kfusto

I will be using first class Eurail Flexipasses for my October trip to Italy. We begin our trip in Venice and will the pass for the first time from Venice to Florence.

I understand that I have to have the pass validated before I can make seat reservations on Eurostar trains. Should I head to the station the day before and confirm my seats? I hesitate to wait until the day of travel as I do not want to haul my bag to the station, only to not be able to get a seat on the first train of the day.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

Dukey

I'm not sure the pass has to be validated before you can buy seat reservations BUT when you do go to the train station they should ask you WHAT DAY you want the pass to start.

It does not have to be on that particular day..it can be on the next day or the day after that.

You tell them the day you want it to start and they will calculate and enter the start date and the date it will expire.

PalenQ

If it's a flexipass good for a set number of days over a 2-month period it would not matter when you started you two-month period (i.e. activation) unless you were going to be there two months.

Consecutive day pass, yes if do it in advance be sure to have the dates written down European style so the ticket window knows not to validate it starting that day, which he/she would automatically assume IME

You should make the ES reservations a day or so before to guarantee a seat - with pass you do have to pay 15 euros fee for the reservation/supplement.

kfusto

It is a Flexpass good for 3 days of travel within 30 days.

We are only there for 2 weeks so the date of validation is not critical.

I am trying to confirm that I need to have the pass vaildated at the station before I can reserve seats and that I cannot do it at a travel agency or through the hotel concierge, then validate upon before boarding.

It sounds as if I will need to make a special trip to the station in order to get the train I want. I can then make my other trip reservations at the same time.

PalenQ

Are you talking about the Italian Flexipass which starts at 3 days of travel over a 2-month period so the validity period is of little interest to you.

I think anyone who spoke Italian could call into Trenitalia a reservation with a pass and then you'd retrieve the reservation at the station. After all a reservation has nothing to do with the pass - if you don't have the pass on the train you're like riding without a ticket so why would they care?

But not sure

PalenQ

I do know having a pass last Jan that it seems impossible to make reservations in the idiot-proof ticketing machines in stations and they told me i had to go to the ticket window in the stations - often a lengthy wait. So try calling first or go down to the station at an off hour.

ira

Hi kf,

What trains will you be taking?

It is highly likely that it would be cheaper for you to buy your PtoP tickets than a pass.

PalenQ

Like Ira says point to point is for 95% of the folks who think they need a railpass for Italy better than a railpass since trains are so cheap here and also because the pass does not cover the 15 euro surcharges with it to use the best trains.

The usual Rome-Florence-Venice routing doesn't come close to meriting a pass even if you go to Naples and back.

kfusto

I buy my passes highly discounted as a TA and am well aware of the savings for the general public of PtoP fares. In my situation, I could not buy two first class point to point for the price of a 5 day Select Pass. Not every situation is the same so this is indeed a much better deal for me, honest

I am still not sure of the process and would appreciate input from someone in the know.

I will be doing Venice to Florence, a day trip by train to Orvieto as well as Bologna, Florence to Rome and a trip to Ostia Antica from there.

PalenQ

<I am still not sure of the process and would appreciate input from someone in the know.>

please clarify what you are not sure of - the process of using a pass? (still must go to ticket window to make reservation and pay 15e supplement you will need to pay to ride Eurostars Venice-Florence and Florence-Rome (though on this route you could take about twice as slow IC trains without reservations or surcharge.

Daytrips from Florence to Orvieto is probably by IC train - no reservations required and also can take IC to Bologna or EC or ICplus at 5 euros.

Yes by paying 25% of the cost of the Eurail Select pass you are doing a good deal.

kfusto

My question: can the reservations be made without having to make a special trip to the station prior to my first use of the pass? I would prefer to have these done by the concierge at our hotel or at an agency who issues Trenitalia tickets.

If this is not possible, I will have to make a special trip to the Venice station the day before my trip to make reservations on the first ES departure.

I am not interested in IC trains unless there are no other options on these routes and have familiarized myself with the options.

PalenQ

You could of course do them thru the same source that is giving you the pass at a discount - why not? Solve all your angst. ES supplements are about the same here as there.

Or call your hotel and ask if they can make reservations for you - just tell them you have a pass - needs not be validated.

Dukey

Kfusto,

you do not need to have a valid pass in order to <b>get</b> the seat reservations..just tell them you have a pass and are going to use it with the seat reservation.

You can do it at the travel agency or at the station. I suspect your concierge might be able to do it IF they understand you are going to use a railpass.


I'm sorry we had to get off topic about the economics of passes vs point-to-poit tickets but unfortunately that is all certain posters ever seem to &quot;add&quot; to some of these threads.

kfusto

Dukey, thanks! That is the answer as I was seeking and that I hoped for...I thought I was clear in my orignal post but perhaps not.

I will try with the concierge first and have them book all of my reservations. If not, I have always found the local TA's a great resource.

PalenQ

so you are a travel agent who could do these reservations yourself? but you'd rather go to a travel agent in Italy to do it? something not computing here. To guarantee availability you should do as early as possible so why wait to Europe when you can do it all yourself?

kfusto

PalenQ, if that was possible, I would not be asking the question.

PalenQ

&lt;I buy my passes highly discounted as a TA&gt;

such passes are sold at 75% or so discounts to travel agents who are clients of RailEurope or other competitor - therefore your agency it would seem can make the reservations thru RailEurope or the same source who gives you the discount pass for being a client of theirs - to promote railpass travel. So i guess you are in fact not a TA? Any TA in US can make these reservations as they do for the public.

anyway i don't care just curious.

kfusto

Can't have you curious...nor making inaccurate assumptions based on conjecture.

Yes, I am a TA for many years and own an incentive company.

I cannot make reservations until we are in Italy as the group I am escorting prefers to decide when they arrive what time they wish to travel, not before they go. Since I will be the only one using a pass, I wanted to confirm my options.

If it were just my me, planning would be easier and I would not be stopping in Venice at all.

PalenQ

OK - look at your TA pass - everyone i've seen, at least from RailEurope is pre-validated - already validated - see if it has a RailEurope stamp (or competitor) on it where the validation stamp is supposed to go. My understanding is that all such passes are pre-validated - if so you concerns vis-a-vis that are mute.

And if not like Dukey says it's no problem at all IME

Best wishes - now i understand. Sorry

kfusto

My concern is that I do not want to make an extra trip to the station only to make seat reservations.

The pass shows dates of permitted usage, but requires validation in Italy per the paperwork enclosed.