cali88

thank you!

kybourbon

jmcdo - It used to be you could use the pass for the Leonardo if you have a 1st cl pass. I don't know if this is still the case and it counted as a day off of the pass so really was a waste of a day. Rail passes are rarely cost effective for Italy. They don't include the price of a seat reservation (around 10€ for most trains) which are mandatory on most trains in Italy. If you haven't bought your pass yet, you are probably better off buying point-to-point tickets in Italy, not from a reseller like Eurail/RailEurope. If you want to post your itinerary we can tell if you should get a pass or tickets.

jmcdo

I tried to do this myself.

3/13 Fiumicino > Roma Termini - 10 Euro
3/13 Roma T > Venice - 94 Euro
3/16 Venice > Florence - 56 Euro
3/20 Florence > Pixa - 16 Euro
3/20 Pisa > Rome - 53 Euro

By my estimate the point to point has a grand total of 229 Euro. The saver price is $229 USD adult (3) and $115 child (1).

We are purchasing 1st class because I want to make sure there is plenty of room on the train. The last time I toured Italy with my mother we ended up in different compartments on a fairly long trip because of overbooking in 2nd class. I don't want to risk it with my daughters. Are reservations easy to come by in mid-March?

Thanks for the help!

ThinGorjus

Where are you getting 10 euros for Fiumicino to Termini? Keith and I paid 11 euros each for our tickets on the LE in September.

Thin

kybourbon

Thin is right. The Leonardo is 11€. There is no 1st or 2nd class on the Leonardo and no seat reservations. I also think it might count as a day off of your pass so using it for travel from the airport to Rome and then Rome to Venice might count as 2 days. Before purchasing this pass,you need to call the people at BETS and find out.

You forgot to add in the cost of seat reservations (10€ or $13.50 per person per train<3> ride at current exchange rate). Your price for Florence/Pisa is wrong (should be 5.70€). The majority of trains on this route (Florence/Pisa) are R trains which don't allow/have seat reservations and most only have one class, not two. There are a few R trains on this route that offer 1st and 2nd cl (you sit wherever you can find a seat)for 8.60€ and 5.70€, but it would be silly to hang around waiting on one of those trains when the others are more frequent.

You also haven't factored in the family discount which is 20% off. While it can sell out, it will usually be available. I entered this Friday and checked several different trains and it was available on every train I checked. Your family of 4 can take the AV/ES train 1st cl from Rome to Venice for 272.60€ which includes seats. Venice/Florence family of four 1st cl 162.40€. Pisa/Rome family of four 1st cl 155.20. Florence/Pisa 34.40€ 1st cl or 22.80€ 2nd cl. Leonardo Express 44€.

P-to-P 1st cl tickets 668.60€ or $902.61 or (subtract $15.66 if you take the 2nd cl to Pisa for a total of $886.95)

Railpass - 3 adult super saver 1st cl $229, 1 child $115 plus seats 120€ or $162.
Cost to travel with passes $964.

All 2nd cl p-to-p with family discount $720.76.

There are other discounts available for advance purchase of tickets which could save you more, but Trenitalia usually won't accept American credit cards. As you can see, there is not advantage in getting a railpass.

>>>We are purchasing 1st class because I want to make sure there is plenty of room on the train. The last time I toured Italy with my mother we ended up in different compartments on a fairly long trip because of overbooking in 2nd class. I don't want to risk it with my daughters. Are reservations easy to come by in mid-March<<<

I don't know how long ago this was, but since all AV/ES/ICPlus/IC trains now have mandatory seat reservations, this should not be a problem. 2nd cl on AV or ES trains is fine and has more room than coach seats on an airplane.

FYI - To see the family discount on Trenitalia, choose your train, enter the number of adults/children and select class. This will make another fare choice show (Familia).

jmcdo

Wow! Thanks for the help. Do I understand correctly that if you purchase a point to point ticket, you do not have to purchase a separate seat reservation? I thought everyone had to buy a seat reservation. You are correct in that makes a huge difference.

When you said that Trenitalia did not accept American credit cards, does that mean I would have to pay for all of the point-to-point tickets in cash or do you just mean online? I am hesitant to carry that much cash around. I have had problems with my bank stopping my card when they realize I am out of the country (even after I call ahead of time with my travel dates).

Thank you

isabel

bookmarking

kybourbon

jmcdo - Make sure you qualify for the Familia discount.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...003f16f90aRCRD

P-to-P tickets purchased from Trenitalia online or in Italy, include your seats in the price. The prices you see on Trenitalia include seats. They used to state on their website that online purchases are discounted 5% and I believe that is still the case although one person reported their press release in Dec. about changes stated otherwise.

Since you are traveling in March, there is a special (48€)good through the end of March for the faster trains if the Familia rate is sold out. This is 2nd cl, but it should be fine for Rome/Venice just seat your party of four together. The adults would pay 48€ each and the child would pay 36.50€ (discount from regular price not special). You also didn't factor a child's discount in your price quotes above. Your child ticket would be 50% off (ages 4-12).
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...003f16f90aRCRD

The ticket machines in the train stations will accept your credit cards although some machines will be marked cash only. You need to notify your credit card, before you travel, to flag your account for the dates/countries. Call back a few days later to see if they actually flagged the account as many times it doesn't seem to get processed. Here's a video that will walk you through using the ticket machines. The first part is the old machines found in smaller stations, but the second part is the new touchscreen found in the major stations.
http://www.webvisionitaly.com/search.php?ref_genre=8#

