Hello,
Eurail has a decent discount going for late December. 15% off an Italy Rail pass; traveling with my wife, another 15% off the group rate, so a 4 day flex pass comes out to $166 a person. I know some say don't go with rail passes in Italy because they often aren't economical when you include to $10 or so reservation fee. 40 bucks a day (+10 for a reserved seat) between the larger hubs (Verona-Florence, Florence-Rome, Naples Pisa) seems reasonable. I know if I book tickets a few months in advance, I can get a better deal through italiarail, but how about a few days ahead of travel? Are the prices the same?
A month ago, I decided against the rail pass, but with a 30% discount, it's looking a bit more attractive mainly for day of hub city arrival, chucking the bags at the hotel, and taking half day trips out of town, namely from Florence, Rome, and Naples. What would you recommend are some great sites 1.5-2 hours from these towns, be back in the hub towns by 8 for some wine and dinner? Thanks for your insights
Also, if you have someone using the global pass, discounts are up to 45%-- maybe get that recent college grad on the tracks.
Dave