| Wooders101 |
Mar 30th, 2010 04:19 AM |
Hi Marianne123. The fast trains in Italy are the Eurostars and are a great way to travel quickly between the major cities. For example, the Eurostar journey between Venice and Florence will take about 2 hours (stopping only briefly in Bologna). Between Florence and Rome it will take about 1.5 hours and between Rome and Naples, perhaps about 1.25 hrs.
When you buy a ticket on a Eurostar service, your ticket is for a specific train, on a specific day, and you have your seat allocated for you. Both the first and second class carriages are very comfortable on a Eurostar, but you may find first class is easier and more roomy when you've got luggage.
Once you are in the major cities, you can then take the slower Regional or Intercity trains to other destinations, eg. from Florence to Pisa. When you purchase a ticket on a regional train, it is valid for two months from the date you purchase it, and you can use it on any train between your selected destinations, on any day you choose (within those two months). Your seat won't be allocated, so it's first in, best dressed. Remember though, that with this type of ticket, you need to punch it in one of the little yellow boxes you will find near the platforms before you board the train - this "validates" the ticket and prints the date and time on it, and you may be fined if you don't.
There are self service ticket machines on the platforms and they have an English language option and are quite easy to use. Otherwise, you will usually find English speaking staff at the ticket counters of the big train stations.
|