We will be traveling from Rome to Venice on Eurostar, and everything I've read says that the reservation is included in the price of the ticket for Eurostar (even at the raileurope web site). But, when I go to purchase the tickes at raileurope and other places, they sell reservations for an additional charge. I'm confused. I thought that if I buy the ticket (and I'm getting 1st class tix), that I don't have to pay extra for a reservation.
Any help would be appreciated.

I don't recommend the Rail Europe website, it is more expensive than necessary because of their add-on fees, and also they don't always give correct info.

Try the Italian rail site, fs-on-line, or email [email protected]

While I agree with elain, I think there is a basis for understanding the whole system better.

I am going out on thin ice here because I have never bought a simple point-to-point ticket from RailEurope, but perhaps I can "un-muddy" this common confusion. It arises from the fact that neither rail nor air (nor bus?) travel is sold this way in the United States. Nor movie or theater seats or any other event that occurs at a specific time, that I can think of.

There are two costs to train travel in Europe. There is the cost of riding the train, and when you buy a fare, you are entitled to ride the train but you are not entitled to sit in a (specific) seat. Trains (at least many of them) DO travel with passengers NOT IN ANY SEAT, and this is theoretically always a risk if you travel without a reservation. The fare to ride the train is not linked to a specific seat, time or date, so it is always good for that route. It does not expire.

By contrast, a seat reservation is inherently "perishable", just like a seat to a thater performance. Once that time and date have passed, you can never get it back. Some, but not all, trains in Europe charge for a reservation; some trains don't even allow them, and on many routes, people never buy them.

So, the confusion arises from trains that REQUIRE a reservation. You are not allowed to ride certain trains without a reservation, but for a variety of reasons, you might buy them separately. You might have a rail pass, which entitles you to ride the route, but still requires you to purchase a reservation. You may have purchased both a "ride" and a reservation at the same time, but you didn't catch that train on that time/date, and so you need a new reservation (you don't have to buy a new "ride", just a new reservation for a specific seat/time/date).

Or you may have purchased a "ride" without a reservation from Raileurope.com - - honestly, I don't really know why they price fare like this, other than to make them seem cheaper. When you walk up to the counter in Italy and ask to buy a ticket for Rome-Venice, they are going to sell you both the ticket AND the reservation at the same time. There will not be a separately identified reservation price; since you can't ride that particular train without a reservation, they won't sell you "the ride without the reservation" (like RailEurope will) - - it is indeed "just included" in the price of the initial purchase. Though if you miss that reserved seat/time/date they are going to require you to buy a new reservation.

So, personally, I think that it is misleading for RailEurope to sell you a ticket without a reservation. I don't know what are the circumstances that it would make it desirable to make such a purchase.

All this leads up to the fact that RailEurope is a marketing company only; they buy tickets from the rail companies of Europe, and re-sell them at a profit. And they add on shipping and handling.

You will clearly save money to buy tickets IN Europe, ideally about 4-48 hours ahead of the time/date you know you want to travel. Or of course, there is no reason not to buy them in Europe days or weeks ahead if you choose. There is only one price IN Europe on trains that require a reservation, and the reservation IS included in that price at the time of the purchase. If for some reason you need to buy ANOTHER reservation, you will pay for that separately.

It is very straightforward if you think of train travel as a "privilege" to go (the "ride&quot from point A to B, and an "event" (the reservation) which occurs at a single date and time (and thus, if you miss it, its value is gone). If the train requires a reservation, they're going to include it in the one and only price they publish for that route. It's just different from any other travel you have ever purchased in the United States.

Here's one curious twist: I think that as a corollary, for trains on which reservations are not required, it works the same way, but I am not entirely sure. For example, on your exact same train from Rome to Venice, there will be some passengers riding only from Florence to Bologna, for example, and that route MIGHT NOT require a reservation. I believe that Ferrovie del Stato ("trenitalia&quot would honor a passenger who had a ticket and no reservation (or for example, a reservation that had been missed) - - for that limited segment. And I think that they will even sell such fares even if the train is fully booked. This helps to explain why there are sometimes empty seats on a train that is supposedly fully booked, and why you could find a "squatter" in your assigned seat - - and you might have to be persistent in insisting that you get the seat that you have indeed reserved.

I hope this explanation helps, and moreover I hope I have been fully, factually accurate. I do not, of course, work for RailEurope, nor Ferrovie del Stato.

Best wishes,

Rex

Rex,

Thank you for those of us that haven't ever used the Italian train system or it has been years since we have. I must ask one dumb question and I hope I don't get too blasted for it..

Is a reservation and a seat assignment the same thing? If we buy a ticket in Italy where we pay for the reservation inclusive of the ride, will we see the actual seat assignment on the ticket or do we need to ask for that seperately?

<<Is a reservation and a seat assignment the same thing?>>

Yes.

<<If we buy a ticket in Italy where we pay for the reservation inclusive of the ride, will we see the actual seat assignment on the ticket?>>

Yes, you will.

The seat assignment will be printed on the ticket for which a reservation has been requested (this is automatic on all Eurostar Italia trains, and optional on Intercity trains). The ticket will also identify the rail car by number, and indicate whether the reserved seat is next to a window ("finestrino&quot or next to the central corridor ("corridoio&quot (some people prefer the window to be shielded from passers by who might inadvertently tap you on the shoulder or trip over your extended leg). On Intercity trains, which are only three across within small compartments of six seats, there are also central seats ("mediano&quot. Usually, on Intercity trains, the reservation is a separate ticket generated by the computer.

Good information above

When you see your seat reservation on the ticket (the word for reservation is
Prenotazione), it will indicate a car (wagon) number.
That's where you should board the train from the platform, otherwise you'll be dragging your luggage down narrow train aisles looking for the correct car.
I speak from experience.

Thanks all for the great info!

Hi almesq

RailEurope, and other travel agencies outside Italy, sell you an "open ticket" for all trains. You must then pay extra for a reservation on a particular train, whether IC or ES*.

If you buy your ES* ticket in Italy or through www.trenitalia.com (see Trenitalia Tickets Online
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34465647) you get the ticket and reservation without paying a supplement.