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-   -   Missing pre-booked train reservations (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/missing-pre-booked-train-reservations-308768/)

JmVikmanis Apr 20th, 2003 07:01 AM

Missing pre-booked train reservations
 
Although we've traveled in Europe a lot, we have relatively little experience with trains. On our next trip we plan to take a train from Rome to Salerno as soon as possible upon arrival from an air flight in Rome. If we pre-book our train and something happens to delay our flight into Rome so that we can't make our train reservations, will we be easily rebooked on a later train or will we simply forfeit the money we paid for our train tickets?

Bootman4U Apr 20th, 2003 08:19 AM

The train ticket itself should be good on any comparable later train. By &quot;comparable&quot; I mean the same sort of service such as InterCity vs. Eurostar and both types of train are on that route. The ticket is one thing and a seat reservation&quot; is something else. The ticket for say the IC service allows you to get on the train but does not guarantee you a seat (I think with Eurostar you can't get one without the other and that's where the &quot;surcharge&quot; comes in..you're being charged in the case of Eurostar for a premium service).<BR>If you miss the train you have a reservation for I would check with the ticket office at the station...for IC you can just get on the train and find a seat. There have been many EC and Ic trains I have had seat reservations for that when I boarded there were all sorts of empty seats and I just sat where it was convenient, i.e., in any UNreserved seat I could find. Often on those sorts of trains the conductor simply asks for your ticket and doesn't check the seat reservation at all.

JmVikmanis Apr 20th, 2003 01:21 PM

Thanks, Bootman. It is reassuring to know that at least we won't lose our money if we develop a problem and can't make our originally scheduled train. Thanks for providing such a complete response.

Sher Apr 20th, 2003 01:33 PM

Hi. Remember that although the train from FCO to Termini only takes about thirty minutes, allow yourself a little extra time.<BR>It is quite a jaunt from the termini track stop to the tracks for most of the trains out.<BR>In the two times I have traveled from the airport with an arrival of about 8:00am, I have never been able to make it through customs and to the Termini to catch any earlier a train then 10:30 am. Of course, I purchased the tickets at the airport. So this took a little more time than prepurchasing.<BR>The first time, it seemed to take a lot longer then I thought it should. The next time, I was a little more prepared. This may help you when looking at the times.<BR>I don't think you want to stand on a crowded train all the way to Salerno. So if you go with an IC train, get a seat reservation. And then like Bootman4U says, if it isn't crowded, sit where you want.

JmVikmanis Apr 21st, 2003 01:10 PM

Thanks Sher. I'd forgotten to factor in getting from FCO to the train station. Good point.


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