milaedg

I was checking schedule and prices on the Trenitalia website for travel in August and found that all the trains but one that changes train in Bologna are sold out, for the entire month of August! What are my other options? Your help will be much appreciated!

mjdh1957

You're probably looking too far in advance. The probability of all trains in one day selling out is vanishingly small, especially as Italians (who make up 90% of the passengers) tend to book trains late on rather than months in advance.

Man_in_seat_61

Booking is only currently open until July - it's only April!

Here in the UK, 90% of train tickets are bought LESS THAN A MONTH before departure, and I expect it's similar in Italy.

Because we decide to see Granny the week after next, or decide on a business meeting next week, and buy tickets for that.

Trains seldom sell out even on the day of departure.

bvlenci

Trenitalia bookings are available for a maximum of 120 days in advance. In Italy, the best prices (Super economy) are snapped up quickly, maybe by savvy tourists, so it pays to count back 120 days and check on the first day they're available. Even at the last minute, there are likely to be some discounts, especially if you travel at an odd time of day. You probably wouldn't find any Super Economy prices on popular routes, though. Sometimes you can get an Economy ticket, or premium class seat for a lower price than a standard seat, up until the last minute.

Trenitalia is changing schedules in mid-June, and not all types of trains have had their schedules loaded yet. The highspeed Frecciarossa and the sort-of-fast Frecciargento schedules are all up, but I've noticed that the slower Frecciabianca and InterCity schedules are lagging. The snail-paced regional trains are always loaded at the last minute, because the Italian regions are always haggling with Trenitalia over service.

If you just want to see frequency of trains and approximate costs, use a date in the upcoming week, the same day of the week as your planned trip. The prices and schedules usually don't change much, but the types of discount available often change. However, I haven't seen any real difference in the discounts for the schedules that have already been updated.

NYCFoodSnob

<i><font color=#555555>"Trenitalia bookings are available for a maximum of 120 days in advance. In Italy, the best prices (Super economy) are snapped up quickly"</font></i>

There are plenty of Super Economy fares available the first week of June for Venice-to-Milan, which is only 50 days in advance. Ticket availability really depends on numerous factors. Making a blanket statement that "the best prices are snapped up quickly" is far from true. All one has to do is punch in the numbers and see for yourself. Some people talk but don't travel.

Dukey1

I'm skeptical about that 120 days out statement, too. I tried booking more than 90 days out last week and my attempts to do so (on line anyway) were all rejected.

kybourbon

Trenitalia fast trains are bookable 120 days in advance if Trenitalia gets them loaded. If it's a regional train, only 7 days in advance (no discounts for regional trains and more restrictions for regional tickets bought online).

Trenitalia is notoriously slow loading fares and currently only have fares loaded for that route through Aug. 2. The seasonal fare change is twice a year (2nd weekend in June and 2nd weekend in Dec.)and all fares may not be fully loaded until week before the seasonal change. They have been getting them loaded earlier the last few years. You have to keep checking.

It could also be they are going to add a few more runs or promos for August as that is vacation season for much of Europe.

bvlenci

I'm quite sure that I travel in Italy much more than people who live in New York. The question was about travel in August, not June, and the schedules are loaded only through the beginning of that month at the moment.

I also stand by my statement that the SUPER Economy tickets are snapped up quickly. Taking a random day in June, the 18th, there are only two trains, between Milan and Venice, both leaving Milan before 8 AM, that still have the cheapest Super Economy tickets (€9) left in standard class. There are plenty of trains that still have Economy tickets left, and I did say that other discounts (apart from Super Economy) are often available even at the last minute.

If you want to express opinions on subjects about which you know very little, you should at least refrain from climbing up on a pedestal and shouting.

NYCFoodSnob

<i><font color=#555555>"I'm quite sure that I travel in Italy much more than people who live in New York."</font></i>

And you're sure of this because?

<i><font color=#555555>"The question was about travel in August, not June"</font></i>

Well last I looked, summer is summer. It's true that most Italians take vacation in August, so if one is looking for Super Economy tickets the first three days of August, which happen to be a weekend, acting fast would be prudent.

<i><font color=#555555>"If you want to express opinions on subjects about which you know very little, you should at least refrain from climbing up on a pedestal and shouting."</font></i>

Oh, sweetie, you make me laugh with these silly retorts. I get a kick out your hyper-competitive nature. Your pedestal is far higher than mine (at least you think it is), and it was you who used CAPS, not me.

At least you're far smarter and offer better advice than that used rag from Reno.

milaedg

I was concerned (and confused) because the website showed "Seats sold out on train 9700 . Solution can not be purchased." for all the trains Aug 3rd - 16th. I put in Sept 1, and the message is "It's not possible to buy a travel solution if the departure date is 4 months after current date."
Thank you all for your responses - it sounds like I have no reason to be concerned!
I do want the SUPER Economy tickets, and we plan on getting on one of the early trains (before 8am) at €9. It jumps to €19 after the 6:50am train.

bvlenci

I've used Trenitalia twice in the last month. You?

I even have their loyalty card, although I don't feel very loyal to them.

I have no pedestal; I try to help people and the only people I make retorts to are those who belittle other people, something I cannot abide.

bvlenci

Milaedg, There's np time limit on the super economy tickets. If you select one of the later trains, on the next page, you'll see that the super-economy tickets are sold out. It's probably true that they make fewer super-economy tickets available on the later trains, and maybe they don't even make any available on some trains. However, if you look at July 31st, which is the last day for which schedules are posted on the Milan-Venice route, you'll see that virtually all the trains still have €9 fares. As I said, they are snapped up fast.

If you can manage to buy your tickets when that day's schedule has just been posted, as I suggested above, there's a good chance to get the super economy tickets at any time of day.

kybourbon

Actually, Aug 2 fares are there, but no 9€ left until afternoon. Most are 19€ on the 2nd. Probably because it's a weekend.

I would just keep checking every day. Be sure to check 1st class also. Trenitalia is quirky in their pricing. Sometimes when all the Supereconomy for 2nd class is sold out and you are bumped to the next fare (economy), the 1st class Supereconomy is still available and is the same price as the economy fare in 2nd class. This example on that route shows all fares still available, but you can see if the 9€ is gone, you might as well buy 1st for 19€ if available.

2nd 1st
BASE 37. 50 € 51. 50 €
ECONOMY 19. 00 € 29. 00 €
SUPER ECONOMY 9. 00 € Limited Seats 19. 00 € Limited Sea