hi all,
i am planning to travel to venice from rome on 8th february morning. we are landing via etihad airlines at 6 30 am at fiumicio airport.
i don't want to pre book the train tickets as we are traveling straight out of airport and have to consider delays! i would prefer to land and than buy the first available ticket!

will that be okay? considering its carnival time in venice?

Ruju

I just checked the train schedules and so far none of the trains for that day are sold out. It's only five days from now, so it's highly unlikely that <b> all </b> of them will be sold out by the time of your arrival. If bad luck would have it that all of the trains are sold out by Sunday, the reason would probably be that the trains are full from Bologna (a big rail head) to Venice, but not from Rome to Bologna.

The later trains are the least likely to be sold out, because people going there to stay for a few days would probably leave Friday evening or Saturday morning. Day trippers would leave early in the day. Sunday afternoon or evening there should be no problem.

If the early trains are full, you could get a fast train to Bologna, plus a regional ticket from Bologna to Venice. There are regional trains every two hours, and, since these don't have reserved seats, they're never full, although they can be crowded. Another option would be to spend a few hours either in Rome or Bologna, leaving your bags at the station so you could wander around and have lunch. The afternoon trains from Bologna are the least likely to be full.

>>>i would prefer to land and than buy the first available ticket!<<<

While it's probably later than you will want, there is a train from the airport to Venice that doesn't require going to Termini first to change trains. It departs at 11:08. There's only a couple of trains each day from the airport that don't require changing in Rome.

>>>i don't want to pre book the train tickets as we are traveling straight out of airport <<<

No need to prebook the Leonardo Express from the airport to Rome, just take the next one. There's no reserved seating so you just squeeze on if it's crowded. Be sure to validate any regional train tickets before boarding. Tickets for the fast trains will be checked on board (they will be for a specific train/seat) so you don't validate those.

>>>Another option would be to spend a few hours either in Rome or Bologna, leaving your bags at the station so you could wander around and have lunch<<<

If you do this, allow time to retrieve your luggage as there can be lines at times.

buy your tickets for the whole journey at the travel booth next to the ticket window at Rome's airport - yes hihgly unlikely to sell out and first class rarely - you could look the day before at www.trenitalia.com and see if any are sold out - if not by then probably OK.

If you buy tickets ahead of time, you'll have to allow a lot of time for a flight delay or a slow immigration line. Which may not occur and you'll just have to wait around. It's safer just to buy your Rome to Venice ticket at the airport train station -- as Palenq says.

Hi all, thanks for reply and reassurance. I'll not book the train tickets and take once I'm at airport.
Can you also tell me how far is the arrival area to station for trains?
Thanks
Jes

Scroll and read this link. Don't click on any of the links within until you've scrolled to the bottom. All you need to know is there without clicks which take you to other areas of FCO.

http://www.roninrome.com/%20transpor...station-at-fco

FYI - That website hasn't been updated in a few years so some of the info on various links may be out of date. The directions from baggage claim to the train station are accurate.

You can also click on the airport map to see the train and everything else.

we did rome to venice in Oct by train and it was very easy.

Jes - we will be in Venice at the same time! I am going for a week with a group from my college to attend the language school. I've been before but never in Carnevale so I'm looking forward to seeing it at this time. [I think!]

where are you staying?

Hi,thanks again
How about a phone and data connection? Can I have some shop providing cellphone connection at airport or station?
If yes what shall I buy for week's use?
Ruju

Unless they've added one recently, no, you can't get phone service at the airport as the only one was on secure side and not in an area you would be. You may see some phone logos in the airport at shops, but in the past, those were only to top up service, not set up new. There are several phone shops in Termini if you want to allow time there. TIM is on the level above the tracks. You will find TIM stores all over Italy if you have a problem with it later. There's also Vodaphone and Wind, but I found TIM to have better prices and more offices in other locations.

http://www.romatermini.com/en/store/index/hi-tech

So if I allow an hour at termini,I should be able to get one. Just in case I miss that and want one after reaching Venice,will I get easily?