dosu

The Amica fare gives a 20% reduction in price from the Standard ticket, but has some restrictions. I'm just not fully understanding those restrictions. My MAIN concern is that if my flight into Rome is delayed, and I miss my reserved 1st class Eurostar train to Venice, will I be able to use my ticket or trade it in for the next train AFTER the first (missed)train has departed, or is my ticket worthless?
The difference in price is about 15 euro per ticket, so I'd like to get the Amica, but don't want to be out 128 euro for two tickets if we miss the train.
Also, The Trenitalia site says for the Amica ticket "no reductions allowed". Not sure what that means.
Thanks,
dee

dosu

ttt

altamiro

>will I be able to use my ticket or trade it in for the next train AFTER the first (missed)train has departed

With the full price ticket, yes. Not with Amica.

>or is my ticket worthless?

I think the full price ticket can be changed to the next train for no or only small fee, but Amica is only valid for one specific connection and none other. There must be a reason why itīs cheaper, right?.

J62

These are the fare rules.

http://www.trenitalia.com/en/orari_b...fe.html#21_1_0

Amica Fare:
Ticket change
Allowed only once paying 20% of the returned ticket with the maximum of 3 euro from issue date until the train's departure time. Can be done only at the ticket desks or travel agencies Changes of tickets bought on this site cannot be made on-line. To change them, you must previously pick up the printed ticket and changing is allowed only for equal or higher amounts.

Travelling on another train
This is allowed, subject to ticket validation and by paying 8.00 euro and any extra fare necessary for using a train of the same or different type or different class or service on the departure date of the train booked and up until three hours afterwards also after this period if taking the first train available of the same or lower category for arriving at the destination

TimS

There is a page on the Trenitalia site that describes refunds and bonuses. If I am interpreting bonuses correctly, you should be able to apply either the value of your Amica ticket or at least 80% of it to a full fare ticket on a later train. But don't take my word for it. Go here: http://tinyurl.com/2u6mdr.

TimS

I just read the Amica fare conditions and what is stated there is more explicit than what is on the page I listed in my previous post. As I read it, so long as you take a train that departs within three hours of the one you missed, you will pay a €8 fee plus the difference in price between your Amica ticket and a full fare ticket.

Nonconformist

TimS, I think that 80% reclaim is only possible if it's before teh train has left. If the OP can be there in time for the train, they will catch it. The problem is going to be if they miss it altogether, when it looks like they may be able to claim back 50%, if they get there within three hours of the planned departure. Organising this refund alos looks quite complicated. I'd just go for the more flexible ticket.

TimS

Here is a quote from the Amica fare page:

"Travelling on another train. This is allowed, subject to ticket validation and by paying 8.00 euro and any extra fare necessary for using a train of the same or different type or different class or service on the departure date of the train booked and up until three hours afterwards also after this period if taking the first train available of the same or lower category for arriving at the destination."

ira

Hi d,

>...if my flight into Rome is delayed, and I miss my reserved 1st class Eurostar train to Venice, ....<

A. Why not fly into Venice and out of Rome? You will save 1 day of travel for about the same price.

B. Why time are you arriving at FCO? Which train do you want to take?

dosu

Yikes! Ok.. thank you all for taking the time to interpret these rules with me.
Looks like if I miss the train, I can catch the next train(or within 3 hrs.)and end up paying the full 'standard' fare + 8 euro per ticket. That would be fine. So I may go with the Amica.

Ira- We arrive FCO at 6:50am and I was planning on the 9:45a out of Rome to Venice.
I got a very good airfare into and out of FCO. and it's booked already. Realize a bit inconvenient though.
Was considering flying on to Venice, but Alitalia has stringent weight restrictions on the national flights. Not that we're heavy packers, but we might have over 44 pounds total each.. the surcharge 5Euro per kilogram might be costly...but I might just pack and weigh the bags and then decide.

ira

HI d,

>We arrive FCO at 6:50am and I was planning on the 9:45a out of Rome to Venice.<

You are **scheduled** to arrive at 6:50.

Your plane has to get to its parking place.

You have to unload, get luggage, clear passport control. When you get to Termini, you have about a 15 min walk to the platform.

On our last trip it took us 3:30 hr from the time we were scheduled to land to the time we got to the loading platform at Rome Termini.

I suggest booking the 10:52. If you get to Rome TE early, there is a nice self-serve cafeteria where you can have a cuppa, people watch and get into the rhythm of Italy.

dosu

Thanks Ira... thought the 9:45 might be a little tight(reason for this thread!) Was hoping to make the earlier train, as not to lose time in Venice. But you're right, i should go with the 10:52.
If I book the 10:52, and we happen to get to Termini early enough, and can make the 9:45, will i be charged to switch the ticket to the earlier train? We don't speak Italian AT ALL, so don't how difficult it will be to explain this at a ticket window(in time to catch that earlier train!!)

TimS

First, my apologies to J62 who had already given you the fares rule quote that I subsequently gave you. Somehow I overlooked that post.

Second, my interpretation of that quote is that the €8 fee and change of ticket Ruld apply equally to an earlier train just as well as to a train departing up to three hours after the previously booked train. (But that's only MY interpretation.)

Print out the timetables for Rome-Venice. If you arrive at Termini in time to catch the earlier train, show the agent your ticket and point to the train you wish to take. He or she should understand what you wish to do.

dosu

Thanks Tim,
I plan on purchasing the tickets on Trenitalia's website and printing out the "ticketless" ticket. Does that make a difference?... can i still change that type of ticket when i get to rome termini?
Gather there will be lots of hand motion and pointing when and if we need to change; might just be easier to wait the extra hour if we're there early