Train Tips (Rome to Florence)
 

First trip to Italy - My husband and I are arriving in Rome on a Saturday morning at about 9:30am and we want to get to Florence as quickly as possible (for our first night). Any recommendations on how to do so would be appreciated...<BR><BR>We were thinking we'd take the train, but don't know where to pick it up- the airport? or do we have to get to Termini first? Also, what is the cost of the ticket and which train do we take? Should we get tickets in the US for cheaper fares, or when we get there? How long is the train trip?<BR>Are there websites to help? <BR><BR>

CF, your proposal is easily done. You can buy your Rome to Florence train ticket at at the airport. You do have to go from the airport to Termini and then Termini to Florence. Go to www.trenitalia.com for schedule and fares. You'll need to type in Roma and Firenze as departure and destination cities. Eurostar or IC trains are usually the fastest, if that fits your schedule. The fare depends on the train, but there is a discount for two people traveling together, I think. Buy your ticket when you arrive in Italy.

Type in "Roma Aeroporto" as departure point and "Firenze S. M. Novella" (or simply "Firenze") as arrival point. Trains from the Rome Airport to Rome Termini leave every 30 minutes and take 32 minutes. Be sure to take the Fiumicino Express to Termini Station and NOT the local service to the peripheral stations. Eurostar trains from Rome Termini to Firenze S. M. Novella leave nearly hourly, and take as little as 95 minutes. When purchasing the ticket for Firenze, specifically ask for a seat assignment. Second Class on Eurostar is perfectly OK. Remember to validate ("CONVALIDA") your ticket(s) at the yellow punch machines before boarding each train, or risk an embarassing drubbing by the conductor (or worse!).

You can take the Leo Express from the airport to Termini and then the Eurostar to Firenze. Buy both tickets at the airport where you catch the Leo Express. Last May I paid approx $26.47 for a 2nd class ticket, the trip took about 90 minutes, I think.<BR>Good Luck.

Good evening, CF Possibly a flite from<BR>Fiumicnio to Florence might be in order.<BR>Flite would tke about 30 mins and the<BR>airport in Florence is about 8 km out of town, less than an hour you will be<BR>in your hotel <BR>Richard of LaGrange Park,Il...

CF,<BR>I think you would be wise to buy on-line from the US. Trains do fill up, especially on the weekends. It's very simple and when you get there you can pick up your ticket from a kiosk. (www.voyages-sncf.com) Avoid what could be a long line at the train station.<BR>As the others said don't forget to validate. <BR>

The only problem I see in purchasing online from the United States is that, if your flight is delayed on arrival, you will likely miss the Eurostar train for which you have reserved a seat. You can use the ticket on the later train, but won't have a seat reservation. On the Eurostar, seating is assigned (although some trains may have open seating as well). Remember that you have the opportunity to buy the ticket (actually both ticket segments) at the Ferrovie dello Stato ticket office at the Rome Fiumicino Airport Train Station, and a second opportunity (for the Florence-bound train) at the Rome Termini Train Station (where there are dedicated windows for same-day Eurostar trains. Also, ES and IC trains depart hourly from Termini to Florence, so any delay due to missed schedules should be minor.

Another reason to buy your ticket in Italy is that it will be way more expensive if bought in the US. The run from Rome to Florence is almost like a commuter run because it goes so often. No real need to buy in advance.

Fiumicino Airport to Roma Termini costs 8,78 Euros. (This is a single-class train). Termini to Florence by Eurostar train costs 29,44 Euros in Second Class and 42,35 Euros in First Class (inclusive of seat reservation). First Class is recommended for travelers with heavy luggage (there is more storage space, more leg and hip room, and less crowded rail cars).

CF: Below is a past post that walks you thru from Arrivals to the Airport-Termini Train.<BR>It's your 1st trip so I'll mention this. International flight? and how old are you:). The Airport Train can be a hassle with luggage and jet-lag. It's a decent trek to the train and from the train into the main Termini station. Await the Florence train, 1:35mi journey, and station to hotel. Myself, these international flights kill me at 47:). I would leave Arrivals and taxi or limo (cheaper) to a Rome hotel ~Termini and sleep and take the early AM train to Florence and arrive ~9AM, drop my bags at my hotel and hit the city running:). Just a thought:). Regards, Walter<BR>&lt;&lt;&lt;Go to http://www.adr.it/en/fiumic/fiumic-00.html click-on "Airport Map". Arrivals is on the ground floor, you want to go up 2 levels so you can take the walkways (yellow tubes on the map) over to the small (4 tracks?) train station. It's very easy, one look outside and you'll see the walkways and the train station. As you enter the station the ticket window is on the right, if there is a long queue/line go to the newstand/kiosk to the left of it and buy your ticket. The train is *usually* on the last track (4?) to the right. The departure board will say "Termini" I believe and the departure time. If you have time board at the furthest cars away, usually less crowded and when you get to Termini it will put you ahead of the herd, it's quite a long hike into the train station from the track you arrive on. The train is now 17,000L and a taxi would cost you ~80,000L (airport to hotel). <BR>  Also on the left-side in the airport train station is an FS ticket booth where you can buy your regular train tickets. This way you can avoid the long lines at Rome's Termini train station. I would give myself a *very tight minimum* of 45mins, from the airport train's departure to boarding an outbound train from Termini. I've also heard! that the FS ticket booth also sells the Airport-Termini train tickets?<BR>