I'm clearly none too bright, but I can't figure out how the "one country pass" works (trenitalia site). I can't grasp they way they translate the Italian instructions, perhaps.

Here's the deal. In March 2009, my husband and I plan to spend about 10 days in Italy. We'll arrive Malpensa Airport, and pick up the train to Verona (2 nights), Vicenza (1 night), Padua (1 night), Venice (3 mights)then return to Milan (2 nights) and fly out.

Does this mean I should get a "6 day ticket" since we'll be traveling on 6 non-consecutive days?

Is it better to buy a pass ahead of time or can we just get this pass at the train ticket counter at Malpensa?

Any other words of wisdom about trains in Italy.

grazie molto, Ellen

For your itinerary it will most likely be cheaper simply to buy point to point tickets and forgo a pass.

Because 2nd class train tickets in Italy are not that expensive, many times point-to-point purchased at the train station as you go works better than a pass.

But I'll let an expert help you out about your particular routes.

Thank you! That seems much easier than dealing with a pass!

Ellen

We were just in Italy for 10 days and 4 cities. Even with all that travel, it was cheaper to go with point to point tickets.

Verona, Vicenza, and Padua are all quite close to one another--about 30 minutes by train. And Venice is 30 minutes from Padua. For such short distances, I would choose one place, perhaps Verona, and visit Padua and Vicenza from there as daytrips. (Or stay 2 nights in Vicenza or Padua and daytrip to the other.) Then on to Venice for 3 nights, then Milan.

Every time you change locations you lose at least half a day, even for such short distances. It takes a lot more time than you think to check out of your hotel, drag your luggage to train stations, ride to the next town, drag your luggage to the new hotel, check in . . .

And as others have said, this itinerary would be best with point-to-point tickets, not a pass.

Hi eb,

Train schedules and prices are at
www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html

It is highly unlikely that a railpass will save you money.

Padua is only 0:30 hr by train from Venice, Vicenza is under 1 hr.

Why change hotels? Stay in Venice.

For everything you need to know about traveling by train in Italy: www.slowtrav.com/italy/trains/index.htm

We usually bought our tickets ahead of time at travel agents, not the station. We'd pass a travel agency with Trenitalia in the window in the course of our touristing; they all have English-speaking agents. That made for less hectic departures. No need to stand in line.

You can also use the ticket machines easily.
Agree about not needing pass for those areas.
We were in Bologna during the week before Easter and train station was mobbed with kids going home for the weekend. So, if you are travelling on those days, you might want to get your tickets in advance at the station.