changing trains in ventimiglia train station
Dec 27th, 2010 | 04:39 AM
#2
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,422
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Which way are you traveling?
If you are coming from Italy to catch a train into France, there is a fair chance your Italian will be late.
I have never switched at Ventimiglia, but if you need to switch platforms as well as trains, most Italian train platforms do not have escalators or easy to find elevators, and you generally need to descend stairs and ascend stairs to make the switch. Heavy luggage or traveling with small-ish children will slow you down.
Also, if you've never switched trains in an Italian train station, it is not always obvious where to look to find the number of the platform you need. (And even if you understand Italian, the train announcements can be drowned out by noise.) Perhaps someone more familiar with making the switch will show up here, but if not, post your question on the TripAdvisor message board because there is a regular poster over there who lives not far from Ventimiglia and is very knowledgeable.
When I first started traveling to Italy, I often tried to find other English-speakers on the train to give me pointers. People are usually happy to do it, and if they are also getting off at Ventimiglia, they will help you locate the right platform.
If you are coming from Italy to catch a train into France, there is a fair chance your Italian will be late.
I have never switched at Ventimiglia, but if you need to switch platforms as well as trains, most Italian train platforms do not have escalators or easy to find elevators, and you generally need to descend stairs and ascend stairs to make the switch. Heavy luggage or traveling with small-ish children will slow you down.
Also, if you've never switched trains in an Italian train station, it is not always obvious where to look to find the number of the platform you need. (And even if you understand Italian, the train announcements can be drowned out by noise.) Perhaps someone more familiar with making the switch will show up here, but if not, post your question on the TripAdvisor message board because there is a regular poster over there who lives not far from Ventimiglia and is very knowledgeable.
When I first started traveling to Italy, I often tried to find other English-speakers on the train to give me pointers. People are usually happy to do it, and if they are also getting off at Ventimiglia, they will help you locate the right platform.
Dec 27th, 2010 | 07:21 AM
#3
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 12,820
Likes: 0
zeppole, I have switched trains in Italy many times and sometimes I just had 10 minutes between trains..Never had any problems before..Unless is a regional train, then maybe it may be late.
Ventimiglia is not a very big station..
Ventimiglia is not a very big station..
Dec 27th, 2010 | 10:08 AM
#4
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,422
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kismetchimera,
I live on the train line that runs from Nice to La Spezia and I've encountered Inter-City trains and ES trains as much as 90 minutes "in ritardo". In fact, for the past four months I've commuted to Bologna and from Bologna every week, riding only IC and FrecciaBianca trains, and 3 of them were more than 30 minutes late. Last week I took a FrecciaRossa from Bologna to Napoli that arrived 40 minutes late.
The many times I've traveled to and from Nice, the trains on the French side were always on time -- but that doesn't mean they can't be late. The line running from Genova to Ventimiglia (and in the opposite direction as well) is notorious for being one of the oldest and least reliable (and unfixable) train runs in Italy.
If you think I'm putting Italy down, I'm not. I live here. On the Italian Riviera. I was trying to help a fellow traveler with the realities. If I wanted to take a vacation to France by train from Italy, I'd buy a ticket and and change in Ventimiglia, and not worry about not making the connection. Even in Milan, I can make a 10 minute connection.
But if I absolutely had to be in France by a certain hour, I'd either by a train ticket that gave me at least an hour's grace or drive. (In fact, I'd drive.)
I live on the train line that runs from Nice to La Spezia and I've encountered Inter-City trains and ES trains as much as 90 minutes "in ritardo". In fact, for the past four months I've commuted to Bologna and from Bologna every week, riding only IC and FrecciaBianca trains, and 3 of them were more than 30 minutes late. Last week I took a FrecciaRossa from Bologna to Napoli that arrived 40 minutes late.
The many times I've traveled to and from Nice, the trains on the French side were always on time -- but that doesn't mean they can't be late. The line running from Genova to Ventimiglia (and in the opposite direction as well) is notorious for being one of the oldest and least reliable (and unfixable) train runs in Italy.
If you think I'm putting Italy down, I'm not. I live here. On the Italian Riviera. I was trying to help a fellow traveler with the realities. If I wanted to take a vacation to France by train from Italy, I'd buy a ticket and and change in Ventimiglia, and not worry about not making the connection. Even in Milan, I can make a 10 minute connection.
But if I absolutely had to be in France by a certain hour, I'd either by a train ticket that gave me at least an hour's grace or drive. (In fact, I'd drive.)
Dec 27th, 2010 | 10:20 AM
#5
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
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Why only 11 minutes between trains when the Cote d' Azur shuttle trains run I believe about twice hourly - why not leave yourself more time? Like 41 minutes, if you are concerned (and I would be with 11 mins because of late arriving trains)
Dec 27th, 2010 | 01:29 PM
#6
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,738
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The obvious question is, what's the consequence of missing your connection?
If you're going from (say) San Remo to Paris and changing at Ventimiglia or Nice onto the last TGV of the day to Paris with a reserved seat and a non-refundable, non-changeable ticket, I'd say, catch an earlier train from San Remo to make sure you make it.
But if you're going from (say) Milan to Nice, trains run every 30 minutes between Ventimiglia and Nice, with no reservation necessary, so what's the big deal about missing the 11 minute connection and ending up on the next one?
If you're going from (say) San Remo to Paris and changing at Ventimiglia or Nice onto the last TGV of the day to Paris with a reserved seat and a non-refundable, non-changeable ticket, I'd say, catch an earlier train from San Remo to make sure you make it.
But if you're going from (say) Milan to Nice, trains run every 30 minutes between Ventimiglia and Nice, with no reservation necessary, so what's the big deal about missing the 11 minute connection and ending up on the next one?
