GAC

HEADS UP for travellers needing to get between Rome and Florence "on the cheap": there are two ways to make this trip by train for under 20 Euros:

1. Take the unreserved "regionale" train for 17.05 Euros (travel time around 4 hours; fare is undiscountable, except for children under 12); or

2. Make an advance booking for the "MINI" promotional fare on the ultrafast Frecciarossa or Frecciargento AV train for as low as 19 Euros (travel time 95 minutes; other "MINI" fares can be higher than 19 Euros, but lower than the regular "base" fare of 45 Euros).

NOTE: To find the lowest "MINI" fare for your date of travel, use the "Le Frecce" part of the Trenitalia website, instead of the main reservations page. This section will show, in matrix form, the "base" and "MINI" fares for all fast trains (except the Intercity trains) between the city pair selected, for the travel date selected. Note that the lowest "MINI" fare is often on non-peak hour trains.

NOTE: Ignore the higher "fessibile" fare, which is rarely needed for leisure travel.

BEWARE: The rules for reservation changes of "MINI" fare tickets are extremely restrictive. No changes are allowed after 11:59 p.m. of the day PRIOR to scheduled travel. That means NO REFUNDS if you MISS your reserved train by even one second!

Here are the rules (PLEASE read them carefully:

http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/cms...003f16f90aRCRD

The rules for reservations changes for regular "base" fare ticket are less restrictive:

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...003f16f90aRCRD

NOTE: The "MINI" fare is NOT offered on the unreserved, undiscountable "regionale" trains. The regionale trains on this route have been modernized and are quite good compared to regionale trains on other routes.

NOTE: I've avoided mentioning the traditional intercity (IC) trains on this route. That's because most of these trains don't use the main Firenze SMN Station, but instead use the less convenient Firenze Rifredi station. For that reason, it's simpler to travel between Rome and Florence either on the Frecciarossa/Frecciargento AV train, OR on the "regionale" train.

www.ferroviedellostato.it

PalenQ

I've avoided mentioning the traditional intercity (IC) trains on this route. That's because most of these trains don't use the main Firenze SMN Station, but instead use the less convenient Firenze Rifredi station.>

But do not these IC trains also stop at the Florence Campo di Marte train station that is just as close to many hotels as the much more hectic Santa Maria Novella main station - would not it be just as convenient to board an IC train at Campo di Marte as a train as SMN? I'd actually rather leave from this rather sleepy station that the mob scene at SMN!

GAC

No, MOST of the Intercity (IC) trains between Rome and Florence stop only at Firenze Rifredi and not also at Firenze Campo di Marte.

By contrast, the "regionale" trains stop BOTH at Campo di Marte AND at SMN.

BEWARE: There are a handful of Frecciargento trains which stop at Campo di Marte INSTEAD of SMN (be careful when booking).

PalenQ

thanks - I know the Artesia Night Trains stop at Campo di Marte and not SMN, at least when I took it last year to Paris and not SMN and thought IC trains did too - thanks for clearing that up and your continuing wealth of info!

Man_in_seat_61

PalenQ, the Paris-Rome Artesia night train, after a year or two of calling at the rather-out-of-central Campo di Marte station, now once more serves the main central SMN station, walking distance from the all the sights.

PalenQ

thanks Man - I thought it used Campo di Marte perhaps because of congestion at the very congested it seems SM Novella station - I enjoyed the calm at Campo di Marte - sitting on a bench drinking some wine awaiting the train - much more relaxed - and Campo di Marte is not much farther really from the Duomo than SMN - I have walked to there from it many times. Again thanks for the info. You are the Man!

poetess

Brilliant, GAC! In the past, I couldn't get a ticket on the Trenitalia website, but thanks to you and the link you provided, I just purchased my Mini from Rome to Florence for 19 euros. That will save me so much time when I arrive in Italy. Many, many thanks!