FS Trains in Italy
 

What's the difference between 1st and 2nd class trains?

As far as I know it is the cars on each train that are first or second class, not whole trains. <BR>First has more comfortable seats, usually single seats or only two across. <BR>Periodically someone will come through and offer free newspapers and bottled juice, water, coffee. <BR>Second has carriage seating, upholstered <BR>banquettes that face each other, seating <BR>four or more across each banquette, so 8 or more in each grouping. <BR>I have traveled both. <BR>If you care to make an advance reservation in first class you will get a designated seat number in a specific first class car. <BR>First class cars can also be designated <BR>no smoking, but I'm not sure about <BR>second. <BR>

The configuration of 2nd class trains can vary - sometimes the seats face each other over a little table, sometimes not. There are non-smoking cars in 2nd class, and you can get a specific seat reservation if you so request,for an extra charge, as in 1st. <BR>

Good evening, Ken <BR>Can not recall a totally first class train in IT, however normally all trains are made up of first and second class <BR>cars each with smoking and non-smoking <BR>section. Some branch line railways <BR>do have nothing but second class cars, namely the communter traffic to larger cities and towns. First class cars are also idenfified by a yellow strip between the windows and the roof. When making seat reservations, the suppliment is purchased extra from the regular fare and will state the date of travel, train number, and car number as well as the seat numbers assigned to you. The platforms for the departing train are also listed in A B C D sections and the makeup board in each terminal for the major trains will indicate what section the specific trains' car number will stop when it arrives, eliminates the last minute running up and down the platform to find your car number. <BR>check out www.fs-on-line.com/ <BR>Richard of Hickory Hills. Il..... <BR>

Does anyone know if you can catch a train from the Nice/Monaco area to Milan, Italy and, if so, what are the particulars? We would like to drop off our rental car as we leave Provence and the south of France without the hassle of driving all the way to Milan to return to the United States.

There seems to be one direct train around 10am from Nice to Milan that takes 4:40 or so. The other trains involve changes. You can check the following site for your dates.http://bahn.hafas.de/bin/db.s98/dete...8/query.exe/e? <BR>Be sure to use 'Milano' in your search. <BR>

Richard, I was so pleased to read your posting re the yellow strip identifying first class. My friend and I were stumped when waiting for trains as in Italy there is no train plan on the platform as in, say, Germany. If the train was a long one and only stopping for a short time we just had to hurry on and sit wherever, despite having paid for a first class kilometrico ticket. Now I know to look out for the yellow strip, although if I'm at the wrong end of the platform I'll still have to get on wherever!

Richard of HH: You always give such good information but I'm having trouble grasping the platform ABCD sections and the car info on the "makeup board" in the stations. <BR>I used FS during my trip several weeks ago and on the first occasion while I was in the Milan station waiting for my train to Venice the only large train info board I saw gave me a platform number only. I was one of those racing up and down the platform looking for my assigned car, and I finally just got on any car and had to drag my luggage inside the train to the correct place. What did I do wrong, or not notice? <BR>elaine <BR>

Once you find the track your train is located on, there is a board that posts the train #, a description of each car (1st class, dining car...) and which section of the platform each car is located (A,B,C,D). The letters hang from the ceiling of the station. I just returned from Italy and traveled from Milan to Sorrento using by rail so this information is current. <BR> <BR>Also, note that 1st class non-smoking doesn't necessarily mean that the locals will not smoke. Pay the extra $$ for 1st class, though. We also learned that it's worth the extra $$ for EuroStar trains. <BR>

Once you find the track your train is located on, there is a board that posts the train #, a description of each car (1st class, dining car...) and which section of the platform each car is located (A,B,C,D). The letters hang from the ceiling of the station. I just returned from Italy and traveled from Milan to Sorrento by rail so this information is current. <BR> <BR>Also, note that 1st class non-smoking doesn't necessarily mean that the locals will not smoke. Pay the extra $$ for 1st class, though. We also learned that it's worth the extra $$ for EuroStar trains. <BR>

Like Elaine above, I had to run up and down in the few minutes the train was in to find my car, without any luck. I certainly didn't notice those signs Pat was talking about in 2 months of train travel in Italy. Perhaps its a new thing, as I did that trip in Sept/Oct 96.

This may not apply to all of Europe but we were in Italy last month. Based on information and help I received on this forum, we looked inside the terminals to find the yellow departure schedules,(inside a glass enclosure). They were in all RR stations. The trains are listed by departure times. Note the number of the train you're on. Then go to a nearby board which shows the physical makeup of that train. That board will tell you where your "car" is located on the train. We found that the "cars" also have a number on a piece of paper in the windows at each end of each "car" Also note that 1st and 2nd class are marked by large number 1 or 2 on the outside of the rail car. This sounds awfully complicated but I figured it out in about a day and I'm not any "smarter than the average bear."....Paul J <BR>