GAC

DIRECT TRAINS FROM ROME FIUMICINO AIRPORT TO VENICE S. LUCIA start December 14:

Effective December 14, 2014, Trenitalia will offer two daily DIRECT Frecciargento trains from ROME FIUMICINO AIRPORT to Venezia S. Lucia, which avoid a connection at Roma Termini. These two trains will STOP for 10 minutes at Termini station, but proceed on to Florence SMN, Bologna, Padua, Mestre and Venice. THERE IS NO CHANGE OF TRAINS if you travel on one of these two DIRECT trains.

The trains will depart from the Fiumicino Airport train station at 11:08 and 15:08, and arrive in Venice 4 hours and 27 minutes later. On the Trenitalia website, enter "Fiumicino Aeroporto" and "Venezia S. Lucia". The nondiscounted "BASE" fare will be 88 Euros in second class. Discounted advance purchase promotional fares as low as 29 Euros (e.g. "SUPER ECONOMY") will be offered, but are very RISKY if a flight delay causes the booked passenger to MISS the scheduled train: a complete FORFEITURE of the train ticket. For that reason, many passengers will elect to purchase a full-fare ticket at the airport train station upon arrival, rather than risking a forfeiture of a discounted ticket purchased online in advance.

It continues to be possible to travel to Venice VIA Roma Termini station OR Roma Tiburtina station, i.e. with a CONNECTION-change of trains. Trenitalia continues to offer HOURLY (or better) Frecciargento trains to Venice from Roma Termini. The nondiscounted "BASE" fare is 80 Euros. Travel time from Termini station is 3 hours, 45 minutes. All these trains have reserved seating.

Rival Italo Treno continues to offer a five daily trains from Roma Tiburtina Station to Venice. The lowest fare is also 29 Euros (but you must add 8 Euros to reach Tiburtina from FCO airport).

www.trenitalia.com

www.italotreno.it

Dukey1

The question arises: would it be any cheaper to take the Leonardo Express from the airport to Termini and then change to the Frecciargento.

Yes, there would be a change and otherwise you would be sitting doing nothing for ten minutes at Termini. If the price difference is significant it might be worthwhile for some folks.

PalenQ

Why would the price be any different?

GAC

It costs 88 Euros from FCO to Venice on the DIRECT Frecciargento train.

It costs 14 + 80 Euros from FCO to Venice with a CONNECTION at Roma Termini.

It costs 8 + 80 Euros from FCO to Venice with a CONNECTION at Roma Tiburtina.

PalenQ

For that reason, many passengers will elect to purchase a full-fare ticket at the airport train station upon arrival, rather than risking a forfeiture of a discounted ticket purchased online in advance.>

But OTOH 29 euros is not that much of a sum to bet on if you are satisfied with building in ample time for planes being a little late - long lines at Customs, etc. - then if early just head for a caffe in the station and relax - and if you miss the train you are only out 29 euros all told but if OK could save a bundle.

annhig

mille grazie per l'informazione, GAC.

thursdaysd

Why fly to Rome if you want to go to Venice? Last time I checked Venice had an airport. In fact, two aiports.

GAC

That's very true: 29 Euros versus 88 Euros is quite a savings if things pan out (although paying a total of 117 Euros versus 88 Euros is a bit of a financial "hit", if things go sideways).

Dukey1

As I asked upthread: "The question arises: would it be any cheaper..."

And you have answered the question.

Why would anybody not just fly to Venice? Who knows but then one has the cost of getting from the airport into the city and that cost depends on how fast you want to get there now doesn't it?

thursdaysd

I've found the bus plus vaporetto to work just fine.

annhig

but it also stops at Florence, Bologna, etc - it seems to me to be quite a big advantage to be able to get the train straight there instead of having to fiddle around at Termini, so long as the times work out with flight arrivals.

kybourbon

>>> it seems to me to be quite a big advantage to be able to get the train straight there instead of having to fiddle around at Termini,<<<

Many flights from the US arrive 7am or so. You would have to hang around quite a bit for that 11:08 train.

FCO-Firenze
2nd base/econo/superecono - 51/29-39/19€
1st - 71/51/39

FCO-BQ
2nd - 64/39/29
1st - 89/59/39

FCO - Padova
2nd - 83/49/29
1st - 108/79/59

FCO/Ven SL
2nd - 88/49/29
1st - 117/79/59

>>>As I asked upthread: "The question arises: would it be any cheaper..."<<<

For just a tad cheaper, you could always take the TAM bus to Rome's Ostiense station (4€) and connect to an Italo train (80€ full fare), but they have less departures from that station.

There's also bus service from FCO to Siena now (via Grosetto, Orbetello, Civitavecchia). Departures from FCO at 9:45 and 14:30 - 22€

annhig

Many flights from the US arrive 7am or so. You would have to hang around quite a bit for that 11:08 train. >>

lol, ky, i wasn't just thinking about the convenience of people arriving from the US.

kybourbon

You mean there are people on this board other than Americans?

nochblad

That's very true: 29 Euros versus 88 Euros is quite a savings if things pan out (although paying a total of 117 Euros versus 88 Euros is a bit of a financial "hit", if things go sideways).

GAC - don't see your logic here. The correct interpretation is weighing a saving of 59 against a supplement of 29.

Also this news unfortunately emphasizes yet again the Rome centric Trenitalia/Alitalia lobby.

Why aren't there Malpensa direct trains to Venice and elsewhere?

It is clear that Malpensa does not fit into current Alitalia/Etihad plans. Unfortunately the declassification of Malpensa over the years and the idea that businessmen from the north of Italy would fly to Rome to make their intercontinental connections never worked out. Many now fly to Zurich, Munich, Frankfurt or elsewhere and Alitalia and Rome has lost this business for ever.

GAC

We're saying the same thing, but from a different perspective. The possibility of forfeiting the discounted ticket results in a total fare of 117 Euros, instead of just 88 Euros for a "BASE" rate fare purchased at the last moment. While it's counterintuitive, for some people, it's harder to potentially forfeit 29 Euros than it is to potentially save 59 Euros.

GAC

Trenitalia has finally gotten around to updating its website (Italian only) to advertise the new direct Frecciargento trains between FCO Airport and Firenze SMN/Bologna Centrale/Padova/Venezia Mestre/Venezia S. Lucia:

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...00008916f90aRC

Better late than never!!! (???)

annhig

thanks, GAC. We will be flying straight from LGW into Venice in February, but it's still worth knowing about the option.

on one day I'm there I'm thinking about going to Padova for the afternoon - it looks as if there are plenty of trains, but I'm wondering if I would save any money by booking. what do you think?

the website is showing that the lowest single fare is €9, but I don't know what the standard fare is.

GAC

Between Venice and Padova, forget about the reserved trains (16 Euros standard "BASE" fare), just take one of the UNRESERVED regionale or regionale veloce trains (4.05 Euros). Purchase the ticket minutes before the trip, at the train station electronic ticket machine, then stamp it in the validation machine before boarding. The paper ticket for the unreserved train is valid for 6 hours after validation, so you have several departure time alternatives, and are not locked into any particular departure time. The trip takes about 45 minutes.

annhig

thanks, GAC - looks like a much better idea.