Rome to Florence on the SLOW train: pros ad cons
Nov 10th, 2004, 07:06 AM
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Rome to Florence on the SLOW train: pros ad cons
The vast majority of Fodorites and other tourists travelling between Rome and Florence are likely to take either a Eurostar Italia (ES) or a Intercity (IC) train.
But there is a third type of train, the "Diretto" (D), which is the subject of this travel advisory. Why take this train? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
1. Diretto trains depart regularly every two hours during the day, beginning quite early in the morning.
2. Travel time is 3 hrs., 37 mins, or fully TWO hours longer than the ES and 60-90
minutes longer than the IC.
3. Up to sixteen intermediate stops are made, including at popular tourist destinations such as Orvieto, Chiusi, Terontola-Cortona, and Arezzo. Stops are very short. The trenitalia website gives a full listing of stops for each train (click on the train number).
4. Fare in second class is 14.31 Euros, which is HALF the cost of the ES (29.44 Euros) and a 35% savings over the IC (21.95 Euros).
5. Usually no air conditioning, and no food or beverage service. There is heating during the winter.
6. All seats are UNRESERVED. Nevertheless, if you board at either Rome Termini or Florence S. M. Novella (both points of origination), you'll have no problem finding a seat.
7. Some second class railcars have older seats framed in a hard, rubbery plastic which is uncomfortable on the thighs and back of the head. Other railcars have softer framed seats. Don't settle for an uncomfortable seat, keep moving forward (or back) until you find one of the newer seats. First class seats are uniformly more comfortable and wider, but cost 50% more. Seats do NOT recline or pivot.
8. There is plenty of overhead space for luggage, in both classes of service.
9. First class is usually much less crowded, although there are only one or two first class railcars per train.
10. Train is totally NON-SMOKING.
11. Train is not quite as smooth or quiet as either the ES or the IC, but acceptable nevertheless.
12. Train is popular with commuters and students, so you have an opportunity to observe more locals (rather than foreigners).
13. You save lots of money by taking this train, if you're not in a hurry.
14. If you're visiting Florence as a daytrip from Rome (or the reverse), take the ES to save time!
www.trenitalia.com
But there is a third type of train, the "Diretto" (D), which is the subject of this travel advisory. Why take this train? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
1. Diretto trains depart regularly every two hours during the day, beginning quite early in the morning.
2. Travel time is 3 hrs., 37 mins, or fully TWO hours longer than the ES and 60-90
minutes longer than the IC.
3. Up to sixteen intermediate stops are made, including at popular tourist destinations such as Orvieto, Chiusi, Terontola-Cortona, and Arezzo. Stops are very short. The trenitalia website gives a full listing of stops for each train (click on the train number).
4. Fare in second class is 14.31 Euros, which is HALF the cost of the ES (29.44 Euros) and a 35% savings over the IC (21.95 Euros).
5. Usually no air conditioning, and no food or beverage service. There is heating during the winter.
6. All seats are UNRESERVED. Nevertheless, if you board at either Rome Termini or Florence S. M. Novella (both points of origination), you'll have no problem finding a seat.
7. Some second class railcars have older seats framed in a hard, rubbery plastic which is uncomfortable on the thighs and back of the head. Other railcars have softer framed seats. Don't settle for an uncomfortable seat, keep moving forward (or back) until you find one of the newer seats. First class seats are uniformly more comfortable and wider, but cost 50% more. Seats do NOT recline or pivot.
8. There is plenty of overhead space for luggage, in both classes of service.
9. First class is usually much less crowded, although there are only one or two first class railcars per train.
10. Train is totally NON-SMOKING.
11. Train is not quite as smooth or quiet as either the ES or the IC, but acceptable nevertheless.
12. Train is popular with commuters and students, so you have an opportunity to observe more locals (rather than foreigners).
13. You save lots of money by taking this train, if you're not in a hurry.
14. If you're visiting Florence as a daytrip from Rome (or the reverse), take the ES to save time!
www.trenitalia.com
Nov 10th, 2004, 11:44 AM
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Yet another benefit to taking the slow train ("Diretto"
between Rome and Florence (or reverse) is that the ticket has a 24-hour validity from the moment it is "validated" (time and date stamped in the little yellow machine by the train track).
This means that you are allowed to break your journey at ANY intermediate stop and proceed to final destination later in the day (or even the next day, as long as you're within the 24-hour timespan). If you wish, you could even make two stopovers within the same 24 hours (though this is unlikely and not recommended).
A perfect stopover between Rome and Florence would be Orvieto or Terontola-Cortona, or Arezzo. If you leave early in the morning, you would have sufficient time to visit one of these towns as a stopover.
The ES train does not make these stops (in any case, you may NOT break a journey on an ES train). As for the IC train, it may not stop at each of these locations (you would need to check the website schedules). Furthermore, the IC train is actually more likely to be overcrowded than the slow train (and it costs more, in any case).
Be careful, however, if you do break your journey, do NOT board an IC train at your stopover if you're travelling on a local train ticket, or you'll have to pay the difference in fare, PLUS a fine of 8 Euros per seat, for having boarded a train for which your ticket is not appropriate ("biglietto non idoneo".
between Rome and Florence (or reverse) is that the ticket has a 24-hour validity from the moment it is "validated" (time and date stamped in the little yellow machine by the train track). This means that you are allowed to break your journey at ANY intermediate stop and proceed to final destination later in the day (or even the next day, as long as you're within the 24-hour timespan). If you wish, you could even make two stopovers within the same 24 hours (though this is unlikely and not recommended).
A perfect stopover between Rome and Florence would be Orvieto or Terontola-Cortona, or Arezzo. If you leave early in the morning, you would have sufficient time to visit one of these towns as a stopover.
The ES train does not make these stops (in any case, you may NOT break a journey on an ES train). As for the IC train, it may not stop at each of these locations (you would need to check the website schedules). Furthermore, the IC train is actually more likely to be overcrowded than the slow train (and it costs more, in any case).
Be careful, however, if you do break your journey, do NOT board an IC train at your stopover if you're travelling on a local train ticket, or you'll have to pay the difference in fare, PLUS a fine of 8 Euros per seat, for having boarded a train for which your ticket is not appropriate ("biglietto non idoneo"
.
