Venice to Rome via Pisa in 1 day

Old Aug 28th, 2016, 06:50 AM
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Venice to Rome via Pisa in 1 day

Hi, We (4 adults) wish to start early on 30th December 2016 from Venice, take a train to Florence, spend 1-2 hours in Florence seeing the monuments, take a train to Pisa, spend 1 hour near Leaning Tower, take a train and arrive in hotel in Rome by evening. We can keep luggage at Florence/Pisa train station.
Please suggest cheapest option if available than train travel. When and how should I do online train ticket booking?
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 07:54 AM
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"We (4 adults) wish to start early..." How early? Unless you only want to see piazzas and the exterior of buildings in Florence, there isn't much reason to arrive too early. You could leave Venice at about 5:00a and arrive at 7:30a, or leave Venice at about 7:30a and arrive Florence at 9:30a.

Sunrise in Florence is at 7:49a that day. If you want to see the Leaning Tower area in full daylight, be aware that sunset that day will be at 4:48p.

It sounds like you intend to check your bags at both the Florence and Pisa stations. Make sure you factor time in your itinerary to both leave and retrieve your things. I don't know from experience, but I suspect the stations will be very busy that weekend. I do know that anything involving 4 people takes additional time.

I can't imagine a cheaper option than trains that would work for this plan. You can buy tickets (hopefully discounted) when the timetables for that period are posted. Current timetables run through Dec. 10th, and you have to keep checking for your travel date. I think you can set up a booking alert.

http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 01:01 PM
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I would check the luggage in Pisa, not Florence.

It takes about 2 hours to get to Florence from Venice by fast train. I would suggest buying this ticket well in advance, because you can save a lot of money. The discounted tickets can't be modified without a large penalty, but you can be pretty sure you won't miss the train (unless you oversleep). At the moment, tickets aren't available after December 10th, but keep checking on the following site, as tickets for the fast trains get posted pretty early, and the best discounts sell out quickly.

http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en

You need to use the Italian names of cities, and the stations you want are Venezia Santa Lucia, Firenze S. Maria Novella, Pisa Centrale, and Roma Termini.

From Florence to Pisa, you have to take a regional train, and there's no point in buying this ticket in advance. The price is fixed, and the ticket is not for a specific train.

The fastest connection from Pisa to Rome usually involves returning to Florence, but there's a fast direct train from Pisa to Rome at 5:10 PM that just might suit you. You could save money by buying the ticket in advance, but you would lose flexibility. At least if you check the bags in Pisa, you would have the choice. Allow ample time to pick up the bags.

You could leave Venice at around 7:30 and be in Florence at about 9:30. Leave Florence at around 1:30 and be in Pisa at around 2:30. Leave Pisa at 5:10 and be in Rome at 8:03, just at Italian dinner time.

I would plan on just a ground-level view of the tower. In Florence, I would skip the museums. View the Duomo from the outside, but go inside the Baptistery to see the amazing early medieval golden mosaics on the inside of the dome. Walk around Piazza della Signoria, and admire the replica of Michelangelo's David. Walk along the Arno and cross ths Ponte Vecchio. I highly recommend visiting the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, right by the train station. It has a museum-worthy collection of outstanding Renaissance art. Read up on it in your guide book to get the most from the visit.
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 02:56 PM
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for great info on discounted Italian train tickets check yes www.trenitalia.com but also www.seat61.com which gives advice doing it -not as easy for some as others - Yes Florence to Pisa is a regional train - no need to buy ahead as bvlenci mentions - buy it in Venice's train station before leaving Venice and specify what time you will be using it and remember to validate regional tickets before getting on the car by sticking it in a validating machine in stations or it will not be considered to be valid.

Pisa to Rome is IME more scenic along the coast and you can go direct -going back to Florence's hectic SMN station and changing is a hassle.

In addition to the excellent advice from bvlenci check these sites also for general info on Italian trains - www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com- first class tickets are also discounted and if not much more go for them as it is a more relaxed ride IME and more room to stow luggage.

Book your visit for the Tower ahead of time if you want to be able to go up -long lines otherwise.
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 03:00 PM
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I feel like I'm missing something: wouldn't have to check your luggage in both Florence and Pisa?
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 05:13 PM
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Be aware that an hour will not let you ascend the Leaning Tower - which is something you need advance timed tickets for anyway. If you just want to look at the outside, fine but it's kind of a long detour.
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 05:31 PM
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"I would check the luggage in Pisa, not Florence."

Umm, not sure how that would work in the plan for the day.

angel1, consider the possibility that you find Florence so interesting with so many things to see that you decide to spend all of your available time there and not go to Pisa. (Don't forget you'll want time for lunch.) If you think there's any chance of this, consider carefully what train tickets you buy in advance. Advance-purchase discounts are nice, but they do lock you into a plan you might wish you could change.

Don't choose the Pisa to Rome "scenic" route along the coast for the views. It will be dark (without even moonlight) after 5:00p, so just take the train that works best.
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 05:58 PM
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Be aware that an hour will not let you ascend the Leaning Tower - which is something you need advance timed tickets for anyway. If you just want to look at the outside, fine but it's kind of a long detour.
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 07:00 PM
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One to two hours "seeing the monuments" in Florence on a day that somebody thinks is going to be busy. I think you'll be lucky to see ONE monument if you're lucky. I am amazed that anyone on this thread hasn't bashed you for having the nerve to say that the "tower" is more important, or just as important, as anything in Florence.

