Can anyone please help me with the train system? Is there one main train that travels from Rome to Orvieto, and then Orvieto to Florence and then Florence to Venice and then Venice to Como? What about trains to other cities, like Pisa or Sienna?

The train system in Italy is precisely that: a <b>system</b>. There is no one train that circulates through the country in order to hit all the spots favored by tourists.

Go to www.trenitalia.com, click on English in the upper left corner and look up the connections between the places you want to go.

Here is a website that someone on this board recommended a while back. I have found it VERY helpful in understanding the trainsystem and how to navigate it. Hope it helps.

http://slowtrav.com/italy/trains/index.htm

For the trenitalia site the EN button is on the upper RIGHT

Intrepid1:

Have another look at the Trenitalia Web site...

I'll top this post for you... I'm going to say there are a whole lotta trains in Italy, not one main one!

This website has a map of the main rail routes throught Europe

www.alleuroperail.com/europe-map-railways.htm

It gives you a good visual of the major routes trains follow. Only a timetable like trenitalia will tell you exactly which trains go where and when, and how many connections you will need to make to get from point a to point b.

I always prefer to take trains or routes that don't require a change of trains, especially if I have luggage to schlep.

Eloise, Inteprid was right...the English button on the Trenitalia website is on the upper RIGHT

Strange - it was on the upper left on my screen. And thanks for the tip, Eloise. I was able to find all of the times I needed by going to the Trenitalia website.