Gariem

I would like to take advantage of this internet only special for travel from Rapallo to Florence. Has anyone ordered online and then printed their tickets at the automatic self-service ticket machines in Italy? Sounds pretty straightforward. Just wanted to see if any of you had personal experience.
Thanks.

GAC

You won't save much on this route. I don't think that the Saturday special applies to any departure which requires a CHANGE in Pisa to a "Regionale" train. All the trains save one require such a change in Pisa.

The only DIRECT Intercity train departs Rapallo at 19:22 and arrives Florence at 22:00. Do you really want to take this train? The regular IC fare for reserved first class is Euro 24.90. The Saturday promotional fare would be Euro 15.00, so it's a decent but not a spectacular savings.

Gariem

Yes, that's just the train I was thinking of. I have from October 2 to 11 in Florence (taking private Italian lessons), so I'd be in no hurry to get there earlier. Just wondered about printing the actual ticket in Rapallo. Thanks.

GAC

Since you plan on taking the direct Intercity train to Florence, the Saturday special fare makes sense in your case, expecially if you manage to go first class. I see that the 15 Euro fare is indeed available at the present moment. Saving 10 Euros will let you buy a couple of gelati in Florence between classes (or a plate of pasta from a fast food joint).


The way it's described on the Trenitalia site, you purchase the ticket by internet,and receive an e-mail confirmation with reservation number. You take the confirmation to the train station of departure and exchange the e-mail for a paper ticket.

Because it's an Intercity train, you must still validate the paper ticket (vidimare; vidimazione) in the little yellow machine by the train tracks. The machine will date and time stamp the ticket. It's then valid for 24 hours. (Because of the special promotional fare, you would not be able to make a stopover, not that you would want to, at that time of the evening!). Don't forget to "vidimare", or you will be subject to a fine!

Also, because it's an Intercity and not a Eurostar Italia train, you can't go totally "ticketless" (If you were travelling on a Eurostar Italia train with an e-mail reservation, you could obtain the paper ticket on the train itself, without standing in line at the ticket window of the station. This procedure is described in the Trenitalia English language version as well, although the specific rules are in Italian only. But this does not apply in your specific case).

Gariem

Thanks, GAC, for your helpful info.