In about 2 weeks we'll be in Rome! Wow, those 9 months passed quickly from when I first started planning!

We're going to do a day trip to Pompeii by train from Rome and I noticed that there are mini fares available for the train we'd like to take. If I would buy them now, would I be able to switch to another day if the weather isn't good the day I pick? If that is allowed, is there a fee to change days?

I can't find the post, but it seems I read that if I buy 4 tickets at once, we might not sit together? Was there something special to do to seat the family together, or was that some weird Fodors dream??!! The Trenitalia site asks if we would like to sit with anyone who already has a ticket. Do I have to buy one first and then book the rest? I'm sure I saw a discussion about this.

Anybody who purchases Trenitalia tickets at one of the advance-purchase, promotional "MINI" fares, without FIRST reading and understanding the rules and restrictions is bound to get burned!

1. You CANNOT change a "MINI" fare ticket on the day of travel.

2. You CAN POSTPONE travel with a "MINI" fare ticket by requesting a reservation change no later than 23:59 of the day PRIOR to scheduled travel. You CANNOT anticipate the travel date or time, only POSTPONE it.

3. If you MISS your train for whatever reason apart from the unequivocal major fault of Trenitalia, you lose your "MINI" fare ticket entirely.

4. If you request a REFUND of your "MINI" fare ticket (PRIOR to 23:59 of the day PRIOR to travel), you FORFEIT 50% of the ticket value.

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...003f16f90aRCRD

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...3f16f90aRCRD#3

HINT for a daytrip to Pompei from Rome:

1. Select a train which you're SURE you'll take from Rome to Naples, and try to get a good 'MINI" fare for that train. The first useful train of the morning departs Roma Termini at 6:27 a.m. (it's an Intercity train).

2. On the RETURN from Naples to Rome, maintain FLEXIBILITY by NOT getting a "MINI" fare ticket, but rather take one of the cheap (22 Euros) Intercity (IC) trains instead of the twice as expensive Frecciarossa trains. The IC trains run hourly in the late afternoon back to Rome.

3. Remember that the Circumvesuviana commuter train between Naples and Pompeii, which runs every 30 minutes and takes 40 minutes (2.80 Euros each way), is UNRESERVED.

Thank you for all that info! It sounds like there is no fee to change the date. I wanted to buy for Wed, knowing that Thurs was a possibility in case of weather issues.

Good tips for the Pompeii trip as well. We're going to stop in Naples after Pompeii so not buying the ticket in advance to go back to Rome was what I thought as well. Good to hear I'm on the right track.

My only concern going to Pompeii is having enough time to buy tickets for the Circumvesuviana train. It seems like a tight connection. Would it be better to buy at a kiosk or go to the ticket window to do so?

Even if you miss your "tight" connection to the Circumvesuviana commuter train, the NEXT train leaves 30 minutes later, so it won't be too bad. Better to buy the ticket for the Circumvesuviana at a kiosk or at the ticket window? That depends where the line is longer!

ha ha - cute answer GAC!

GAC, you sound like an expert!
We'll be staying near the Piazza Navona - are there a lot of taxis driving around that area at 5:30 am if we take the 6:27 train? (I assume that would be a good time to leave the apartment.) Is a taxi around 10 E to Termini from Navona? I think I read that on another post.

Prices vary depending on time of day (late night to early morning they can charge more), whether you call for a taxi or go to a taxi stand, etc.

http://www.comune.roma.it/PCR/resour...ompleto_01.pdf

OK probably more than 10E if we leave at 5:30 am
thanks

Is Rome like NYC in that you can find taxis driving around all day and night?
I guess I can ask the apt owner when we check in.

It's best to reserve a taxi pick-up the evening beforehand.

OK that does sound like a good idea - Grazie!

marking

Well, I'm finally ready to book the mini fare today and it went up 2 Euros since last night. Just like the airlines.

To book one fare it's now 15E. To book for all 4 of us it's 69E. To do 2 at a time it's 33E.
Do teenagers count as adults?
Before I push that button, does this sound right or do you think I'm doing something wrong?

Doesn't seem fair!

I'm going to expand on of my above questions if anyone can help me.

The booking page asks how many adults and children need tickets, but doesn't define 'children'. Can I put 2 adults and 2 children when my kids are both 17? It gives a slightly better rate. I think I recall reading on another page that there are discounted rates for students under 26, but there are no student options on this booking page. I just don't want to get fined.

Thanks for any info.

No. Children are under age 12. There are no student options. You need to book 4 adults.

If you are booking one of the fast trains, use this Trenitalia link as it will let you select your seats from a seating chart. You can also have it search for cheapest train price.
http://www.fsitaliane.it/cms/v/index...003f16f90aRCRD

Thanks ky.

How can we sit together? There is an option to request window, median or corridor seats. Will clicking on one of those give us 4 of the window, for example, seats?

(I posted some of these questions on another post too incase no one checked this one out, but while I'm at it...)

Why do Mini Fare ticket prices go up when buying 4 tickets together? For now, I'm not booking one of the fast trains.

If you use the link I gave for Trenitalia, not the regular Trenitalia links, you will click "select my seat" and a seat chart of the entire car will appear. Green seats are available for selection. Seats with an oblong in between them (the oblong represents the table the four of you will share). If you select four seats like that it would be two of you facing the other two with the four of you sharing the table. Two of you would be on the aisle while the other two would have windows. Scroll down and click on the picture (to enlarge it) that says the interiors of the Frecciarossa. This is a picture of 2nd class seating on the fast trains.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_rail_in_Italy

Mini fare prices rise as they sell out as it's a sale price based on availability. It's possible a mini fare will start at 15€ and once several people purchase it, it's no longer available at that price, but there still may be a mini fare of 22€ until sold out, etc. Once all mini fares are gone it reverts to regular base price. If you use the link I gave, you can search by cheapest fare.

If you are getting an option for window, median or corridor, you must be selecting a slower IC train. Is that what you are trying to book?

If you are trying to purchase IC (Intercity), scroll down until you see the Intercity pictures on this link. These trains are not as nice as the faster AV and ES trains. The seats for 2nd class are 6 in a compartment (3 people facing 3 people, no table).
http://www.seat61.com/Italy-trains.h...0trains%20like