Using Trains w/o the lines? Help
 

Hello all: We are traveling to Italy in September/October 2003. Utilization of the trains will be first part of trip from Florence to Venice. From Venice we will train to La Spezia (Cinque Terre area) then train to the &quot;Lakes&quot; area. Not sure of the latter town yet, perhaps Brescia, to rent a car. <BR>After 8-9 days of driving through Tuscany and Umbria areas, we will leave car in either Orvieto or Spoleto (whichever has better train service into Rome). <BR>My question(s): As seniors, we don't like to wait in too many lines. Do you recommend a Rail Pass, Inter City tickets or ?<BR>Should we purchase our tickets on line ahead of time, from an English speaking agency in Italy, or from the &quot;yellow&quot; automated machines at the station? <BR>Not sure of the time element on each segment yet either, so what is best way to get seats and/or no smoking area? <BR>Any and all help or information would be VERY appreciated by you. This site is a <BR>God-send! Thank you in advance. Ken L

A rail pass is not worthwhile for these journeys: it would be much cheaper to buy tickets for each journey. Standard Italian train tickets are valid for two months from the date of purchase, so you can buy tickets for several journeys at the same time. There are long queues at the ticket offices of certain stations at certain times, but sometimes you can get served straight away. You can also go to a travel agency. For short journeys, it's often easier to catch slower, stopping trains as you don't have to bother with seat reservations or supplements; they are often less crowded than long-distance trains.

For the non smoking problem, on longer trips, if you are using Intercity or Eurostar trains, you should ask to reserve seats for non smokers (on Intercity trains make suer you do not just get the ticket, but also a separate reservation!). Regionale trains are non-smoking only. On the other trains there is no way to reserve seats, but there are smoking areas marked by a cigarette, outside these areas the train is non smoking.

<BR>Ken,<BR>You would probably be best off buying your train tickets after you arrive, at a travel agency. They have seats, rarely a line, and better service than you will get at a train station ticket window. For general information on using the trains in Europe see my page at<BR>www.enjoy-europe.com/hte/chap17/rail.htm<BR>For auto rental a reservation from an American rent-a-car firm in advance would probably be your best bet, rather than showing up at an agency in Italy to rent on the day you want the car. You have plenty of time so check out the options with all of them. For a list of links go to <BR>www.enjoy-europe.com/typ/autorent.htm<BR>John

My sincere thanks to Geoff, Alice, &amp; John for very good suggestions, web sites, and encouragement. The train and ticket situations had me more than somewhat stymied, and we appreciate the clarification. Thanks again. Now to find out about the air fares; but apparently, I will have to wait until the spring. Ken L