anavert

Are the trains in Italy generally smooth? Is motion sickness (for someone that gets it easily) a problem?

socialworker

HI--I think you will be fine in Italy--we were there in 2000 and took trains from Milan-Venice, Venice-Florence, and Florence-Rome. I am very prone to motion sickness and I only got it once in my life on a train from Paris to someplace in Germany--back in '92-- and that was b/c the train sort of travelled in a little gully--hard to describe--but it was like being on a ship where no fixed landmarks could be focused on, just the grassy valley the train was in.

We had to get off at the stop in Brussels and look for a pharmacy where I found the *best* motion sickness med ever, called Touristil--the Belgian name, different in other countries--that I have never found again, in spite of repeated searching. It is made by Janssen, a huge European pharmaceutical firm.

Now I tell you this overly long story mainly to make the point, that on a typical train route, this would never happen. I think we were probably on a more "local" type of inter-city train and that is why we were traveling on old fashioned tracks, as well as being submerged, so to speak. As I said, I am very prone to motion sickness and this has never happened to me before or since the above stated incident, and I have ridden frequently on European trains since then.

Kate

I haven't heard of anyone who gets motion sickness from travelling on trains - it's far more common in cars. Some people prefer to take a sit facing the direction your travelling in rather than having your back to the front of the train.

I get motion sickness if I try reading in a moving car - but have absolutedly no problems on any trains.

hlocke1

Hi anavert --

I'm extremely sensitive to motion, but had no problems on the trains. In general, I like to sit facing the direction the train is moving (rather than against it) to avoid any sickness. Also, I took the pressure wristbands made for motion sickness at sea and wore them whenever I thought there might be a chance of getting sick. They worked wonderfully.

Good luck! -- Heather.

nytraveler

Yes - it is perfectly possible to get motion sickness on a train - esp if riding backwards. Just be sure you get a seat facing forwards - and perhaps refrain from reading - that always helps me.

Underhill

I get motion sickness on the TGV--haven't travelled on other trains in years and so don't know what effect those would have. But yes, do NOT try to read, and get a seat facing forward if at all possible.

Travelnut

Also, you should limit how much time you look out the window as the scenery whizzes past - I feel a bit green just thinking about it. Just try to focus on the horizon farther out rather than the power poles, shrubs, etc flying by. I always keep some crackers or something in case my stomach gets unsettled from motion.

chepar

My sister is very easily prone to motion sickness. She took Bonine prior to each train ride and did not have any problems on the shorter train rides in Italy (max time 3 hours long) - but did become sick on the overnight train from Venice to Paris.

She had taken a Bonine prior to departing, but it wore off in the middle of the night and she forgot to take another.

nnolen

If you are prone to motion sickness (I get motion sick on EVERYTHING, including swings) I would suggest taking some medication before the ride.
They are pretty smooth, but the scenery flying by the window is enough to make my insides churn. Best to be prepared and take medication than to try it without and get sick and then spend a whole day feeling terrible (in my opinion).

suze

I just need to be in a seat facing forward, then it's OK for me (yes I am prone generally to motion sickness).

So you might want to spring for 1st class, the cars are less crowded, so a better chance of getting forward facing seats.

motor_city_girl

I have NEVER had a problem with motion sickness and unfortunately had major problems with it on our trip (April 2005). It sucked! I do think the whole looking out the window thing didn't help and I actually got sick on the train from CT to Bologna. That's something I would not wish on anyone, especially because the restroom was awful. Take some meds with you.

socialworker

Hey motor city girl--was there anything different about that train compared to others you had been on that were OK?

HKP

Not sick on normal intercity trains, a bit ill on the high-speed trains, esp. if they swoop around curves with scenery right close to the windows. Trick is, indeed, to be facing forward and -- if at all possible -- able to see out the window to a distant point that doesn't whiz by, the way close-by trees would. Keep rather distant focal points if possible and you'll do much better.

motor_city_girl

No and I had motion sickness feelings on all the rides but only got sick on that one. The other thing that sucked was that even once we were off the train, the feeling was really hard to shake.

Melissa5

Interesting discussion. I felt great on the Eurostar train rides between Naples and Florence, and between Florence and Venice. Normally I can get motion sickness on anything that moves...But no problems on the trains in Italy! After reading this discussion, my advice is don't look out the window too much...because as I recall, I was playing cards with my family, walking up and down the aisle, eating in the dining car, I thought it was fun. didn't really try to look out the window, I was too busy. maybe that's the trick! I also don't recall if I took dramamine or not...that really does work, if you are worried take it 1 hour before train ride starts.

Normally when I ride in a car, I have to look out the window, to keep from feeling sick. But for some reason I didn't need to do this on the train!

socialworker

To motor_city_girl--I also continued to feel sick for about 1-2 hours after getting off that train in Brussels. After I found the pharmacy and bought the "Touristil" and took it and very slowly drank some Coke, we had to sit in the station waiting for it to pass before we could continue on to Germany. If you do in fact, live in the motor city, you might be able to get that great motion sickness pill that I bought in Belgium. When I tried to buy it in the US, my pharmacist told me it was not sold here, but that it is available in Canada. As I said, it is made by Janssen and has several names depending on the country where it is sold. I have tried to buy it in the UK and France but to no avail. And I have not been to Belgium or Canada since that time. It has *completely different* ingredients than any of the meds available here and it is the best!!

anavert

Where can you buy Touristil? I looked ona Canadian drug website. Nothing. Also looked at Janssen.com and it searched and came up with nothing.

tdyls

I've never gotten motion sick on any train in Italy, ranging from the schlep train like the Circumvesuviana to Intercities and Eurostars. All FS trains (trenitalia) that I've traveled on have been smooth, even the diretti and regionale that are typically older equipment. The Circumvesuviana between Naples and Sorrento is generally smooth while in motion but it does tend to lurch coming into and out of stations (it is a subway, after all). I don't particularly like to ride backwards on trains, but I've done it many times and have never had any problems. Given my choice, I will face forward, but more for psychological reasons than medical: it's the idea of seeing where I'm going to that interests me, not seeing where I've just come from.

A great anti-motion-sickness aid I've discovered is called TravelGum. It's anti-motion sickness chewing gum that you can buy in any farmacia. I don't recall it being particularly expensive.

socialworker

HI anavert--I don't know the name other than the Belgian one--which would not be the same in English. By googling Belgium Touristil, I came up w/this info--
TOURISTIL 12TAB,CINNARIZINE 20MG+DOMPERIDON 15MG,JANSSEN-CILAG
That is the Belgian name and the ingredients. As far as I know, neither of these are approved by the FDA. I *have* seen CINNARIZINE only tablets in the UK, but not combined w/the other med. I have no idea if that works as well. I only know that my pharmacist, several years ago had told me that the Janssen drug containing the ingredients in Touristil--but having another local name--*was* available in Canada.