Beth1990

Hi my friend and I are going to Italy next month, we are both gap year students who have done a lot of travelling already so are wondering what is the best and cheapest way to do it. We already have flights to and from Pisa and are planning on getting a three day interrail ticket and visiting Venice and Rome. Does anyone know of any good central hostels and what the best things to do/see in these cities are? We'll probably have about 3/4 days in each. Thanks

alanRow

Best & cheapest way - don't buy a railpass. Train travel in Italy is reasonably cheap and the railpass won't cover things like supplements & seat reservations

jamikins

Also check out thorntree message board...I think there are lots of budget travellers there!

ellenem

If you want to save money, but second class tickets. If you want to save even more money, buy second class tickets on slower trains. A railpass will be more expensive than buying individual tickets for your schedule.

Also look at the special offers at the link below. By buying your tickets a few days ahead, you may receive even more discounts. Be sure to read about the different offers by clicking the items on the right.

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...003f16f90aRCRD

ellenem

Forgot to point out, the one offer that has limited seats, but can be purchased up to the night before travel is the Amica offer, a 20% discount.

kybourbon

Interrail is a pass for Europeans and I assume the OP already has it and has been using it. It's a better deal than the rail passes sold to Americans.

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...003f16f90aRCRD

http://www.interrailnet.com/

I assume it works the same as other railpasses and that you will need to purchase seat reservations for any of the fast trains as they are reserved seat only. For AV trains the cost is 20€, ES - 15€, ICPlus - 5€. Slower trains don't require seat reservations.

If you don't already have a pass then you don't need one. Train tickets in Italy are not that expensive.

For hostels in Italy:
http://www.ostellionline.org/

Viajero2

Get to the local library and get your hands on their latest edition of "Let's Go Europe" guidebook, or better yet, if available "Let's Go Italy" version. A guidebook written by budget-minded students (Harvard Student Association) for budget-minded students traveling to Europe.