Going from Rome to Venice Lido to Asolo to Porto Cervo back to Rome. Need help on if a Europass is the way to go and if these areas are right on the stops. It's hard for me to tell from the online maps. Also, is it easy to just get off in the countryside for lunch and hop back on another train? Then what's the best way to get to the island? We have about 4 nights at each stop if you have any great side trip or site advice. Catania is also an option but seems too far away. Any thoughts? Two adults open for anything beautiful or fun.

Well - not sure why you're staying on the Lido - but you can't get there by train. You have to get off at the main Venice station and take a boat from there. Depending on finances a water taxi (preferred for seeing sights on the way) or vaporetto (sorry don;t know which one - if you can go directly - or if you have to go to San Marco and change).

If you read the guidebooks - as well as look at the web sites of your hotels - they should provide details on how close they are to and how to get to/fro train stations.

It is unlikely that a Europass is a good deal for you. Go to www.railsaver.com, put in your itinerary, click "only if saves me money," and it will tell you the best way to go. It is probably cheaper to buy point-to-point tickets for each leg of your journey.

You cannot hop off the train and then hop back on. If you want to stop on the way, you need to buy two tickets, one from your starting point to the hop-off point and another from the hop-off point to your final destination.

Is there a reason you're staying on the Lido? Much better to stay right in Venice. Hope you have a great trip!

Sorry to sound like a broken record, I completely agree with the other replies about staying in Venice instead of Lido. You can always take a water taxi to see Lido. The real magic is in Venice, especially getting purposely lost!

ditto...
stay in Venice, not the Lido.
let the magic begin...

Have free hotel rooms on Lido. Is it really that bad?

Here is a good site about transportation options upon arrival to venice. I think also there is a vaporetto map included. http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/venice...sportation.htm

Hi Mom,

>Have free hotel rooms on Lido. <

That trumps all other comments.

The Lido is not bad, it is just less convenient than staying in Venice.

Vaporetto routes and schedules are at http://www.actv.it/.

I think that the nearest train station to Asolo is Montebelluna, about 8 mi away.

Porto Cervo doesn't have a train station. You will have to go to Arzachena.

However, I haven't been able to find any information on how to get to the train station in Arzachena.

I think that you will want to get a car before leaving Venice.

sorry Ira but I disagree.
islandmom,
IMO, maybe it would be best to spend the money to be in Venice. There is NO substitution.

Thanks to everyone for your help! So I need to plan which train and where to stop along the way, then I need to know which stops would need a rental car. (I did France trains, is it the same?) What's a good airfare from Rome to Porto Cervo?

Hi Mom,

Italian trains are at www.trenitalia.com

Planes to Porto Cervo?

I suggest you look it up at www.viamichelin.com