Are tickets available in July from FLorence to Venice if we wait until we arrive to book? We just need second class (4) tickets...it seems easier to book there. The question is...will they be sold out?

While a train might theoretically sell out if you wait until 1 hour before departure, I think you will be fine buying your tickets 4-48 hours before you want to go. And there is very frequent service. Eurostar (higher speed) service every other hour (08:39, 10:39...) and only slightly slower service many times more often.

Best wishes,

Rex

zydecoqueen- It is very simple to buy online or in person. If you are going to be in Florence a couple of days, I would buy them ahead of time. Go to the big yellow vending machines. Push the button for English and the screens will walk you through the process. Stick in your credit card, the machine will whirr, and out will pop your tickets. Do not forget to validate the tickets before you climb on board. We saw several people with sad faces paying fines. lynclarke

We've booked from Florence to Venice in July (at SMN station) only 48 hours before departure and had no problem.

I don't know if you are plannning to take the inter-city or Eurostar, but if it's Eurostar, they have an office in the train station that is very easy to purchase tickets at. It's called Club Eurostar and is located a little ways down the right hand side of the tracks. They are very helpful.

I agree with others that you'll be OK with using the machines a little ahead of time.
If you don't want to deal with the machines and the hectic train station, I suggest you go to the travel agency across the street and buy your tickets there. They are very helpful, and there's no extra charge for buying from them. Sorry, I can't remember the name of place, but there are two or three agencies in that location, and only one sells train tickets. In fact the others have signs saying "We don't sell train tickets."

With a family of 5, all wanting to sit next to each other on the Eurostar, I thought it was much easier to just buy the tickets on line. It also made me think through when we were arriving at the next city, etc. We are renting flats with pretty narrow check in times, so I couldn't be terribly flexible with times.

We never buy tickets in advance any more. The last time I bought tickets from Rome to Florence the day before, they cancelled that train. Had to stand in line at what Italians call 'customer service' to have tickets reissued on the next train. Will NEVER do that again.

Now we arrive 15 - 20 minutes before scheduled departure and buy tickets from machine. Have never had a problem this way. The only time you would would be with a cancelled train just before you wanted to leave or on strike days.

Trains between Florence and Venice are so frequent it's almost inconceivable that you would have a problem requiring a wait of more than an hour or so.

Thanks everyone! I was inclined to wait and have an adventure at the station. Sounds like we won't have a shortage of trains. We prefer Eurostar based on other reports on this thread. Missypie when do you leave?

We plan to take the train in Oct from Mantua to Florence. If we wait to get our tickets in Mantua, do we have to go to the staion or can we get them in town? Suggestions? We won't be able to do it online. Thanks.

Hi Jed,

You can buy train tickets at any travel agent for little or no fee.

Ira - thanks.

You are welcome, Jed.