train from Venice to Padua
 

How does one make train reservations for traveling from city to city within Italy. Is that something we need to do in advance or right as we are in Italy.. we will be landing in Venice to spend a few days and board a cruise ship for the Adriatic. Our plan is to then visit Verona, Padua (at least a 5 night stay here) and bologna. How long of a train ride is it from Venice to Padua, Padua to Verona, Padua to Bologna. How is the bus service in Italy should we opt to take bus to Bologna... Any help much appreciated....

I did that train years ago - very easy. It may have been a regional train (no reservations). But you can check Trenitalia's website ( www.trenitalia.com then click on the British flag at the top for English) and check for yourself. Probably there are a variety of trains. The regional trains will be cheapest and you can just walk up to a ticket counter a few minutes before the next train leaves and buy a ticket.

Just make sure you VALIDATE your train tickets (little yellow box to stamp it) in Italy before getting on the train! Otherwise, you'll face a stiff fine if an inspector catches you without a validated ticket - regional trains only. If you have a reservation for a specific train/time/date/seat, no validation is required as I recall.

You should definitely opt for trains over buses.

I agree with all of Andrew's advice, but it also matters if you are traveling at peak travel times or holidays, and what type of train you want to take. There are a very few days in the year when train travel is very heavy -- the last 2 weeks in August, the Christmas or Easter period, and a few isolated Italian holidays -- and popular trains can get jammed. You want reserved seats on those occasions, pre-booked.

If you know your travel schedule, you can book trains on line, and in some cases (like between Padova and Bologna, or Bologna to Milan get steep discounts on high-speed trains.

Easy, no reservations required-- maybe 20-30 min from Venice to Padua, such a lovely city, and probably another 20-30 from Padua to Verona. Both have stops, but we took them on a Sunday (to Verona) and Monday (to Venice). Train station attendants can help you w/ ticketing.

p.s. If you indeed are staying in Padua for 5 nights, check the schedule of the boat trip from Venice-Padua past all the glorious Palladian villas. In September 2011, believe it only ran couple times/week. Tried to find it in my Fodors Italy, but could not. "Next time....." I also might be one of the few tourists who was underwhelmed by the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua. A must see, but found more interesting sights.

It's me again: Found my notes, boat tour to Ostia Antica, $13 one way from Ponte St. Angelo

Shar, please disregard my last post -- the Ostia Antica is around Rome, and not the boat ride up the canals at Padua. Sorry for the confusion.

thanks for the wealth of info. Just in the beginning stages of planning but it will be September 2014.....

Keith and I took the train from Santa Maria Station in Venice to Padova last June.

A single roundtrip ticket was 7 € second class.

I think the trip took about 45 minutes. The train made about 5 stops.

We went to Padova to visit the Scrovegni Chapel.

I certainly was NOT underwhelmed by the Giotto frescoes.

I was amazed.

The are so few Giotto's in the world, especially after the earthquake that destroyed the upper part of the basilica of San Francesco in Assisi.

Everyone in the city of Boston mourns the theft of the Giotto from the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum.

I don't understand being underwhelmed looking at a Giotto.

Thin

Just so the OP is not confused, the train station to catch the train to Padova (Padua) is Venezia Santa LUCIA.

Hi...

We took these trips this past May...but for the most part reserved the tickets on the faster train -- 9 Euro each way. It's a faster and nicer train, but on balance, I recommend taking the "regionale trains" for a lot less money. Slightly slower and slightly less comfy seats, but no reservation is required and you can take any train (or buy the ticket at the station not in advance), so if you're late to the station, you don't lose your money.

You can check the schedules on the Trenitalia website to get an idea of how often they run - - very often!

SS

So sorry, yes Santa Lucia.

I was thinking of Santa Maria Novella.

Thin

Pepper...

We too were amazed by the Giottos in the Scrovegni.

Though, if I ran the place, I'd put up some "upper deck" walkways to see the higher images better.

In addition, the Baptistry in Padova is amazing, even though there is a lot of restoration going on right now and some of it cannot be seen well.

SS

thanks all. getting serious now as we have our plane reservations.

If you are visiting Venice, please visit the Palazzo Querini-Stampalia and Church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli, two overlooked gems in Venice.

Thin