Rome to Pescara via bus
May 13th, 2014 | 09:21 PM
#1
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Rome to Pescara via bus
Dear public transportation fans,
We plan on leaving either Monday or Tuesday the first week of June from Rome to Pescara. We will be in the Trastevere area. Based on what I have read, it seems to me that we should take the train from the Trastevere station to the Tiburtina station, then hop on a bus for the 2/12 hour ride to Pescara. My question is what time of day do you suggest we get on that bus? Are there traffic jams that can be avoided by making sure we're on that bus at a certain hour?
Since the taxi ride could be a half hour (according to google maps) from our hotel to the Tiburtina station, I am not excited about laying out molto euro for a taxi. That's why I'm thinking train station to train station for the 1st leg. We've got a whole month in Italy, so it's not like we've gotta race to get there. Thanks for any suggestions!
We plan on leaving either Monday or Tuesday the first week of June from Rome to Pescara. We will be in the Trastevere area. Based on what I have read, it seems to me that we should take the train from the Trastevere station to the Tiburtina station, then hop on a bus for the 2/12 hour ride to Pescara. My question is what time of day do you suggest we get on that bus? Are there traffic jams that can be avoided by making sure we're on that bus at a certain hour?
Since the taxi ride could be a half hour (according to google maps) from our hotel to the Tiburtina station, I am not excited about laying out molto euro for a taxi. That's why I'm thinking train station to train station for the 1st leg. We've got a whole month in Italy, so it's not like we've gotta race to get there. Thanks for any suggestions!
May 14th, 2014 | 01:03 AM
#2
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You could definitely take a train from Trastevere station to Tiburtina station. The FL1 trains go between the two stations, with departures about every 20 minutes. Probably other trains also connect the two stations, but some would require a change at Termini station.
Here are the bus schedules between Rome and Pescara.
http://www.arpaonline.it/arpaonline/...cara-roma.html
Note that there are three different companies providing the service; on the left-hand side of the page, the name of the company which operates each departure is noted. When you get to the Tiburtina coach station, you'll have to find the ticket window and the departure bay for the service which is scheduled for that time. Perhaps they all share a ticket window.
The bus trip takes more than 2 1/2 hours; most of the runs are just a little less than 3 hours.
The trip is almost entirely by autostrada, so traffic shouldn't be a problem, especially leaving the city in the morning. There may be a little traffic until you get to the autostrada, but the time of day wouldn't have much to do with that. You might want to leave between 9 and 1400, to avoid both rush hours.
I myself would prefer to take the train from Tiburtina station to Pescara. It does take a little longer; the shortest trips are almost 4 hours, or a little more than four hours. However, I would much rather spend an extra hour on the train, where you can get up and walk around, and where there are toilets, than sit for three hours on a bus. The transfer at Tiburtina would also be much easier, especially if you have a lot of luggage. You could buy your tickets for the entire trip at Trastevere station. I find Tiburtina bus station confusing and chaotic. Maybe those who use it frequently don't have a problem finding their ticket windows and the departure bay, but I once nearly missed a bus there because somehow I had got the wrong departure bay information.
You can see the train schedules here:
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...005817f90aRCRD
Here are the bus schedules between Rome and Pescara.
http://www.arpaonline.it/arpaonline/...cara-roma.html
Note that there are three different companies providing the service; on the left-hand side of the page, the name of the company which operates each departure is noted. When you get to the Tiburtina coach station, you'll have to find the ticket window and the departure bay for the service which is scheduled for that time. Perhaps they all share a ticket window.
The bus trip takes more than 2 1/2 hours; most of the runs are just a little less than 3 hours.
The trip is almost entirely by autostrada, so traffic shouldn't be a problem, especially leaving the city in the morning. There may be a little traffic until you get to the autostrada, but the time of day wouldn't have much to do with that. You might want to leave between 9 and 1400, to avoid both rush hours.
I myself would prefer to take the train from Tiburtina station to Pescara. It does take a little longer; the shortest trips are almost 4 hours, or a little more than four hours. However, I would much rather spend an extra hour on the train, where you can get up and walk around, and where there are toilets, than sit for three hours on a bus. The transfer at Tiburtina would also be much easier, especially if you have a lot of luggage. You could buy your tickets for the entire trip at Trastevere station. I find Tiburtina bus station confusing and chaotic. Maybe those who use it frequently don't have a problem finding their ticket windows and the departure bay, but I once nearly missed a bus there because somehow I had got the wrong departure bay information.
