need advice on train passes in Italy
Aug 24th, 2011, 03:14 AM
#1
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need advice on train passes in Italy
Hi there,
me and my 2 sons (18 and 15 yrs) will travel through some part of Italy with the following journey schedule. Which train pass is good for us? Can we have better pass opportunity by excluding some short distances)? Any recommedation is appreciated.
Thanks in advance
FROM TO
07.09.2011 Bergamo Mestre
08.09.2011 Mestre La Spezia
10.09.2011 La Spezia Pisa
10.09.2011 Pisa Firenze
13.09.2011 Firenze Siena
13.09.2011 Siena Roma
16.09.2011 Roma Naples
16.09.2011 Naples Roma
me and my 2 sons (18 and 15 yrs) will travel through some part of Italy with the following journey schedule. Which train pass is good for us? Can we have better pass opportunity by excluding some short distances)? Any recommedation is appreciated.
Thanks in advance
FROM TO
07.09.2011 Bergamo Mestre
08.09.2011 Mestre La Spezia
10.09.2011 La Spezia Pisa
10.09.2011 Pisa Firenze
13.09.2011 Firenze Siena
13.09.2011 Siena Roma
16.09.2011 Roma Naples
16.09.2011 Naples Roma
Aug 24th, 2011, 03:39 AM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2011
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Don't buy a pass.
Buy your tickets from www.trenitalia.com
Book in advance online for all except the slow regional trains, that way you get the Mini fare discounts.
Buy your tickets from www.trenitalia.com
Book in advance online for all except the slow regional trains, that way you get the Mini fare discounts.
Aug 24th, 2011, 04:19 AM
#3
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Go a lot trains are so cheap pass is ALWAYS BAD value in Italy.
Personally just hop on regional trains 1-2 euro per hour of
training the value play in May paid under 5 euro Rome to
Florence so dirt cheap buy at staion on small machines locals
use to get best deals cheapest way to go...
My wife prefers the fast trains not as cheap
FrecciaRosa Rome to Naples was awesome took about an hour 40eu
you cannot board them without paying surcharges with a pass
So pass for me is a giant costly scam especially in Italy
You can never train enough to get your money back
costly surcharges www.seat61.com for more info
Personally just hop on regional trains 1-2 euro per hour of
training the value play in May paid under 5 euro Rome to
Florence so dirt cheap buy at staion on small machines locals
use to get best deals cheapest way to go...
My wife prefers the fast trains not as cheap
FrecciaRosa Rome to Naples was awesome took about an hour 40eu
you cannot board them without paying surcharges with a pass
So pass for me is a giant costly scam especially in Italy
You can never train enough to get your money back
costly surcharges www.seat61.com for more info
Aug 24th, 2011, 04:23 AM
#4
Some of your tickets are on the slow R trains which are cheap and there are no reserved seats. No pass is necessary.
Bergamo/Mestre requires a change in Brescia. Bergamo/Brescia is an R train (4.45€) and Brescia/Mestre you can take a faster train (ES City trains 29€). You can buy discount tickets on Trenitalia for the faster trains if you know your times, but I wouldn't book on a flight day as your flight might be late.
Mestre/La Spezia requires a changes in Florence. You can book a discount fast train in advance from Venice to Florence (regular price is 43€) and then buy your ticket from Florence to La Spezia when you arrive.
La Spezia/Pisa is mostly slower trains, but there are a few faster ones. Prices will range from 5€-13€ depending on which you select.
Pisa/Firenze is a slow R train which costs about 6€.
Firenze/Siena is better by Sita bus as the train station is at the edge of town and the bus (the rapid bus is faster than the train) drops you in the center. Cost is about 7€. There is a bit slower bus also that makes a few stops along the way.
Siena/Roma is also good by bus as it takes the same time as some of the trains, but the trains require changes and the bus doesn't. Sena bus runs this route almost hourly for about 20€.
http://www.sena.it/Home/78-1-en.html
You may get discounts on Rome/Naples as sometimes there are same day return deals.
Use Trenitalia to search your tickets, but it will only show R train prices if you enter a date within the next 7 days. Tickets purchased on Trenitalia for faster trains (AV,ES,ESCity,IC) will include your reserved seats (required). Passes do not and you will have to purchase them in addition to the cost of the pass (10€ each except for IC which is 3€). Validate any tickets that do not include a seat.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...0080a3e90aRCRD
Bergamo/Mestre requires a change in Brescia. Bergamo/Brescia is an R train (4.45€) and Brescia/Mestre you can take a faster train (ES City trains 29€). You can buy discount tickets on Trenitalia for the faster trains if you know your times, but I wouldn't book on a flight day as your flight might be late.
Mestre/La Spezia requires a changes in Florence. You can book a discount fast train in advance from Venice to Florence (regular price is 43€) and then buy your ticket from Florence to La Spezia when you arrive.
La Spezia/Pisa is mostly slower trains, but there are a few faster ones. Prices will range from 5€-13€ depending on which you select.
Pisa/Firenze is a slow R train which costs about 6€.
Firenze/Siena is better by Sita bus as the train station is at the edge of town and the bus (the rapid bus is faster than the train) drops you in the center. Cost is about 7€. There is a bit slower bus also that makes a few stops along the way.
Siena/Roma is also good by bus as it takes the same time as some of the trains, but the trains require changes and the bus doesn't. Sena bus runs this route almost hourly for about 20€.
http://www.sena.it/Home/78-1-en.html
You may get discounts on Rome/Naples as sometimes there are same day return deals.
Use Trenitalia to search your tickets, but it will only show R train prices if you enter a date within the next 7 days. Tickets purchased on Trenitalia for faster trains (AV,ES,ESCity,IC) will include your reserved seats (required). Passes do not and you will have to purchase them in addition to the cost of the pass (10€ each except for IC which is 3€). Validate any tickets that do not include a seat.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...0080a3e90aRCRD
