LindaLakaleelee

Hi there, We are traveling from La Spezia to Venice on July 2cd a thursday this summer and need some help on train trips. We want to avoid many changes on the way and also want to get there the quickest way possible, probably like everyone else! Thanks for any advice you have : )

branderson925

Are you looking to go through Florence on your way to Venice, hence the title? I've taken the train from La Spezia to Florence where I was living a couple of years ago and it was less than 2 hours and cost less than 20 EU.
I can help more if you clarify where exactly you're headed

branderson925

Either way if you are planning on taking the train from La Spezia to Venezia, it will most likely stop in Firenze at Santa Maria Novella. The quickest trip would probably be a 4 hr 30 min trip which would involved two connections: one in Pisa from La Spezia, than from Pisa to Firenze. From Firenze you'd likely get on the higher-speed train lines (like the Frecciargento). All said it will probably be 50-60 EU

LindaLakaleelee

Thanks for that advice. We aren't sure what city we should plan to go through to get to Venice. Whatever is the most direct and fastest I suppose. How do you recommend we make reservations for the train? I read somewhere that if you make it several months in advance its cheaper.

bvlenci

There are a few direct trains from La Spezia to Florence, but most of them involve a change in Pisa. Then there are frequent direct trains from Florence to Venice. That means you'd have three different trains to get from La Spezia to Venice, unless you take one of the few direct trains from La Spezia to Florence. Almost all of the direct trains are in the afternoon, which would get you to Venice rather late.

There are more frequent direct trains from La Spezia to Milan, where you can also get direct trains to Venice. This is a longer trip, but it's an easier way to get to Venice with one change of train.

You can usually save money by buying tickets in advance on the fast trains. To get the best prices, you'd need to buy them 120 days (almost four months) in advance, and I never make firm plans that far ahead. The discounted tickets cannot be refunded if you change your mind, and if you want to change them to take a different train, you can only change them for a full-price ticket, and only up until the day before travel. For that reason, I don't buy discounted tickets unless the savings are more than a few euros.

If you miss a connection because of the late arrival of an earlier train, they'll change your tickets free even if they were discounted tickets.

If you travel through Florence, a lot of the trains on the route are regional ("regionale" or "regionale veloce" trains. These tickets are never discounted, so there's no advantage to buy them online, and, furthermore, if you buy them online, they can't be refunded for any reason at all. For this reason, I don't recommend buying them online. In your case, I would try to find an itinerary that avoids regional trains, or if that's not convenient, I'd buy just the tickets that aren't on regional trains. You can buy the regional tickets at any station. They are not for a particular train, so you have to stamp them in a machine at the trackside, to prevent them being reused, just before boarding the train.

You can see train schedules and prices here:

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...005817f90aRCRD

You have to use the Italian names of the cities, and they show a choice of stations. For Venice, you'd normally want "Venezia S. Lucia". For Florence, choose "Firenze S. Maria Novella", and for Milan, "Milano Centrale".

flpab

The stop in Pisa is a very short one and also very easy. Small train station. We bought tickets day of from the machine. It is a nice ride but many little stops on the slow train. Carrara, home of the marble was interesting to see from the window. Lots of little villages.

kybourbon

>>>How do you recommend we make reservations for the train? I read somewhere that if you make it several months in advance its cheaper.<<<

Schedules change in June and December and are valid for 6 months. Trenitalia is usually slow adding them so even when you are 4 months from your July date, they might not be loaded to purchase yet. You will have to keep checking until they are. Are you actually starting in La Spezia or one of the CT towns?

Mimar

The Man in Seat 61's website (seat61.com) has very detailed information about buying train tickets and traveling by train in Italy.