I am checking the trains on Trenitalia and the prices are so varied (someitmes three to four times the lowest price) if we book ahead of time. The fast trians seem really time saving, and have reasonable prices if we book far ahead of time. Can someone advise if it is safer and cheaper to buy the tickets couple of months before we travel to Italy?
Our plans: Rome - Florence and Rome - Naples (to tour Amalfi coast)
Is it cheaper to buy Train tickets ahead of time online to travel in Italy?
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That's what I'm gonna do for my upcoming July 2013 trip and I don't understand how you can say on the one hand:
"and have reasonable prices if we book far ahead of time"
and then ask if it is "safer and cheaper."
You've already SAID it is cheaper; why wouldn't it be safer?
With the greatest of respect for you, what am I not understanding here?
Or are you really asking if the prices could go down even FURTHER after you book?
If that's the case then my apologies and my answer is I doubt they'll do anything but go up after you book.
No problem. You know how some websites, security is not good, so sometimes they may lose our credit card information etc...?? that is what I meant by safer. Also, wondering if there is an elaborate process to convert the online purchase into actual tickets once you get there.
I would be very surprised you could price July trains this early. You can only book 120 days in advance (faster trains - AV). Summer schedules don't start until the second week of June and typically Trenitalia is extremely slow in loading schedule/fare changes (sometime they don't get loaded until a week before the change between winter/summer).
There are advance purchase discounts for the faster trains as cheap as 9€ (super economy). More likely 19-29€ on your popular routes in summer. Base fare is the walk-up price. If discounts are sold out, you can still buy the base fare in advance or just go to the train station and pay that price for the next train with space available. Base prices will not change from what you see on their website now and walk-up unless Trenitalia make a fare increase for summer or next winter schedules. Base does not fluctuate.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=80752c5ad8cb6210VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD
Trenitalia can and does change discounts from time to time. Hopefully they will keep the current super economy offer through summer.
Please note that cheaper economy tickets may be not refundable and not changeable if you miss your train or change your mind.
kybourbon - when you say that the summer schedules don't get loaded until a week before the change between winter/summer, does that mean that one isn't able to prepurchase tickets for say mid-June in advance? I've been checking and have noticed that the schedules for dates around June 16 - June 18 aren't coming up yet. Would you think they won't be available until late May or early June?
Right now, the winter schedules are loaded and run through June 8. Summer schedules will start June 9 and run through first week of Dec. Trenitalia may have some summer trains loaded already. It's also possible if you check dates after June 8 you don't find any trains listed or only one or two trains per day where there would normally be two per hour. They are very random about the winter/summer changeover of schedules. Often not finishing until a week or so before the change. You just have to keep checking their website at 120 days out from when you want to purchase. It never seems to be all at once - just in spurts and bits.
Summer schedules will not change much from winter. They may include a price increase or a few trains added. Typically, you don't notice much difference unless they have a new discount scheme.
Keep in mind they now have competition from Italo on these main train lines. Italo only allows booking 90 days out and I have no clue when they change schedules (or if they even do since they are fairly new).
http://www.italotreno.it/EN/timetables-prices/timetables-connections/Pages/overview.aspx