Questions about Italian train tix in advance...
 

What is the "amica" fare for Italian trains, and how can I order tickets from Rome to Siena online and be sure that I am getting one of the Specials I've heard of, like 2 for 1 on Saturdays, or a lower pre-set Saturday rate? Also, my daughter and I want to return to Rome from Cortona 2 weeks later nice and early in the morning to catch a noon flight out of Fiumicino, so what amount of time should we allow for transfers fm Termini to there, checking in, etc? I'm really hoping to hear which is the best onlinesite to clearly read and be sure of all the train times and costs? (I'd also love any guidance to a great site for Tuscany buses between the smaller towns, as knowing the costs and times there will help us plan ahead to use time well...) Hope I didn't break the bank with questions!!

Amica fares were the old system of discounted fares. They no longer exist. The new discount everyone hopes for are called "Mini". They are available on a limited basis, like frequent flyer mileage seats, up until the day before. There is no way to "be sure" to get a discounted fare because someone may have already purchased those that were available for your train. The earlier you purchase, the better chance you have. ere's a link that explains all the possible discounts:
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...003f16f90aRCRD

Best site is Trenitalia.com, except that they are just in the middle of posting the new summer schedules, so information after mid-June is incomplete. To get some sample schedules and fares, use a date within this coming week for the same day of the week you plan to travel.

Amica fare no longer exists. It was a sale fare from a few years ago. If you want a sale price, look for Mini Fares. Sale prices will not include the slow R trains so if you are looking at routes with these, you won't find any discounts. To see all prices, enter a date within the next 7 days.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...003f16f90aRCRD

The bus is better from Rome to Siena (travel time is the same as the train)as it drops you in the center of Siena. The train station drops you at the edge and you hve to get a bus the rest of the way.
www.sena.it

Here's a bus map for part of Tuscany (mostly Siena province).
http://www.sienamobilita.it/mappe/Mappa_EXT.pdf

Thanks for your suggestions! We are happy to take the bus rather than the train, and our trip is from June 1-16 so the current rates would mostly apply. Is the bus also better from Cortona to Rome? And how can I ask for a Mini Fare - or do I just buy whatever they list for my dates since that might be the lowest cost fare available? Finally, are Saturdays not a special fare day in any way...do Mini Fares apply to all days?

Bookmarking

Bookmarking

The Sena bus departs from Rome Tiburtina station, not Termini. Cost is usually around 10€ (select low cost under fare).

There isn't a train station in Cortona so you have to catch it nearby at Camucia station (buses run to the station). I think train service to Rome is much more frequent than bus on this route. You won't find sale fares on this route as it's the slow R trains. Price is about 10€.

>>>nice and early in the morning to catch a noon flight out<<<<

If it's an overseas flight, you need to be at the airport about 3 hours before departure. You can't make this from Cortona even if all your trains are on time. The earliest you could get to Termini is 8:30. Some of these slow trains drop at satellite tracks and you have to walk 10 minutes just to get to the other tracks. Trains to the airport depart every 30 minutes and travel time is 30 minutes.

First off, hasn't been any amica fares for a couple of years. I believe the only discount now available is the mini. Never heard of 2 for 1 or lower on Saturday. Is you flight at noon a direct flight back to the US or a flight connecting to the flight home? Big difference for time requirement.

Dear kybourbon,

uh oh...what do you suggest about that last day, then? It may not be so bad - here's the whole scoop: we depart at 13:35 (I was making it earlier in my mind for safety's sake) to fly to LONDON, not overseas and back home. (We'll spend the night of the 15th in London before heading back to the US the next am.)

So how much does this make things more manageable? What early morning trains are you seeing out of Camucia (and is this less than 20-30 mins down from Cortona by bus?)?

Finally, that 10Euro rate for the bus ride sounds amazingly good...?!...that must be for the ride to the airport. Do you know the cost going all the way up to Siena from Rome? That seems like it'll be our most expensive leg.

