dosu

If my flight lands at FCO at 7am(10/29), do you think we can an 8:50am train at Rome termini?

Zerlina

If you mean getting a train out of Roma Termini at 8:50, I don't think so.
It's 31 minutes Fiumicino to Termini, and the Leonardo Express only goes every half hour at :05 and :35. You'd have to catch the 8:05, and I don't think it's realistic to think that going through passport control, picking up luggage, getting to the Fiumicino train station and buying a ticket can be done in 1 hr 15 min - even if your flight is on time.

Zerlina

Ooops! Even less so in 1 hr <b>5</b> min!

dosu

Thank you ... it was wishful thinking on my part!

BoulderCO

It is theoretically possible but everything would have to go perfectly - off the plane quickly, short lines in passport control, luggage coming off quicker then usual , etc. etc. I think the odds are 50-50 at best.

dosu

thanks, we'll hope for the best!

SusanP

I think this might require a miracle, but it also might depend on which airline you're flying with. I get out pretty quickly with Lufthansa, having stopped in Munich or Frankfurt. In any event, I sure wouldn't count on it!

dosu

This will be on Continental non stop from Newark(New York). I was hoping to buy train tickets on line to avoid having to figure that out when we get there. If I buy the earlier(time) 1st class Eurostar ticket, I suppose I can't use it on the next later train? Can I trade it in when i get there for the next one... and how easy is that to do when I don't speak any Italian!

bobthenavigator

A taxi is 40E---a shuttle bus even less. Why mess with the train?

rkkwan

Where are you going? I doubt the train leaving Rome Termini will be sold out in first anyways. So, why not just buy the ticket at the FCO train station? That way you don't need to worry about the plane being delayed, long immigration lines, etc.

SusanP

Coming direct from NY, you have even less of a chance. I like to buy my train tickets ahead of time, too, but this is a situation where it doesn't make sense to do so. I don't think there's any way you will make that first train.

dosu

going rome to venice. yes, guess i'll just get the ticket when i get there. another question, i've read that there is a 'machine' to purchase tickets that is in english, i assume this would be the easiest way? can reserve seats? also, how do i know which seats are the ones that have just two seats together, instead of the four together? Any way to see a seating chart anywhere?
thanks.

rkkwan

I don't think there are machines at the FCO train station. There's a manned TrenItalia counter right there and they speak English. Across on the other side of the small station is a &quot;360&quot; travel agent. They can also get you the ticket. Same price.

You'll be buying the Leonardo Express AND the separate Eurostar ticket, at the FCO train station.

Have you looked at flying? Not much more expensive than the train, but a lot faster.

dosu

rkkwan...good point! oddly enough, i hadn't thought of flying. original plan was to go to Florence first, but now that it's a 4 1/2 hrs to Venice, that might be a good idea.
but if i do stay with the train, i can get ES tickets BEFORE i get to rome termini? is this &quot;360&quot; a travel agent?
thanks..looking into flights now.

rkkwan

Correct. You can buy your Eurostar ticket at any Trenitalia station, which the FCO one is. The &quot;360&quot; is a travel agent.

Last time I used the Leonardo Express, I bought from them because there was a short line at the Trenitalia window. So, I walked across to them instead.

ellenem

You can buy ALL your train tickets at the train station at the airport (FCO). The ticket agent at FCO will have a good idea of how much time you have and therefore which train you'll be able to catch once you reach Roma Termini.

dosu

Ok.. an AirOne flight to Venice leaves FCO at 8:50 and Alitalia at 8:55 or 9:45. I'm supposing the earlier flights I won't make as well, since i get into FCO at 6:50? Is Alitalia in the same terminal as Continental?

rkkwan

CO will come in Terminal C. Alitalia to VCE will depart Terminal A. Connected terminals, short walk.

LoveItaly

Hello dosu, my thought is if you are going onto Venice if you take the train you can take it all the way to the Venice Santa Lucia station (which is right along the Grand Canal). If you fly from Rome to Venice you will of course be at the airport and will still have to &quot;work&quot; your way to Venice proper. Personally I would take the train.

liz10

We did exactly what you are doing in mid-July. Continental from Newark to Rome and then train to Venice. We'd missed our Newark connection to Milan so at the last minute took the flight to Rome. Fortunately, we hadn't bought our train tickets ahead of time. At FCO we bought our tickets to both Termini and to Venice at the Trenitalia office. The man who sold us the tickets spoke english and was helpful and charming - a relief after a very frustrating and long day and night. The whole thing turned out to be easy and fast, and 3 of us were able to sit together to Venice.

Tip: Be sure you get a ticket all the way to S. Lucia in Venice. The ticket agent originally sold us just a ticket to Maestre. He then quickly got us a 3rd ticket for the last, but very short, leg of the trip.