Train from Nice to Venice: changing in Milan

I am planning travel from Nice to Venice by day train in September.

SNCF shows train departs Nice 10.05, arrives Milan 14.50.

Trenitalia shows the Italian train leaves Milan for Venice at 1505. (I can%26#39;t book both parts together on the one train website.)

Is this enough time (15 mins) to change trains at Milan or am I better booking a later train?

From reading other posts second class seems very satisfactory. Any other comments on second vs first class.

Also some comments have been made about cheap flights from Nice to Venice. I have been unable to find any that are close to the cost of the train trip. Any suggestions about airlines offering these would be welcome. Thank you.

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I used Trenitalia to travel from Florence to Milan, then on to Nice and finally Marseilles. I, too, had only fifteen minutes between trains, which is very little time. It%26#39;s not too much of a problem in Milan because you don%26#39;t have to lug your suitcases up or down stairs--the station is huge and all the train platforms are on one level--but I%26#39;d try to get more time between trains, if possible. If that%26#39;s not possible, be the first person off the train (as you approach the station, gather your bags and go to the door so you can be first off), and hustle to the sign listing the platforms.

You don%26#39;t want what happened to me in Nice to happen to you. The Milan train was late so I had only four minutes to get the next train with two flights of stairs to negotiate. I%26#39;ve never run so fast in my life, encumbered though I was with two heavy suitcases, but the train doors still slammed on my arms. I finally made the connection, but only because a passenger in the train reached down for my suitcase and me!

One other piece of advice, the Italians, unlike the French, are sticklers for assigned seats. Whatever you do, make sure you get on the right car and in the correct seat. I traveled second class but wish I%26#39;d gone first class. Seating was tight and luggage space limited in second class, at least in Italy although France was a different story.

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