LAK1113

My husband and I are first time travelers to Europe and we are taking a train from Naples to Rome. I looked on a eurorail site and I have found there are different trains and different seat selections. I understand that there is a high speed train which only takes 1hr and 10 mintues...but there is also a train that takes just over 2 hours. Other than the speed what makes these trains so different? Also trying to choose seat class...really what is the difference because the pictures look the same and the descriptions is the same for both. So how do you choose between what type of train...if time really isnt a factor and then how to choose seat class?

thursdaysd

If you have no experience with European trains you will find seat61.com very informative. I would also recommend bahn.de for schedules and trenitalia.it for Italian train tickets. (Eurorail will almost certainly be the most expensive way to buy tickets)

If you don't care about speed there's no reason to pay for the faster train, and I've never found a good reason to pay for first class either - all the carriages arrive at the same time.

GAC

High-speed Frecciarossa AV train: 70 minutes and 45 Euros
Eurostar ES train: 105 minutes and 34 Euros
Intercity IC trains: 120 minutes and 22 Euros
Regionale commuter train (unreserved seats): 150+ mins and 10.50 Euros.

The high-speed train (hourly departures) takes the brand new high-speed rail line. The other three trains takes the original rail line (which is actually more scenic).

OPINION: In a hurry: take the high-speed train (hourly departures).
Not in a hurry: take the IC train (nearly hourly departures)
On a tight budget: take the local regionale unreserved train (several daily departures).

Promotional discounted "MINI" fares: MAY be offered on all trains EXCEPT the "regionale" trains, whose fares are undiscountable (except for children under 12). "MINI" fares are all capacity-controlled, and must be purchased no later than 11:59 p.m. of the day before travel. Discount, where offered, can be anywhere from 20% to 60%.

First class versus second class: first class is not cost justifiable, unless you have a LOT of heavy luggage, or really want a less crowded travel environment. Regionale train on this route has only second class railcars.

Air conditioning: all trains should have functioning a/c. Some railcars of some regionale trains (and sometimes the Intercity trains) COULD have nonfunctioning a/c.

Smoking: not allowed on ANY trains.

bobthenavigator

GAC---you are amazing !

kybourbon

Scroll down to Eurostar Italia (AV,ES trains) for pictures of the fast trains. Scroll a bit more for pictures of the IC trains.
http://www.seat61.com/Italy-trains.h...0trains%20like

A_Brit_In_Ischia

The AV trains and their new 300km/hr trackway have sliced more than a third off the journey time between Naples and Rome - and are a real boon when we're in a hurry, despite fares 50% higher than we once paid!

But at other times - and, probably, for most of those on their first visit - a slower service can be both more enjoyable and, of course, significantly cheaper...

The old route runs along the coast near Formia, with lovely views of the Bay of Gaeta - whereas many stretches of the ESAV line run between protective, sound-proof glass walls... like this, or higher still...
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/129591563

One or two things beyond the immediately obvious to note when choosing between the offerings of a typical morning...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/imag...54103/original

- if unlucky, on 'ordinary' Eurostars (none on that particular list but, when seen, marked ES* in blue) you may get one of the rather cramped early pendolinos - as we did on our return journey this day...
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/127826046

- while some services start out from Naples, others will already have come a long way, and may not be running to time. For example, that 11:17 IC - train number 550 - will have had lots of opportunities for delay on its almost six hour trip up from Calabria....

http://www.e656.net/orario/treno/550.html

- also with ones like that, since you may be joining a train busy with tired passengers, it's perhaps worth paying the small extra to travel in 1st Class?

- when the 'traffic' is bad, the slower the train, the more likely it is to be pushed aside so faster ones can pass by, or enter a station first.

You pays your money, and takes your choice but, with any sort of deadline to meet - even if it's only your own lunch plans - the fast trains can sometimes be worth every penny!

Peter

LAK1113

Thank you everyone for all the help! Your information helped me out alot and saved us a good amount of money! I booked our train tickets directly with Trenitalia and got the mini fare that GAC mentioned. I cant thank everyone enough!!

Griffy

How far in advance did you book your train ticket? We will be going from positano to naples and then taking a train to rome mid July and wondering how far in advance I should book?

GAC

If you have FIXED travel dates and times, book ASAP to get the lowest "MINI" fares. You are allowed to book no more than 120 days in advance (as long as fares and schedules have been uploaded, which is not the case at all times during the year).

Remember that once you purchase a ticket at one of the "MINI" fares, you're largely "locked in" to that departure, with very limited ability to change reservations or seek a partial refund of the ticket.

If you do NOT want to be "locked in", DON'T buy a "MINI" fare ticket. Instead, take the cheaper and slower Intercity train for only 22 Euros regular fare (or one of the unreserved "regionale" trains for only 10.50 Euros). Fares are from Naples to Rome.

The Circumvesuviana train from Sorrento to Naples costs 4 Euros

The SITA bus from Positano to Sorrento costs 3.60 Euros.

Remember that if travelling to or from Positano, you can also travel via Salerno instead of via Sorrento/Naples. In some cases, routing via Salerno will be faster.