We walked up and purchased - maybe some other posters will know if you can get discounted tickets by buying ahead of time. There is frequent service between the 2 cities.

The ONLY reason to buy early is for the discounts that are available. Otherwise the service is frequent and seldom, if ever, sell out.

The standard 2nd class for IC trains is €22.00. The trip takes two hours. The standard 2nd class fare for high-speed EuroStar Italia trains is €43.00. The trip takes one hour. If you book far enough in advance at trenitalia.com, you can get a discount fare as low as €9.00 for either type of train.

TimS,

Just to clarify: The faster train is the Eurostar? For some reason, when some people we met in Naples explained it to us I thought they were talking about the IC train. Thanks so much! Want to keep the info in my file for next time. Grazie!

Actually, the fast train is called Frecciarossa. It makes no stops between Naples and Rome Termini. The IC (InterCity) trains make three stops. You can search the timetables to see departure times and journey lengths:

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

There is also private rail service between Naples and Rome Tiburtina on Italo, but I haven't booked or purchased tickets for this nor have I tried their service (which looks really nice). The journey is also about one hour, and there are self-service kiosks in the stations. Or you can book/purchase through a travel agent, likely for a service fee, or from personnel right on the platform for a direct fee.

http://www.italotreno.it/EN/timetables-prices/timetables-connections/Pages/overview.aspx

Eurostar is kind of a generic name for high-speed trains in Italy but yes the Frecciarossa is technically the name of the newest Eurostar technology - the name Eurostar being trademarked I believe by Fiat who makes them (or whatever Italian car company makes them) and was subsequently licensed for use in the Chunnel trains between Paris/Brussels and London.

No problem getting seats as there are so so many trains - and worst would be you have to go first class, which IMO in Italy is always worth the extra cost.

For lots of great info on Italian trains and questions like this check out these fantastic IMO sites - www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id12.html.

For the relatively small amount you could save by pre-booking the discounted tickets (as per TimS's great post) I would advise just showing up and getting a full fare ticket on the train when you know exactly when you want to travel - the discounted tickets I believe are in practice very hard to change or refund in case you miss the train or want to take a later train.

Caio caio!

>>>Eurostar is kind of a generic name for high-speed trains in Italy but yes the Frecciarossa is technically the name of the newest Eurostar technology -<<<

Actually Trenitalia has trains designated Eurostar and are denoted by an ES or ESCity when you are booking a train. The faster, newer trains are the AV trains. You will also have choices of IC and R or RV trains which are older/slower.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=f4e43bf7c819a110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

You can save a lot of money booking in advance as the fast AV trains have advance purchase discount tickets for as cheap as 9€ vs 43€ regular walk-up price (same seats). The new private train company Italo also has specials, but they are not making very many runs per day yet. 1st class is unnecessary on the AV train unless you want to spend the extra money. This route only takes 70 minutes. Here is a picture of 2nd class.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Frecciarossainterno.jpg

Pics of the new Italo trains.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/trenoitalo/

This route only takes 70 minutes. Here is a picture of 2nd class.>

Q - why do you never show a picture of first class when advising folks it is not worth it?

And this staged photo of a brand new train set that is about half full is IME very misleading and deceptive - perhaps on purpose to back up your claim there is very little difference in classes - well there is - 2nd class is IME often chock full - 1st class usually ample empty seats - I can always put my baggage on a nearby if not adjacent seat - seat are a lot bigger and you only in 1st class I believe have the isolated seats - one in a row with an aisle and a window - these are priceless to me at least - no bothering to get up and ask folks to let me out or vice verse.

There is a major difference between classes and this is why many Italians pay extra to ride first class. Well that is my opinion based on zillions hours spend on platforms at major stations watching countless high-speed trains going by - 2nd class is much much more full and things like finding space for baggage can be much harder.

2nd class is fine but do not expect to see 2nd class cars like in kybourbon's staged propaganda picture from trenitalia when they rolled out these new cars - not nearly IME.

kybourbon - how about showing both first and second class carriages so that folks can make their own comparison - why only ever a 2nd class photo - better both IMO to be fair and balanced.

