Next week we are taking our family of 8 to Italy for 14 days of going all over Italy. We had learned about the Killometre Train Ticket and after doing the math, felt that it was the most economical option for us.<BR><BR>But now I have seen a couple of comments that it is a hassle and costs more in the long run with supplements, etc.<BR><BR>Do you think it is a great option, or should we do something else?<BR><BR>Thanks in advance,<BR>~Mark<BR><BR>

In first place, no more than 5 people might travel with this kind of pass, so you will be forced to buy at least 2 passes anyhow. In second place, much depends on how and where you mean to go. if you aim at travelling a lot but do not care much about speed of the train and comfort, than you might travel using Regionale Interregionale and Espresso trains, which arequire no suplements. Yet, if you want to travel a bit faster (for instance, from Milano to Naples, the trip takes 12 hours by Espresso, 9 hours by Intercity and 6 hours by Eurostar) and with more comfort, you will have to use Intercity or Eurostar trains, that require the payment of a suplement and allow seat booking (therefore you will not risk travelling standing in the corridor of the train, as long as you book the esats a couple of days in advance). As for the money, you have another option that applies also to these last cathegories of trains, that is group tickets. Since you will be travelling with a family of 8, you will be entitled to a 20% discount on every train except Eurostars, where discount will be 10%only. All you have to do is ask for a group ticket (in Italian "biglietto comitiva"). Also in this case, you will have to remember to buy your tickets a few days in advance (2-3 days) if you want to book seats for all, which I recommend. Booking will cost you 3 euro for every seat.

Thank you Alice,<BR>I forgot to mention that two of the eight people are kids: a 2 1/2 year old and a 4 1/2 year old. Do they count, train ticketwise? Or should I consider it a group of 6?<BR><BR>Does that change anything re: the Killometre ticket? If you wanted to travel relatively quickly on the train, etc, what would you all choose?

I think that kids up to 4 years and kids between 4 and 12 have access to some special priced tickets. I think that really young kids may travel for free, while kids between 4 and 12 would have access to cheaper tickets. The offer I was talking about anyhow applies to groups of 6-20 travellers. In any case, you shouldn't worry overmuch right now, as you arrive in Italy you will be able to discuss your needs with the personnel of the station (do not buy your tickets at travel agencies, they can't deal with these offers, sometimes, and they might not know how to do it) and the clerck at the ticket selling window will devise the best options for your family.<BR>Group tickets are different from the kilometric pass because they are, as a matter of facts, point-to-point tickets, only that they are issued for small or large groups of at least 6 people. You can buy them at any train station, just like kilometric pass, but they are not a pass, they are just one tickets valid for several people and for one trip. The discount is connected to the number of people travelling toghether and not on a kilometric basis. In your case, this solution should probably turn out cheaper than kilometric pass because the 20% discount applies to the whole ticket, including suplements, on every train except Eurostars (where the discount is 10% only), except for the booking. Kilometric ticket will force you to pay for suplements in full, and if you are going to want fast and confortable travelling, you will have to use at least Intercity trains, having to pay full suplements. Group tickets will allow you to travel on Intercity train at a cheaper fare than with a partially used kilometric pass. If you opt for this kind of ticketing (group tickets), you would have a significant dvantage on Intercity trains, which are decently fast and decently comfortable, especially if you book seats, while kilomentric tickets have most advantages on the slower and less confortable trains. Eurostars are he fastest and most comfortable trains, neither of the two ticketing methids ahve much advantages on these trains. I think that group tickets on Intercity trains is your best option.<BR>And tahnk you, because while verifying something for you I have just discovered a very interesting fidelization card for us Italian train frequent travellers ^_^.

Thank you Alice, I REALLY appreciate your thoughtful replies. It's kind people like you that make this forum great.<BR>Grazie Mille,<BR>~Mark<BR>

You might find www.railsaver.com useful. Their program calculates your point to point costs and suggests the type of pass that would save you money.