Cornwall to Pescara in Italy, flight free

Pescara with mountains behind https://unsplash.com/@mimmosigi?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText

December 2025

For the final blogpost of 2025, Rebecca Coombes, a friend, artist and jewellery maker who lives in South East Cornwall, has kindly contributed this great account of her train journey to Pescara, a port on the Adriatic coast of Italy.

My commitment to the environment and deep worries about climate change led me to making one or two big changes in my life around 2019. I went vegan and gave up flying. The flying part was the hardest as my partner and I had bought a little stone house in Italy in 2005 based on the idea we could pop over using cheap Ryanair flights many times a year. We had started doing the journey by train once a year when the overnight Thello train ran but we slipped back into flying once the prices went up. This is an account of one of my trips.

I left Calstock Station on the Tamar Valley branchline 3 miles from my home, heading to Pescara, using only trains and buses to make the trip. I’d done this journey at least 10 times, maybe more, and had relied on catching a Thello sleeper train but this reliable overnight train stopped running during the Covid lockdown and it hasn’t restarted. As if that weren’t enough, in 2023 the main Paris to Milan train line was completely blocked by a landslide. After more than a year trains run on the line again but there are fewer of them.

I began my journey into Europe on the 3.15pm Eurostar from St Pancras, arriving on time at the Gare du Nord and soon got on to the Metro Line 5 which took me direct to Gare d’Austerlitz. I’d been panicking that my change time of 70 minutes in Paris was far too short to allow for the inevitable queues at the metro ticket machine but a very generous neighbour in St Dominick lent me her Navigo card which was loaded with 5 journeys so no queuing for me! Navigo are the French equivalent of Oyster cards. Fortunately they now sell them on the Eurostar in the buffet.

I find the signage at Gare du Nord very confusing. It’s no wonder that people getting off the Eurostar often wander around for hours trying to find the metro or RER lines. I always suggest to other travellers that they give themselves 2 hours to get between 2 main stations. I have some friends whose son always leaves enough time for them all to walk between stations but that’s a bit too exhausting for me.

My overnight train to Nice was departing from Gare d’Austerlitz at 8pm. I’d not used the station before and when I was there it was undergoing a lot of renovation so I had a bit of a problem finding my way. The length of this train is truly amazing. It’s a very, very long walk to the couchette compartments. One day I’ll treat myself to a sleeping compartment all to myself but on this occasion I was an Economy traveller so my bed was in a 6 berth couchette. I booked on to the top deck as it is left permanently in place whereas the other seats are folded back in the morning. Either I had grown or the ceiling was getting lower as I couldn’t actually sit up once I’d got into my bunk. However, once I’d settled myself down to listen to my 3rd audiobook of the journey I was soon dropping off to sleep as the movement of the train was very restful.

I was staying on the train to Nice but from 5am onwards, there were many stops with other passengers getting up and arranging their luggage. There was no point in trying to get down from the top bunk now as massive suitcases obstructed the bottom of the ladder.  In another hour, the other people had all left the compartment so I could get down and go off in search of coffee. Our train guard used the storeroom to set up a coffee machine, and that was more or less all that was on offer in the morning. Nevertheless it was very welcome at such an early hour, and good to sip while looking out at the beautiful Provençal vineyards and woods as we sped on our way towards the Mediterranean, and onwards to Nice.

The train was 35 minutes late so I was grateful for the fact I’d allowed myself a couple of hours before continuing my journey. Nice was cold and windy but I enjoyed meandering through little streets and out onto the Promenade des Anglais. Back in the station I popped into the buffet for a local beer mixed with blackcurrant. I think it was called a Monaco. Very tasty.

Just over the Italian border at Ventemiglia, I changed to an intercity train headed to Milan that was half-full. Strangely the lights in our carriage didn’t work until the guard came round and switched them on after we’d spent about 20mins sitting in the dark as the line along the coast is mainly through tunnels. Pretty freaky!

At Milan, I had an hour before my Bologna train departure. Both trains were at Centrale so thankfully there was no need to get on the metro. At the side of the station there is a wonderful Food Hall, Mercato Centrale. These Food Halls are in all the Italian capitals now. You can choose from an international menu served from various mini restaurants but I always get pizza when I’m in Italy and you buy by weight.  So, if you are really hungry you can order whatever will fill the gap. In my case about 500gms! They make several vegan pizza with either thinly sliced potatoes and rosemary or grilled pepper, aubergine and courgette. All totally delicious especially when washed down with a Peroni.

Milano Stazione Centrale

Bologna is only a few hours on average by train from Milan, depending on whether you take the fancy Frecciarossa or the slower regional service. I’d booked to stay at The Combo Hostel which is a fabulous place for budget travellers and reception is open 24 hours so even if your train is really late you’ll be ok. It's just a 15 minute walk from the station and I was so thankful to collapse into my bed after a long day travelling.

I allowed 2 hours the next morning to explore Bologna, then caught a train at noon that arrived at my final destination, Pescara, by 4pm.Unlike Nice, Pescara was very warm and sunny.

Breakfast in Bologna

My journey home the following week was pretty uneventful until I reached Milan. I’d opted to take an overnight FlixBus between Milan and Nice to save on a hotel and to be on time for a 6am train in Nice. My plans came to grief due to a sudden wildcat metro strike which stopped all metro travel out to Lampugnano bus station. I rushed outside the station to where the taxis stop and was horrified to see at least 100 people queuing for taxis. At the rate of one taxi every 10 minutes I would probably be there until morning but all of a sudden a man started walking along the end of the queue offering his ‘taxi’ to rent. Myself and a woman next to me decided we’d take a chance although neither of us felt very comfortable with the situation.  We did both get to our destination despite his appalling driving and the extortionate amount of cash demanded,

The overnight FlixBus takes 5 hours but it drops you at the airport rather than central Nice. There are trams into the city running from just after 4am but the one that stops at the airport doesn’t get going until 5.20.  Luckily, I managed to grab the only taxi about to get me to the train station.

From Nice I took an SNCF double decker train to Paris which was really busy. Despite paying extra for a phone charging point my seat didn’t have one. This was the only train or bus I’d travelled on without a phone charger, even my couchette had one. The scenery as you speed towards Marseilles is stunning and as it was late April, it was in daylight. Well worth staying awake for but I have to admit to being overcome by drowsiness once we reached the Rhône valley. There was no buffet or trolley service but luckily I had snacks. Essential on all French and Italian trains unless you are in First Class.

The 6am service pulls into the Gare de Lyon just before noon and I had booked the 3pm Eurostar. So I headed into the bar of Hotel Mercury for a large glass of white wine and a bowl of smoked almonds. 

Waiting for the Eurostar outside the Gare du Nord, Paris

There was the usual crush at the Eurostar waiting hall but my London train was on time and we pulled into St Pancras just after 5pm.The next day I travelled down to Plymouth and a local bus to Tavistock where my car was parked.

I’d succeeded in travelling over 2,700 miles by foot, bus and train. At the end of it, I felt rather pleased to be home.

What a Journey! As well as the journeying, I am in awe of the planning. I feel liked I travelled every kilometre with her! Thank you so much for sharing your trip and photos. Rebecca has her own website, Etsy store and blog which you can find at: mybeadyeye.com

In fact a big thank you to all contributors this year especially Anna, Tim, Mike, Tansy and Becky, and all you readers, the adventurers and the armchair travellers. The blog could not sustain itself without any of you! Looking forward to more journeying in 2026.

Nadelik Lowen ha Bledhen Nowydh Da onan hag oll. Amanda