BluEyezNSC

I will be traveling to Italy in May with my two children. We are flying into Rome's FCO airport and plan to spend up to a week on the "mainland" before we travel onward to Giardini Naxos on Sicily to meet up with several extended family members for a week. I do not want to rent a car, so what would be the best way to do this? Train, airplane, etc? Would you suggest an intermediate stop in a different city such as Naples along the way if we choose to travel by train? Thanks in advance for any guidance you can offer!

kelly_555

You can fly from Rome or Naples to Catania, Sicily. This is about a 1 hr. flight. Then rent a car from the airport and drive to Gardini Naxos, another 1 hr drive. I think there are bus and train options as well. I did the same pattern and decided on driving in Sicily since it was more convenient than the limited train/bus service.

Check out Alpi Eagles from Naples or AirOne from Rome for cheaper flights.
http://www.flyairone.it/it/

http://www.alpieagles.com/en/index.htm

GAC

You could of course travel by air from Rome to Catania and then backtrack by bus directly from the Catania airport to Giardini-Naxos in 75 minutes. There are discount carriers such as Air One and Meridiana, in addition to Alitalia, to choose from.

Or, you could take the train to Giardini-Naxos, either direct, or stopping off in Naples for a few days.

By train, you can choose to travel by day or by night.

The best day trains are the two ICplus trains which depart from Rome Termini at 7:27 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. Travel time is 8.5 hours, and the fare in second class is 42.92 Euros. The earlier of the two trains crosses the Straits of Messina around 14:00 and arrives at Giardini-Naxos at 16:03. The other train arrives at 20:10, which is just after dusk.

There are also several night trains to choose from, either Espresso (EXP) or the Intercity Night (ICN). If you want to reserve a sleeping compartment for three, or alternatively three bunks (couchettes) for less money, you should take one of the EXP trains which are indicated for sleeping compartments or couchettes, as the case may be. Or, you could simply reserve seats on one of these night trains.

The "Notti di Trenitalia" promotional fare allows you to reserve seats for 15 Euros per traveller, or a couchette for 30 Euros, or a sleeping bed for 45 Euros. Bear in mind that couchettes usually sleep 4, so you would be sharing with a "stranger", unless you purchase all 4 couchettes.

If the "Sabato di Trenitalia" promotion is continued into 2005, you would be able to travel on one of the two daylight ICplus trains for only 15 Euros for a reserved, first class seat, as long as you're willing to travel on a SATURDAY.

www.trenitalia.com

GAC

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...+di+trenitalia


Note that BOTH the Peloritano departing Rome Termini at 7:27 and the Archimede departing at 11:45 are "restyled" ICplus trains.

BluEyezNSC

to GAC: Thanks for the wealth of information!! The train looks like a very scenic way to travel between Rome and Sicily! I have an additional question for you at this point...I went to the Trenitalia web site but was unable to price/buy tickets even after I registered with them. Is it too soon to buy them online? Or, one footnote stated that I had to buy the tickets at a station or at an authorized Trenitalia ticket seller if "NO" appeared in the buy column, which it did. Are there any authorized sellers here in the US? Thanks again in advance for your help!

GAC

BluEyezNSC: you can purchase Trenitalia tickets electronically (through the Trenitalia website) no sooner than 60 days prior to your desired departure date.

You must be cognizant of the significant restrictions concerning Trenitalia electronic ticket reservation changes and ticket refunds, which are explained in detail on the Trenitalia website and summarized by me below (but rely on the official rules on the website, not on my summary). The restrictions described for ES trains apply equally to IC and ICplus trains.

With an electronic ticket, you can board your ES, IC or ICplus train without a paper ticket, simply by bringing with you the e-mail confirmation which gives you a reservations code, seat number and railcar number. The ticket agent gives you a paper ticket on board. Altenatively, you can do the exchange at the railstation prior to boarding the train.

On night trains (ICN, EXP), in all cases you would need to procure the paper ticket at the railstation before boarding the train, by exchanging the e-mail confirmation for a paper ticket.



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