You can see the train schedules here:
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...005817f90aRCRD
May 14th, 2014 | 03:46 AM
#4
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The 7:42 train leaving Tiburtina arrives in Pescara at 11:45, 4 hours and 3 minutes. I don't know where you got this 6:54 train, as I don't see any departure for Pescara earlier than 7:42 on the Trenitalia site, even when I put 5 AM as the desired departure time. It must have a change somewhere, because it arrives at the same time as the 7:42.
The 16:30 train from Tiburtina takes 3 hours and 49 minutes. Of the six daily trains shown on the Trenitalia web site, only one takes 5 hours.
The 16:30 train from Tiburtina takes 3 hours and 49 minutes. Of the six daily trains shown on the Trenitalia web site, only one takes 5 hours.
May 14th, 2014 | 07:08 AM
#5
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Wow, perfect! Thank you both so much for contributing. bvlenci, those links are great, thank you for painting a clearer picture of the difference. Maybe we <i>will</i> take the train. Before asking this question, I had pulled up an older post whereby someone on here took the train to Pescara and said the scenery was beautiful. We love trains. As I understand it, this is the slowest train they have (regional as I recall) they don't have 1st or 2nd class on these trains, do they?
May 14th, 2014 | 07:53 AM
#6
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Some longer distance regional trains have 1st class, but on that particular route I don't think any trains have first class.
You will be crossing the Apennines, so the scenery should be very nice. I've never taken that route by train, but we have driven the route. On the autostrada the scenery was nice but I wouldn't say spectacular. I've read that the train ride is very scenic, but not having taken it, I can't compare the two.
The regional trains are not luxurious, but I find them comfortable. I often take the train from Rome to Jesi, in Le Marche. On that route, the regional trains take 3 1/2 hours. I could take a bus to Cagli instead, which takes about the same amount of time, but the only time I've ever done so is when train service was interrupted for several weeks.
It's a matter of individual preference, but I really dislike long bus rides. The air seems stuffy, there's often a peculiar odor of air freshener, there is nowhere near as much leg room, and you can't get up and walk around. I would need to save more than one hour to choose a bus over a train.
You will be crossing the Apennines, so the scenery should be very nice. I've never taken that route by train, but we have driven the route. On the autostrada the scenery was nice but I wouldn't say spectacular. I've read that the train ride is very scenic, but not having taken it, I can't compare the two.
The regional trains are not luxurious, but I find them comfortable. I often take the train from Rome to Jesi, in Le Marche. On that route, the regional trains take 3 1/2 hours. I could take a bus to Cagli instead, which takes about the same amount of time, but the only time I've ever done so is when train service was interrupted for several weeks.
It's a matter of individual preference, but I really dislike long bus rides. The air seems stuffy, there's often a peculiar odor of air freshener, there is nowhere near as much leg room, and you can't get up and walk around. I would need to save more than one hour to choose a bus over a train.
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May 15th, 2014 | 08:48 AM
#9
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neckervd: Somehow I missed your follow up. Sorry about that. I appreciate your contribution! I understand now the total time you are describing includes starting in Trastevere. It is a long journey, thank goodness we both like trains. I will need to bring a couple panini's and some water with us to tide us over. It should give us plenty of time to look over our guide book to figure out where we want to try to sleep in Pescara.
May 15th, 2014 | 09:52 AM
#10
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>>> I would much rather spend an extra hour on the train, where you can get up and walk around, and where there are toilets, than sit for three hours on a bus.<<<
The buses typically have bathrooms, but they also usually stop for a break on the autostrada (Autogrill). That's been my experience on quite a few Italian bus rides over a couple of hours, but you would need to check that's the case with this company/route. Usually enough time to use the facilities and grab a drink/snack.
>>>I find Tiburtina bus station confusing and chaotic. Maybe those who use it frequently don't have a problem finding their ticket windows and the departure bay, but I once nearly missed a bus there because somehow I had got the wrong departure bay information<<<
If I'm in doubt about stops/ticket booths, I send an e-mail to the bus company (or the company that books their tickets online) and usually have good response. It seems these tickets can be bought online.
http://www.autobus.it/IB3.8.7/arpagt...spx?lang=en-US
The buses typically have bathrooms, but they also usually stop for a break on the autostrada (Autogrill). That's been my experience on quite a few Italian bus rides over a couple of hours, but you would need to check that's the case with this company/route. Usually enough time to use the facilities and grab a drink/snack.
>>>I find Tiburtina bus station confusing and chaotic. Maybe those who use it frequently don't have a problem finding their ticket windows and the departure bay, but I once nearly missed a bus there because somehow I had got the wrong departure bay information<<<
If I'm in doubt about stops/ticket booths, I send an e-mail to the bus company (or the company that books their tickets online) and usually have good response. It seems these tickets can be bought online.
http://www.autobus.it/IB3.8.7/arpagt...spx?lang=en-US
