in making reservations for the train from rome to florence....
do we specify a time ?
we will be traveling the end of june 2011..... and taking luggage....
do we need assigned seats ?

It depends on many things. You can buy open tickets that can be used on any open trains - IC, Regionals, locals. Just validate and get on. The AVE or high speed will required a seat reservation as does some IC. The seat reservation fee is included in the ticket. In that case the ticket is train specific - date and time -- and doesn't have be validated because it is only good one time. There 53 trains a day between Florence and Rome so finding a vacant seat is not hard and the need for advance reservations is not high.

>>> You can buy open tickets that can be used on any open trains - IC, Regionals,<<<

The only train tickets without reserved seats are the R trains. AV,ES,ESCity,ICPlus,IC tickets will include a seat.

I'd wait until you get to the station in Rome to buy your ticket. Definately take one of the high speed trains. Try to be at the station early so you don't have to try to find your seat and a place to store your luggage at the last minute. It can get pretty hectic when the last minute passengers are boarding.

We also are looking at Train travel to Florence, although we are departing Sorrento early July 2011
After reading many blogs about the Naples train station and the fact we have to go downstairs or upstairs for the local train I am a tad worried about this place. I thought maybe a direct bus to and from Rome/Sorrento or a bus to and from Naples/Sorrento might be a better way to avoid certain unwanted elements
We will have suitcases and one small bag each

I took the train from Rome to Florence in september last. I had to wait until I got to Rome to buy the ticket as it is not possible to use credit cards on the Trenitalia website.I travelled on the Regionale train, it was great, time to see the scenery and not have it rush past in a blur as well as being so much cheaper. You also have a seat allocated to you on the ticket. One important word of advice, if you book on the fast train it is a different ticket window from the regionale, in Roma Termini make sure you are lining up at the right one. If you are in Rome for a few days before, I would buy the ticket two or three days before using it. The trains were all very busy even in september but as there are so many it should not be a problem. Look on Trenitalia's website for departures.
In Florence I used a ticket machine without any problem to go to Milan, pay by credit card, you might like to give this a go in rome as there are plenty of ticket machines.

>>>You also have a seat allocated to you on the ticket.<<<

Not on R trains.

dondonandjj - There are buses (Marozzi and Curreri) between Rome/Sorrento, but there aren't very many departures (1-2 per day). They were remodeling the Naples train station last time I was through there so perhaps they have eliminated the set of stairs by adding more escalators between the local commuter train and the trains to Rome.

dondonandjj....

To put your mind at rest, can I offer you this - for getting through Napoli Centrale....?

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-or-pompei.cfm

It's not at all difficult now the renovations are finished, however the station's quite large so you'll need to allow perhaps 10-15 minutes...

Personally I'd say it beats taking one of the infrequent buses, operated by Curreri or Marozzi, to Tiburtina in Rome, and then a connecting train to Termini for those that go to Florence!

Peter

Thanks Peter,
This is a great help
jenni

Crikey - not accustomed to almost instantaneous correspondence!

I've put an answer on your Marozzi thread as well...

Peter

>>>Personally I'd say it beats taking one of the infrequent buses<<<

The bus is actually easier because you don't have to worry with luggage. It's stored under the bus.