By train from Rapallo/Genoa to Florence

What is your question?

Looking at Trenitalia's site to see the schedule for say next week (probably the same as May), you should be able to get from Rapallo to Florence in 2:23 if you wish, with a very quick 8 min change in Pisa, if you can leave at 7:37am. Other trips take about three hours or a little more.

I guess if you already have the Eurail pass you might as well use it, but typically it's cheaper just to buy tickets on a train by train basis, at least in Italy.

It posted before I was finished! My question is… The train goes through and stops at so many little towns along the way – all the way between Rapallo and Florence, but it seems to be along the coast. I was just wondering if it would be a nice train ride or just kind of annoying with all the stops.

If you take the Intercity 505 departing Rapallo at 9:22 you will make it to Florence by noon with few stops along the way. Still one change at Pisa.

Different types of trains make more stops than others. Regional trains tend to stop at most or all the stops. InterCity trains have fewer stops. The scenery is nice along the coast in places as I recall - haven't been south of the Cinque Terre in a few years. You'll definitely see the ocean here and there between the Cinque Terre and Rapallo - maybe not constantly. I wouldn't call it amazingly scenic all the way through (there are also a lot of tunnels), but I've taken train trips that were far less scenic. If you'll be in and about Rapallo for a few days, you'll get more than your fill no doubt by the time of the train ride south.

Trenitalia has published the complete schedules up to June 9, there is no reason to speculate based on the trains running next week (!?).

Janet has a pass, I may be wrong but she must be on a site that shows only Regionale trains. Those are the only trains she can freely board without paying the fee to reserve a seat, but they are also slower and make many more stops.

The Genoa-Rome railway line runs mostly in tunnels before Tuscany, but you'll also see glimpses of the seaside. Unfortunately there is no choice: it's the only line running through the mountains.

She has a three country Eurail pass but that may not be cost effective for what she is asking.. Regional trains are very inexpensive so would not use a pass day on a Regional train. But there are extra fee association with reserve seats - required - on all other trains in Italy. If you have not purchased the pass you may want to revisit that option.

Hmmm. The site I was on for trains was the timetable section of Eurail.com. What is the very best site for train schedules?

Unfortunately I did already buy the pass, thinking I wouldn't have to bother about buying tickets. But the faster trains (Intercity?) require reservations anyway. I guess I could get the reservations the day of each trip? I was hoping to do at least one full day trip from both Rapallo and Florence using the pass. I am going to use the pass again from Florence to Como, then to Strasbourg for a few days. I'm flying out of Paris so will get there by train.

I have the five day France, Switzerland, Italy pass. I have it now, so what do you think the best use of it would be? Here is my tentative plan...

4 nights Paris - staying with friend
Flight to Genoa
3 nights Rapallo (wanted to be near Cinque Terre but not stay there)
3 nights Florence
I night Como
2 nights Strasbourg then train to Paris and home

So from what I'm reading here, that ride along the coast may not be particularly scenic I guess.

And I will probably use the pass for a long day trip from Paris but not sure where to go. Suggestions?

Best site for schedules for all of Europe is bahn.de or the local schedules for each country -- i.e. trenitalia.com

Keep in mind that the French system severely limits the number of seats available to pass holders so those trips need to be reserved in advance as soon as possible.

From Florence to Como (the lake? The town?), first you must take an high speed train to Milan. A regionale would take ages and a couple of changes, I'd pay the 10 € fee to save precious holiday time.

Use the site of the company that actually run the trains: www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en. You must select an hour of departure and use italian station names: Firenze S.M. Novella, Genova Brignole, Genova Piazza Principe, Como Nord Lago, Como S. Giovanni etc.

You have just discovered why those passes are a rip-off in Italy: you can freely board only the cheap regionale trains that have no reserved seats. If you want to use long distance and high speed trains you must reserve a seat at the same counter where you can get a ticket for less.

If you have not bought your Paris-Genoa flight, you might consider doing Paris-Florence, then train to Rapallo then to Como. Slightly shorter train rides (distance wise). The reservation fee for Italian IC trains is 3 EUR, nothing to be too concerned about.

Looks like you could get from Como City to Strasbourg without any reservation fees if you stay off of EC trains, Same travel time, maybe one extra transfer.

Make your Strasbourg-Paris TGV reservation as soon as they are available to make sure you don't get locked out.

You got a Rail Pass, might as well use it. The reservation fees are not excessive, but make that Strasbourg-Paris one as soon as you can.

For those contemplated day trips, just buy tickets locally, they are surprisingly cheap.

Sam - I did buy the Plane ticket - $60 - because originally I'd planned a shorter time in Italy. Thank you and others too re: train info. I'll definitely get the Strasbourg -Paris seat asap - 90 days out I think.

I'll have to think some more about my plans using the tips you've given me.

Thanks to all for the input. Any additional suggestions are welcome!

Darioalb - I appreciate the tips re using the timetables!

Roberto - thanks for the specific train # for a Rapallo to Florence - I'll check it out.

So, looking at the trains on the trenitalia site (thanks again), I see that I can take various Intercity trains to Pisa and then switch to a regional train.

Next question - is it worth it to take, for example:

Rapallo to Pisa 9:22-10:57 and then have 3 hours in Pisa to sightsee, leaving at 14:54 to Firenze on a regional? I've been to Pisa and climbed the tower - no reservations needed - but it was in the 80's before the renovation.

Also - the day is Friday (in May) and does that make a difference in terms of being busy?

Many thanks, again.

Janet

Am I correct in saying that I will need a reservation, even with a pass, for just the Intercity and not for the regional? If so, then I can decide when I get to Pisa how long I want to stay, provided the Friday "traffic" on the train isn't terrible later in the afternoon?