I have a couple of questions using the site

1. We are hoping to catch the Eurostar from Naples to Florence on a Saturday morning Jan 28. What are my chances arriving half an hour beforehand and buying three 2nd class tickets or should I try and book them ahead?

2. On the basis that I might have to book ahead I have been rehearsing using the site. When it comes to picking seats on the train which are the best ones and what numbering do I use?

3. Is there anything else I should bear in mind when using the site?

Sorry another query..

In the section where it says fare...what do I use?

When are you arriving in Italy? If you are anywhere in the country a day or two ahead of time, you can buy a ticket at any train station once you hit the ground without a problem.

Hi alb,

I agree with J6. Unless Jan 28 is a major holiday, buy your train tickets when you get to Italy. You can do this at any train station or travel agent.

A 1/2 hr in advance is too short. You should give yourself an hour. (Italians buy their tickets by cell phone while running to catch the train, but you are not yet in that league.)

There are no "best" seats.

Re fares: On the fare screen, click on the drop down menu under "Fare". Select the 29E ES* fare. That is the lowest adult rate.

If you are two adults and a child, you MUST use the Italian language screens. Click the fare drop down menu. Go to "offerta famiglia" for the lowest fare. It will default to 2 adults and a child.

You can now choose your 3 seats.

The English language screen has a glitch. It won't let you choose 3 seats.

Remember to punch your tickets in the yellow box at the head of the track before you get on the train, unless you are on an ES*. You don't have to punch ES* tickets.

Have a nice visit.

Thank you. We arrive in Rome on the 20th. On the 25th we plan to catch a train to Sorrento via Naples.I guess that the best time to buy the Eurostar to Florence is when we first arrive in Naples. I was just concerned because it is a Saturday we have the "big" trip to Florence.
BTW thanks for the tip about puching the train ticket.

Albaaust - It would be advisable to book at least a couple of days in advance for Jan 28th as there's a rail strike on the 26/27th for 24 hours.

This means a lot of people may have to postpone their travel to the 28th - so it could be a busy day.

Steve

I would buy my Naples Florence ticket at the same time you buy the Rome - Sorrento ticket between the 20th and the 25th. No reason to wait till you get to Naples.

A good way is to print out the timetable, circle or highlight the trains you want and show it to a ticket agent. You can take care of all your train ticket buying in one shot.

Hi alb,

As J6 says, buy all of your tickets at the same time.

You can buy them at the train station at FCO when you buy your tickets to Rome TE.

If the agent is too busy, or too grumpy, buy them when you get to Rome.

Wow! Thanks Steve-you have obviously saved my little group a lot of potential problems! How did you know there is a train strike?Just proves that I had a good vibe about wanting to get those tickets beforehand. Now I am really thinking that I should book that ticket back here in Aust.

Will the strike affect the local trains as well? The reason I ask is that we had planned to travel by train from Sorrento to Pompeii on that day.

Ira excuse my ignorance but what is train station at FCO? Am I right in thinking the Rome TE is Rome central station?

We are flying in to Rome airport direct from Singapore and then have a taxi picking us up and dropping us at our apartment in Piazza Navona.
Is there a railway station close by we can use to buy the tickets as suggested or could I do it at the airport before the pickup?

Sorry, another thought..
If I buy all the tickets in one hit at a train station can I use a credit card?

FCO is the airport. There's a train station there, but since you're picked up, it doesn't not concern you.

You can just go to the main station, Roma Termini, where you were in Rome to get all your tickets. Yes, you can pay by credit card.

Hi alb,

Sorrento/Pompeii is served by Circumvesuviana, not Trenitalia.

The strike might affect them. Call your hotel in Sorrento.

In any event, you buy your tickets the day you are taking the train. It is a commuter line.

Where and when are all of your train rides?

If you are worried about getting the tickets, I would suggest you book them online beforehand which is what I did last year for our trip to Italy. Then you just get on the train with your print out. No lines, no worries. This worked very well for us and made for a smooth trip. The only problem you could run in to is if you need to change your plans. I even booked the wrong train on line by mistake and trenitalia refunded me for this trip after I emailed them to explain.

And the website www.slowtrav has detailed explanations on how to use www.trentalia.

Thanks all
Ira- the main train trips are Rome-Naples, Naples-Florence, Florence - Venice, Venice - Salzburg and thereafter, trains in Austria and Switzerland.

Can I use trenitalia for the ticket to Salzburg?

We have not booked our hotel in Sorrento yet but my thinking is that if there is a strike we might stay in Naples the night before train trip to Florence rather than Sorrento.

just curious for our may trip...since
we are aware the trains can go on strike periodicaly, if you book online, or while in Italy, and you are
unlucky, how do you, or do you, get a
refund??? ((&amp)

Alba - The strike does not affect the Circumvesuviana as only FS staff are involved - so you have no problems getting to Pompeii.

No need to book before you get to Italy - just book 2/3 days beforehand once you're there.

If you are in the Vatican area pop into S. Pietro station to book. Much easier than Termini where there can be long queues. (If you do book at Termini, use the ticket machines to avoid queueing.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Once again thanks for all the advice everyone.
I plan to try and book the main train trips as soon as we arrive at the airport train station (FCO!). I'll let the hotel taxi know beforehand to pick us up an hour later.
I am assuming that the train station is reasonably close to where we arrive by plane.
Steve is there a train station close to the Piazza Navona/Campo Fiori area? If there is maybe I could do the booking soon after we get settled in our apartment.

The nearest is S. Pietro - just past the Vatican (5-10 mins by bus). Jump on the 64 bus (- 'pickpocket special' - beware) from Corso Emanuele (- near Piazza Navona), direction S. Petro.

S. Pietro station is the last stop.

This is better IMO than wasting time going to the station at FCO ...

Steve

Thanks Steve you have been very helpful.I'll wait until we get to Campo Fiori.

Rest assurred before we leave I am going to have a few more queries.

Till then...