Cinque Terre

What passes? Are you talking about the train tickets?
No you don’t need to purchase train tickets ahead of time. Almost all trains in those towns are regional trains, which are basically like subway trains in NYC. There are no reserved seats, if all seats are taken, you simply stand up during the ride, just like a NYC subway.

To follow up on Roberto's post, if you're referring to passes for the Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail) hiking paths, then no, you don't have to do that in advance. If you're referring to just visiting the villages, no passes are required for that. Can you tell us more exactly what you are planning to do that has you thinking you need passes?

No, and your RS tour guide will help you with the train pass and give you advice on visiting the different villages.

Thanks for all the replies. In the Rick Steves book; it says visitors hiking on the main coastal trail must buy a park card. It also mentions a Cinque Terre Trekking card which covers free use of WCs; park Wi-Fi; and ATC shuttle buses.

In the Rick Steves book; it says visitors hiking on the main coastal
trail must buy a park card....

That's true if hiking any part of the "Blue Trail" (Sentiero Azzurro). but if you're not planning on hiking, you don't need it just to visit the villages and moving between them by train and/or ferry. Can you explain a bit more what you what to do with your day in the CT?

A CT Treno card may be of use if planning to get around by train.

We want to do a combination of hiking and riding either a train or boat. There are so many choices of how to explore that area. The weather will have an effect on how much hiking we'll do.

Yes, this is a region that requires some research to figure out a personal plan, especially if you only have 1 day.

Day 11 of the tour itinerary:

We'll continue north today, pausing to marvel at the marble with a
local expert at Carrara's snow-white quarries, the favorite of
Renaissance sculptors. Then we'll take to the sea (weather permitting)
and enjoy a scenic boat ride along the Ligurian coast, past the
wave-washed harbors and hill-hugging villages of the Cinque Terre.
After our boat ride, we'll make our way to our home base for dinner
and il dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing).

So, weather permitting, you will have already experienced the CT from the sea. If Mother Nature plays nice in that sand box, I'd forego another boat trip and spend your free day traveling on foot (weather permitting) and by train. Do be aware that the Blue Trail is not easy hiking: much of it is vertical and involves lots of steps. The passes you'd need to access it + the regional trains, if not wanting to buy each train journey separately, are explained here:

https://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/cinque-terre-card:

The Via Del Amore trail section of the "blue" also requires a timed-entry reservation:
https://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/footpaths-cinqueterre#manarola-riomaggiore-via-amore

Thanks very much Kate! This is all very helpful information. That's the clearest explanation I've seen so far. Will likely be using the trains at least part of the time. We're physically fit; but will pace ourselves.

If you've not yet found the park's website, here it is:

https://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Eindex.php

Map of the trails and their difficulty levels; a black line means currently closed. Click on any colored line and then "View the itinerary" for a description about that particular trail.
https://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Esentieri-outdoor.php

Kate; thanks again! This is exactly what we need to plan our day. We appreciate your advice.