10€ for Siena to Rome on the bus. That's a discount price (select "low cost" under fares). You can buy your tickets on the Sena website (it rolls over to Baltour to purchase). The 10€ fare can sell out and the next lowest fare is 15€. Full price is 22€. You would need to print these tickets for each person.
http://www.sena.it/Informazioni-Low-Cost/66-1.html

Thanks so much!! It's great to 'meet' such a helpful stranger...may the next thing you need come to YOU very easily :)

So I'll check out that site now, and get my tix after a little money transferring tomorrow. Then with the Cortona-Rome trip, does that bus or train come into Tiburtina too, or into Termini? I'm hoping that arriving 1 to 1.5 hrs early at the airport will be good, and allowing an hour to get to Fiumicino once we're back in Rome, so hopefully that can free up another choice or two for a morning train from Cortona.

Btw, I saw on another thread that there's a Rome to Florence train that's only 1.5 hours. Is there no highspeed choice to Siena - I think it was called Eurostar?

.....I just tried to see the fares and times on the site you gave above, and although I saw "low cost" listed as an option on the first page full of italian, when I put my travel date & time in, the price they gave for a specific time was the full 22Euros??

ok, I didn't go far enough...now I see how I can select the fare. But do I just give them the credit card # in the box marked Numero Carta? I don't have any one of the choices under Tipo Carta Fedelta. Thanks for your help

Does anyone know how confident i can be that I qualify for a "Low Cost" rate on the bus from Rome to Siena? It seems to cost the 10Euros that was discussed earlier on this page, but it asks me to "see conditions" and I can't find where to view those.

Love to purchase these tonight....is it suspiciously low cost compared to a 32Euro fare by train?

I suspect that the conditions will not be that you "qualify" but probably that the tickets may be non-refundable.

Thanks, ellenem. I tried my credit card but it was refused twice, so I'll try calling them early tomorrow am... is it easier to purchase tickets over the phone? And what are the odds I can successfully speak English with someone there? (figuring out how many Italian phrases to learn tonight!)

Btw, I saw a lovely long trip report from you on Venice & Florence, and bookmarked it for pleasure reading later :) Any tips on how to find other older posts about the areas I'm interested in in Italy - like an archive? Thanks!

P.S. any tips on good sites for purchasing tix or reserving spots for the Roma Pass, Vatican, Borghese Galleria, Uffizi, etc (and is there any Florence Pass type option?)

and what LOCALITA would include Camucia, near Cortona, from where I think we'll need to catch our return bus back to Rome on the 15th. (is it possible to book this now, or will the change to summer schedules I've heard about in Mid July prevent that?

Have you cleared your account with your credit card company for use on Italian websites?

You can use the Advanced Search and search in specific date ranges.

Thanks, yes, I did clear my card with the bank today. After 1st refusal, I called them again & they said I entered a code wrong. Tried it again but same response.

I'm a little worried about the logistics in Cortona, tho. Does a flight from Rome to London require me to be there 3 hrs early, or is that just overseas to the States? If we can't swing the transfers, I'll have to catch the latest night bus & try for a cheap place in Rome during high season!! argh.....

I don't think you need to be there 3 hours early for Rome, but my experience at FCO is that it is a bit chaotic and checking in takes time. Personally, I would not want to depend on the multiple connections from Cortona to FCO all going well on my flight day. I'd stay in Rome the night before.

I don't know what you consider "cheap," but Hotel Kennedy near Roma Termini gets good reviews.

Hi again...I emailed my hostel in Cortona and asked them about the transfers into Rome. They said a short busride down to Camucia (every 1/2 hr) would get me to an 8:30am train, then into Rome by 10:20, then from Termini to Fiumicino by 11:10. They even offered to drive me to Camucia's train station if I needed that. So does this sound like something they're so used to doing that it's no big deal to be so helpful and hospitable? (the hostel room rate is so low for this kind of generous service!) I was all set to go to Rome a whole day earlier out of fear of not making it safely to the airport with time to spare, and now two hours+ seems like a fine cushion....any thoughts or perspectives?