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Train Travel Italy

I am finalizing trip arrangements for June 29-July 8 and need help with train/public transportation options in Italy. We arrive at Milan Linate Airport and will be travelling to Vernazza the same day. It appears the best option is taxi (although bus is significantly cheaper it may take too long) to Milano Centrale Station then train to Vernazza through regional trains so we can arrive at a reasonable hour. I think I can only book these three weeks out. We also need to make arrangements to get from Vernazza to Florence, Florence to Siena and Siena to Rome. Any suggestions/advice on type of transportation and when-how far in advance/where to purchase would be greatly appreciated!

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It's three months out for most tickets; 1 week for regionale trains. There are no savings buying regionale tickets in advance online. You can buy all of those types at your first Italian train station OR online, if you wish. RonInRome has a fantastic tutorial, complete with lots of photos, on how to buy train tickets in Italy (and MANY other things; spend a little time wandering his site). Click on 'Transportation', then 'Train Travel in Italy', then 'Buying Train Tickets' (and I highly suggest the next two threads, too, about PNR codes and Trenitalia). Be Sure that you validate your regionale/local tickets before boarding!!! If you don't have a seat assignment, you need to validate. Look for a box that may or may not say 'convalida' somewhere near the train platform...it is probably yellow, but the color of the boxes are changing...All of this is covered by Ron at the very bottom of his post! If you can't find the 'convalida' box(es), ASK someone!!! The fine is hefty!!! Go to Tenitalia.com; click on the English flag for English. You must use the Italian names for cities - Roma (Termini), Siena, Firenze (Santa Maria Novella), Milano (Centrale), etc. You can also buy tickets at ItaloTreno; some people have better luck there with getting their credit cards accepted, etc.