gia611

My husband and i will be heading to Italy in a few weeks. We will drop rental car and pisa and take train to CT. I have read many of the posts on these forums and still don't have a clear idea. The trentitalia web site is cinfusing. My question: From Pisa can we go directly to CT or do we change trains at La Spezia? Also, how long will it take to get to CT? Based on the posts I believe we take the regional train? is this correct?
Is it ok to buy ticket at train station, and what about the CT card? is this the correct thing to buy, we would probably take the train once or twice while there to visit the other towns so i was thinking a 3 day pass would be good.

Thanks for your help.

cruiseluv

Some of the trains that go from Pisa Centrale to Monterosso (the last of the CT towns) are direct, you do not have to transfer. These are regional trains. From Pisa to the other CT towns you have to change at La Spezia. The direct train to Monterosso takes a bit over an hour.

It is ok to buy the ticket at the train station.

Sorry, can't help with the CT card, I didn't buy it.

J62

You can take an IC train from Pisa Centrale to Monterosso several times a day. Changing trains in La Spezia gives you more options.

The direct IC train is the fastest, at 1hr 10min travel time. Changing in La Spezia will add to the travel time, but not outrageously.

Palenque

CT Pass is economic i think only if you want to use the hiking trails linking each of the 5 Lands - otherwise taking the trains without the pass costs about one euro or so between towns. CT Pass covers the 5 euro or so access permit to use the trails and also trains and the shuttle bus up to the one Land way above its train station. Well that's my take after visiting 5 Lands last year.

Why not return the car at La Spezia?

Palenque

http://www.cinqueterreonline.com/5terrecard.htm

this says you need only buy the card (or 'pass') to use the Via d'Amoure (sp?) - the flat boardwalk-type path from Riomaggiore to Manorola - but in 2008 when i was there you needed the pass for other sections of the trail as well - there were 'toll booths' set up in each village where the inter-village trails commenced. Anyway seems you can buy it in La Spezia since La Spezia (and Levanto if coming by rail from the north) are both included as well as the 5 villages.

katrinab

The CT train card is a good value if you are planning to take more than 3 train rides between towns per day, but not if you are thinking less than that. Each day we were there we hiked between towns and then took the train back to Vernazza instead of hiking back, so for us it made the most sense to pay a single fare, which is around 2 Euros--not expensive at all. The train connects all 5 towns and runs every half hour or so.

Also to clarify, there are two kinds of CT cards: the one that lets you hike all the trails in the region, and the one that lets you hike plus unlimited train rides. You can buy both at the train station.

More info and pics from our trip in our Vernazza post at http://patrinadoestheglobe.blogspot.com/