Nikki

Can someone please help.... My husband & I with our two children will be traveling from Rome to Paduva (Making day trips to Venice...) by train. Is there anyone who has info on the Kilometric pass? Can the pass be purchased in Rome or must we purchase it from an agent in US. What is the best way to go about reservations? I have looked up the price on FS-on-line and they quote the price to 338,000l 1st class - is this accurate? My travel agent quoted me $270 usd - I think I am being taken advantage of....

Dave

Nikki, <BR>My wife and I just returned from Italy yesterday. we took the trains from Rome to Naples and then from Florence to Venice. I'm not familiar with the kilometric pass but I can say that first class is definitely worth it - the trains are really crowded wth tourists already. We purchased our tickets in Rome from a travel agent we happened to wander by. A 5 hour advanced purchase entitles you to reserved seats - also important. 338,000 lira is about $170 USD now. Hope that helps!

KT

Yes, you can buy it in Italy at major stations and at travel agencies that sell FS tickets. I know that used to be the case, and I confirmed it on the FS site -- the info's there, just not on the same page as the description and price. As for your travel agent's price, assuming that the FS page is accurate, I wouldn't go for the $270, unless there's some reason that you absolutely have to have the pass before you go. It's hard to imagine a reason worth the $90 or so extra. There usually are "handling fees" tacked on for passes bought out-of-country, but 90?? But, hey, I saw one website selling it for $360! Not a bad deal for the seller -- more dollars than thousand of lire.

Judy

Our family of four traveled from Milan, Rome, Venice, Lake Como, and back to Milan last month for under $300. The agent in Milan was very helpful and said we would save money by being a mini-group and therefore save 30 per cent on each ticket. We went second class on all the trains and only had reservations on the train from Rome to Venice. We always got to sit together and were very pleased with our decision to take the train. Based on our experience I would wait and buy the tickets there. Have a great trip! Judy

ofelia

This is also my dilemma regarding our point-to-point ticket. My husband and I are travelling from Venice to Florence then Florence to Rome then Rome to Naples. The first class fare itself is not that bad, the difference in the agent quote (she uses rail europe which are in dollars) and the FS(quoted in Lira) rate is about $4/ticket; the more if the dollar is strong.. so its like $24 for the two of us. With the handling fee of the $10 (for the whole order) .. the whole itinerary will cost $314 because of the seat reservation charge. We want to travel first class and have seat reservation charge here in US I dont want to think about it there. But the rip-off is the seat reservation charge of $15/train/person, in all its $90 for the two of us (i reallly want to ride in the fast trains bec my little one is with us... he's free). Can anybody give me the seat reservation charge there, travel agent or at the station?(so I could compare) I am thinking of just getting the seat reservation of first two trips Venice - Florence Florence to Rome (although my husband wants to do all of them here) and just get the other(rome-Naples) in Venice or Florence. Where can I get it? We have only one day in Venice ( and its a Sunday). Can i get at American express? Where are they located? Or maybe at the train station the morning we are leaving to Florence? How is the line at the train station for getting seat reservation? Do they speak English? <BR> <BR>But with our limited time in each city.. it may not be worth it to look for the travel agent (especially they have siesta during the day or we have to take extra time to go to the train station or deal with it when we board the train that means giving a lot of allowance for my scheduled departure in Venice... Can anybody have comments on these? especially the cost of seat reservation? <BR>Please help.. <BR>

ofelia

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