we will be traveling 23/10/11 from verona to florence and 26/10/11 florence to naples and 29/10/11 naples to rome should i get a rail pass? and do i need 1st class this time of year? i am concerned about all the seats being
occupied tks Lou
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
Verona-Florence: Standard 2nd class fare on high-speed Eurostar Italia trains is €35. Booked today at trenitalia.com you can get a Mini fare of €14. Florence-Naples: Standard 2nd class fare on high-speed EuroStar Italia trains is €72. Booked today you can get a Mini fare of €50. Naples-Rome: Standard 2nd class fare on high-speed EuroStar Italia trains is €45. Booked today you can get a Mini fare of €36 and a Carta Freccia Day fare of €22.50. 2nd class Italy 3-day Saver passes cost $187/person (€141). Add €10/person for mandatory seat reservations on each train. Total for discount fare tickets which include the required seat reservations: as low as €86.50/person. Total for 2nd class Saver passes + seat reservations: €161/person.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32788 posts
If you travel on the high speed trains all seats are reserved in both classes so if you have a ticket you will have a seat. All three segments seem made for high speed trains rather than local Regionale ones. I don't know if Mini fares are still available on those journeys - one for you to check - but if so it will be WAY cheaper than a pass. Don't forget that every high speed train with a pass needs a payment for the seat - included in regular tickets. If your train Firenze to Napoli needs a change of train in Roma, that's two seat reservations at €10. Even if you buy on the day I bet its cheaper than a pass. Have a look at Trenitalia and see what you find.
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
Nigel is right. It's hard to make a rail pass work financially in Italy. If possible, you should try to book your tickets in advance online to get the best deals. But even full fare tickets may be less cost compared to a pass. No real need for 1st class unless you want more peace and quiet. On the routes you have 2nd class is still pretty comfy. Few trains fill up this time of year so even buying tickets in Italy a few days before your travel should not be a problem.
Posted by
OP
new port richey, FL, usa
4 posts
thanks to everyone for your advice. i wasn't able to find the mini fare, which seemed to be at a big discount.
can anybody help me with that?
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
I just answered Lou's question about Mini fares in a PM.