GAC

According to today's issue of La Repubblica, Trenitalia will commence train service between Rome and Milan for the exceptionally low one-way fare of 9 Euros!

Commencing mid-December, there will be a special Eurostar Italia (ES) train departing from Rome Tiburtina Station (NOT Termini), DAILY, PRIOR TO 7 a.m., headed for Milan Rogoreto Station (NOT Centrale). Only two en-route stops will be made: Florence and Bologna. The return trip will depart from Milan late in the evening.

The ES train, using older ETR450 equipment, will bear a special logo and will accommodate approx. 400 passengers.

More to come ........

GAC

Further info:

1. This is a pilot program which may be extended to other lines in the future

2. All seats will be rated common class (NO distinction between first and second class)

3. All tickets to be sold through the Internet begining on November 29 (there will be a special website). NO TICKET SALES AT TRAIN STATION or through travel agents.

4. No restaurant car on train

5. Florence stop will be at Campo di Marte Station (NOT S. M. Novella)

6. Fare of 9 Euros (one way) will be inclusive of seat reservation

GAC

Please refer to today's (Nov. 30)postings

"TRENITALIA LAUNCHES "LOW COST" PROGRAM" and

"LOW COST" EUROSTAR TRAIN BETWEEN ROME AND FLORENCE"

for more detailed information about this revolutionary new pilot program anounced by Trenitalia

www.trenitalia.com
www.trenok.com

GAC

Here is a direct link to my other posting of today:


direhttp://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=2&tid=34543768&numrespo nses=2&start=50ct

PalQ

Great info you post on Italian trains! I wonder how available these type of dirt-cheap fares really are? Do they have to be booked months in advance or not? Are they like some airline fares that seem incredible and are because they had to be reserved months in advance? I guess for 9 euros you could make several reservations and not be out much money if you didn't use them. Caio caio.

GAC

PalQ: The "LOW COST" daily Eurostar "Tok" train between Rome-Tiburtina and Milan-Lambrate has approx. 400 seats, each at the rock bottom fare of 9 Euros. You can purchase seats up to 60 days in advance (for travel commencing December 12th, not sooner). If and when all 400 seats for that day's train are sold out, the computer reservations system will no longer offer the train on that particular day. Once you've purchased the seat, you're stuck, you can't get a refund nor change your reservation. So it is quite possible for the train to have been "sold out", yet there are empty seats.

GAC

According to the Italian news agency ANSA, the Italian Association of Travel Agents is up in arms against the revolutionary "LOW COST" Eurostar train, because tickets will only be available through the internet, self-service machines at train stations, and telephone reservations center, and NOT through Italian travel agencies.

Travel Agents anticipate a substantial loss of commissions as more and more Italians resort to internet and telephonic sales as a method of convenience and savings (and not just for the "LOW COST" train).

The "train for 9 Euros" commences service on December 12, between Roma-Tiburtina and Milano-Lambrate. It is a pilot program which may be expanded to other routes in the future.

Internet sales are available 24/7, effective immediately. You get an "electronic ticket" with a reservations code, exchangeable for a paper ticket once on the train.

www.trenitalia.com
www.trenok.com

PalQ

As a European train professional (my company sells railpasses, etc) i appreciate your excellent updates on the Italian rail system. When folks call about Italian railpass i nearly always tell them they ain't traveling enough to make that pass pay off and they should buy tickets there or online. Anyways as to 400 seats sold thyen none it seems with at most 9 euros to lose if you don't show up they will be a lot of no-shows. I wonder if they will sell more tickets than seats for each train expecting no-shows? Or will they have walk-up seats for no-shows. Anyway your Italian knowledge and willing to share it is appreciated. Caio caio!

WillTravel

How much more inconvenient/unsafe is it to arrive at Tiburtina late at night as opposed to Termini midday? My hotel is around Piazza Barberini.

GAC

PalQ: Thanks for your compliments. With respect to "no shows" the low cost website (www.trenok.com) notes that it may be possible to purchase a seat "at the last minute from train personnel at the track of departure". But it's not likely that someone would just "show up" without a reservation at 6:40 a.m.!

WillTravel: if arriving at Tiburtina "late at night" I would immediately take a taxi to your hotel. Of course, the taxi fare might approximate the "9 Euro low cost" train fare!!!!! If arriving while the metro is still running (midnight), you could take the metro to the Barberini stop (but you must change at Termini, a bummer), but you need to be careful. If I were a woman or elderly, I'd skip the metro late at night. If arriving at Termini during daylight, the metro to Barberini is fine, and you could also walk if you don't have luggage.

WillTravel

GAC, thanks. I suspected that with taxi fare included there's probably little to be saved with this route in my case. I am female and I usually avoid new cities for the first time late at night.

GAC

WillTravel: your instincts are just right. Neither Tiburtina nor Termini stations is salubrious at night, and Tiburtina in particular can be quite intimidating.