Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

IC train in Italy, reserve or not ? so confused... help, thx

IC train in Italy, reserve or not ? so confused... help, thx

Old May 4th, 2012, 08:49 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
IC train in Italy, reserve or not ? so confused... help, thx

Hello All,

I will travel from Milan centrale to Ventimiglia and then to Nice Ville by using a Eurail pass.

Can you tell me reservation is required or not for the IC train from Milan to Ventomiglia,?

I saw some web-sites and said it is not a must but is preferred. Some said that reservation is compulsory.

Anyone knows the correct answer.

Hope to hear your reply.

Thanks.

Gavin
hkchemsir is offline  
Old May 4th, 2012, 10:18 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 36,778
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes on 11 Posts
Reservations are required for IC trains and all other faster trains in Italy (AV, ES, ESCity, IC). The only trains that don't require reservations are the R trains (usually designated with an R or RV).
kybourbon is offline  
Old May 4th, 2012, 10:31 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 36,778
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes on 11 Posts
Enter Milan and Ventimiglia on this Trenitalia link. Select the IC train you want and click continue. On the next screen you will have a variety of fares you can choose. In the more fares box on the left side, select the drop down menu and select global pass. Seat reservations for IC trains are 3€.

http://www.fsitaliane.it/homepage_en.html

You might not want to waste a pass day on this train if you find a 9€ Mini Fare (discounted fare that would include your seat).
kybourbon is offline  
Old May 4th, 2012, 11:10 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
dated info may say that reservations are optional on Italian IC trains as until the past few years they were indeed optional and I often rode the slower IC trains rather than the speedy Eurostar Italia type high-speed trains that not only mandated an advance reservation but at that time were charging I believe 15 euros on top of using a day on the pass - those have been lowered to 10 euros - 3 euros for an IC train and have no fear of not being to easily make those reservations once in Italy at any station - trenitalia.com site has frustrated so so many Fodorites in the past as a plethora of posts here say - some will say the problems using that frickle site are in the past but recent posts say otherwise, though the situation appears to be much easier but some report lots and lots of frustrations - again you can easily make those reservations once in Italy.

kybourbon as usual have proven to be a font of great info on Italian trains and trenitalia.com - she/he will always help you out if you do have problems as he/she has done zillions of times before - so give it a try but if it balks just do it upon arrival.

Q- have does one actually get the reservation if you book online - you may have to retrieve it in some machine once there or is it a code or what?

Some great sites for loads of great info on European trains - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.
PalenQ is offline  
Old May 4th, 2012, 02:32 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 36,778
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes on 11 Posts
>>>Q- have does one actually get the reservation if you book online - you may have to retrieve it in some machine once there or is it a code or what?
kybourbon is offline  
Old May 6th, 2012, 01:54 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,728
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
OK, here is the current up to date situation:

1) IC trains in Italia are now all 'reservation compulsory'. Any IC ticket bought at www.fsitaliane.it will include the necessary reservation.

2) HOWEVER, one of the few 'improvements' I've seen for passholders is that last year (2011) Trenitalia REMOVED the requirement to make a reservation or pay any fee on IC trains if you have a railpass. In other words, if you have an InterRail or Eurail pass you do NOT have to make a reservation, you can just get on. The odd thing is, as all the seats are reserved but no reservation slips are used any more, you won't know which seats are free and may have to play musical chairs as people get on and claim reserved seats!

3) If you WANT to reserve a seat on an IC (no bad idea for a long trip) it costs 3 euros and you can do it online at www.fsitaliane.it by acting as if buying a ticket, and selecting 'Global Pass' when you get to the fares selection page, in a drop down list marked 'More fares'
Man_in_seat_61 is offline  
Old May 6th, 2012, 05:55 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Great news - I can once again hop on any IC train spontaneously with my Eurailpass and in first class I should always find seats, though may have to play musical chairs at times?
PalenQ is offline  
Old May 6th, 2012, 06:15 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 36,778
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes on 11 Posts
>>>2) HOWEVER, one of the few 'improvements' I've seen for passholders is that last year (2011) Trenitalia REMOVED the requirement to make a reservation or pay any fee on IC trains if you have a railpass.
kybourbon is offline  
Old May 6th, 2012, 11:02 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,728
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Try this: http://www.eurail.com/countries/italy/trains-italy

If you click 'reservations' and look for Intercity it now says reservations are recommended not required.
Man_in_seat_61 is offline  
Old May 6th, 2012, 11:06 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,728
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I should add that this was advised to me in a sales news item directly by Trenitalia (or maybe it was Rail Europe, one or the other) at the time they chamged it, I'm not just relying on one line on one website!
Man_in_seat_61 is offline  
Old May 7th, 2012, 10:44 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
All the more reason for folks traveling significantly on the train in Italy to consider the first-class Italy railpass - in all my years of riding IC trains in first class with a pass I have always always found lots of empty seats in first class - so with a pass now, again like it was a few years ago, just hop any IC train anytime - taking a bit longer but much cheaper than paying 10 euros on high-speed trains and having to get the darned mandated seat reservation.

For example I once took an IC train between Florence and Venice-Mestre and just hopped on - the train only served the Florence-Rifredi station and Venice-Mestre stations but shuttle trains from the main stations in both Venice and Florence are frequent and you can just hop on those as well. I actually walked the few miles from Florecne to Rifredi station, following the new tram line so you can easily hop the train to Rifredi as well - Rifredi having trains stop there that do not go into the deadend and seriously congested Florence S M N or Santa Maria Novella (sp?) station.

Want flexibility just to hop on trains at will and traveling more than a few times then strongly consider the first class Italy railpass - first class also having immense benefits IME over 2nd class for the average traveler on the trip of a lifetime - a more relaxed journey - though second class is perfectly adequate to get you from point A to point B as well and with a railpass in 2nd class you can still hop on Ic trains - I guess always hop on even if full or not it seems.
PalenQ is offline  
Old May 8th, 2012, 01:19 PM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 36,778
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes on 11 Posts
Most people don't want to spend extra hours riding the older IC trains that aren't very nice, going to out of the way stations to save only 7€. That's a false economy when you have limited vacation time.
kybourbon is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
travel_jean
Europe
10
Jun 11th, 2010 12:38 PM
alecksonajetplane
Europe
12
May 6th, 2010 05:17 AM
Europhile7
Europe
9
Nov 5th, 2007 07:29 PM
TouroBeacon
Europe
4
Nov 16th, 2004 06:51 AM
Karenmc
Europe
6
Jan 26th, 2004 03:03 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -