hello all- we will be landing in Rome about 8:00 am on Friday April 11th. we will need to get to the train station to catch a train to florence. Should we be making reservations for the train from Rome to florence- I worry about delays and luggage issues etc so not sure about what time we would be taking a train to reserve a spot.

I wouldn't reserve, for a number of reasons:
1. As you say, it's hard to know when to reserve for (and changing reservations is a pain);
2. There are frequent trains; it's a non-holiday Friday, so you're almost 100% sure to get a reservation on the next train;
3. Buying on line from North America is a royal pain.

You can buy your Rome-Florence ES ticket (with seat reservation included) at the Fiumicino train station; they'll know which one you can conveniently make.

Assuming you're taking the Leonardo Express from FCO to Termini, you should buy your ES* tickets from Rome to Florence at the FCO station, along with the Leonardo Express tickets.

And if the price is worth it to you, "sold out" often refers to just 2nd class. If the say a train is sold out, ask about 1st. First sells out slower than 2nd. But again, the is only if catching the very next train is important to you.

Here is the schedule for Friday, April 11, starting at 10am.

http://orario.trenitalia.com/b2c/TimeTable

I print out the schedules for my general time and take them to the Leonardo Express ticket counter.

May I ask, why buy the tickets at FCO rather than Termini? Is it more convenient?

elcom,

Mikkih will have to buy a ticket at FCO airport to get from FCO to Termini. Why stand on two lines? Get both tickets at the same time.

Termini can be a madhouse. FCO is much calmer.

Hi M,

Buy your ticket to Florence at the FCO train station when you buy your ticket to Rome TE.

If you are uncomfortable with that, book the 12:30 ES*.

We arrived on a flight scheduled to land at 08:00. What with various delays (it took an hour to get our luggage) we arrived at Rome TE at 11:30.

There is a nice self serve cafeteria at Rome TE if you arrive too early.

As there are 2 trains most hours Rome-florence there should be no problem getting on

If you do buy your ticket at Termini DON't stand in the yes often very long lines i saw there recently

use the idiot-proof automatic ticket machines which are in English and a snap to use as i played with them a lot

I can do - it's idiot-proof

but still i concur buying your tickets all at once at the airport train station