i_am_kane

We are traveling from Naples to Orbetello on April 28th. The Trenitalia web site (accessing through www.lefrecce.it) has the following fares listed in euros:

Mini 78.00
Base 90.00
Flessible 112.00
Ordinaria ranging from 7.40 to 16.40

I know there are very few seats alloted at this low fare, but am hestiate to book without feed-back from Fodorites. There is always a possibility that a passenger can't board a train, and the ensuing penalties. But, we fully intend to be on that first train (Frecciarossa).

Should I book?

TimS

I checked both lefrecca.it and trenitalia.com. Both show Mini fares of €9.00 still available on 28 April for the IC train that departs Napoli Centrale at 07:17 and arrives a Roma Termini at 09:21. IC trains are slower than high-speed EuroStar Italia trains, but in this case it doesn't matter. The first regionale train you can take from Roma Termni to Orbetello departs at 10:12 and arrives at

TimS

Oops! I hit "Submit" too early by mistake.

The first regionale train you can take from Roma Termini to Orbetello departs at 10:12 and arrives at 12:01. Book the Napoli-Roma IC train now at either lefrecca.it or trenitalia.com. You can buy your tickets for Roma-Orbetello at Napoli Centrale. (No need to wait to do it at Termini). Don't forget to validate your regionale train tickets in a yellow box at Termini. If you don't, you'll have to pay a fine on the spot.

TimS

One more thing. Mini fare tickets are for a specific departure date and time and are non-exchangeable and non-refundable. There is open seating on regionale trains and no reservations are possible. The 2nd class fare for Roma-Obetello is €8.25.

i_am_kane

I entered the trip as follows: Napoli to Orbetello, and the web site details showed Napoli - thru Roma - to Orbetello.

We don't want to leave Napoli early in the day because we are first leaving Sorrento on the SLOW Circumvesuviana train. So, that's almost an hour right there.

It's okay if we get to Orbetello later in the afternoon...we are staying in Porto Santo Stefano for eight days.

TimS, What do you think now that you have more details?

TimS

If you book the 11:50 EuroStar Italia train from Napoli to Roma, you still can get a CartaFreccia Day fare of €22.50 or a Mini fare of €39.00. The first regionale train to Ortebello that you can catch will arrive at 15:08.

If you book the 12:50 EuroStar Italia train from Napoli to Roma, you still can get a CartaFreccia Day fare of €22.50 or a Mini fare of €29.00. The first regionale train to Ortebello that you can catch will arrive at 16:02.

If you book the 14:50 EuroStar Italia train from Napoli to Roma, you still can get a CartaFreccia Day fare of €22.50 or a Mini fare of €39.00. The first regionale train to Ortebello that you can catch will arrive at 17:58.

It's your call.

i_am_kane

TimS, I'm taking up a lot of your time, but what, exactly, is a CartFreccia Day fare, and is it a restricted fare?

TimS

According to the Trenitalia site, the CartaFreccia Day fare is a special weekend fare. I assume it's restricted to specific departure dates and times on Saturdays and Sundays.

i_am_kane

TimS, thank you.

kybourbon

You can't book the CartaFreccia as that is for card holders only (Italians only).

Do not book the Rome/Orbetello part of your ticket on Trenitalia. That part of your route is only served by the slow R trains and there are restrictions placed on R tickets bought online that aren't on the R tickets bought at the station or a tobacco shop. There is no advantage to buying R tickets online as there are no discounted tickets for these trains and there are no reserved seats on these trains (not possible to reserve a seat).

Buy the Naples/Rome online if you want to save a few bucks (Mini Fares) and are sure of the time your plan to catch the train.

R train tickets must be validated in the yellow box trackside before boarding (including the Circumvesuviana train depending on station - some are stamped in the entry turnstile others must be stamped in the yellow box). Tickets for the faster trains with reserved seats don't have to be validated.

i_am_kane

kybourbon,

The only advantage that I can see for buying the Rome-Orbetello ticket is that we don't have to stand in line at the Rome terminal.

Since we will be in Sorrento for eight days, there is the option of buying the R-O ticket on the regional train at the Sorrento train station.

Do you agree?

kybourbon

No, I don't think the ticket office in Sorrento has Trenitalia tickets (they are not Trenitalia). You can buy in tobacco shops or travel agencies that have the Trenitalia logo in their window.

You don't have to stand in line at Termini to buy tickets either. There are literally rows of ticket machines that are touch screen in English. You can also use the ticket machines in Naples. This link gives you step-by-step instructions on how to use the ticket kiosks(with pictures of each screen selection).
http://www.roninrome.com/transportat...ickets-updated

If you buy your R ticket in advance, you don't validate it until you are ready to get on the train in Rome as once validated, they are only good for a set amount of time.

The Rome/Orbetello tickets seem to be €12.50 1st cl and €8.25 2nd cl. If you plan to buy in Naples or Rome from the machines, I would have the cash handy instead of credit card. Sometimes the machines will give an error with a credit card although most times they work. Do not have big bills if using cash as it only can give a certain amount in change. It will be stated in the process.

If you use the kiosks in Naples, make sure you change your departure station from Naples to Rome as the kiosk will automatically default to Naples.

i_am_kane

Update: Yesterday I booked Napoli Centrale to Roma Termini on April 28 for two passengers, 2nd class = 58 euros.

I booked Roma Termini to Venezia on May 6 for two passengers, 2nd class = 36 euros.

I booked Venezia to Bologna on May 14 for two passengers, 2nd class = 18 euros.

I'm happy. Thanks everyone!