Train Transfer in Rome

Old Oct 14th, 2014, 11:01 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 963
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Train Transfer in Rome

Hi,

I will be taking the train from the airport to my final destination (Spello). According the italiarail.com website, I have to transfer trains at Roma Termini and I only have 13 minutes to make the transfer. Is this a reasonable amount of time to transfer?

Thanks!
ShelliDawn is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2014, 11:04 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 42,600
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
It is if your arriving train is on time IMO and you do the following:

station yourself and your luggage near the door of the arriving train. Get off immediately and look for either the electronic departures board at the head of the platforms or on one of those yellow departures posters that may be posted on your arriving platform.. The board will have the most up-to-the-minute info. Move with determination.
Dukey1 is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2014, 11:15 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,212
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Check to ensure you are arriving and departing from the same train station. Trains to Spello depart from both Termini and Tiburtina.
adrienne is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2014, 11:20 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 42,600
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
The departures to Spello from Tiburtina all require a change somewhere
Dukey1 is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2014, 11:31 AM
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 963
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Considering it will be my first time in Italy, I don't think 13 minutes is a safe amount of time even though I can move with determination.

Looks like my best bet is to take a taxi from the airport to Roma Termini. My plane lands at 11:25 and the train leaves at 14:23. Should 3 hours be more than sufficient to get through customs, pick up luggage and drive from the airport to the train station?
ShelliDawn is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2014, 11:32 AM
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 963
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yes, according to the website, the train departs from Termini.

I should also have mentioned I'm arriving on a Sunday in case that affects traffic time.
ShelliDawn is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2014, 11:49 AM
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 963
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Doing some research on past postings and found a reference to Terravsion. Looks really decently priced (4 Euros) and has one that should get me to the train station in plenty of time. It departs an hour after my plane lands.

Should an hour be enough to do customs/collect baggage?

Any comments on how good/reliable Terravision is?
ShelliDawn is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2014, 11:57 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 7,933
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The Italiarail site (and also the Trenitalia site) doesn't show you all the trains leaving the airport, just the preceding train that allows you to make the connection. In your case, it shows a train leaving the airport at 13:38 which connects with the 14:23 train to Spello. (This is a direct train, with no change required at Foligno).

However, there are trains leaving the airport every half hour to go to Termini. You don't have to take the 13:38 train. In fact, I would take the first train you can get to Termini station, which is a much better place to hang around for several hours than the airport.

Neither the airport train nor the train to Spello has reserved seats and there is no discount for advance purchase, so there's no reason to buy the tickets in advance. In fact, if you buy them in advance, they have greater restrictions than if you just buy them at the airport. There is a travel agent at the train station, across from the official ticket window that sells tickets to Rome. The travel agent can sell you both tickets, both the one to Rome Termini and the one from Termini to Spello. There is no markup for buying from the travel agent.

You probably would be able to catch an earlier train to Spello. There's a good chance you could get the 11:08 train from the airport, in which case you might be able to make the 11:58 train from Termini. This requires a change in Foligno, though, which would require going down some steps and then up to a different platform. If you have a lot of luggage, you might prefer to wait for the later direct train, and have lunch at Termini station.

The tickets won't be for a specific train, so if you're trying to catch an earlier train and miss it, just wait for the later train. Be sure to stamp the tickets before boarding each train. The stamp puts a date and time on the ticket, at which point you have to use it within a few hours.
bvlenci is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2014, 12:00 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 42,600
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Good advice above. Whether it is your first or fiftieth time, 13 minutes is 13 minutes. Take the earliest train from the airport.
Dukey1 is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2014, 12:13 PM
  #10  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 963
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks bvlenci!!

I would much prefer taking a train over the taxi or shuttle. I can't catch the 11:08 train as my flight doesn't land until 11:25. However, if I change my destination to Termini instead of Spello, I get a listing of all the trains and yes, there are 3 trains departing before the one originally listed. I may not make the first, but the second and third should be doable and get me to Termini in plenty of time.

ShelliDawn is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2014, 12:13 PM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A novice user could find Rome Termini to be very chaotic - a humongous station and the airport train used to at least last time I rode it come in at an obscure track at the far end of the huge terminal - meaning a longish walk to the main platforms (this may have changed) but 13 minutes - well the arriving train can well be late too.

Maybe the bus in is the better solution but those can take a long time in heavy traffic.
PalenQ is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2014, 12:22 PM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 7,933
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The airport train hasn't been arriving at that distant track for some time now. However the train to Spello may very well depart from a distant track at the opposite end of the station, which you reach by walking along track 1 for quite some distance. In that case it would be track 1W or something like that. In fact, 13 minutes for a transfer is a little optimistic.

I don't consider Termini station chaotic and confusing. All the signs are in Italian and English, and all the trains are on one level.

When leaving the airport, walk down the track a good distance. The cars in the rear will be less crowded, and they'll be at the head of the track when you arrive at Termini.

Make a note of the train number of your train to Spello. The departure boards have the trains listed by departure time and final destination. Spello is definitely not the final destination of your train; it may be Perugia or some other destination. The train number will also be shown on the departure board. Sometimes there are two trains departing at the same time, and the train number is needed to distinguish them, unless you're familiar with the names of places your train could possibly be going to.
bvlenci is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2014, 01:47 PM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I don't consider Termini station chaotic and confusing>

For someone who has perhaps never been in one of Europe's largest and most busiest train sheds a novice could well find it rather chaotic at least at first glance but bvienci has walked you through it all so put angst to rest and yes 13 minutes under optimal conditions would be cutting it way too short many times.
PalenQ is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2014, 05:54 PM
  #14  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 963
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks again for the great advice; it's very much appreciated. Even though I'm pretty good at navigating airports and UK train stations, after 13 hours of flying, it's good to have directions as my mind will not be at it's sharpest.
ShelliDawn is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2014, 07:16 PM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 36,778
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes on 11 Posts
>>>Doing some research on past postings and found a reference to Terravsion. Looks really decently priced (4 Euros) and has one that should get me to the train station in plenty of time.
kybourbon is offline  
Old Oct 15th, 2014, 12:47 AM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 7,933
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I've found that very recently Google Maps has stored the Trenitalia schedules. They also have the ATAC (urban transportation in Rome) schedules.

If you ask for directions in Rome in Google Maps, and select the bus icon (instead of the car), it will give you directions by bus or train. It's important (as it is with Pronto Treno) to use a date and time of day consistent with your time of travel. They don't show schedules very far in advance, so if you want to travel on a Sunday three months from now, it's best to give next Sunday as the date. The time of day is important, because if you use a time late at night, you'll see only buses that run at night.

Google Maps may not have any advantage over Pronto Treno, except that you probably already have it on your phone. However, for public transportation in Rome, it has a huge advantage over the ATAC app or website. It recognizes far more places as starting and ending points; ATAC always wanted an address, even of such well know things as the Vatican Museums. Google Maps knows where the Vatican Museums are, and even has a lot of hotels and restaurants in its database. If you want to go from the Albergo al Senato to the Colosseum, Google Maps will tell you what bus to take. They even seem to take into account which bus is arriving next at the nearest bus stop, although I don't know how accurate that is.
bvlenci is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Lyndamcn
Europe
5
Aug 21st, 2008 02:27 PM
jackandlinda
Europe
4
Sep 26th, 2004 06:41 PM
Pierre_Kodak
Europe
5
Feb 11th, 2004 02:58 AM
Mike
Europe
8
Jan 8th, 2003 03:08 AM
Marilyn
Europe
22
Aug 13th, 2002 08:13 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -