train from santa lucia to mestre, Venice
 

How much time should I allow to travel from Santa Lucia station to Mestre? Is it difficult to figure out how to make the transfer to a train to Florence once I arrive at Mestre, considering that I don't speak or read Italian? I am trying to make the 7. 40 am Eurostar from Mestre to Florence, as I want to make it in time to see the Fra Angelico frescoes in Florence, before it closes at 1.50 PM. The trains leaving direct from Santa Lucia are either too early (6.30 am) or late ( 8.43 am arriving 11.23 am). I will be staying at the Hilton Molino Stucky, Guidecca, and will have to take the 5.30 am vaporetto from Palanca, if I want to make the 6.30 am train leaving from Santa Lucia. Too early, as I am not a morning person, unfortunately. Or would the transfer just take too much time and hassle, and not work out to much more snooze
time :) ?
Can I buy the tickets from S. Lucia to Mestre, at travel agents as well?

I'm not sure where you're getting your train info or when your trip is. Checking for Monday 5/18/09, I see four trains from Santa Lucia between 7:10 a.m. and 7:20 a.m. that arrive in time to connect with the Eurostar which departs at 7:47 a.m.

Train #5817 departs 7:11 a.m., arrives 7:21 a.m.
Train #713 departs 7:15 a.m., arrives 7:26 a.m.
Train #2826 departs 7:18 a.m., arrives 7:29 a.m.
Train #2953 departs 7:20 a.m., arrives 7:32 a.m.

http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/homepage_en.html

When you get to Mestre, you should see an electronic display board (like in airports) for Arrivals and Departures. Check the "departures" display for your Eurostar to Florence. It will give the time and track (binario) for your connection. (It will be the same idea when you want to find the track for your return from Florence.)

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, you should be able to buy the return ticket for Venice-Mestre from a tabacchi shop, also.

YvonneT: Surely the train to Florence will not be identified as such on the board. I assume the train continues to Rome. Would it not be posted as a Rome train???

Of course, if Sandlady has the number of the train -- and assuming both destination and number are posted at Mestre -- there wd be no confusion.

tedgale, you're absolutely correct!! Thanks. Yvonne :)

'Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, you should be able to buy the return ticket for Venice-Mestre from a tabacchi shop, also.'

Yvonne - There'd be no need to buy the Venice S.L-Mestre ticket separately.
A Venice-Florence ticket would be priced from Venice S.L to include the S.L-Mestre hop.

Steve

Thanks one and all for your assistance. Jean , I got my info from http://orario.trenitalia.com/b2c/npp...g_r=1&x=28&y=8

I am travelling on 26 May, 2009, and the train number I am interested in is the ES 9331. When I click on the link Jean provided, and enter departure from Santa Lucia, and arrival at Mestre there is a drop down menu for options for Mestre: VE Mestre, Venise Mestre, Venezia Mestre etc, none of which seem to work. I am confused which to choose. Anyone knows what is the correct station to choose? I only need a one-way ticket.

Sandlady, try my link again. This time, type in Venice S.L. as the departure station and Florence S.M.N. as the arrival station. Put in your date of 26-05-2009 and departure hour as 07. You should get results for four departures from Venice S.L. between 7:10 and 7:20 a.m. that will arrive at Mestre in time to connect to Eurostar 9391 which departs at 7:47 a.m.

Note that the train departing at 7:15 a.m. has a higher fare, so I'd pick one of the other ones. The earliest train gives you 26 minutes to change trains. The train at 7:20 gives you 15 minutes to change trains. For less stress, you might want to buy your tickets a day or two earlier. I've used the American Express office just west of Piazza San Marco in the direction of San Moise.