Please Advise reTrain Problem (Italy)
 

I bought Rome-Florence train tickets here through a travel agent, who told me that my Rome hotel would reserve seats for us. The hotel emails me that it doesn't do this but that I could go to one of several travel agencies around the hotel. <BR>1. Is it or is it not routine for a hotel to perform this service? <BR>2. Will a travel agent perform this service even if I already have bought the tickets elsewhere? <BR>3. I know what train I want from the Italian train website. Is there a way I can reserve the seats myself? <BR>Thanks. <BR>

As best as I can understand your question, this is my advice. If you are staying in Rome more than a day, then purchase your tickets in Rome, either at the station or the airport or from a travel agent in Rome. <BR> <BR>The trains that run from Rome to Florence leave four or five times an hour, so you have plenty of choices.

Make a quick trip to the Rome Termini station and reserve at one of the windows. This way you can become familiar with the layout, track locations ,etc. when you are relaxed without your luggage. Just show them your ticket and they will reserve your seat for a small fee. The hotel would probably charge for this service.

Judy <BR> <BR>If the tickets you bought are on an Eurostar, they should bear the seat numbers ... If their on an IC train, seat reservations are not (normally) mandatory. If you want to reserve, you'll have to do it either through any travel agency or train station. A Lit 5,800/pax fee is called for (maybe the reason why the hotel won't do it). <BR> <BR>Now ... if you have to go all the way to Italy to get your seat reservations, why did you bother to buy the tickets back home (most probably paying more than you would in Italy)? I'd return the tickets and get my money back ... <BR> <BR>Paulo

Thanks to all for the help. <BR> Paulo, I did it because I didn't know any better. Once I had read about train travel on Fodor's I knew I shouldn't have done it but the die was cast. The travel agent is a friend of a friend, etc., and I felt guilty because since finding this forum I'd given virtually no work to her. The ticket is first class, cost $45 U.S., and may be used on the Eurostar (among other trains) for a period of 6 months, but it is subject to a 15% cancellation fee so I've emailed the travel agent and asked her to reserve the seats(the reason she says she didn't book them in the first place was that we didn't know when we wanted to go to Florence). I wasn't told there was an extra fee to reserve seats. In light of what you've said, I'm afraid I was a tad harsh with the hotel.

Good evening, Judy <BR>Some time ago it was not possible of <BR>getting seat reservations (suppliment) <BR>outside of IT. However during this <BR>time did purchase tickets here in the US <BR>and waited to get to IT to get the suppliments. Used a travel agency on <BR>the Sistina once and mostly used the <BR>Travel Desk of the Amerx office at the <BR>bottom of the Spanish Steps. <BR>Richard of LaGrange Park, Ill.

Thanks, Richard. You've reassured me. Judy