train from cinque terre to venice
 

hi again, my hubby is trying to convince me to go by train from cinqu terre to venice--saying it is no further than if we went back to Florence and took train from there. what do all you folks advise.we are a couple of 60 year olds and I have no desire to be travelling any longer than necessary as I have a termpermental back--thanks a million. He is not talking about breaking up the journey--just changing trains if necessary. He is allergig to the idea of backtracking

I would just take the train from Monterosso to Milan, switch trains, and on to Venice. (you didn't say where you'd be leaving from) You have to switch somewhere and this too would only be 1 switch.

Do you hava a rental car for Cinque Terre? If you do, the best thing to do would be to drive it to Venezia, and pick any route you like.

If you are taking about trains alone, it marginally faster to go back through Pisa/Firenze, where I believe you can also get a Eurostar. You may have to change in Bologna, however.

Going the other way, north throuh Genova and Milano, you will have to change in Genova and Milano and I don't think you can get a Eurostar between Genova and Milano. Anyway, I've taken that train up to Genova many times and it is as tempermental as your back.

Presumably your husband is willing to carry all your luggage, right, if he persuades you to take the longer route?

You and your husband should use the Trenitalia website to calculate the actual travel time, since you will also have to wait for connections, and to see what time Eurostars leave. You really don't want to be on a train without reserved seats, especially if you are traveling in the busy season.

http://www.trenitalia.com/

Remember to use the Italian names for cities:

Firenze
Venezia
Milano
Genova
Monterosso al Mare

It is not necessary to change in Genova, if you take the right train from Monterosso.

Or La Spezia.

Yes, sorry. There are trains from CT available that don't require a switch in Genova, only in Milano, and apparently some of the leg is a Eurostar. The total time difference between the routes is only 30-45 minutes, and with only one train change, you are probably better off. It's about 6.5 hours.

The reference library of a city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable. Tables 610 and 600 show your trains, with changes in Genoa and Milan

La Spezia 0750 Genoa Piazza Principe 0902 to 0910, Milan Centrale 1050 to 1105, Venice Santa Lucia1408

La Spezia 0954, Genoa Piazza Principe 1108 to 1119, Milan Centrale 1250 to 1255, restaurant car train, Venice Santa Lucia 1538

La Spezia 1154, Genoa Piazza Principe 1308 to 1325, Milan Centrale 1536 to 1605, Venice Santa Lucia 1908

La Spezia 1354, restaurant car train, Genoa Piazza Principe 1508 to 1519, Milan Centrale 1650 to 1655, Eurostar Italia with buffet car, Venice Mestre 1926 to 1958, Venice Santa Lucia 2008

I think the 0954 is the best connection of the day with lunch as you run down the Po valley.

Ben Haines, London
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If you're travelling from the Cinque Terre, look up train times from there (each village has a station), rather than La Spezia. I'd check the connections carefully: five minutes between trains at Milano Centrale is not enough. I've been there several times but still wouldn't be happy with such a tight connection. Worrying about the possibilty of having to sprint between platforms and possibly missing a train will take any pleasure out of the journey. Train travel should allow you to relax. As Mr Haines says, think about where you might have lunch. You don't want to arrive in Venezia malnourished.