traveling from venice to rome
 

We are traveling from Venice to Rome the end of July and were thinking of taking the train, but I see that Alitalia has an airfare of 19 Euros plus tax = 67 Euros. This fare is only if I go through Alitalia on the Italian site. If I go on through USA the fare is around $290!!! AirOne is 29 Euros plus tax - so around 75 Euros.
It seems like the fare for the train is around the same - maybe just a little less. Also the train ride seems to be around 5 hours. Does anyone recommend the train over flying?

We will probably take the train when we travel from Rome to Naples (Positano)- just to experience it.

From 2 trips to Italy last year, this is what I found.

You will have to take into consideration that you have to conncet from the city of Venice to the airport, which is taking a water bus to your drop off point, pay for the trip to the Venice airport, about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes,wait 1-2 hours until your plane takes off. Fly for an hour. Once you arrive at the Rome airport, you have to retrieve your bag, get from the airport to the train shuttle into Rome, pay for that, wait for the next train, and spend 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to get to the rome train central. Also, if you have rolling bags, you will have to carry them up steps to get to the airport train, not easy regardless of what you pack. you have to find where you can buy a ticket and pay for that. Also the train leaves every 1/2 hour or so. The train shuttle stops aways away from the rest of the station, so you have to walk a ways to get to taxis, metro, etc....

By the time you add all of that up, I thing you've spent at least as much time, with a lot more hassle.

Don't buy train tickets in the U.S. There will be plenty of room for you.

If possible take the IC+, which is better quality than the older EuroStar trains, but will have 1-2 more stops. They are almost brand new.

You can buy your tickets a day or 2 ahead and then relax and watch the scenery go buy. Pack a lunch and get some wine and enjoy yourself. Learn to say Pronto.

I just went to www.trenitalia.com , the official rail web site (look for the English sign) and one way is 40.5 euro 2nd class and 55 euro first class for IC plus for a 5 1/2 hour trip. All IC+ trans are non-smoking

Eurostar is an hour less and costs 74 euros 1st class and 51 euros 2nd class.

IC+ first class is much better than Eurostar 2nd class at about the same amount of money.

Try to get a train that you don't have to change trains in Bologna or Florence.

Fair warning, there is Santa Lucia train station in old Venice and Mestre across the causeway. You may have to make a train change there.

time is money...If you have time take the train the countryside is great. I have not taken the train from Venice to Rome but have from Rome to Florence and Rome to Naples a few times
If you think Amtrack you have it. If you choose train 2nd class is fine. I will say you meet a lot of interesting people on the trains and you don't have airport hassles. Time wise I think you will find them pretty close when you figure time you need prior to check in, getting bags and taking train up to Rome from airport etc. Buy your ticket in Venice and save a few euro.

Traveling by plane - you need to take into account getting to the airport in Rome, and from the airport in Venice. It is much more complicated than going by train, which goes from city center to city center.

Is it possible to take a water taxi from the hotel in Venice directly to the airport? or is it easier to take it to the train station?

Also, when arriving in Rome, are there any suggestions for car services to pick up at the airport so I don't have to take a train from the airport to the city center (this way I don't have to carry all the luggage around). Or is it easier to just get the train to the Rome hotel?

it is expensive but you can take a water taxi from a hotel to the airport in Venice

Hi Mers - A water taxi to Venice airport will normally cost around € 80.

You will not save any time by flying Venice-Rome. Train is less hassle on this route.

For car services from Rome airport the following get good reviews here:

www.limoservicerome.com
www.airportshuttle.it

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Hi M,

I think that taking the train is much the better way.

You start from Venezia San Lucia and end up at Rome TE.

Schedules, etc are at www.trenitalia.com.

If you fly, you have to get to Venice VCE or Treviso and then you have to get from FCO or Ciampino into Rome.

In addition to the time to get to/from the airports, you have to add about 1:30 hour for security, etc at VCE.

((I))

I really encourage you to go by train! I'm guessing by the time you add up all that it will take to fly (to airport, check in ahead, flight, arrive, get from Mestre into Venice) that will take the same amount of time or even longer!!

I've done the train trip and the countryside is beautiful!

I vote also for the train! We took the #1 vaporetto up the Grand Canal(still using our three-day pass)from the hotel to the train station- up a short flight of stairs and there you are at the station. I had purchased reservations in addition to the ticket because we were there at the end of July, like you will be, and I would disagree with the person who said there would be room- it was quite crowded. The train we took didn't stop many times and there were no transfers. We stayed within a few blocks of the Rome train station, but if your hotel is in the city you could get a taxi at that point. Also, you will arrive rested (you can nap and read) and ready for the city instead of that awful airport transfer/baggage/etc. described so well already. For me one of the joys of European travel is being able to use the train as a viable option- as opposed to here in the USA.