Buying Italy Train tickets

I would buy at the train site. Trenitaila is the national railroad. The site is pretty straight forward, in English. Sometimes US credit cards are a problem but it works reasonably well. Italo is a private rail company running on Italy national train rails and uses their stations. Very comparable to trenitalia with newer equipment and pricing can be cheaper but not always. The schedule is not as extensive. I go with the schedule.

Trenitalia and Italo are different train companies, and they do not see each others’ tickets. So you buy from whichever one you want to ride. Italo’s trains tend to be newer, and the website easier to use. Prices are generally pretty similar between the two. But Italo’s routes are much more limited, connecting major cities like Milan or Venice with Florence and Rome.

Look at both but If Italo fits your plans and the schedule looks good, I would choose that. We really enjoyed our journey on Italo from Venice to Rome a couple of years ago.

Ok, thank you for the advice.

Do the prices increase much if we wait to buy prior to departure? We will be traveling in March. I am a bit concerned with buying tickets for the ride Rome to Sorrento just in case our plane arrives late. We are going straight there.

We arrive around 7 am. I was thinking on leaving Rome to Sorrento around 10:30 am in order to leave plenty of time to get luggage and transfer from the airport. Any advice?

Yes, prices tend to go up (except on Trenitalia regional trains) closer to departure.

Try www.trainline.eu to buy tickets for either railway line on the same website.

It's really up to you how you want to handle the connection from a plane - it's a common issue. Some people simply build in a long layover to make sure they're likely to make their train - and get cheap tickets. Others pay last-minute prices and just catch the next train they can make, so they don't have to wait around and don't have to worry about missing a train. Personal preference, up to you. You can guess how much time it would take assuming flight is on time to get to Rome Termini and base you risk on that number, how much you might want to pad it.

Consider using a smart phone app to buy tickets after you the ground in Rome if you buy last minute.

The only real variable is the ticket price from Rome Termini to Naploi Centrale. The train from the airport to Rome termini is a fixed price, always the same. The train from Napoli Centrale to Sorrento is a fixed price commuter train.

Looking 4 months out, as far out as you can buy them, a nonrefundable ticket on Trenitalia Freccia 2nd class to Napoli Centrale is 19.90 EUR. The walk-up price is 45 EUR. So IMO, it is not worth the worry and hassle to wait a long time to save 25 EUR. So just buy a ticket for the next train at the airport train station connecting to Napoli Centrale when you ext with your luggage. You'll have to buy the local train ticket to Sorrento when you get to Naples. But that is just MO.

Technically speaking, unlike American airline tickets the ticket prices do not change over time. What changes is the availability of the tickets at a certain prices. Trenitalia has three levels of tickets -- Super Econ, Economy, and Base. Depending on day and time of train, when tickets are release a fixed number of tickets at SE and Econ are available. More available on unpopular times and fewer at a later time. These tickets basically are no change, no refund - couple of exceptions. When those tickets are gone, they are gone. So it is best to buy those tickets as far in advance as possible if you can commit to a set schedule. The Base ticket is available at anytime and can be exchange or refund under most circumstances. All tickets for Regionale trains are the same -- no seat reservations and priced is fixed. Never buy a Regionale ticket on line as they come with extra restrictions.

So, is there a trick to buying train tickets from the Rome airport to Naples. I have tried the Trenitalia site and cant seem to get the stations to pull up correct Rome Fiumicino Airport to Napoli Centrale via Roma Termini
The calendar look up also does not work.

I will most likely buy my tickets at the station when we get there but was curious of the full schedule from airport to Naples.

Anyone use the Italiarail site? The full route comes up on that site.

www.trainline.eu is easier - you don't have to type the names so precisely in perfect Italian as you would on the Trenitalia site.

But if you want the correct station names for the Trenitalia site, they are Napoli Centrale and Fiumicino Aeroporto.

As noted above, the train you should consider buying is the one between Rome and Naples; the airport train price doesn't change. You can buy it for the same price now as when you show up at the airport station to buy tickets. Buying the tickets together as one doesn't really buy you much but in case of a long day you might not want them together on one ticket.

