nicoleg

As my trip draws closer, I need a serious recommendation please. This will be my first trip to Italy and I want to make sure everything is perfect. I have heard conflicting reports about rail passes and I need someone to assist. We have several places that will be visited while in Italy and I want to ensure we arrive without a glitch. Do you propose we book the nicer class rail passes in advance for fear that we may not be able to get seats or do you think we should wing it and hope and pray we can get passes (also, we will be traveling with several bags, especially me, I am a serious shopper!!!).

Thanks,

Nicole

StCirq

Where are you traveling to on the trains in Italy? I can't help but also notice that you are asking about transport in Paris. I do hope you are traveling light if you are taking trains. You mention "several bags" on your post about taxis in Paris - they'd better be very light and small bags if you're traveling by train.

rex

I think your using the word "passes" when you seem to be talking about "tickets", especially in this sentence:

<<Do you propose we book the nicer class rail passes in advance for fear that we may not be able to get seats or do you think we should wing it and hope and pray we can get passes>>

I do think you should purchase your first class <b>tickets</b> <i>with seat reservations</i> soon after you arrive in Italy (or in Europe, if you are traveling in another European country before you get to Italy) - - <i>or</i> 24-48 hours before you plan to travel <i>or</i> when you are certain that you know exactly when you want to travel a particular route.

&quot;Rail <i>passes</i>&quot; are something you buy <i>before</i> you leave for Europe, and few travelers to Italy need them - - they provide for <i>unlimited&lt;/&gt; rail travel for a given number of days, and are priced accordingly. Purchasers of rail passes still need to make reservations, but you will get your reservations automatically when you buy your <i>tickets</i> for the individual routes you wish to travel. You can buy them all at once, or as needed, one at a time.

Best wishes,

Rex
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Betsy

Here's a very brief rundown on rail passes. If you are under 26, you can buy a youth rail pass in the US (I'm assuming you're posting from the US) for second class travel. If you're over 26, first class is the only rail pass option; these passes are also sold in the US. To determine whether or not a pass is even economically feasible, type your itinerary into railsaver.com and click on &quot;only if it saves me money.&quot; If it looks like a pass makes sense, go to ricksteves.com for a comprehensive run-down on what kind of pass you'll need. Otherwise, buy point-to-point tickets in Italy. You can buy your ticket a few days ahead.

A couple of suggestions: The first is to pack your several bags a week or so before you leave for your trip and carry them around the block a couple of times. I'd guess that you'll rethink taking more than one 22&quot; carry-on and a tote/daypack.

The last suggestion is to encourage you to drop your expectation of a perfect trip. Travel to distant lands often brings surprises. You'll have a better trip if you go with the flow.

Please post a trip report when you return!

Betsy

Another suggestion. Since you're a serious shopper, take a nylon laundry bag with you. When you're ready to pack for your return trip, put your dirty clothes in the laundry bag and check it at the airport. Put your newly bought treasures in your carry-on for a safe trip home.

ira

Hi nicol,

Not knowing your itinerary, I can't tell you if you should buy railpasses.

If you enter your itinerary at www.railsaver.com it will tell you if a pass will save you money.

If you are planning on taking one of the high speed trains TGV, THALYS or ES* you will have to buy seat reservations in addition to your pass.

If you want to reserve seats on the regular trains, you will have to purchase them separately, as well.

nicoleg

St Cirq,

Typically I tend to overpack for trips and of course we usually take a second large bag just for wine and things we purchase while traveling. What type of luggage capacity is available on the trains? I tend to think we will each have a large suitcase and each a carry - on (my husband and I). Am I only kidding myself or can you recommend a place to buy smaller, better packing luggage? I always like to travel with just the right outfit, but I could be simply kidding myself. I will tell you that I have traveled to Greece and Australia this way and did just find, however, never did the train thing.

Thanks,

Nicole

ira

Hi nicole,

&gt;I tend to think we will each have a large suitcase and each a carry - on ..&lt;

That's one more large suitcase than my wife and I carry for a 3 week trip.

nytraveler

Train travel is not really compatible with a large amount of luggage 0 unless you're bringing your own luggage handlers with you. You need to be able to easily lift your luggage full-arms length above your head to put on an overhead rack. Also you need to be able to lift it onto the train through a quite narrow and steep stairway - never mind the effort to get all of thisl uggage from the cab through the station and out onto the platform (often up more than one flight of stairs or a steep ramp). So taking more than one moderate size bag and a small shoulder sack is going to be really inconvenient .

