Hello, I am planning a trip to Italy right now with a tentative itinerary of Milan to Manarola and the Cinque Terre to Lucca and Pisa to San Gimignano and then to Florence. I've managed to find some maps of the Major rail lines in Italy but I haven't been able to find a list of all the stops on each lines. Do you have a link to something like that? I also am pretty sure I will take a bus from Florence to get to San Gimignano. Are there any times when buses will work better than trains?

Any help you can give is much appreciated! Thanks.

The state railroad Trenitalia site is:

http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/homepage_en.html

Once you enter your city points & dates, click one of the schedule options in the Select column on the far right, then click on Details by Selection underneath the schedule chart, then click on a schedule option under Info on the right, and at the bottom of the page, it will list all the stops & times for that journey.

The bus works best for Florence to Siena or Siena to Rome.
Otherwise, learn to navigate this site:
www.trenitalia.com If more than 60 days out just use the same day of the week for schedules.

Cameron,
See http://www.sitabus.it/sita-toscana/F...0-%20Siena.pdf

I'm sorry my itinerary was typed wrong. It is Milan to Florence to San Gimignano to Lucca and Pisa and to then to Cinque Terre.

Thanks so much for all of your help so far! great stuff!

Thanks especially Holly. I could not figure out that website.

In the middle of the page at Holly's link, click the Viaggia Treno link to access maps or regional rail lines. When you zoom in, you will see more staions.

No train to San G so you will need the bus.

>>>I've managed to find some maps of the Major rail lines in Italy but I haven't been able to find a list of all the stops on each lines.<<<

I'm not sure how much use that will be. Just because you find a line with stops, doesn't mean that all trains on that line stop there.

Click a region, then click servizi in stazione. A list of all stations in that region will appear (and service available).
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...0080a3e90aRCRD

Milan to Florence ES very fast 1:30 runs frequent but I beleive the last one is at 7 pm ish. Florence to Lucca, frequent trains from SMN, Florence to San Gimi ( which i didn't think was all that, just my opinion) Ky is right bus only, no train. Florence to Pisa 1 hr. very frequent, not a problem. Also Lucca to Pisa very frequent. Pisa to 5 terra, there are direct trains to Monterosso and the other towns but not as frequent some make a change in La Spezia or Livorno. Best to just get your tickets when in Italy, the self serve ticket machines are very user friendly. Have fun!

Is it cheaper to wait and buy train tickets in Italy, rather than buying them in advance from a website? Also, are tickets refundable? Thanks.

They are def cheaper to buy there, IMO I would never prebuy except for maybe the chunnel London > Paris. In Italy I have never encountered a sold out train. I have not tried to refund one but I feel like they aren't but I know if for instance you take a later train than you bought for because you missed yours ( that has happened to me) no problem using it on the next. Seriously the self ticket machines are beyond user friendly with different language options, no lines, it prompts you through, just get them when you get there.

>Is it cheaper to wait and buy train tickets in Italy, rather than buying them in advance from a website?

Depends on the website.
If you go to the source (the rail organisation) the prices they write are the prices you pay, no matter whether you buy them online or in person.
If you buy your tickets from an agent/reseller (like RailEurope) they will be of course more expensive, they want to make money too.

>Also, are tickets refundable?

Depends on the kind of the tickets.
Fully flexible tickets are refundable.
Cheap advance specials are usually not.

Thanks. Is it common to buy train tickets from travel agents in Italy? And if so, do they charge an extra fee, or is it the same price as buying within the stations?

Bob the Navigator's comment about bus to Florence/Siena does this also apply to Lucca to Siena? Since we do not speak or understand Italian will buying tickets be a problem?

No, you should train to Lucca from Florence.
They deal with English speakers very day. I always print the train schedules and have them with me when I buy tickets.

>>>Thanks. Is it common to buy train tickets from travel agents in Italy?<<<

Yes, look for the Trenitalia logo in windows of tobacco shops too.

It's also simple to use the ticket machines. This 3 minute video walks you through the process with the first half showing the old style machines and the second half the new touchscreens.
http://www.webvisionitaly.com/catego...=&ref_item=375

This link has screen by screen pictures.
http://www.roninrome.com/%20transpor...a-train-ticket

I would be surprised if there were a bus from Lucca to Siena. It would be more likely to find one in Pisa (20 minutes by train from Lucca) or Florence (75 minutes by bus from Lucca). Train from Lucca would involve changes at Pisa and Empoli or going to Florence and changing. There is a bus from Pisa airport to Siena, but only twice a day. You can reach the airport easily from Lucca by train as the airport stop is only 5 minutes from Pisa Centrale. You want to get off at Piazza Gramsci as that is by the historic center. FYI - Trainspa or you may see it as Tra-in is a bus, not a train.
http://www.pisa-airport.com/aeroporto_di_pisa_196.html