Dumb train question - Italy
 

A friend told me to be sure to get a compartment for day travel. I only see sleeper compartments available. Same thing?
And what is your preference for seating for a 5-6 hour trip in the daytime (1st class, 2nd, etc.)? Thanks.

P.S. We will be on trains during Ferr'agosto which is supposed to be really crowded.

I don't understand your friend's recommendation.

If you are traveling on ES trains (the fastest and most expensive) many find 2nd class fine though for a 6-hour trip might opt for more room in 1st class. Reservations are included with your ticket.

If you are traveling for 6 hours on an IC train, I would go 1st class (nicer, less crowded) and pay the modest reservation fee to be sure to have a seat. (IC trains have open seating--if you don't reserve, you might end up standing the whole way.)

Hi M,

As best I know, you can't get a one-person compartment anymore, if you ever could.

Go to www.trenitalia.com and simulate buying a ticket. You will see the seating arrangement.

The newer IC trains are arranged like aircraft, with rows of seats.

The older ones have compartments, with two benches facing each other. You would have to reserve all of the seats to get the compartment to yourself.

For more than 4 hours, I recommend 1cl for people over 45.

((I))

((I))

Do they have any "cars" that are cell phone free? Two years ago we bought 1st class from Milan to Venice and ended up near 4 people who talked non-stop on their phones!

More and more trains have Quiet Cars where cell phones are banned but i don't know about Italy. Italians seem especially welded to their cell phones.

Some trains are configured with compartments (that you share with other people) and some have rows of seats facing forward, or facing each other. I thought that was just depending on what type of train you are on, not anything you can request.

Has your friend traveled in Italy recently? Maybe she can clarify what she means?

For the August holiday you should ensure both air conditioning and reservations well in advance...very, very big, hot holiday, in all senses!

Thank you, everyone!

I'll be sure to get reservations; we sure don't want to stand the whole way, or be left without transportation.

I'm going to make sure our hotel has air-conditioning, but do only some trains have it?

Suze, I'll have to ask my friend again what she meant.

I'm pasting part of an inquiry I made on someone else's thread here, so I'll have it together:

Author: Maire
Date: 04/25/2006, 01:38 pm
because of the Ferr'agosto holiday, I'm wondering about availabilty of tickets:

. . . Can Italians buy their tickets earlier than 2 months prior, or does that rule apply to everyone? I'm wondering if there will still be tickets available on June 15 when I am first allowed to purchase them from Trenitalia.
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Author: ellenem
Date: 04/25/2006, 01:50 pm
No one can purchase two months ahead. To beat lines at train stations, use the ticket machines. There is an English language option and they are easy to use.

There are differing procedures for different types of trains - the eurostar is the fastest train and you have to reserve seats, you need to do this in advance most of the year and especially at peek holiday periods.

This page has to be updated (travel agents now charge a supplement for tickets and the trenitalia site doesn't) but maybe it will give you some help:
http://www.italywithus.biz/main_page..._transport.htm

Thank you for the info and the link, Helen.