Pisa to Nice by Train
 

Hi All, we are travelling from Pisa to Nice in September. Booking through Rail Europe is problematic as I can have a confirmed booking from Pisa to Genoa and Genoa to Ventimiglia, but no confirmation available from Ventimiglia to Nice. Also we are leaving for the UK soon and the only method of ticket collection available online is via post or courier; printing online or at the station is not highlighted on the site.
My questions:
1. Is it ok to wait till we arrive in Italy to visit a station and book the tickets then?
2. Is booking essential?
3. I read through other sites that booking from Ventimiglia to Nice is not necessary and we should just hop on the next available train. Is this advisable?

I would appreciate any help you can offer. We are prepared to 'wing it' if we can be assured of a satisfactory outcome, but have a confirmed booking in Nice so can't be too flexible.
Thank you in advance.

Buy when you arrive. Most of the trains are regional trains on this route and tickets bought online are more restrictive. Regional trains have no reserved seating or discounts and don't sell out. There are a few IC trains, but I would just buy a ticket for the next train leaving. Be sure to validate your R (regional) tickets before boarding.

To check schedules/prices, enter Pisa/Ventimiglia and a date within the next 7 days.

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...0080a3e90aRCRD

If you see an IC train that would work for your schedule, you could book it in advance.

Just go to www.trenitalia.com and check prices from Pisa to Ventimiglia.

You'll see economy and super-economy fares that are really cheap - from €19 - which must be pre-booked, no changes, no refunds.

And more expensive but still affordable 'base' fares that you can buy on the day.

Once arrived at Ventimiglia, just buy a local ticket to Nice for €7 and hop on the next half-hourly local train, no reservation necessary or possible, journey time 48 minutes or so.

Thank you kybourbon and Man. How long can we expect the trip from Pisa to take? And are trains from Pisa to Ventimiglia regular? I've had a little trouble with the sites you recommended but will keep trying.
Thanks again

LeavePisa daily 9:31, arrive Nice 16:05 is the fastest link - changing in Genoa and Ventimiglia - ES train to Genoa then IC train to Ventimiglia the regional train to Nice.

To get train schedules easily go to www.bahn.de - the German Railways web scheduling site that has train schedules for all of Europe and to me and many is the easiest to use - a good way to access the English schedule page is to go to the home page of www.budgeteuropetravel.com and click on the lin "Best On-line European Railway Timetable" or some such wording and up pops the English schedule page - I mention this link because it gives you several valuable tips on fully using the Wunderbar German Railways schedule site.

If you can figure it out, book the tickets in advance. Not only will you get better fares, but you get a reserved seat, at least to Ventimiglia. September is a popular travel time along the coast and you are looking at spending the entire day on the train. Booking the faster trains give you a greater guarantee of air conditioning.

If you continue to have difficulty with the Trenitalia site, try Italia Rail. There is a booking fee, but you can get that refunded by emailing them and saying to were referred to the site by Fodor's (or the Man in Seat 61)

http://www.italiarail.com/

In the end, if your flight into Pisa is not arriving until late in the day and you have confirmed reservation in Nice that you cannot cancel without penalty, renting a car and driving is the fastest way to go.

Pisa to Ventimiglia will take 5-6 hours depending on which trains you decide to take. You can take trains with only a change in Genoa or trains with changes in Genoa and Savona. Ventimiglia to Nice will be another hour.

Really the 9:31 departure daily from Pisa is by far the best link - the quickest and fewest changes of trains - most others take much longer - book the ES train in advance for discount fares.

Yup 6.5 hours seems to be the quickest - have your checked flying from either Pisa or Florence airport to Nice, say on EasyJet or some cut-rate airline?

You could use Vueling.com for a possible budget flight from Pisa to Nice.

Break your journey en route at the fabled Cinque Terre if 6 hours straight is too much! All five Cinque Terre towns are on the coastal train line Genoa to Pisa.

Thank you everyone, we have some helpful suggestions to work with .