GAC

Did you know that you can see all of Italy, from north to south, all in one day, for the rock-bottom fare of 15 Euros, in a comfortable, modern, air conditioned, reserved FIRST CLASS seat on the Trenitalia direct Intercity (IC) train which connects Milan with Reggio di Calabria?

It's easy to do and yours for the taking. Here's how:

1. You must travel on a Saturday and ONLY on a Saturday.

2. Because seats are capacity controlled, you need to purchase up to 60 days in advance, but no later than midnight of the day beforehand, through the Trenitalia website or through a travel agency in Italy. Request the "Sabato di Trenitalia" promotional fare of 15 Euros for a reserved seat, first or second class.

3. You must travel on a single Intercity train, with no connections. IC 589 departs Milano Centrale at 8:48. IC 588 departs Reggio di Calabria Centrale at 9:05. Travel time in both directions is 13 hours. The train makes many stops on its scenic journey. You may review the complete list of stops on the Trenitalia website, by clicking on the train number.

4. Tickets are nonrefundable, but you may change your reservation to a LATER departing train (e.g. one week later) by exchanging your tickets no later than one hour prior to the departure time of the originally scheduled train.

5. Regular undiscounted fare is 89.20 for a reserved first class seat, so the promotional fare of 15 Euros represents a discount of 83%.

GAC

CONTINUED:

6. This is a "restyled" Intercity train. The individual compartments with sliding glass doors have been removed and replaced by totally open-railcar seating, three seats across in first class and facing each others in pairs, separated by a working table (useful for laptops and personal CD players). There are approx. 50 seats per first class railcar, all re-upholstered and with better illumination for night travel. Seat bottoms pivot forward to provide a modest recline. Restrooms are quite small, like on planes. The interior styling is very similar to that of the Eurostar Italia.

7. The train is totally air conditioned and entirely non smoking. There is a self service restaurant car.

8. If you are particularly interested in enjoying the very scenic southern Italian coastline, you should take this train NORTHBOUND.

9. Get off at the Reggio di Calabria LIDO station for the hydrofoil dock (to the Aeolian Islands), or for the National Archeological Museum and the Hotel Excelsior across the square.

10 For the same promotional fare of 15 Euros, you may board the train (or disembark) at any intermediate station. NOTE WELL that the Florence stop is at Campo di Marte (NOT S.M. Novella) and the Rome stop is at Tiburtina (NOT Termini).

11. This is the very best deal currently available with Trenitalia.

12. This is a great way to experience the geographic diversity of Italy at an incredibly low price.

www.trenitalia.com

rex

While this is not new information, it is perhaps better presented from your similar posting earlier this year - - http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34477035

and my response is the same:

================================

Author: rex ([email protected])
Date: 02/20/2004, 03:00 pm

Message: No doubt this is something that is hard to count on... but it existed on and off on numerous occasions in the last year ( and years before?)

Just one more arrow in my quiver, of arguments NOT to pre-purchase (more train travel than you need, and at a higher price than you should pay, by getting) a railpass.

Best wishes,

Rex

GAC

Thanks for the compliment, Rex. As Trenitalia is constantly upgrading its trains, so too am I trying to improve my postings.

MrAmazed

Thank you GAC. Since I didn't see the previous post, and would never search for this info, your current post is very helpful.

GAC

The "Sabato di Trenitalia" promotion has become "Sabato di Trenitalia.com" with the requirement that tickets be purchased ONLY through the www.trenitalia.com website, or via the national call center in Italy. You CANNOT purchase these promotional tickets any longer at a travel agency or at a manned ticket window of a railstation in Italy.

Please read the following message for important new information:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...=3&start=0

abbynicole27

GAC: (or anyone else who might know) - We would like to buy one of the cheap 15/30 Euro night train tickets for Venice-Ventimiglia in late June, but they are not for sale right now. Any idea when they would go on sale, or if the promotion will be available for late-June tickets?

GAC

Internet sales begin 60 days before travel date, not any sooner.

abbynicole27

thanks for the help =)

GAC

UPDATE to my original posting:

Now that Trenitalia has introduced its "Freedom to Travel" discount fares, you can take the Intercity train from Milano Centrale to Reggio di Calabria Centrale for 15 Euros in reserved first class ANY DAY OF THE WEEK, simply by reserving up to 60 days in advance and requesting this promotional rate by name.