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fs-on-line New Website Info & Glitches (Italian Trains)

fs-on-line New Website Info & Glitches (Italian Trains)

Old Dec 13th, 2000, 12:45 PM
  #1  
Walter
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fs-on-line New Website Info & Glitches (Italian Trains)

Just a couple of glitches I've noticed while researching my train journeys/fares on their new website and directions for 1st time users.
Go to www.fs-on-line.com/ click-on "English", now don't use this page for the timetable search but go to the top/left/corner and click-on "Timetables" (Also check-out the other click-ons "Agencies, Special Offers, On Line Ticket Office etc). Use Italian city spellings (Roma etc) and pull-down your date and esp reset the "time". Now *if* when you click-on "Search" it brings you to another option where either or both the "Arrival" or "Departure" stations has a "pull-down" of 2 or more choices of stations, *there is a glitch here* and you will just go around it circles unable to choose one, you will keep getting a "pop-up" on screen. So just choose your station and hit the back button and start your search again but this time type-in the specfic station name. Example: Verona will give you 3 different stations just go back and type-in (in my case) Verona Porta Nuova. Once in the timetables to find the fares and connection info, to the left of your train under the "Select" column either click-on the train's # (1,2,3,...) or the "red square/triangle". If your fare *isn't* listed go to the bottom of that page click-on "Fares" and the next page under "Seats Number" type-in the number of seats you want *most likely* next to the "Standard Fare" line. Choose "seat reservations" and your "Class" (1st/2nd) if they are options and click-on "Fares". I haven't done it but you can now buy your tickets on-line directly thru their website. HTH Regards, Walter
p.s. The "Agencies" page will give you the names/addresses of Travel Agencies in Italy where you can buy your tickets, easily and no commission charges.
 
Old Dec 13th, 2000, 12:49 PM
  #2  
donna
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What a coincidence. I just had a problem............... I could not find the 'search' button to search the timetable. I will print out your post and maybe that will help.

thanks
 
Old Dec 13th, 2000, 01:55 PM
  #3  
nancy
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Thank you Walter!
It sounds confusing, but I will try it.
The other day I was looking for the station in Pisa,and the site was telling me there was no station in Pisa!
nancy
 
Old Dec 13th, 2000, 03:40 PM
  #4  
rlk
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Yes, the website is indiosyncratic. And you do have to enter the city names as they are in Italian.
'Rome' -- enter Roma;
'Venice' - enter Venezia;
'Florence' enter Firenze;
'Naples' - enter Napoli.

ALSO, in some circumstances you have to enter the full name of the stop. For instance, Nancy, try 'Pisa Centrale' (many of the main stations are named so-and-so Centrale). Do note that Pisa Centrale is the main stop there; there also is a small station just before called 'Pisa Rossore' --- DON'T get off there, that's outskirts of city center.

And "Venezia" (Venice) also has 2 stops; 'Venezia Mestre' is on the mainland --- it's the next stop that's on the island, 'Venezia Santa Lucia'.


 
Old Dec 13th, 2000, 04:17 PM
  #5  
tina
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- and more . . .

For families or folks traveling in small groups, check out the ‘Group’ offer listed under the ‘Special Offers’ link.

Families/Mini groups Offer
This is an offer valid for groups made up of from 3 to 5 paying passengers, including children from 4 to 12 years old. The condition is that the same people always travel together on the same route, on the same train and in the same class.

The offer permits the purchase of single and return tickets for both first and second class travel with a 30% discount on the ordinary fare. The same offer permits the purchase of first and second class tickets with a 30% discount on the ticket price for internal service travel on IC, ICN and EC trains and on Eurostar Italy trains.

A discount of half the reduced fare will be applied for children between 4 and 12 years old.

The fare discount is also extended to Local Transport trains and internal service journeys on GEIE Italy-France trains.

It is SUSPENDED, for all types of trains:

- from zero hundred hours on the 27th October to twenty four hundred hours on 5th November;
- from zero hundred hours on 1st December to twenty four hundred hours on 14th January;
- from zero hundred hours on the Friday before Palm Sunday to twenty four hundred hours on the Sunday following Easter.


 
Old Dec 16th, 2000, 04:00 AM
  #6  
nancy
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Thanks RLK and Tina,
I think I did enter a more specific Pisa station name, cause I remember having my map of train stations out.
but I will try again, maybe I spelled something wrong.
And will check out group prices, never really though of our family of 4 as a group, but I guess that is what we are!
And with one child under 12, it will be good to save some more $$
Nancy
 
Old Dec 16th, 2000, 06:38 AM
  #7  
Simon
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If you are travelling through Italy, your best bet is to buy a Biglietto Chilometrico for around $100. This gives you suffiecient travel to go from Catania to Venezia and a number of side trips (for 1 person). Youcan also use it for more than one person. It is valid on express trains, but for intercity you will need to purchase a supplement depending on distance. You buy this ticket from train stations. Check your change well in the south. Also, you need to go to the ticket counter before every journey to have your ticket stamped.

But all in all, it's a great buy !
 
Old Dec 16th, 2000, 06:50 AM
  #8  
Leeza
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=
Simon, that sounds like an interesting option. Is the 'Biglietto Chilometrico' distance or time restricted? Can you only use it to travel xxx amount of miles/kilometers OR is it good for a specific period of time?
 

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