GINO

WE WILL BE GOING TO SORRENTO,FLORENCE,VENICE AND ROME IN SEPTEMBER. WE WILL UTILIZE THE ITALIAN FIRST CLASS/NON-SMOKING SECTION TRAINS FOR INTERCITY TRAVEL. I WOULD LIKE TO BOOK OUR TRAINS WHILE STILL IN THE USA AND PAY THE EXTRA FOR A RESERVED SEAT. MY QUESTION AND CONCERN IS:<BR><BR>WHAT HAPPENS IF OUR ITINERARY CHANGES AND WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR TRAIN RESERVATIONS? WHAT IF WE MISS THE TRAIN? CAN WE STILL USE THE TRAIN TICKET OR IS IT SUDDENLY WORTHLESS? <BR><BR>IF WE DO NOT GET RESERVATIONS OR GET A RAIL PASS, IT SEEMS LIKE WE CAN TRAVEL WHEN WE WANT TO, BUT WOULD NOT BE GAURENTEED A THE NONSMOKING FIRST CLASS TRAVEL WE DESIRE.<BR><BR>ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.<BR><BR>GINO

GAC

The ticket is still valid, but you've lost the seat reservation. My suggestion is to purchase the reserved seats on site (locally in Italy), rather than from the USA. Finding a seat in first class, smoking or non-smoking, is usually NOT a problem.

Emily

Gino,<BR><BR>Please turn off your caps lock key. It feels like you're shouting at us!<BR><BR>In answer to your question:<BR>If you miss the train on which you have a reservation, you do lose that reservation, and I do not believe that there is a refund (though I may be mistaken on that). <BR><BR>You can, however, still use the ticket for the same exact same train (and class) at another time. If you want, you can purchase new reservations for the new train that you are taking, and use those reservations to guarantee a seat. They can be purchased at the train station, at the window marked "prenotazione" or something similar to that.<BR><BR>And it is true, if you don't have a reservation, you are not guaranteed a seat. On a popular route, this might pose a problem for getting a seat. However, keep in mind that many times first class is much less crowded than second, and you can generally get a seat in first class with just a ticket alone. But again, it's not guaranteed.

Barb

Ok, how the heck do you tell where the first class cars are!! They are not marked. We just kind of guessed and I am sure we were sitting in 2nd class some of the time.

ron

the trains are usually marked on the door with a 1 or 2. pay attention. If u sit in first with a second class ticket prepare to pay the difference when they check(and they do)

GAC

Not only are rail cars marked 1st and 2nd class, but also smoking and non-smoking. The marks are next to the doors. Moreover, for ES, IC, EC and some night trains, the location and sequence of the cars is also displayed on a colored (red and yellow) bulletin board at the major Italian rail stations. The diagrams are, of course, subject to modification (if they add additional cars during peak periods).

Barb

Ron, well noted, I will certainly pay more attention next time.

zzzz

Speak for yourself re. the shouting thing, Emily. I must be the only person left in the world who rolls their eyes when they see the inevitable "Ewww, stop shouting!!!" post that appears after someone who isn't as computer-savvy as the Emilys of the world dares to dip their big toe into the murky waters of message boards...far more irritating to read than an all-caps post from an enthusiastic newcomer to the web. Gino, trip planning is a big part of the fun - I predict you will have a (put in your earplugs!) WONDERFUL TRIP!

christina

ciao emily<BR><BR>no, you can't anymore use the ticket for the same train at for ex. the next day! not anymore since the 27th of january 2002!!! you must have a ticket for the train you take, including the seatreservation. if you don't have it, you are forced to pay 8 euro extra in the train. i hope that they finally wrote it even in english on www.trenitalia.it, till now it's written in italiano. regarding the eurostar a lot of things changed.<BR><BR>tanti saluti<BR><BR>christina

emily

I, personally, appreciate it when someone tells me that I am doing something inappropriate so I no longer continue to do it. That's why I told Gino to turn off the caps -- now he knows that it bothers people (which I am sure he didn't mean to do), and he won't do it again. Call me a finger wagger, anonymous poster -- I don't care.<BR><BR>Secondly, tante grazie Cristina! Wow. I used to work for CIT, specifically selling Italian rail tickets and passes. That is crazy that everything is changing so much. Thanks for the update, it's most appreciated!

gino

emily,<BR><BR>thankyou for your input regarding italian train travel. sorry i had the caps lock on. i enjoy this site, but it seems sometimes that myself and others have to be cautious how we present things or the critics get offended. you were polite and small case is easier on the eyes. i just hope people can be understanding about spelling or minor oversights.<BR><BR>thanks again emily for your input.<BR><BR>gino

Sue

Gino,<BR>The Internet brings out the worst in people sometimes - repressed anger and anonymity is a nasty combination.<BR><BR>I always buy my tickets from the US so I don't have to worry about it later. Whichever way you choose, you will have a simply marvelous time.

Michael

I just have a few comments. If money is no issue by all means buy your train tickets and reservations in the USA. I should note however that 2nd class in Eurostar is quite nice and my entire family did not notice much difference between the 2 classes. Not worth the 40% difference to me. Smoking vs non smoking may be more important.<BR>I should also note that unless things have changed recently that you have to pay about $8 surcharge per ticket which can add up to quite abit depending on how many of you there are traveling and how many places you are going to.Lastly you can get a family discount of about 30% in Italy which further helps things if you are a family. All this means that you can conceivably save $100s of dollars by going 2nd class Eurostar and buying your tickets in Italy. I once calculated that doing so saved my famuly about $400.

christina

ciao emily!<BR><BR>i know this only because i had to take an eurostar 31st of january/1st of february. firenze - roma and back. i normally drive exclusivly my car because i hate trains. i was invited at a tv-show (gambero rosso) to prepare some swiss cookies and rai payed everything. i could turn back home earlier and so i went to the station in roma, and asked how i have to handle it. a man from the info gave me a brochure and so i know this changing. but in the train a lot of itlians where quite confused and angry with the controll-person because they travelled like before (ticket for another train). <BR><BR>but if i would not have taken the train (hope spelling is o.k.) i never would have know this changment. <BR><BR>tanti saluti e buon viaggio!<BR><BR>christina