London to Genoa by train

Prices explained

Cheapest Price $127.22
30 day advance $254.19
7 day advance $341.77

89% based on 52,371 reviews

First train

05:40
Last train

20:31

Avg changes

1
Fastest journey

12hr 35m

Distance

1,038 kilometres
Trains per day

21

Avg. journey time

19hr 56m
Train operators

Travelling from London to Genoa by train

Fast trains from London to Genoa take around 12 hours and 35 minutes, covering a distance of approximately 1,038 kilometres. There are frequent services on the rail route between London and Genoa.

1. Are there direct trains from London to Genoa?

Journeys between London and Genoa usually involve one change of train.

We usually find around 25 departures on the route from London to Genoa every weekday that leave enough time to change trains without waiting around for longer than necessary.

There are typically fewer departures at weekends, when we found around 23 departures.

2. How long is the train journey from London to Genoa?

The London to Genoa train travel time is normally about 12 hours and 35 minutes, whatever time you make the journey.

3. What are the London to Genoa train times and schedule?

On weekdays the earliest train to Genoa is usually scheduled to depart London around 05:40 and the last train is around 20:01. At weekends the first train of the day leaves London around 06:18, and the last at 20:31.

What's the London to Genoa train price?

The earlier you book the better, and the cheapest tickets we've found for trains from London to Genoa are $127.22.

Trains departing 30 days in advance will cost around $254 while booking 7 days in advance the price is around $341. Booking on the day of travel is likely to be more expensive, so it is worth booking in advance if you can to save money.

When to book London to Genoa train tickets?

Trains for this journey usually open for booking around 12 months in advance. If booking is not yet open for your dates then you can set a booking alert to receive an email on the day that the cheapest tickets are released for your journey from London to Genoa by train.

Help with booking alerts

Which train companies operate between London and Genoa?

More than one train company operates on the route from London to Genoa, so you’ll be travelling with one or more of the following rail operators:

EuroNight
Eurostar
Frecciabianca
IC Notte
InterCity
Intercités
Intercités de Nuit
Regionale
Regionale Veloce
TGV
Thello
Train Express Regional
Treno del Mare

You can check which train you’ll be travelling on by looking for the train name in search results.

Genoa to London by train

Other journeys to Genoa View all journeys to Genoa

From Marseille From $47.29
From Nice From $6.37
From Ventimiglia From $11.35
From Cannes From $14.66
From Milan From $16.06
From Turin From $8.54
From Rome From $12.11
From Rapallo From $3.06
From Pisa From $10.71
From Florence From $23.20
From La Spezia Centrale From $7.65
From Levanto From $7.01

There are three main routes from London to Genoa, check them out below!

Eurostar & Thello night train

The journey by train from London to Genoa is very simple. Since May 2015, there has been a new daytime option involving one easy change of train at Marseille.

Another good route is by night train from Paris to Milan. A Thello night train leaves the French capital every evening bound for Milan and Venice. You have a choice of couchette or sleeping berth on this night train. Sleeping berths are much more comfortable.

To connect with the evening departure from Paris to Milan, you’ll need to take an afternoon Eurostar service from London to Paris. Of course, if you like the idea of an early dinner in Paris before joining the night train, you can always book an earlier Eurostar service to Paris.

The night train’s first stop in Italy is Milan where you join an onward early morning regional train direct to Genoa.

London to Paris

The first part of the journey from London sweeps through Thameside landscapes and rural Kent to reach the Channel Tunnel. Little more than an hour after leaving London you'll already be in northern France, tracking south through Flanders fields towards Paris.

Remember to factor in at least half an hour for Eurostar's airline-style baggage check prior to boarding your train. There is a luggage and body scan and you'll be asked to show your passport. There are no restrictions on taking liquids on board Eurostar trains.

Eurostar train guide

Paris interchange: Paris Nord to Paris Lyon

When you alight from the train at Gare du Nord look for signs to the Metro and RER. Once you've bought a ticket follow the signs to 'RER D', direction 'Melun' or 'Malesherbes'. So long as you're heading in the right direction, all the trains on this line stop at Gare de Lyon. The actual train journey takes around 10 mins with just one stop on the way at Châtelet-les-Halles. Upon alighting from the RER train at Gare de Lyon, follow the signs to the mainline station. The signs read 'Accès aux trains Grandes Lignes'. The whole journey from the concourse at Gare du Nord to the mainline departure platforms at Gare de Lyon will normally take about 40 mins but we recommend leaving at least 50 mins.

