Venice
West Sweden
Train + Ferry:
Corsica
Formentera
Greece
Ibiza
Morocco
How to travel by train from London to Rome, Italy
It is possible to travel from London to Rome with just one overnight stop en route if you take the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris and then either stay overnight in Paris (before taking the morning train to Rome via Turin and Milan), or go from London to Lille for a same-station change of train down to Lyon where you stay overnight before taking the morning train across to Rome.
Once the centre of the world’s most powerful Empire, today Rome - the Eternal City - remains Italy’s capital and largest city, a place where millennia of history blend with contemporary life. Wonderfully walkable, Rome’s compact heart is a treasure trove: and let’s not forget the tantalising, fresh cuisine – far more than just pizzas. You could come for history and culture, or just to while away your time in a café with a cappuccino or a Campari soda, and enjoy the famous dolce vita.
Flight-free travel by train from London to Rome:
Journey Time: Overnight
Transfers: Option 1 (via Paris): Change from Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon, then take the train to Torino Porta Susa (or Milan) and stay overnight and take the high-speed train the following morning to Rome.
Option 2 (via Lille): Change at Lille for train to Lyon where you stay overnight then take high-speed train the following morning to Rome.
Sample timetable: Option 1: Depart London 7.55am, arrive 11.17am Paris Gare du Nord, depart Paris Gare de Lyon at 12.46, arrive Turin 6.15pm. Overnight in Turin then catch 10am train directly to Rome, arriving Roma Termini at 2.49pm.
Option 2: Depart London 11.04am, arrive 1.26pm Lille Europe, depart Lille Europe at 2.03pm, arrive Lyon at 5.02pm. Overnight in Lyon, then take 8.35am train to Turin, arriving 12.45pm, then take the 1.50pm train to Rome arriving Roma Termini at 6.10pm.
Frequency of Departures: 19/day
Carbon emissions: 49.2kg (flight would be 410kg)*
Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available.
How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation
If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries.
On Board Eurostar
For ticket types (Standard, Plus and Premier) and information on what it's like on board, see our Guide to Eurostar
What's the journey like?
Option 1: Change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, which can take about half an hour on the Paris RER line (it's only two stops, though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer). See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris. At Gare de Lyon, you board a TGV high speed train to Torino Porta Susa where you stay the night and then in the morning take the high speed train over to Rome.
Option 2: It's just a simple change of train within Lille Europe to catch the train to Lyon where you overnight (there are plenty of hotels near to the station, see below). Then the following morning you take the high speed train from Lyon to Rome.
Miss your connection?
Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager.
Stopover in Paris 🏠
If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay conveniently near the two railway stations (ie the station you arrive at on the Eurostar in Paris – Gare du Nord, and the station that you depart from Paris – Gare de Lyon).
Hotels close to Gare du Nord 🚉
Grand Hotel de Paris and Hôtel Kabanel are just a few minutes walk from Gare du Nord (and Gare de L'Est so also great if you're heading out east). Rooms from about €100 per night. For more hotels near the station, see Hotels near Gare du Nord
Hotels close to Gare de Lyon 🚉
citizenM Paris Gare de Lyon is one of 5 citizenM hotels in Paris that aim to provide 'affordable luxury' in central city locations. Billed as 'hybrid hotels', they're as much about places to work as they are to sleep, with the idea that you can meet local people in a smart, cozy environment. For more hotels near the station, see Hotels near Gare de Lyon
Green Traveller's Top Pick 💚
Mob Hotel is a particularly environmentally friendly and socially conscious hotel that's in the heart of St Ouen, just a few miles north of Gare du Nord and close to the Garibaldi metro station (line 13). The hotel is all about being socially engaged within its neighbourhood (the artistic creations of local craftspeople are everywhere), but it also has strong eco credentials, such as water jugs rather than plastic bottles, refillable toiletries and organic cosmetics in the rooms. The restaurant is fully organic with a seasonal menu that draws on produce from farming cooperatives or direct from local producers (they also make their own honey and beer).
Eco-certified hotels in Paris ✔️
If you're looking for other green hotels in the French Capital, then these have all been certified by an accredited ecolabel: Hotel Gavarnie (near the Eiffel Tower and Les Invalides Museum) | Hotel Le Pavillion (a former convent in the Saint-Dominique area) | Amélie Hotel (2-star) | Hôtel Malar (10 minutes from the Champs Elysees) | Hôtel Du Printemps, about a mile from Gare de Lyon.
Stopover in Lille 🏠
If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Lille while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay conveniently near Lille Europe railway station.
Hotels near Lille Europe Railway Station 🚉
B&B Hotel Lille Centre Grand Palais (see below) and Le Chat Qui Dort are just a few minutes walk from Lille Europe Station (where Eurostar arrives). Rooms from about €100 per night. For more hotels near the station, see Hotels near Lille Europe
Green Traveller's Top Pick 💚
B&B Hotel Lille Centre Grand Palais is a comfortable budget hotel very conveniently situated in a quiet residential neighbourhood close to the Lille-Europe station. The 127 rooms are slightly small, but size is mitigated by keen pricing and useful add-ons such as free wifi. The hotel has recently earned Clef Verte accreditation for its measures in conserving energy and water.
On arrival at Rome Termini station
Benvenuto a Roma! Whilst there are several railway stations in Rome, almost all major international and intercity trains arrive into the enormous Stazione Termini, on the south-eastern edge of the city centre.
Hotels in Rome
Green Traveller's Top Tip 💚
For those on a budget, the decor of the stylish Jo&Joe Roma feels more like a hotel than a hostel. Just 15 minutes walk from the railway station and 400yds from Teatro dell/Opera Metro Station, it has a garden, terrace, bar and restaurant. Beds in super smart shared dormitories, from about £50 per person per night, twin rooms from £140 per night, and double rooms from £180 per night.
Map of hotels near to Rome Termini Railway Station
More about Rome:
Termini Station is also the point of intersection for Rome’s two metro lines (constant archaeological discoveries have prevented any rapid expansion of the network), which skirt the centre in an X-shape: here is the Rome metro map. The metro can be handy for sights such as the Vatican and Colosseum, however if you are staying in central Rome it is unlikely to be of regular use. The centre of Rome is relatively compact, and walking its narrow, historic streets is a real pleasure.
Happily though, there is a comprehensive network of buses (find useful bus routes for you on ATAC Roma's website) and trams (the latter are largely confined to the periphery of the city, as are the suburban trains, which you will only use if you head to outlying attractions), and ATAC Roma provides a useful journey planner on their website. The hub of Rome’s bus network is located just in front of the Stazione Termini: there is an information kiosk to help you navigate it. Here you can find ATAC's maps of buses, trams, suburban trains and the metro across central and greater Rome.
Tickets are the same for all modes of transport in Rome, and are valid for 75 minutes after validating, including any interchanges. As well as single tickets, you can purchase, one-day, three-day and week tickets, for ATAC Roma offers more detailed transport ticket information. If you are staying in Rome for three or more days, and intend to visit some of the major sites, the Roma Pass could be worth considering: for 34€, you gain free admission and discounted entry to various major museums and sites, as well as three days unlimited use of public transport.
If you fancy exploring Rome on two wheels, there is a bike-sharing scheme similar to those in many other European cities, allowing you to hire bikes at one station and then drop them off at another later (not much of the site is available in English); and there are also various companies offering bike hire (and tours) across the city.
Buon Viaggio!