a0978

Hi all,

We are two groups of travellers, coincidentally travelling to Florence on the same day. We are doing some planning now, so we haven't bought any tickets yet. For simplicity's sake, I'll call them group A and B:

Group A: travelling on ES9427
Leaves Milan at 7:00am
Stops at Bologna at 8:45
Arrives at Florence at 9:45am

Group B: travelling on ES9463
Leaves Venice S. Lucia at 6:32am
Stops at Mestre at 6:44
Stops at Bologna at 8:18
Arrives at Florence at 9:21am

Realizing that both trains stop at bologna, we're thinking that it would be better if Group B switches trains in Bologna and meet up with Group A in ES9427. This way we do not need to waste time finding each other in Florence. To clarify, group B would take ES9463 from Venice S. Lucia to Bologna, then switching to ES9427 to Florence.

When I try to book the Venice - Bologna - Florence tickets for Group B on http://www.trenitalia.com, we are shown these two options (with identical prices):

1) ES9463, leaving Venice S. Lucia at 6:32am direct to Florence
2) ES9463, leaving Venice Mestre at 6:44am, to Florence via Bologna on train ES9427

From above, Option 2 is our preferred route, with the exception that the departure station is Mestre instead of S. Lucia!

Here are my questions:

1) If we purchase option 2, will the conductor allow us to board at S. Lucia, even though the ticket will say that we should be boading at Mestre? I don't think anyone will be sitting at our seats from S. Lucia to Mestre anyways.

2) Would it be better for the two groups to meet up at Florence instead of Bologna? (eg. if Group B's Venice-Bologna train is delayed for whatever reason the Bologna-Florence ticket would be useless)

Thanks,

a0978

Mthomp77

You may have a problem boarding in St. Lucia with Mestre origin on your tickets. Also, Firenze terminal is easy to get around, and the group arriving earliest could just get off their train and walk over to the arrival track for the train from Milano. I think this would be by far your best option, and there would be no hassles.

Also, as you said, there is always the possibility of one train being late causing another headache.

ira

Hi a0,

You cannot get on the train at SL with tickets out of Mestre.

You have to take one of the commuter trains leaving SL for Mestre and change at Mestre.

See http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en
for schedules.

I agree with MT.

Just wait for your friends at Florence SMN. It is not a large station.

Steve_James

You don't have a problem. Just jump on from S. Lucia.

They NEVER start checking tickets between S. Lucia & Mestre anyway ...

The fare is the same from S.L as from Mestre - so you don't even need to feel guilty.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

ellenem

It is a bit silly to try to join up in Bologna--the group that makes the change will have to reserve seats on two different trains and haul their luggage on and off trains unnecessarily. You might not be able to reserve seats together depending on how busy the train is. It's only an hour more to Florence. As others have said, wait till Florence to find one another.

a0978

Actually, the original intent of this is to suprise the Milan-Florence group by boarding in their Milan-Florence train in Bologna (when they are expecting us to meet up in the Florence train station). But after thinking about it I've decided that I will rather be safe and just meet up in Florence. After all, the main purpose of the trip is to visit Italy, not to sit on the train with friends.

Thanks for your help.

suze

Well I'm no expert on trains in Italy, but am imagining you should get on the train at the place it says on your ticket!