Changing trains and route from CT to Venice

I would have to look at the schedule to be sure but from you information. If there is no change listed in LaSpezia then you just stay on the train till the next change of train.

1. Trains carry designation and will be listed on your ticket - R is Regionale, IC intercity, etc.

2. Each train has train number - critical - know the train number. Just like airplane flight numbers. When you get off the train, somewhere on the platform or near the station will be big board listing all the trains via number and their platform number. Look around. In the old days it was the water fall boards and now most are electronic. With the electronic some will be right when you get off the train. Look up.

3. In smaller station which is mostly what you are using, ten minutes is more than adequate since you may only be walking across the platform or to the next one. Validate all you tickets - if required - at the beginning so you don't have to worry about it in between. However, only the Regionale tickets (not purchased on-line) have to be validated. Everything else is validated when purchased.

4.. Relax. It is easy after the first one.

PS - Only the Regionale trains are open seating. No seat reservation. Therefore, if a ticket specifies a car number and seat number you are on something other than a Regionale train.

I did this in reverse last year going from Venice to Vernazza. Had no issues on the route changing trains or the short 10 minutes sometimes less between trains. Used our train number in each place and got the track off the departure board and went to the track number.

The schedule on Trenitalia will tell you if it's a high speed train (Freccia) or regional train. Firenze to Venice will be a high speed train. Firenze to Pisa is usually a InterCity or Regionale Velocce, and from Vernazza to La Spezia and Pisa probably a Regionale slow train.

Ron in Rome has a good article about quick connections and reading the electronic boards and schedule papers that you see on each track. http://www.roninrome.com/transportation/train-connections-in-10-minutes-or-less

La Spezia and Pisa only have a handful of tracks (6-10) so it's easy to get to. Firenze has more around 20 but you can make the walk easily and the tracks aren't that far apart. There are validation boxes all over the tracks and some even have them on the platform by your train. You won't have an issue with validation

Thanks!

Are you able to validate all the tickets that you have to before leaving Vernazza? So, we don't have to do it right before boarding at that city?

Theresa,

To answer your questions (I'll re-number since you had two #1's).....

1. NO, you won't stay on the train in La Spezia, you'll have to change. The trains will be different types, one Regionale and one InterCity.
2. As Frank mentioned, the trains have designations, which will be listed on the tickets and on the electronic boards. The Regionale trains will have an "R" preceding the number. The Freccia train will have an "ES" prefix.
3. No, it's not difficult to find which train to change to. Once you learn the process, you shouldn't have any problems. Check the electronic board when you disembark from each train and look for the train number of your next train (which will be listed on the ticket), and also the Binario (track number), which is often abbreviated as "BIN". If in doubt, ask a train official (there will probably be at least one nearby). In many cases, you'll have to go down stairs to a tunnel (sottopassagio) to get from one platform to another. The validation machines are often located there, so don't forget to stamp your tickets (more on that later).
4. Ten minutes should be more than adequate to change trains in the stations you'll be using. At La Spezia you'll have 17 minutes, at Pisa you'll have 16 minutes and at Florence you'll have 15 minutes. It's impossible to say how close the tracks will be without knowing which tracks you'll be using (and those often change from those published on the large paper charts). Florence will be the easiest station as the tracks are all at the same level, so you'll just have to walk from one platform to another.
5. Other tips.... When you arrive in Venice, be sure to stay on the train to the last stop which is Venezia S. Lucia. DON'T disembark at Venezia Mestre. If the train crosses a long causeway over the water, that's a good indicator that you're headed for the correct station. When you walk out the front doors of Venezia S. Lucia, you'll be right at the Grand Canal.

Regarding validating tickets (assuming you use the 09:28 departure).....

• Vernazza to La Spezia - VALIDATE! If they issue the small theatre-style tickets, these are inserted to the left of the machine.
• La Spezia to Pisa - No need to validate as the ticket is only valid for ONE train, date and departure time.
• Pisa to Florence - VALIDATE! The machines are either yellow or green & gray, and they will be prominent on the platforms or in the transfer tunnels.
• Florence to Venice - No need to validate as the ticket is only valid for ONE train, date and departure time.

Buon Viaggio!

I would just add that you are likely to need to go up and down a flight of stairs to get from platform to platform in La Spezia and in Pisa. In Florence, no stairs. To save time, collect your bags and move to the door of the train a few minutes before arrival in the station so you'll be among the first off the train. In Florence, there are overhead electronic boards listing the track numbers for arriving and departing trains. Be sure to look at the departures board. It will have the train number and will show Venezia as the destination. The listings are by scheduled departure time.

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...Are you able to validate all the tickets that you have to before
leaving Vernazza? So, we don't have to do it right before boarding at
that city? ........

Yes, Validation is merely a time stamp on the ticket that activates the ticket or makes it valid. Once a ticket is validated the clock runs for five hours so your journey on that ticket must be completed within five hours. Only the Regionale tickets needs to be validated. All other train tickets are only good for one specific train at a specific time. Miss it and the ticket is dead. So if traveling with a couple of train changes that include Regionale trains and an IC or fast train, validate the Regionale tickets are the beginning so you don't have to deal with it during the train change. This applies to Regionale tickets purchased in Italy at a ticket machine or window.

There is one exception to all of the above. If you purchase a ticket on-line from A to E and that include a Regionale train (maybe B to C) then that ticket is included in the total package and that Regionale ticket is pre-validated with a very short travel window. Just keep all the tickets together and keep moving train to train.