Train from Venice to Bolzano
 

My husband and I are arriving in Venice next week, and leaving for Bolzano three days later. For those of you who have booked trains at this time of year, do you think there is any need to pre-reserve from the States the 1:30PM, nonstop train to Bolzano? Or are we safe waiting until we arrive in Venice? I've never booked trains in Italy ahead of time, but this is the only nonstop EC train to Bolzano, and I wasn't sure how popular it is.

Thanks for your input.

Kathy

Hi Kathy,

I just returned from Italy and during the course of my trip, I did exactly what you are doing - Venice to Bolzano. I didn't take the direct train because I wanted to get to Bolzano early so I had a connection in Verona.

I wouldn't worry about booking the train from the States. Just buy your ticket to Bolzano once you get to Venice. I bought my ticket the night before leaving Venice and everything was fine. This time of year, there is no need to be concerned.

Bolzano is awesome! Not very Italian but very picturesque and there is some really good shopping. What brings you there? Have you booked accommodations?

Table 595 in the Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable says that a Eurocity train with restaurant car leaves Venice Santa Lucia at 0742 and reaches Bolzano at 1421.
A Eurostar train with restaurant car leaves Venice Santa Lucia at 0900 and reaches Bolzano at 1508

Ben Haines, London
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Those quoted Thomas Cook schedules make no sense. Six hours? It takes only a bit over three hours from Venezia Santa Lucia to Bolzano, and that is with a transfer in Verona (which all connections except the 13:29 require, and which is no big deal, you get off and you board the other train...).

Unless that 13:29 departure also happens to be the absolute best for you (it causes you to miss lunch, for one thing...), and unless you happen to see a special advance fare on trenitalia that is just too good to miss, I wouldn't worry about the hassle of booking online in advance. Just buy your ticket in Venice when you are absolutely certain of the departure that suits you best - there are lots of them throughout the day.

Also consider breaking the journey in venerable Verona - leave your bags with the agents at the deposito bagagli window and go gallivant for a few hours, you won't be sorry.

Unless the day that you are fixing to travel is the day before a train strike ("sciopero"), you should be able to get tickets when you're in Venice.

I recall that there is some website of the Italian government that lists every single upcoming strike but I don't feel like googling its address now...

Wally's right. Fastest journey time is just over three hours.

The departures Ben quotes aren't listed on www.trenitalia.com

Steve

Thanks for all the info. We're going to Bolzano, because I've heard it's a beautiful city, and we're headed in that direction to Innsbruck.

Trenitalia does list a 1:29PM non-stop EC train to Bolzano. It doesn't seem to appear on other websites for some reason. I know it exists because I know people who have taken it.

For anyone interested in a website that lists Italy alerts, along with scheduled scioperos (strikes), I found the following to be very helpful.

http://www.seekitaly.com/news/from_roma.html#alerts

Kathy

www.bahn.de does show the 13:29 EC86. It's a daily Venice-Munich train.