kirbiejill

My husband and I are spending from Aug 19 - 30 in Italy. We are flying into Venice on the 19th and then would like to take the train from Venice to Florence to Rome and maybe to Naples and back to Rome by the 30th. We plan on spending 2 to 3 nights in each of those places but since the train times are so often and not that long, it seems this is the best way to travel.

When I entered our itinerary for the Rail Europe site, it seems very reasonably priced to book economy tickets and pre-book everything. However, to have semi-flexible tickets (in case we want to spend an extra day or so in one city or another) it basically doubles our ticket price.
Can we book our train tickets the day before through Rail Europe? Or are there other sites that it would be better to book through if we want to wait.

margo_oz

The cheapest way to book is on the trenitalia site. There is an English language version. If you can forgo flexibility and book 3 months in advance, tickets can be very cheap. If you need flexibility, it's very easy to book at the stations (ticket machines or at the counter) the day before your trip - but the cost will be at its highest. It's a scale - flexibilty vs cost.

Have a look at 'The Man in seat 61': http://www.seat61.com/

Avoid Raileurope, they're expensive and don't include all trains.

Zee21

Why don't you just get your tickets in the city on the day?

I initially tried to book with trenitalia, but it gave me major issues so I just left it for when we travelled. In venice we had to wait an hour for a train which isn't a problem considering I would have needed to be at an airport 2 hours before the time. They have self service kiosks at the train station and I paid 11 euro for my ticket to Naples from Rome on the slower line, on the faster line the ticket was 36 euro. Booking there on the day gives you the freedom to do as you please.

Check out www.veniceconneted.com to prebook travel passes for venice or the vaporetto ride from the airport to wherever you are staying.

And book second class on the train, it is really lovely.

Zee21

Also, 2 nights in Venice is enough. You can decide on either 2 or 3 nights in Florence. I only did 2 nights and wished I did a third - you can do a half day trip out to Pisa, then also 3 or 4 nights in Rome (depending on how many you do in Florence)and 2 nights is more than enough in Naples. If you like you could do a half day trip out to Pompeii from Naples.

kirbiejill

Thank you so much for the tips. Margo, I hadn't seen that site before and it's very informative - thank you!

Zee, I'm glad to know that if needed we can book our rides that day - I'm a planner but if things change then we want some flexibility! The help is much appreciated!

margo_oz

You can certainly book your trips same day - but I would suggest the day before. All the stations are really easy to navigate.

And..I don't think 2 days is anything like enough for Venice. We've just returned from our second 1-week stay - and are planning to return.

kirbiejill

We weren't entirely sure on the appropriate amount of time to stay in each city, however just tried to even it out with the time we had. In your opinions, to maximize the days we have, we were planning on travelling closer to supper time, around 6 PM each night - do you think that's our best time?

ira

Hi K,

You can buy your flexible tickets in Italy for less than you would pay RailEurope.

See www.trenitalia.com

Tisacco

WE just did this trip a year ago. We only spent one night on Venice but wished we would have been there for at least 2.

Taking the train from Venice to Florence is SUPER easy, just make sure you get on the Fast track. We ended up on the Local and it takes you to the other train station in Florence. A minor hiccup, that was easily remedied by getting on another a train in Florence to the Main station.

Try again with the trenatalia site. Once you are in the stations, it always seems like things are moving too fast.

Once in Florence, you might never want to leave. But I highly recommend taking a trip down to Sienna.

Ciao

ellenem

Personally, I'd rather travel in the morning. Why?

I like to arrive in my new location in the daylight, which helps with finding your way through an unfamiliar place. This also avoids having to return to your hotel to pick up your luggage after spending the day touring before you head to the station. I also enjoy actually watching the view out train windows, no matter if it is scenic or industrial. And I don't like to miss dinner while traveling by train--especialy in Italy.

I check out after having breakfast at the hotel and head to the train station. I'm checking into the next hotel just in time to go out in search of lunch.

Many people do enjoy traveling at the end of the day as you suggest. It really is personal preference.

flanneruk

If you want proof that this forum is dominated by Commie sympathisers, it's the perpetual obsession its contributors have with hiding the fact that there are profit-motivated companies competing with the union-dominated, strike-happy, former monopolists sucking up taxpayer subsidies at Trenitalia

Italotreno provides almost identically fast and frequent, often more comfortable and much of the time cheaper trains between Venice, Florence and Rome. Italy finally operating a free market in high speed inter-city connections, it's absurd to pretend Italotreno doesn't exist, since at least half the time comparing its prices with the bureaucrats' gravy train will throw up better value.

Italy being Italy, it's tough to find a painless way of doing the price comparison: you need to look at both the Trenitalia site and www.italotreno.it/.

But it really is time self-appointed experts on this site gave up their Marxist determination to churn out propaganda for loss-making State businesses. Or caught up with the fact that Italy changes, and its railway system isn't the one they last used 50 years ago.

Pepper_von_snoot

Two nights in Venice IS NOT enough!!

You could spend 3 weeks in Venice and still not see everything.

I buy my ticket right before I get on the train.

Thin

kybourbon

>>>we were planning on travelling closer to supper time, around 6 PM each night - do you think that's our best time?<<<

You will have to check out of your hotels in the morning and arrange luggage storage somewhere. Some hotels will store it for you, but that means you will have to trek back there at departure time. If you store it at the train station, then you have to trek there in the morning before sightseeing. You would also need to allow extra time to retrieve your luggage as there can be lines.

kirbiejill

Rookie mistake - didn't even think about having to check out of hotels in the mornings. Excellent point! We will definitely book tickets on the fly I think - thanks for all the great suggestions

kybourbon

The flexible ticket price is the walk up price (base price on Trenitalia). No need in buying in advance unless you are traveling on a major holiday or have to be in a city by a certain time.

I would try to nail down the itinerary as it's not pleasant arriving in a town and trying to find available hotel rooms. Also, many hotels might not have an extra night available even if you decide you want to stay another day or so.

Mimar

In Italy you can buy train tickets from travel agencies that display the Trenitalia logo -- for no extra charge. And most travel agents speak English. So instead of making a special trip to the train station or arriving early in order to have enough time for the ticket machine's line, just pick up your tickets at an agency in the course of your sightseeing.