Trains within Italy
 

I plan to do two train trips
- Pisa to Naples and
- Naples to Rome

Is buying tickets just a matter of going to the train station and buying a ticket or do they need to be reserved? Is this the cheapest option?
If they can be reserved, how many days in advance can they be reserved? and how do I reserve them?
Are the trains reliable? If not, how long should i leave between arrival at the train station and departure on a flight?

Lots of questions...
Thankyou! - Louise

Probably the best resources for all these questions is http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/trains/


best regards,
Deirdré Straughan

http://www.straughan.com

You can generally buy tickets at the window of the train station or at a local travel agency in Italy.

Seat reservations can usually only be made up to 60 days in advance of the travel date.

Eurostar train tickets INCLUDE a seat reservation.

Buying tickets and making seat reservations locally is usually the cheapest option unless you can do it through the railroad company's website online, in this case Trenitalia.com AND the railroad is offering some sort of special fares there.

You can also use the ticket machines in the stations.

Have had much info already from the most informative Fodorites and SlowTrav train page on this matter. In my quest to be obsessive about clarification though let me ask this:

For tickets on the Eurostar* (Eurostar ITALY) I can either buy my tickets from the Trenitalia web site or at the station IN Italy. If I buy from these places there are NO additional fees.

What I would like to clarify is that if I buy from the station IN Italy I may happen upon a less expensive fare than what is quoted on the Trenitalia web site?

you can get tickets from the station.the train from naples to rome i was in had no concept of reserved seats. there were compartments on the right side which could hold 6 persons on two seats facing each other with the window between them. on the left is a corridor with fold down stools.people sitting on these block the corridor and have to get up to move by them.

you just get on the train and look for a compartment with normal looking people in it, open their door and sit down with them.dont expect them to invite you in.entering an empty compartment risks having to share it with some annoying people later.I think it was an intercity train (IC).

Sam

the tickets will be the same price from trenitalia.com as they are in the station. there are automated machines in most stations now that are very easy to use, especially with your credit card. i reccomend arriving at the station aboutn 30 min early to but the ticket. if you buy it before and miss the train, just more of a hassle to refund the tic. let me know if i can help with anything else! :)

Hi lou

>Is buying tickets just a matter of going to the train station and buying a ticket or do they need to be reserved?

Reserved seats on IC trains cost an additional 3E. You can buy the reservation at the same time you buy the ticket.

All seats on ES* trains are reserved. The cost of the reservation is included in the price.

If you wish to buy your tickets in advance, you can do so at www.trenitalia.com/en up to 60 days ahead. You must register, but it is free.

The ES* trains are reliable. The schedules for IC trains are guidelines.

Going from Naples to Rome takes 2 hr on the IC. The train from Rome TE to FCO leaves on the :22 and takes 1/2 hr, eg, if you take the 12:04 from Naples, you get to FCO at 14:53.