anggem57

I was wondering if you could offer some advice regarding my new thoughts re: making a reservation thru Trenitalia. Since I'm having no success with the website, I thought maybe I should approach the train reservation another way. Since there is a train office at the Rome airport, should I wait to buy the Eurostar tickets after we arrive (eta: 7:45am on Monday, June 27)?

I saw on another website that this train office is less crowded than at Termini. If I do this should I give myself an hour travelling time between the airport and the train station?

When you have a chance give me your thoughts.

Thanks.

PalQ

Not Ira but i'll give my 2 euro cents worth:
Yes train station at airport much MUCH less hectic than Termini station - though you can use automatic ticketing machines there.
Trains leave airport at :07 and :37 minutes after each hour, taking 31 minutes to Termini - these are first class only Leonardo Espress trains. Other trains, 2nd class only, go twice hourly to Rome's Tiburtina station via Ostiense and other commuter Rome stations, taking 41-42 mins to Tiburtina but don't serve Termini and rumor has are subject to being dens of bag snatchers.
If you are taking your Eurostar the same day you arrive better buy you ticket in Rome in case plane is late. And as June 27 is only a few weeks away all the ballyhooed, and few in number it seems, PREM fares via trenitalia will be long sold out - it seems as soon as they come on the system 60 days in advance so you won't lose any money by not buying ahead. Just do it all at the airport - i assume the station there is a full service trenitalia station that makes these reservations. At Termini, last time i was there the ticket windows up top were terrible crowded but there were ticket windows on a lower level that hardly had any lines - havn't been there for a few years so don't know if this is now the situation. Hopefull all Italians are doing it online so lines have diminished, in which case Trenitalia will probably have fewer windows open and just as long lines.

anggem57

PalQ

thanks for the advice - I'm just going over all these steps to see if I can make that first travel day a little easier.

ira

Hi ang,

Good advice from PalQ.

Check the schedules for wherever it is you are going from Rome.

If there are 1-2 trains per hour, you will be OK buying your tickets at the FCO train station - if it is not busy or the agent is not in a bad mood.

Alternatively, try registering again at Trenitalia. I opened a mailbox at www.yahoo.com and used that for my alternate trenitalia address.

Finally, we made advance reservations for the train to Florence at 12:30, leaving 4 hr after our scheduled arrival at FCO. This worked out well, because we arrived at the head of the tracks in time to see the 11:30 train depart.

There is a pleasant self serve cafeteria at the Termini station where you can have a light lunch, relax, people watch and get into the "Il dolce far niente" mood.

Hope this helps.

massagediva

In my opinion,people stress way too much about buying train tickets in Italy.It's a piece of cake.The self-service machines are great,just take a minute or two. I've never had to wait more than a minute or two(in Termini or elsewhere.)

JoeTro

I was OCD about buying train tickets until I realized it's pretty easy. Self-service machines are very good, and if you want to have more hand-holding, just go to an agent at the ticket counter. English is very common at least in my experience with ticket agents.

anggem57

I know I am probably overthinking the train tickets. It's a funny thing but the more you read not only do you gain knowledge (+) but you can also get stressed (-) over the horror stories - pickpockets, scams, stolen luggage, etc..Gotta learn to go with the flow.

Thanks to all for their advice.

PalQ

Machines are not always so easy to use for novice travelers and if you go to the ticket window have everything written out - the Italian name of destination (Firenze for Florence, etc.) and how many people, what class, etc. Nearly all long-distance Italian trains are non-smoking so no longer need to declare that. I recently talked to a person who had a Eurailpass and was traveling solo and she made several reservations at once and only after the 4th train trip did she realized the clerk had automaticaly assumed she was traveling with someone else and had booked her two seats, with corresponding sleeper train charges. This has happened to me occasionally - recently at Schiphol Airport in Holland i asked for a couchette berth and when i looked at the reservation coupon it was for two people even though i did not say two people - so write everything out including the train time and date in the European style (date, month, year) - many clerks speak some English but often not fluently as one might expect of a low-grade civil servant.

btewalt

Just to add to the post...Travel agencies/agents can book your tickets at no charge.

Dayle

Just wondering on using the self-serve machines. I've never used one. Is there an English option on the machine? Some instructions on a machine might be hard to understand in Italian.

massagediva

There is an English option on the machine,trust me,they walk you through the whole process,it's very easy.

anggem57

Well Ira you have done it again. I registered at yahoo for a new email address and then registered with Trenitalia. Bingo - got a response from Trenitalia in about 2 minutes.

Thanks for the advice.

ira

Happy to help, ang.