I was thinking that the Trenitalia website allows you to book train tickets 3 months in advance. So I hadn't yet looked for prices of tickets for the date I want to travel from Florence to Rome by train, June 25. However, today I checked the website, and that date is available for purchase. For each of the Frecciarossa departure times that day, it says prices start at 34.90 Euro per ticket. When I pick a random train departure time and click on "choose," it shows me all the categories of seats, with prices. 34.90 is for a standard class ticket, at the economy price. The standard class ticket base price is shown as 47 Euro. The Super Economy price is said to be "sold out" for every departure time of the day, every class of ticket. I assume that I should book these tickets now, while there are still seats at the "economy" price, i.e., before long, only the 47 Euro base price will be available. Is that how it works? Or is it possible that if I wait, some of the seats will go on sale at super economy prices. Have I missed out on that by not booking on the first available date?
Posted by
Vignola, MO, IT
711 posts
Once the Super Economy tickets are gone- they are gone as far as I know. Someone will correct me if I am wrong.
Posted by
Italy
3812 posts
Or is it possible that if I wait, some of the seats will go on sale at super economy prices.
It isn't, it has never happened. Linda is right.
It seems that the evil minds behind Trenitalia are reducing the number of discounted tickets on that route.
Have I missed out on that by not booking on the first available date?
I'm afraid you have. Trenitalia's tickets go on sale 120 days in advance, not 90.
The timetable changes of June and December sometimes create confusion because not all summer schedules are released at the same time.
If I were you, I'd check also Italotreno's prices before purchasing. They have been selling cheaper discounted tickets for months.
Posted by
WPB, FL & Firenze
3112 posts
Trenitalia tickets can be purchased up to 120 days in advance, which may explain why Super Economy tickets for June travel are sold out. I did once purchase a Super Ecomony ticket after it previously said sold out, but that was for an off-season travel date (November I think). Also consider Italo. Their website shows 17.90 euro Low Cost (equivalent to Super Economy) tickets available on some June 25 trains. Italo now runs several trains a day originating from Roma Termini.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Italy is one of the countries that sells tickets 120 days out (except when the schedule changes twice a year, the new schedule may not be posted at day 120). And yes, the most popular routes have fewer super-economy tickets available for the most popular routes. I recently got a €9 fare from Milano to Venezia, but the lowest Roma-Napoli fare was €19.90.
Italo is a good option since it's still not widely publicized overseas (here). Don't tell anyone.
Posted by
OP
Wisconsin
470 posts
Thanks for the three suggestions to go on Italotreno.it for this purchase! I just checked and can still get the tickets at the super economy rate on that site. Price is 17.90 Euro. This is such a helpful forum!
Not having used that site before, how will it work? Will I get a confirmation with a bar code that I can print out and bring? An email with all the tickets? I will call my credit card co. to notify them that I am going to make this purchase, so that the purchase isn't blocked. Anything else I should know?
Posted by
Vancouver, WA
528 posts
I purchased Italo tickets earlier this week. The website is very easy to use! They will email you a booking code that you provide as your "ticket". Their prices were great for July...we decided to upgrade to "Primo" for only €3 per person!
Posted by
Italy
3812 posts
Italo is an actual train company that runs its own high speed trains, you'll receive a pdf with a code plus car and seat numbers. That code is your authority to travel and, if I'm not wrong, to use the free wifi on board.
Note down that code before closing the page, or wait for Italo's email.
On monitors inside stations Italo trains may be listed as NTV: look for the train number and the departure hour, not for the train company and/or the destination.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23660 posts
With Italo tickets make sure you know the train station being used. They do not service all train stations equally.
Posted by
OP
Wisconsin
470 posts
Thanks, everyone, for your help, including the clarification that Italo isn't just a different booking agency but is a different train company. I did go ahead and complete the purchase on Italotreno.it. Before doing so, I read reviews comparing Trenitalia with Italo and was quite satisfied with what I read. The website was easy to use. This is travel with a group, and I was able to book all 10 tickets that I need in one transaction (whereas on Trenitalia it looks like I'd have been limited to 5 tickets so I'd have been doing 2 transactions). I got a great price of 17.90 Euro, which is about what the Super Economy tickets would have been on Trenitalia, had that price not been all sold out. I am thinking that since we are now on a train owned by a private company, instead of on using the state-owned train company, if there should be a train strike, we might have averted a problem? Or when there is a train strike, are both companies down?
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23660 posts
It will depend on who is on strike. That you cannot predict. While the threat of strikes is high, the number of strikes is low. I never worry about them. And most of the time a few trains will continue to run during the strike.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
As far as I know, you are correct about the strikes, to a point. I have been at train stations when there was a strike and the Italo trains whizzed by, but many of the high-speed Trenitalia trains were running as well. The regionale trains were most affected, but usually for only a few hours.