My wife and I will spend 10 days in Italy the first week in September. We arrive in Milan and travel by train to Venice, then Florence, and finally Rome. We don't have any train reservations. Will it be a problem buying tickets right at the train station? <BR> <BR>Also, can anyone give us any info on any of these hotels: <BR> <BR>Milan - Sanpi Hotel <BR>Venice - Universo Nord <BR>Florence - Hotel Beatrice <BR>Rome - Hotel Palladium Palace <BR> <BR>Thank you for your help.

Before this gets lost...

Alex, <BR> <BR>I would suggest buying your tickets ahead of time to make sure you have seats, and ask for non smoking if you so <BR>desire. First class is worth it. Some trains are busier than others so this way your sure to get what you want. <BR> <BR>Have a great trip. <BR>P.S&gt; Try and use the Eurostar, its faster and nicer. <BR>CIT tours in N.Y.C. will sell you tickets ahead of time.

Alex, I was in Italy in early September last year and it is still pretty crowded at that time but I was still able to get on the trains I wanted. It is less expensive to get your tickets there and it gives you more flexibility. If you are going to take a eurostar you may want to buy them a day or two ahead and not wait until right before the train departs. I was fine with 2nd class but I think that is up to you.

I arrived in Venice on a Wed, and bought tickets on the Eurostar for trips on a Friday and Sunday. I was in 1st class smoking (not bad, not a lot of people smoking). I didn't ask for smoking, I assume that's where the seats were. <BR> <BR>Make sure you reserve your seats when you buy them. I saw quite a few people getting kicked out of "their" seats for people who had reserved theirs! And make sure you are in your correct seat! It fills up at the stops along the way, and you don't want to have to move you and your luggage -- if someone is in your seat, have them move (or get the conductor to help.) <BR> <BR>I second the second class Eurostar -- it will be fine. But on longer trips, I don't think it's cost prohibitive to go 1st. There's a lot more room and snack service (maybe even lunch, I'm not sure) in your seat.