I'm planning a few things for train travel within italy, and checking out routes on the raileurope website. I'm looking at travelling to Orvieto from La Spezia, and one of the suggested itineries is
La Spezia Central 6:34AM/4 May
Arrive Pisa Centrale 7:47AM/4 May
Leave Pisa Centrale 7:54AM/4 May
Arrive Firenze S M N 9:03AM/4 May
Leave Firenze S M N 9:09AM/4 May
Arrive Orvieto 11:25AM/4 May

With less than 10 minutes between arrival and departures at Pisa and Florence, for me is cutting it too fine. I have entered individual destination points on the site for the 3 trips and am able to give myself about an hour between connections, which I think is more realistic, to allow for late arrivals etc .
What do you think? Has anyone missed a connnecting ride due to a late arrival. I'm assuming the Italian rail system is like everywhere else, with arrival and departure times not perfect?

Thanks in advance

Swiss trains have a reputation for always being on time. Italian trains certainly do not.

The best site for timetables for most of Europe is www.bahn.de. Here's one routing from that site that I think you'll like:

La Spezia Centrale 07:02
Viareggio 07:35
Viareggio 08:11
Prato 09:26
Prato 10:08
Orvieto 11:56

There are several other suggestions, some with connections as tight as the one you listed.

Thanks TimS

the Bahne site certainly shows alot more detail and more options. One thing I also noticed is that the 8:52am train from La Spezia to Pisa, and then onto Florence, appears to be the same train but with different number?, therefore no need to allow deadtime for late arrival/ departures for these legs of the journey.
Will also be looking at the route you suggested.

navgator,

You are correct about the 08:52 train. The number changes in Pisa, but you don't change trains until you get to Firenze.

Thanks again
cheers!

Have you looked at the Italian website?
www.trenitalia.com

Thanks kybourbon,

I have looked in the past at the trenatalia site, but my Italian is not so good, although I seemed to have found one route which looks ok.

http://orario.trenitalia.com/b2c/Tim...mp;solotreno=0
Would it be correct in saying the train for this route is direct from La Spezia to Florence Rifredi Station, and the train to Orvieto is also direct from Rifredi to Orvieto?

The other service I think would be appropriate would be this one, which looks to involve a florence subway ride between Rifredi and S. M. Novella stations?
http://orario.trenitalia.com/b2c/Tim...mp;solotreno=0

Thanks again

How silly of me , just found the english button on the trenitalia site!