If you really need that large an amount of luggage I wound travel by car instead.

Christina

How large is that large suitcase? If it is 24&quot; or so, I think that would be fine if you each have one of those and a carryon, and that's it. I've traveled by train that way with no problem. I wasn't getting on and off every few days, though, or I would have tried to pare down. I got on/off twice in a couple weeks.

It isn't clear if you intend to carry an extra suitcase and/or boxes on top of that large suitcase per person for wine and purchases or not. Since you do say you alone will have several bags, I guess so. I really think you should forget the shopping for this trip by train as that isn't very feasible, or have things shipped which will cost. Shopping so much isn't compatible with someone who doesn't travel light to begin with and is doing a lot by train.

I think you should buy first class tickets since you are spending so much on buying stuff anyway.

mgfit

I would check the prices on Trenitalia and compare them to the prices of the passes you are considering. Then, add on the price of the reservation the eurail people will add on (it gets expensive....we looked into this before). Determine if you are saving alot of money or not.

What we do is I check the schedules on line (Tren Italia website) and print the various schedules so we know some of the options. When we arrive in our first city, we go to the train station and purchase the rest of the tickets for our trip. We save time and money and so far, we have gotten on every train we wanted to. We saved about 30% instead of purchasing eurail - plus reservation fees. We had no trouble doing this and we are going to do this again when we go in September.

nicoleg

Thanks to all for your help. I am still very confused with the whole rail/car option. Yes, my husband and I will plan to shop and buy wine on this trip. Has anyone ever traveled starting out in Venice by car down to Amalfi Coast area by car? I am starting to think the car option will be more of a pain in the rear end since we will have to have very good maps and time on our hands. I really do want this to be a relaxing trip.

THanks,

Nicole

nicoleg

Rex,

Can you please be more specific. When you say tickets, where do I go to book these tickets for my Italy travel. I will be arriving by air from CDG to Venice, then will travel to Rome, Florence, S. Tuscany, and Amalfi Coast, however, I am still thinking I need to book all of the &quot;tickets&quot; in advance. Maybe I am panicking for nothing, I just don't want to run into any problems that I can try to prevent prior to take off to Paris. Thank you.

Nicole

ellenem

Nicole,

When you arrive in Venice, go to the train station or a local travel agent and purchase ALL your point-to-point train tickets for ALL legs of your trip at the same time. You'll have all your tickets in your hand, which will calm your nerves about the trip. It's really very easy.

If you want the most complete story ever on Italian trains, visit the slowtravel site. It explains everything.

ellenem

Here's the URL for the train info:

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/trains/

rex

I can add nothing to the excellent answers given above.

NJ2Italy

Even if you have to buy tickets on a whim just go to any of the tkt machines - they have menu in English (touch the union jack icon) and go from there. I found it quite easy and liked the flexibility of being able to take whatever train was next.

nicoleg

Thank you all, you're wonderful, I appreciate all of your help. I think I'm getting nervous for nothing (ha ha)! BTW, the two bags are 24&quot; and we will each have a small carry on.

Thanks again,

Nicole

clevelandbrown

My wife and I take similar luggage to what you list and have never had difficulty with travelling on trains.

I would suggest when you arrive at the airport in Venice, you take the shuttle bus to the train station in Mestre, buy your tickets, and also get a train ticket from Mestre to S. Lucia, the train station in Venice. Many people say the first view of Venice when you walk out of the train station is memorable.

travelbunny

..nicole..just a comment re luggage..i have nothing to add to the good &quot;train advice&quot;...unless you have an unusual event (ex family wedding) or are combining a business trip with a tourist thing which might require 2 different wardrobes (and it sounds as though you are not), cut way down on what you pack! You and your husband shouldnt fill half the case with clothes. Think of what you really need and it is suprizingly little..by combining a few great tops with pants/skirt of the same color palate you will look great..dress things up with jewelry or scarves...you will not regret it! you will regret bring too much..besides if your bag is half empty think of all the shopping you can do to fill it..happy to help with any specific suggestions re packing or planning what to bring...