Enjoy your day, though.
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 07:28 PM
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I know you didn't ask, but I do think your plan is too busy to be enjoyable. I would choose to visit either Pisa or Florence and then continue on to Rome.
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 09:10 PM
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It is usually best to help people find a way to do the trip they want, but this is not a good idea.

Seriously, you would have to put your stuff in the luggage place in Florence and pick it up again and repeat that in Pisa. You can't drag it around for 3 or 4 hours. There may be no lines, but often there are and take a few minutes in each place.

Honestly, the tower is iconic and, IMHO, beautiful, as is the cathedral. However, there is so much in Florence that is just as worthwhile. Seeing only the outside of places in Florence and not going in is missing the point. The inside of Santa Croce is a must see interior. Read about the history and artistry of the Duomo and bell tower, and Baptistery and you will want to absorb some of that beauty. Seeing the sculpture of David in the Academia will change forever the way you see and understand sculpture. The Botticelli paintings in the Uffizi are perhaps some of the most beautiful anywhere, with no added travel time. It is worth going to the Uffizi just for those and Michaelangelo's The Holy Family. See them, you never forget them. I am not even saying slow travel. I am saying don't run right past the best trying to see everything. You won't see anything! You might as well watch a video!

As I recall, you are the family that has to land in Paris, but train to Brussels, backtrack to Paris, and return to Brussels for the train to Amsterdam to catch a flight home.

Don't let your trip be a blur. If you absolutely must see Pisa, fine. Forget Florence. Don't waste time with the luggage, etc. just for a walk. See the tower. Go on to Rome and have a bit more time there.
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 09:21 PM
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Will not climb the Pisa Tower. We will just spend an hour around it and return to station by bus. Will keep the bags at Pisa station and will book Pisa-Roma train as suggested by you. Visit to florence is just to get a feeling of an Italian architecture, while utilising the valuable time available to on this day.
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 11:27 PM
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Having read your other thread about this entire, misconceived trip, I honestly think something is going to go very wrong with the plan for this day, and possibly others. I doubt you have given any thought to details such as checking that luggage (4 people, strange stations, finding the luggage storage room, having the exact change for each locker, reading Italian to figure out how to lock and unlock the compartment, keeping track of the ticket you're likely to get with the code to get back into the locker....) - these things look good on paper; they all eat (sometimes seriously) into your schedule.

That's just one example. Then there are all the train connections and getting from the train stations to the sites you want to see, in strange territory with everything signed in a foreign language.

Pick either Pisa or Florence. Even with that plan, there will be glitches.
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Old Aug 29th, 2016, 08:56 AM
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This was a fun thread to read, with all the divergent opinions.

Like bvlenci who tried to provide train info earlier, there are frequent regional trains from "Firenze S. M. Novella" to "Pisa Central", one way takes about 60-min. If the OP wants to spend 1 hour at the Piazza dei Miracoli (with all 3 beautiful monuments together, not just the tower), and assume they will take taxi from Pisa Centrale to the Field of Miracle, then the total time, including waiting for train in Florence and finding lockers (or a manned luggage storage service) in Pisa Centrale, and then train from Pisa Centrale to Roma Termini (as opposed to train from Firenze S. M. Novella to Roma Termini) a detour to Pisa will add about 4 hours to this busy traveling day.

As they come from far away land, and don't know when they will be back in Italy again, I can understand why OP wants to "see" both Florence and Pisa. So if they are happy/willing to absorb the 4 hours spent on the move, that is their call.
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Old Aug 29th, 2016, 09:44 AM
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Yes it's doable but a long tiring day perhaps but yes if only one chance to glimpse the Leaning Tower and other exquisite buildings on the square go for it.
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Old Aug 29th, 2016, 10:23 AM
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Renting a car wouldn't help ?

Leave luggage in the trunk, and no waiting for train.
Pisa is very easy to drive in and I expect lots of parking space at that time, and Firenze, well I also drove into it and didn't find it that difficult.

Even for US citizens it should be doable ;-)
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Old Aug 29th, 2016, 10:45 AM
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Trains are much faster than cars - you may have problems doing that all in one day by car - and many do not advise driving into Florence because of the dread no cars allowed zones with cameras taking plate numbers and renters getting huge tickets to pay from their car rental agency months later after they return.
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Old Aug 29th, 2016, 11:37 AM
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Yes, however Rome Firenze Venice is 6 hours - sure it is so much quicker by train, when you have to buy your tickets, find the track, be in advance, find the lockers etc ?

In all cases, it sounds quite optimistic for me - we did Rome Firenze Pisa, Siena and Venice in ... 15 days.
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Old Aug 29th, 2016, 11:54 AM
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Whathello, are you suggesting they rent the car and drive from Venice to Florence to Pisa to Rome, or just from Florence to Pisa to Rome?

I think it would take more time picking up and returning the car to the car rental places than getting on the train. Especially true if they take the train from Venice to Florence, then pick up the car.

They have enough to worry about without a car rental added in.

Four people have luggage. Doubt it could all be hidden and leaving it in the car is not a good idea.
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Old Aug 29th, 2016, 12:05 PM
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I may be wrong, but there might also be more road traffic than usual that day. Friday, December 30th.

Then again, the train stations will probably be busy too.
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