Paris to Milan by train

Paris to Milan takes about 7 hours by direct train, with no change, from Paris Gare de Lyon. Two companies run it: SNCF with TGV INOUI, and Trenitalia with Frecciarossa. The two arrive at different Milan stations, so check your ticket before you leave. Works pause direct trains from 12 September to 9 October 2026, as the last section explains.

The direct trip takes about 7 hours

Direct trains cover Paris to Milan in about 7 hours. TGV INOUI trains are timetabled at around 7h02 to 7h07, and the Frecciarossa takes just under 7 hours to a little over. The route runs through Chambéry and the Maurienne valley, then under the Alps into Italy. Trains call at Torino Porta Susa before Milan.

It is a long day, but you stay on one train, with no change and no airport. A morning departure puts you in Milan in the early afternoon.

Two companies arrive at two Milan stations

You leave Paris Gare de Lyon whichever company you choose. The Milan end is where people go wrong.

TGV INOUI trains arrive at Milano Porta Garibaldi. Frecciarossa trains arrive at Milano Centrale. They are different stations on different sides of the city. Look at the arrival station on your ticket before you pick a train, especially if you have a hotel or an onward connection planned.

Both leave from Paris Gare de Lyon, so there is no choice of Paris station to make.

Three TGV and two Frecciarossa trains a day

There are three TGV INOUI trains and two Frecciarossa trains a day from Paris to Milan. The first TGV leaves at around 06:45 and the last at around 14:48, so there is no evening direct train. The Frecciarossa leaves in the morning and in the afternoon. Times can differ by date, so check your own day.

With so few departures, a missed connection to Gare de Lyon costs you hours. If you arrive in Paris by train that day, leave a generous gap.

Fares vary by train and date

Fares rise as the date gets closer and the cheapest tickets sell out first. The TGV and the Frecciarossa are priced separately, so compare both on your date, and decide whether the cheaper train is worth the different Milan station.

A seat reservation is compulsory

Every direct train on this route needs a seat reservation, including for rail pass holders. A pass covers the journey but not the reservation, so keep three costs apart: the ticket price, the reservation fee, and any supplement.

With an Interrail pass, you pay a reservation fee on top. On the TGV to Turin and Milan it is €31 in second class and €45 in first class. On the Frecciarossa it is €13 in standard and business class. The Frecciarossa is much cheaper for a pass holder, which can decide which train you take. Book as early as you can.

The Interrail pass also counts as a travel day, so a long day on one train uses one day of your pass.

Direct trains pause from 12 September to 9 October 2026

Works at Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne close the Chambéry to Modane line from 12 September to 9 October 2026, so no direct TGV INOUI or Frecciarossa runs between Paris and Milan in that period. Direct trains are due back on 10 October 2026. For earlier dates, travel via Switzerland with a change at a city such as Geneva or Lausanne, and ask the company that sold your ticket for a refund or a new itinerary.