When are you going? There is a nationwide schedule change around June 9, you will not see anything after that date. Other than that, I had no trouble pulling it up for May 15.

we are going March 13-27

So, one more question, is it worth walking around Naples a bit before heading to Sorrento

When I look at March 13, (assume your arrival date) starting at 8 am, the earliest you will probably hope get out of of immigration and customs with you luggage and get to the airport train station. I click on 2 adults (assuming "we"). In the "From" box I start typing "Fiumicino Aerporto", by the time I have typed "Fiumi" it has prompted me with "Fiumicino Aerporto", so I just click on that and then in the "To" box start typing "Napoli Centrale" but again, by the time I have typed "Nap" it has prompted me with "Napoli Centrale", so I click on that and click the "Search" button. Up pops a list of possible trains beginning at 8:00 am. Ignore all the ones with Regionale trains and Intercity trains, they are much slower. So I see trains at 8:23, 9:08, 9:23. 9:53, then every half hour at 23 and 53 past the hour. Prices show 61.80 EUR, but when you click on that price, you will see that that is 28 EUR fixed Leonardo Express train to Roma Termini, then 33.80 EUR for 2 Freccia tickets to Napoli Centrale. Those are marked as SuperEconomy Tickets, so they are completely nonrefundable if you miss the train. Above you will see "Base" fare of 90 EUR. That is the walk up price if you buy at the airport when you arrive and take the next available train. So you would pay 28+90 EUR to get 2 people from the airport to Napoli Centrale.

It's not recommended by most here to buy train tickets to connect with an incoming flight. The train from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale will be a Freccia high speed train, and the tickets for those are specific to train, date and departure time. If you miss that train because your flight is late (or whatever), the ticket is worthless and you'll have to buy another. The safest policy is to buy your tickets after you arrive in Rome, even though they will cost a bit more. There are ticket offices at FCO as well as ticket Kiosks, so it's very easy to get tickets.

You'll likely be using the Leonardo Express from FCO to Roma Termini. If you haven't taken that train before, there are a couple of important things to be aware of. If you need more information, post another note.

You'll be using the Circumvesuviana for the trip from Naples to Sorrento. It has a bit of a reputation as a haven for pickpockets and scammers, so you'll need to be vigilant. To connect with that, you'll need to go downstairs from Napoli Centrale to the Garibaldi station, and buy your tickets there. There is another train, the Campania Express, which also operates on that route but I doubt it will be operating in March. Another more comfortable option for the trip from Naples to Sorrento would be to hire a private car service.

"So, one more question, is it worth walking around Naples a bit before heading to Sorrento"

While you can store your luggage at the station in Naples, it would be easier to make a day trip to Naples after you get settled in Sorrento.

wow, thank so much for the information, it all is very helpful.

I think I will just buy tickets to Sorrento when arrive. Seems to be worth the extra cost. Any recommendations on a private driver from Naples to Sorrento?

We only have three nights in Sorrento and we want to go to Pompeii and Amalfi Cost. Is it worth seeing Naples too with our short time visit? I was thinking on stopping at Pompeii on way to Sorrento And Naples on way back to Rome.

No I have never taken the Leonardo Express from FCO to Roma Termini, so any hints would be appreciated.

I am also wondering if it would be easier to take a taxi from Roma Termini to our hotel by the airport (Via del Perugino 122, Fiumicino)
We will be returning from Verona around 5:30, may have dinner, and then go to our hotel. We fly out the next day.

I spent a few nights in Sorrento some years ago and day tripped to Pompeii. I spent a few hours in Naples the same afternoon and really liked it - kind of wish I had stayed in Naples instead. The Archaeological Museum is in Naples, and you may wish to visit that too - a lot of artifacts that were found in Pompeii wound up in that museum. I think Naples is worth a few hours to explore at very least.

A couple of important points to note when using the Leonardo Express.....

1. There are two trains serving the airport, the L.E. and the FM/FR1. You'll need to ensure that you board the correct train in order to arrive at the desired destination station.
2. The L.E. is a Regionale train, so it's essential to validate (time & date stamp) your ticket prior to boarding the train. Failure to do so can result in hefty fines, which will be collected on the spot!

FM/FR1.

FL1. The name changed when FrecciaRossa trains were put in service.

http://mobile.060608.it/en/trasporti/muoversi-in-citta/con-le-ferrovie-regionali/fl1-fiumicino-aeroporto-fara-sabina-orte.html

The time-stamping machines and the FL1 in background:

http://1.citynews-romatoday.stgy.ovh/~media/original-hi/59631940003652/aeroportofiumicino-2.jpg

The Leonardo Express surrounded by its less trendy relatives:

https://www.trasportinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Stazione-di-Fiumicino-Aeroporto-Foto-FS-Italiane-e1459496406152.jpg

dario,

Thanks for the clarifications on the trains. I couldn't remember the specific designation for the "other" train that serves FCO, so just did the best I could with it. The main point I was trying to make is that there are two trains that serve the airport, and it's important to board the right one for the desired destination.

Your comment about the different appearance of the two trains is a good reminder. I'm usually so jet lagged when arriving after a long flight that I don't notice details like that.