Train from Florence to Rome
 

It looks like this is a regular route. Is it essential to book seats in advance, or can you just show up at the station before your desired departure time and buy a ticket?

Trains can be very crowded on holidays, long weekends, and if there are major conventions in town.

It's likely you could walk uo and buy a ticket for the next train - but not guaranteed. If possible I would buy it a day or so in advance.

Buy in advance, first class if you can, and make sure you are boarding the right car. We jumped on the wrong car with all our luggage, and were packed in, standing room only, for about a half hour before we jumped off and ran to the right car. It was ugly...

we did this just last week. I am glad we had our tickets in advance and had first class seats et. Note the car number (listed as "coach number" on our tickets) and definately get on there like the other poster suggested.

I think that first class is not a good idea in this case.
No1 it is a short ride, no.2 trains are all modern and the tourist is very good. Why the extra expense what ever it is, tourist was only 33 euros one way...

I agree with Graziella. If you travel the Eurostar, no need for 1st class. All seats on the train are reserved, and 2nd class is clean, modern, and spacious.

If you are super-sized, then 1st class may be better, but otherwise save your $, as it's only a 90min trip.

Just did this a couple of weeks ago. We got tickets when we got to the station - used a ticket machine. Did second class which was totally fine. (ES) We did first on longer routes (Florence / Naples , Naples / Rome) Second class was fine for this as its only 1/5 hrs.

I understand the comment about 1/2nd class - I was just sharing our experience. We saw both cars - and we were glad to have first class for the small additional expense.

Thanks for the great advice.

It's easy to get in the right car since your ticket shows the carriage number if your bought a first class seat.

On the platforms of the larger stations, there are train configuration charts that tell you on each particular train where each coach is. Here's a picture I took at Termini:

rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p490392997/?photo=721538695

First or tourist is the same both tickets show you train number and seat number. You find your track, binario, and there you can find a sing with configuration of the train, that is the order of the wagon in that particular train both for first and tourist.

Srry I meant sign....