Just back from our trip and we actually did the Rome-Naples and back.

Took the the AV each time and did 1st class on the way to Naples and 2nd class on the way back. We had our kids with us, so we could take advantage of the family fare.

IMO, I'd rec. 1st class if: 1) trip is over 2 hours 2) you have a lot of bags (more storage room) 3)want the larger seat/more privacy

The new private train looked significantly nicer, but it doesn't go into Termini station.

Buying tickets at the kiosk was easy, but the only way to guarantee your seats will be adjoining is to buy them from an agent (kiosk only lets you request seats, doesn't guarantee them).

From an April post where GAC gives a good objective look at first class vs 2nd class on Freccianrossa type trains:

GAC on Apr 7, 12 at 3:46pm
The Frecciarossa, Frecciargento and Frecciabianca trains have 8.5 centimeters more seat/shoulder room in first class seats (because first class is 3-across versus 4-across in second class).

Differences in leg room between first and second classes on these trains depends on the specific railcar configuration and number of seat rows. There CAN be up to five centimeters more leg room in first class on these trains, or no additional leg room!

On the Intercity trains with the traditional separate seating compartments, there is a bit more leg room in first class (because there are only 9 compartments per first class railcar versus 11 compartments in second class), but absolutely no extra seat/shoulder room (because seats are always 3-across).

On all of these trains, the seat FABRIC is usually "nicer" in first class.

On the Frecciarossa and Frecciabianca trains, there is a complimentary coffee, soft drink/juice and salty or sweet packaged snack, together with an Italian-language newspaper on morning departures, in first class. You can purchase the beverages/snack items if travelling in second class.

Some solo travellers (and even couples, in facing seat arrangements) have expressed the pleasure of being seated in the solo seat row on the Freccia trains in first class, thereby having nobody with whom to "rub shoulders or elbows".

Report Abuse
GAC on Apr 7, 12 at 3:50pm
CORRECTION: The free beverage/snack service noted above concerns only the Frecciarossa and Frecciargento trains (NOT the Frecciabianca).

LUGGAGE ROOM: On some railcars of the AV fast trains, the oversized luggage racks at the railcar end are larger in first class. On other railcars of the AV trains, there is no appreciable difference in size between classes of service.

There are always fewer seats per railcar in first class, compared to second class.

Trenitalia still uses two older Eurostar Italia trains daily between Roma Termini and Napoli Centrale, in addition to HOURLY Intercity and HOURLY Frecciarossa AV trains.

The two older Eurostars travel nonstop to Naples (as do the Frecciarossa), but along the traditional rail line (as do the Intercity, which make three stops). By contrast, the Frecciarossa travels along the new high-speed rail line. Travel time on the Eurostar is 105 minutes, and the one-way "base" fare is 36 Euros. These two trains proceed on to Reggio Calabria.

Given the fact that the much cheaper Intercity train (22 Euros) takes only about 120 minutes, while the slightly more expensive Frecciarossa (43 Euros) takes only 70 minutes, these two Eurostar trains are no longer competitive strictly between Rome and Naples, and are therefore not particularly recommended (unless you get a SUPER ECONOMY or a good ECONOMY fare).

Trenitalia's ES-City train has now been renamed "Frecciabianca".

We've been to Italy many times and always buy our tickets from the machines the day of departure. We have never had a problem getting seats.

As for the debate about first and second class, if your finances can handle the price difference, first class is marginally better than second EXCEPT when the train departs around the time school lets out. In my experience the kids always go to the first class compartment. Just be aware.

There is a negative to buying in advance to save money. If you do not speak Italian you may have a problem getting the tickets changed if the train is cancelled or if there is a strike. I have rarely run across an Italian who cannot speak english in some degree; I have however run across Italian 'customer service agents' who claim not to speak english. I can now speak enough Italian that this is not a problem. Just something else to be aware of.