Italy trains question
 

Hi all.

In three weeks we will be doing several days in Rome, Florence, and Venice in that order.

I was planning to buy train tickets once there to preserve flexibility in our planning. HOWEVER, a friend just mentioned to me that even in 3 weeks the train prices could go up drastically.

In your opinion, should I go ahead and book my Rome to Florence and Florence to Venice trains? Or since we are only 3 weeks out, just wait and buy there?

Thanks in advance....

Jess

I would... I have gone in March, April and October and have always pre-booked them. One time in March, we had to pay $25 more per ticket because all the 2nd class tickets were sold so it was 1st class only...

Italian rail pricing is very simple - you have three levels Super Econ, Econ, and Base. The number of SE and E available are limited by train, route, and time of day. These are discount tickets with restrictions on refund and change. The SE can be very cheap but absolutely no refund or change. Econ is still cheaper with one change and paying the difference in fare if there is a difference. The Base fare is the standard, walk up fare and it doesn't change over time and is both refundable and changeable provided the train has not left the station. Once the allocated tickets for SE and E have been sold for that train at that time, there are no more.

The same pricing structure exists for 1st class or 2nd class. And on some trains there are a couple of different 1st class ticket classifications.

Buying in advance, on-line provides the opportunity, if available, to purchase discount tickets.

The above applies to all train EXCEPT the Regionale trains. Buy those tickets are the station, never, never on-line since there is no discount for Regionale tickets.

Jess - PS - forgot. At this time, three weeks out, all of the SE will be gone and probably so for the Econ tickets. So it is just as convenient to wait until you are there. Don't worry about getting ticket, it is extremely rare for a train to be sold out.

FMPDEN thanks so much. Your explanation was as clear a one as I've found. Cheers to you both and happy future travels!

It's not too late to get economy or even super-economy tickets for three weeks from now. I just had a quick look at prices for July 18th, Rome to Florence, and see super-economy available on several morning trains.

The last chance to get any discounted tickets is midnight of the second day before your travel date. For example if you're traveling on a Wednesday, you can buy discounted tickets (if they're left) up until midnight on Monday.

Also, while Economy tickets can be changed once, they can't be changed on the day of travel, and if you change them you have to pay a penalty equal to the difference between the Base and Economy price.

Base tickets can be changed up until one hour <b>after</b> the scheduled departure time.

The main reason not to buy regional tickets online is that you can't change them for any reason whatsoever. I learned this the hard way. I had bought a ticket to Milan online, with a regional train as far as Bologna. When I got to the station, I saw that the regional train was running over an hour late so that we were going to miss the connection in Bologna unless I changed it for a faster train that was arriving in twenty minutes and would get us to Bologna on time.

I thought that because the regional train was running so very late, they should be obliged to let me change the ticket for a different train that would let us continue our planned journey. Not possible! I had to tear up the regional ticket and buy a new ticket unless I wanted to arrive in Milan too late for our dinner with friends.

Since then, I've never bought a regional ticket online. If you buy them in the station, they're not for a specific train, and you can use them on any regional train on that route. However, you have to stamp them in a little green, white, and red machine by the track before boarding the train. This puts a date and time stamp on the ticket and prevents it from being re-used. Without that stamp, the ticket is invalid, and you'll be fined as if you didn't have a ticket.

Check www.seat61.com for advice on discounted tickets (in addition to the superb advice given above by fmpden and bvlenci) and for general info check www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com. And IME for a trip of a lifetime go first class -especially more relaxed if you have lots of luggage-sometimes discounted 1st class tickets are not much more than the cheapest available 2nd class tickets so check both and if not much more go in style (2nd class however is comfy enough for most - especially if little luggage).

As for tickets you buy locally going up in price - no - full-fare tickets should be relatively the same now or in a year from now and they are always available on the spot IME.

The reason you don't buy Regionale tickets on line is that they come pre-validated (good word??) in that you have a fixed, three hour time limit to use the ticket - say 8 to 11. You cannot get on before or after that time frame. When you buy a Regionale ticket in the station it is good for sixty days. Validate in the station and it is now valid for five hours (can be longer depending on the length of the trip). Absolutely no reason to buy on line.

There are two schedule changes each year, in June and December, and prices do go up sometimes at those times.

I should have mentioned that you should also look on the http://www.italotreno.it/?sc_lang=en site. Italo competes with Trenitalia on major routes, including the Rome-Florence-Venice route, and often have better discounts, that don't sell out as quickly. However, if you need to make a trip that's partially on a route not covered by Italo, I would stick with Trenitalia for the whole trip, because if you miss a connection, it's much better to have only one company to deal with.

Rome=Florence starts at €19 if you book ahead, €44 if you buy on the day.

Or, in 1st class, from €29 in advance, €63 on the day.

All fast trains are 'reservation compulsory' in Italy, but places are almost always available on the day, unless we're talking a Friday afternoon or Christmas Eve or whatever.

So the issue is price. Book ahead to save, pay the base fare to stay flexible. Your call.

Florence-Venice prices are similar.

www.trenitalia.com

Rome=Florence starts at €19 if you book ahead, €44 if you buy on the day.

Or, in 1st class, from €29 in advance, €63 on the day.>

so you can go first class if you book in advance enough cheaper than walk-up 2nd class - as there is always a significant difference between the classes maybe book that one in advance and go first class cheaper than a walk-up ticket in 2nd class.

And if you chose not to take that train or miss it then you are only out 29 euros or 19 if 2nd class.

If you really want the cheapest way between Florence and Rome and ultimate flexibility then take a regional train which does take about twice as long as it does not take the high-speed rail line and stops a lot these trains also have first class at dirt-cheap prices - times I have taken regional trains in 1st class I've had the 1st class area largely to myself. And you just show up for regional trains - no reservations even possible.

>>>The reason you don't buy Regionale tickets on line is that they come pre-validated (good word??) in that you have a fixed, three hour time limit to use the ticket - say 8 to 11<<<

Yes, pre-validated, but it's a four hour window. The Leonardo Express has a 90 minute window.

Unlike Trenitalia, Italo sells discounts within 24 hours if they are still available.

>>>I was planning to buy train tickets once there to preserve flexibility in our planning.<<<

You aren't making hotel reservations?