TrenItalia - sold out or just no advanced tickets?
Sep 13th, 2011, 07:27 AM
#1
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TrenItalia - sold out or just no advanced tickets?
I am trying to plan out my trip in 2 weeks via TrenItalia and I am finding many trains are saying N/A instead of a price next to them. Does this mean it's sold out or does this mean that I simply cannot purchase ahead of time but can purchase the day of? I really hope they are not sold out!
Thanks.
Thanks.
Sep 13th, 2011, 07:44 AM
#2
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If they are regional trains (RE), then you cannot book in advance and have to get a ticket on the day of travel or just before. If they are IC or EC trains, then pre-booking is available, plus seat reservation.
So what are your journeys?
So what are your journeys?
Sep 13th, 2011, 08:00 AM
#3
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Alec, we flying to Rome, going to Naples/Pompei, Florence, Cinque Terre, Nice and then flying back to Rome on Easyjet. I was trying to sort out of it would be worth driving from Florence to Cinque Terre ($80 drop fee) because we will already have the car for a few days to explore Tuscany, or if we should return the car in Florence and take the train to La Spezia. I imagine the train would be less then $80 for two people, but it got me worried when I saw n/a! The whole itinerary is not sorted out yet with where to stay. I am getting stressed because we are leaving Sept 24!
Sep 13th, 2011, 08:33 AM
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Are you really taking regional trains on all those routes - if so you will spend most of the day on a dumpy IME train that stops at every little station.
Pay extra and take the high-speed trains IMO - like from Florence to cinque Terre there was at least when I did it recently a direct IC train that left florence around 0am and went direct to La Spezia - regional trains you often have to change in Pisa and takes a lot lot longer.
Great sources of info on Italian trains - www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com.
In my years of traveling on Italian trains shows me that cheapest is not always the best - I strongly recommend first class on any Italian train - even regional ones - especially for folks with luggage in tow - a much much more relaxed ride for the trip of a lifetime and really not all that much more.
And even check into the Italy Railpass, especially if going first class as it may prove cost-effective and gives you the option of deciding which train to take when there and not having to book weeks in advance in hard to change online discounted fares, etc.
Pay extra and take the high-speed trains IMO - like from Florence to cinque Terre there was at least when I did it recently a direct IC train that left florence around 0am and went direct to La Spezia - regional trains you often have to change in Pisa and takes a lot lot longer.
Great sources of info on Italian trains - www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com.
In my years of traveling on Italian trains shows me that cheapest is not always the best - I strongly recommend first class on any Italian train - even regional ones - especially for folks with luggage in tow - a much much more relaxed ride for the trip of a lifetime and really not all that much more.
And even check into the Italy Railpass, especially if going first class as it may prove cost-effective and gives you the option of deciding which train to take when there and not having to book weeks in advance in hard to change online discounted fares, etc.
Sep 13th, 2011, 12:15 PM
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Thanks for the info PalenQ! I have been looking into all types of trains, whatever is available on TrenItalia. The day I was looking they were all regional trains from Florence to La Spezia. Should I be checking other websites? The best way so far I could find from Cinque Terre to Nice is unfortunately the regional trains.
Sep 13th, 2011, 12:27 PM
#7
Andrea - try www.bahn.de. they have a english site and show trains all over europe.
BTW I just looked at Florence to la spezia for 3.10.11 on trenitalia.
they are showing a train via Pisa centrale that is 1/2 regional, 1/2 IC, which is bookable for that bit @ €20 first class. [the pisa-la spezia bit i suspect].
I wonder if you are putting in not La Spezia as you destination but a much smaller place and they are just giving you the direct regional trains to that place. alternatively, though unlikely, all the non-regionale trains are full.
as you aren't finding any trains you can book anyway, why not wait until you get to Italy them go into a station or a travel agent and get them ti help you? At least you know that although they may be a pain, the regional trains will run to where you want to go.
if there are just two of you, IMHO you won't need to book except in places like florence, but if you are getting the train to somewhere, booking a room for when you get there might be a good idea!
BTW I just looked at Florence to la spezia for 3.10.11 on trenitalia.
they are showing a train via Pisa centrale that is 1/2 regional, 1/2 IC, which is bookable for that bit @ €20 first class. [the pisa-la spezia bit i suspect].
I wonder if you are putting in not La Spezia as you destination but a much smaller place and they are just giving you the direct regional trains to that place. alternatively, though unlikely, all the non-regionale trains are full.
as you aren't finding any trains you can book anyway, why not wait until you get to Italy them go into a station or a travel agent and get them ti help you? At least you know that although they may be a pain, the regional trains will run to where you want to go.
if there are just two of you, IMHO you won't need to book except in places like florence, but if you are getting the train to somewhere, booking a room for when you get there might be a good idea!
Sep 13th, 2011, 04:43 PM
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Thanks Annhig, I was putting La Spezia always, instead of one of the smaller Cinque Terre towns. I was searching a different date (although close to that one). That German site seems easier to understand. There are definitely more Cinque Terre -> Nice options. Thanks!
Sep 14th, 2011, 07:53 AM
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There should be plenty of IC trains from Monterosso to Genoa then IC trains Genoa to Ventimiglia where you have to change to local French trains as Trenitalia has decided to cancel all cross border trains on this route.
Sep 14th, 2011, 10:09 AM
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an IC train departs Monterosso daily it seems at 10:55 am gets to Genoa at 12:16 - IC train departs Genoa at 12:55 gets to Ventimiglia at 15:07 - transfer to local French train at 15:17, arive Nice 16:06
seems like best connection - earlier trains are regional and take considerably longer.
seems like best connection - earlier trains are regional and take considerably longer.
Sep 14th, 2011, 04:37 PM
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Or you may want to look into cheap flights from Pisa airport or Florence airport to Nice airport - this train trip is slow going due to old tracks and congested rights of way and Trenitalia's decision to scrub direct rail links with Nice, causing an aggravating change of trains at the Italian and French border at Ventimiglia.
Sep 14th, 2011, 05:33 PM
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Thanks so much palenQ. That train combination looks better than what I could find!! I am really starting to look forward to the trip now that we are figuring more things out. I have been so stressed leaving things to the last minute, and things got busy at work too!
Sep 14th, 2011, 08:12 PM
#13
The reason it said n/a is because you must enter a date within 7 days for the slow R trains to show prices. Some of your routes are mostly R trains and I wouldn't delay my travel trying to hang around waiting for one of the few IC trains. Some of the R trains are more comfortable than the IC trains.
Naples/Pompeii is R trains on Circumvesuviana (just a couple of euro). www.vesuviana.it
Naples/Pompeii is R trains on Circumvesuviana (just a couple of euro). www.vesuviana.it
Sep 18th, 2011, 08:30 AM
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Some R trains may be more comfy than IC trains but most that I at least have taken are not - regional trains IME can often be hard class - the old Soviet term for hard seats - metal seats - IC trains IME are mainly older trains that once were the best trains in Italy - with padded seats. You do get what you pay for IME.
Sep 18th, 2011, 09:07 AM
#16
the frecciabianca train i took was very comfy.
nice seats, good tables that folded up so as to make it easy to get in and out, but then folded out to make room for a laptop or book, and a reasonable loo.
well worth the extra it cost.
nice seats, good tables that folded up so as to make it easy to get in and out, but then folded out to make room for a laptop or book, and a reasonable loo.
well worth the extra it cost.
