overnight trains in Italy
 

My husband and I are going to Italy in a couple of weeks and are trying to make train reservations in advance from home. What site should I use for the overnight train to Venice from Naples? How do you reserve a private sleeper for 2? I seem to only find couchettes mentioned?

The incercity Night 771 (marco Polo) that leaves from Venezia Santa Lucia at 00.04 am and that arrives in Naples at 9.53am has both couchettes (6 berths) and wagonlits of 1st and 2nd class. Check out www.trenitalia.com
Wagonlit sleepers for 2 people should be available for 1st and 2nd class. Try buying the tickets on that site, if not call Raileurope

For your information the COMPARTIMENTO DOPPIO (double compartment, for 2 people) costs about 85 euros per person. The POSTO DOPPIO (double) costs about 100 euros per person. I think the difference is that the posto doppio is slightly larger, and you need to buy a first class ticket in addition to the wagon lit supplement, whereas the Compartimento Doppio is linked to a second class ticket in addition to the wagon lit supplement

Hi R,

>What site should I use for the overnight train to Venice from Naples?<

www.trenitalia.com

The ICN train departs Naples at 20:27 and arrives 05:31.

It has 2 bed compartments and more expensive double seat compartments at 100E pp.

Alpieagles will fly you for 29E pp.

www.alpieagles.com

((I))

There is no such thing as a "double seat" compartment. This is a translation error. These compartments are more expensive than two-berth sleeping compartments, so are obviously superior two-berth sleeping compartments.

Yes Geoff,

If I said 1cl sleeper, the OP might not have been able to find it.

Flying is cheaper and more convenient, anyway.

((I))

Why is flying more convenient? It will depend partly on the departure time: can a flight at six in the morning ever be convenient?
The train will take you from city centre to city centre. The overnight train will waste less time because you can spend a whole day in one city, then a whole day in another. A flight, however cheap, will waste at least a morning, an afternoon or an evening. A flight may not be cheap if you book at short notice, especially if you have to add the cost of an extra night in a hotel.

DON'T PAY FULL FARE for wagons lits or couchette accommodations on EXP or ICN Italian trains, when you might qualify for the discounted promotional fare "Liberta' di Viaggiare" ("Freedom to Travel") of 30 Euros per person for a 6-bunk couchette and 45 Euros per person for a twin-bedded wagon lit.

You need to reserve no later than 12 midnight of the day before departure of the train, but realistically much more in advance, given the limited offerings at the promotional rate. Reservations open 60 days in advance of your travel date.

Read the RULES for this promotional ticket on the Trenitalia website, in case you need to change reservations or exchange tickets. The ticket is otherwise non-refundable.

www.trenitalia.com

I don't know why an overnight train is somehow a better idea than a flight that departs 6:50 am and arrives at 8:05 am - - both arrive too early to get into a hotel, and even many of the other things you might want do - - <i>unless that's simply your preference</i>!

And there is no need to take such an early flight if you don't want to...

Three other departures also offer that same low fare (depending on your dates of travel)...

dep 11:25 arr 12:40
dep 15:30 arr 16:45
dep 19:00 arr 20:15

I concede that some overnight train routes could make sense, when flight times are not so wonderful, or cannot duplicate the convenience (or in some cases, not the cost either) of rail travel.

But this is not such a case.

Best wishes,

Rex

topping... since you are new here...

(How do I know that? click on your own name).