Also RinR has a walk-thru with close up pics (scroll down).
http://www.roninrome.com/%20transpor...a-train-ticket

Be sure to validate your tickets for the Leonardo Express in the yellow machines track side. Your tickets with reserved seats don't require validation. You will also need to validate your Florence/Pisa when you get ready to use them.

annhig

we spent about an hour at Termini waiting for our train to Orvieto. [I'm a terror for getting to palces early, as my family will tell you].

there are lots of shops and cafes, ticket machines, loos [want some small change] and people. lots of them.

the only scam we saw was people offering to "help" us use the ticket machines. we just said a very brisk "non grazie" [already practised on the umbrella and flower sellers in Rome] and they went away.

but it would be worth keeping an eye on them if you had luggage with you.

we also saw a very sad woman praying to a lamp-post [I'm not kidding] on our way to the bus stop when we were on our way home.

TonyTravel

It would be great if I can get some current information on the Leonardo Express. Is the train inside our outside the airline terminal? Is it easy to get to the train from baggage claim and customs? Is there some sign or landmark to look out for? Lastly, I have a 1st class pass, which allows me free use of the shuttle. I just post it as a day's use. I take it that's no issue for me because I'm going directly on by train to Venice. Can someone confirm this would not be two days use in 1 day. Also, I must get the pass validated before first use. Where is that done: 1. At the Leonardo Express or 2 Elsewhere at the airport?

ellenem

After you leave baggage claim, you will see signs for exits, ground transport, and the train station—with a train symbol as well as words. Follow the signs. The instructions above are still correct. Very easy.

Yes, since you will use your pass for the Leonardo Express plus Venice on the same day, it is one day of use. If you were not continuing on to Venice, it would be better to purchase the Leonardo Express ticket and not waste a day of your pass.

The Leonardo Express is a regular (but small) train station. Personally I'm not sure if you just stamp it or will need to go to a ticket window for validation, but I can't imagine validation would take place anyplace else but at the train station.

geroge747

Hi,

Which are the cheapest ways to get from FCO to cental Rome? I found this article http://smartlife01.blogspot.com/2010...micino-to.html which explains how to get in Rome with 2.9 Euro. Can anyone confirm that's correct?

Vttraveler

We took the regional train to the Trastevere stop, then the 8 tram into central Rome (it goes as far as largo Argentina) That might be more convenient than the metro options, depending on where you are going.
I can't confirm the lower price quoted for taking the regional route in two segments. If you do opt for this, the trains run quite frequently, I believe every half hour.

kybourbon

The price of the train ticket from Fiumcino to Parco Leonardo (five minutes from the airport) is 1€. The price from Parco Leonardo to Rome is 2.30€. The FR1 does not go to the main Rome train station so you would still need to get to where you want to end up. This only works for the fist stop. If you enter any other stops the price is 8€

FR1 stops:
Fiumicino Aeroporto
Parco Leonardo
Fiera Di Roma
Ponte Galeria
Muratella
Magliana
Villa Bonelli
Roma Trastevere
Roma Ostiense
Roma Tuscolana
Roma Tiburtina

kybourbon

I just checked the reverse route to see if the prices were the same for Rome/Parco Leonardo/Fiumicino and they were. Trenitalia updated their fare structure mid-Dec so probably the 2.90€ was before that and the price now would be 3.30€ total.

bocacpa

KY Bourbon: so from FCO to Roma Trastevere is 8 Euro direct but only 3.3 Euro by changing trains. I notice on the Trenitalia web site it is the SAME train number.

I guess the problem is that you would have to get off and either buy, or if you bought, you would have to validate the ticket for the Parco Leonardo - Roma Trastevere portion - thus losing 15 minutes.

Also, if the train originates at FCO, I would guess you might not be able to find a seat if you get on at Parco Leonardo.

So if you have flown all night, etc. it might make sense to pay the extra euros to avoid the above mentioned hassles.

Do I have it right?

Thanks
Steve

kybourbon

You could purchase both tickets at Fiumicino.

>>>Also, if the train originates at FCO, I would guess you might not be able to find a seat if you get on at Parco Leonardo.<<<

You might not be able to find a seat anyway, but I think most people arriving at the airport don't ride the FR1. Most ride the Leonardo Express or book a shuttle. Since FCO is the origination, I wouldn't think the train would be crowded until several stops in.
Transport map:
http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=4

I don't think you could hop off, validate a ticket and get back on the same train in the short of amount of time the train is stopped (only a minute or two). It could be a bit of a trek from your location on the train to the validation machine. You would probably have to get off and wait for the next train. I could see backpackers doing this to save a few €. I'm not sure a ticket from Parco Leonardo to Trastevere is valid if validated at another station (FCO). Perhaps someone from Italy will see this and know the answer.

Options:

The FR1 FCO to Parco, Parco to Rome 3.3€

The FR1 FCO to Rome 8€

The Leonardo Express 14€

The Sitbus Shuttle 8€
http://www.sitbusshuttle.it/

Taxi (official city of Rome) 45€ (set fee 4 people including luggage). City of Fiumicino taxis can charge more.

Airport shuttle 25€ (1 person) (shared shuttle service)
http://www.airportshuttle.it/rates.htm

Limo 40€ and up.
http://www.romeshuttlelimousine.com/...t-transfer.php

http://www.romecabs.com/transfers.html

http://www.limoservicerome.com/Servi...es.htm#Inglese
(Don't confuse Limo Service Rome, an excellent company with Limo ServiceS Rome that attempts to hijack their business as they are not reliable)