kaptnclutch

Hello,

I am supposed to meet someone at FCO airport in Rome. Does anyone know if I can use my eurail pass on the express train from Rome to the airport? If I can, would I need a reservation, or just jump on? Thanks!

fmpden

If you have a first class Eurail pass you can but is it smart to burn a day of your pass on 28E ticket?

kaptnclutch

I don't have "days", I have a continuous pass for three weeks. So it's only first class then? Darn, mine is second class. Thanks for the help

PalenQ

With a second class pass simply hop the regional trains that trundle out to the airport even more often I think than the Leonardo Express - but they do not go from Termini station I believe but lesser Roman stations like Tiburtina and Trastevere - they are 2nd class only and arrive at the same airport station the Leonardo Express trains do - about a 15-minute stroll to the terminals.

Regional trains you can indeed just hop on.

For train info I always spotlight these sites that could have more info on whether you could indeed use a 2nd class pass on the 1st class Leonardo Express by paying the difference between the 2nd class fare on regional trains and the first class fare on the Leonardo Express - if possible - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

fmpden

I am curious, what is the daily rate for your three week pass?

PalenQ

21 days for $629 - $629 to go anywhere in Europe by train for 21-day period. that is about $30 a day - sounds like a great great deal to me - of course presuming OP is doing a bit of traveling in various countries. And assuming since she/he said they had a 2nd class pass that it is a 21-day Eurail Global Youthpass - if over 25 yrs old the pass only comes in first class.

Yet a Saverpass for two adults over 25 in first class costs about the same -$30 a day for first class travel all over Europe for three straight weeks - a great great deal if traveling enough of course.

Complete flexibility in most countries to hop any train anytime - such fully flexible tickets often cost a fortune, especially in first class.

Right?

PalenQ

but I should let kaptnclutch respond as maybe there is some other kind of 21-day pass?

fmpden

A great deal !!, May be. There is another way to look at it. First, who would possibly consider train travel for 21 straight days. My guess, no one. Traveling every other day is a possibility that is still a lot of train travel. That would take the cost to $60/day and every third day would be more realistic. That is pushing $90/day. Assuming something in between and adding the premium fare which is often required would bring the daily train costs into the $70/$80/ travel day range. I can go a long way on discounted point to point tickets, especially in Italy, for $80/day. So my point is that I think it is difficult to make big passes pay until you are doing a lot of long distance train trips.

PalenQ

there are other benefits folks like about railpasses besides price - many.

PalenQ

fmpden - yes it could be a great deal - say they only travel every third day - that is 8 days of train travel - say they travel for a few hours each of the 8 days - how much would a first class ticket for a few hours or often more cost? (first class saverpass fare - OP has solo 2nd class pass - so how much would a fully flexible - the thing about other benefits of a railpass is its total flexiblity to take any train once you are there and not some locked in stone online discounts that often have to be booked weeks in advance and cannot often be changed nor refunded.

So for 8 fairly long train trips what would a typical journey in several countries on an average cost?

I'd say well $100 or more in 2nd class and much more in 1st class - even if traveling every third day the pass could be great and they also use in on S-Bahns in German and Austrian cities - the airport train here perhaps -day trips from bases, etc.

Granted it is hard to tell from the info we have about the OP's efficacy but presumably is traveling a lot or would have selected a say Eurail Select Pass for 5, 6 or perhaps 8 days at a cheaper price?

Not sure but presumptuous of either of us to comment without knowing what exactly is planned.

ssander

I've used the regional train between Trastevere and FCO - very easy, and there is tram (#3 & #8) and bus service to the Trastevere station.

Where in Rome are you staying? You may well have an easier route to Stazione Trastevere than to Termini.

SS

kybourbon

>>>With a second class pass simply hop the regional trains that trundle out to the airport<<<

AFAIK the Eurail pass is not accepted for the regional airport trains at all for either FCO or CIA (nor are other types of passes). You can use a 1st class pass on the Leonardo Express.

>>>A great deal !!, May be. <<<
Doesn't include the mandatory seat reservation for the Italian trains either. Most people on vacation aren't going to take the slow R trains (no seat reservation required) which can take 2-3 times as long as the faster trains where seats are mandatory (10€ each).

kaptnclutch - If you don't want to use a day off your pass for the airport, there is a bus for 4€.
http://www.terravision.eu/rome_fiumicino.html

PalenQ

I have used a Eurailpass fairly recently of the regional trains that trundle out to the airport - are not these Trenitalia trains - if still so railpasses will be accepted.

kybourbon would you kindly say where you learnt railpasses are not valid on regional trains to the airport - is it that that line is now part of Rome's metro? Thanks in advance.

kybourbon

It was either on the Rome Tourism website or one of the other Rome transport websites (there are several). I don't quite remember which, but it stated passes (there are other passes besides Eurail for both local and national transport) were not accepted for trains to the airport (not just Leonardo). I really think it was on the tourism website, but during their recent upgrade much of their info has disappeared. I know Ron in Rome has a paragraph about passes on his airport info.

>>>>(FCO) to the City of Rome
Why is it so expensive to get to and from the Leonardo Da Vinco Airport? Frankly, the system is designed to make it expensive – Welcome to Rome! The airport – also known as Fiumicino or FCO – is approximately 16 miles from downtown Rome. Although there is no metro to the airport, there are trains, buses, private shuttles, and taxis available. Yet the system is designed so NO passes or discount tickets apply on the route to and from the FCO airport. The governing body has made sure that your Roma Pass or other discount passes are not valid to take you all the way out to the airport… either airport!<<<<

Rome is expanding the metro, but it will not quite connect to the airport. Here is the map that includes the C and D lines (under construction).
http://www.romametropolitane.it/menu.asp?CodMenu=182

There have been several discussions on Fodor's about how to get around paying the 8 or 14€ train price to the airport. I seem to remember some coming up with a solution of some type. You might find it in a search.

kaptnclutch - If you bus, only the Terravision bus is that cheap (a special price). The Cotral bus is 4.50€ (I think) and the Sit Bus Shuttle is 8€.

PalenQ

thanks for taking time for that detailed response. I tried bahn.de for current schedules of regional trains to airport but no schedules available - the usual foul up with going to winter schedules this past weekend I presume. I wanted to see if Trenitalia regional trains still went to the airport and if so railpasses would seem then to be valid like on any regional train. Will try trenitalia.com next.

But thanks for your explanation but still cannot fathom if not part of Rome's metro why railpasses would not be valid on regional trains.

kaptnclutch

Would be great if anyone knew for sure whether or not I could use the FR1 with my pass, or if it is possible to pay a "difference" fee on the express.

PalenQ

Would be great if anyone knew for sure whether or not I could use the FR1 with my pass, or if it is possible to pay a "difference" fee on the express.>

not sure about the FCO paying difference but I have often used my railpass on the regional trains to the airport - I asked kybourbon why she/he said passes were not valid on regional trains but no response - I would bet you could use your railpass on regional trains to the airport.

PalenQ

According to www.bahn.de to me the definitive online site for accurate info on European trains the trains running to the airport - the regional trains from sway Roma Tiburtina, Ostience and Trastevere stations are indeed Trenitalia trains and marked as regional trains.

Thus railpasses should definitely be valid on them, in spite of some information given above that has not been backed up by any proof that they are not. I would rest comfy and just hop on the train after asking in stations that your railpass indeed is valid on them - I am only 99.9% sure they are valid as they have always been and are Trenitalia trains but you never know. I asked the poster above who said railpasses were not valid on them for where she/he got this info and no response so thus I assume he/she was wrong or IME he/she would have definitely responded.