If you are arriving at Gare du Nord from London, bear in mind that you can buy Paris Métro tickets at the Eurostar terminal at St. Pancras and on board the Eurostar train. Similarly, passengers arriving at the Gare du Nord on Thalys trains from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands can buy Metro tickets on the train (at the Thalys Bar). Although universally referred to as Métro tickets, they are in fact valid on RER trains too.

Paris to Milan (night train)

The Thello overnight train from Paris to Milan departs from the Gare de Lyon in Paris. In the early hours, the train runs along the shore of Lake Geneva with – on a clear night – beautiful views of the Alps. There is a glorious moment in the morning when the train skirts the edge of Lake Maggiore.

There is just one scheduled stop in France (at Dijon) to pick up passengers, and no station stops on the overnight run across Switzerland. In the morning the train stops at Milan, before continuing to Verona, Padua and Venice.

Thello night train train guide

Milan Centrale to Genova Piazza Principe

Trains run at least once each hour from Milan Centrale to Genoa Piazza Principe. The fastest trains on this route are generally Intercity services, often stopping just twice along the way and reaching Genoa in just 90 minutes. There are also occasional Frecciabianca and Eurocity trains serving this route – both just as fast as the Intercity services.

If you are not in a rush, you’ll also find some direct regional trains from Milan Centrale to Genoa Piazza Principe. These usually make eight stops, taking just under 2 hours to reach Genoa.

Eurostar & Thello EuroCity

It is very easy to travel from London to Genoa by train. Eurostar started a new direct service from London to Marseille in May 2015, and that new Eurostar route makes it possible to travel from London to Genoa with just one change of train – but only when there is a direct Eurostar service from London to Marseille.

Your journey starts with an early departure from London St Pancras. Eurostar speeds south to Marseille, which you’ll reach in the early afternoon. At Marseille, where the Eurostar train from London terminates, you have an easy connection (only on Saturdays and Sundays) onto a EuroCity train (operated by Thello) to Genoa.

On the return journey from Genoa to London, an additional change of train is necessary at Nice Ville.

On those days when there is no direct train from London to Marseille, there are alternative daytime routes from London to Genoa via either Paris and Turin (or Milan) or via Paris and Marseille. There is also an overnight option from London to Genoa via Paris and Milan.

London to Marseille

The first part of the Eurostar journey from London sweeps through Thameside landscapes and rural Kent. The train stops at Ashford International to pick up passengers before diving into the Channel Tunnel.

Around an hour after leaving London you’ll already be in northern France, heading south through Flanders’ fields towards Paris. Skirting the east of the French capital, it’s then a fast journey south through Burgundy to the Rhône Valley. There are stops in Lyon and Avignon before arriving in Marseille, where the train terminates at Marseille Saint-Charles station.

On the return journey from Marseille to London, there is an extra stop at Lille Europe. This is required by UK Border Force to carry out immigration checks before the train enters the Channel Tunnel. Passengers from Marseille need to alight at Lille, pass through a quick security check and passport control, and then rejoin the train for the onward journey to London.

Eurostar train guide

Marseille to Genoa

Sit on the right side of the train from Marseille to Genoa for the best views of the coast. You’ll be rewarded with early glimpses of rocky coves as the train runs east through Cassis and Bandol. Beyond Toulon, the train turns inland but returns to the coast to take in resorts of the Côte d’Azur: Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Monte Carlo and Menton. You’ll get wonderful views of the Ligurian coast as the train continues to Genoa.

The direct Thello train to Genoa leaves from St Charles station in Marseille. It makes 16 stops on its journey to the Italian port city, where it arrives at Genova Piazza Principe station.

Thello EuroCity train guide

by day via Paris

It is easy to travel by train from London to Genoa and other destinations on the Italian Riviera. On those days when there is a direct Eurostar train from London to Marseille, you can take that, changing in Marseille onto a Thello EuroCity service to Genoa. There are alternative daytime routes via Paris, continuing from the French capital via either Turin, Nice or Marseille. It is the latter route which we describe here.

There are three legs to the journey, which starts with a high-speed run on Eurostar from London to Paris. In Paris it is necessary to change stations, crossing the city to the Gare de Lyon to join a French TGV running directly to Marseille. You change trains again at Marseille St Charles, from where there is a direct EuroCity train along the coast to Genoa. The route is by no means all high-speed. The last two or three hours, as you run east through Provence to Nice and beyond, is very leisurely. From time to time, you’ll have superb views of the Mediterranean to the right of the train.