thursdaysd

Was this the TR you had in mind?

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-of-italy.cfm

It helped me decide to visit Turin instead of revisiting Milan, and I was very glad I did.

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...njoying-turin/

I based in Ferrara (twice) instead of Bologna with Ravenna as a day trip.

goddesstogo

Hi thursdays,
I wasn't looking for a specific thread but one of my nice jobs for the next couple of weeks is delightful reading and making a couple of notes so thanks for providing these links. We'll be traveling with a tablet which I alway appreciate because I can look up information en route and not have to carry a huge file of paper with me like I used to do.

starrs

goddess inspired me to post on this thread.
We need to take trains from Florence to Venice and from Naples to Rome. Neither of us have taken trains in Italy before.

I'll read this entire thread (have not yet) but any basic tips, helpful hints, any information, recommendations would be very much appreciated.

thursdaysd

Have you read seat61.com?

starrs

No. I will now. Thanks!

kybourbon

>>>I chose those end seats in the hopes that that was the luggage storage end of the car. <<<

Murphy's Law says it will be at the opposite end of the car from where you chose your seats.

>>> Both train trips are just a few hours long and we'll probably just read, chat, look out the window -- no real need for a table.<<<

While I prefer a table, the point of my post about them was not comfort. It's that there is slide-in storage only behind/between the sections of seats with tables because of their design. Seats on the ends of the cars with pull-down trays have no area you can slide luggage into (your luggage would be on your feet).

>>>thursdaysd on Sep 17, 17 at 12:11pm
Have you read seat61.com?

Report Abuse
starrs on Sep 17, 17 at 1:19pm
No. I will now. Thanks!<<<

I don't see much need to read seat61 when you only need to buy a couple of train tickets in Italy.

>>>We need to take trains from Florence to Venice and from Naples to Rome. Neither of us have taken trains in Italy before.<<<

Either go on Trenitalia or Italo websites and buy tickets (if you want to get advance purchase discounts). They run the trains between these cities. Otherwise, buy them from Trenitalia or Italo when you are in Italy.

http://www.trenitalia.com/trenitalia.html

http://www.italotreno.it/en

thursdaysd

starrs said: "any basic tips, helpful hints, any information, recommendations would be very much appreciated."

That is a request for more information than just sites to buy train tickets. OK, not the whole site, but certainly this:

https://www.seat61.com/Italy-trains.htm

goddesstogo

"Murphy's Law says it will be at the opposite end of the car from where you chose your seats."

Of course. Such is life, right?

"While I prefer a table, the point of my post about them was not comfort. It's that there is slide-in storage only behind/between the sections of seats with tables because of their design. Seats on the ends of the cars with pull-down trays have no area you can slide luggage into (your luggage would be on your feet)."

Well now that all the trip details are firm (how to get to Italy, where to stay, how to get between cities, car rental, etc.), I've decided that I have to stop stressing out about the details. The luggage will just have to manage not to get itself stolen.

starrs, I've found the train ticket websites to be fairly manageable and with the good advice given above, I think you'll have no problems booking your train trips. Of all the hints given to me on this thread, the ones I appreciated most (because I wouldn't have thought of them myself) are looking at your coach diagram, choosing your seats carefully (whatever that means for you personally) and looking at the list of stops and the stop times. I know the stops are announced but I like to be able to check with my list just to make sure I'm on track (hahahaha!).

starrs

I haven't read this thread yet but my main question has to do with luggage. We'll have a carryon suitcase and personal bag each. It's been a long time since I took the trains in France.

thursdaysd

Carryons may well fit on the overheads.

starrs

Thanks, thursdaysd.

gtg, are we going to be in Tuscany at the same time?

goddesstogo

We're going to be in Cortona from late in the day on October 7th and leaving early-ish on the 10th.
What about you -- where and when?

starrs

Wild! We are going to be wandering around Tuscany on the 8th and 9th. Wouldn't it be amazing to meet up again for coffee again?

Are you still using the previous email address?

goddesstogo

I'd love that, starrs! And you've got mail!

kybourbon

>>>I know the stops are announced<<<

Probably, but don't forget the announcements are in Italian. Sometimes there is a screen showing stops (newer trains).