day trip Lucca to CT

Q2: You can buy tickets either day of travel or a day or so ahead of time. I'd suggest you not buy "advance" regional tickets on Trenitalia website as there's no upside. There's also an app you can use to buy tickets, but I've not yet used it so I'll let others explain that option. If buying tickets ahead of time, make sure they are for your intended date of travel, as they are only good on the date stated on the ticket. Also be sure to validate regional tickets before boarding the train.

Q2: Most trains from Lucca to La Spezia will require a change in Viareggio not Pisa, although a few do have the change at Pisa S. Rossore (not Centrale).

Q3: The Lucca and La Spezia train stations are manned, but I'm not sure how early the ticket windows open. There are also likely to be ticket kiosks that accept cash (and give limited change), especially at the Lucca station.

Hi Steve.
- Yes, via del Amore is closed. However, don't let that deter you; if nice weather, you will enjoy your day in CT. One train option would be leave Lucca 7:42 arrive Rio 9:32 (or any of the other towns a few minutes later). You could buy your tix Monday morning, or for less stress, do it the day before at your convenience, at a manned window, or at a machine that takes cash; the machines will have an English option. If you arrive in Rio at 9:32, or even later, you will have plenty of time to enjoy the CT. Trains run between towns every 30 minutes, also there are slow but scenic boats between the towns. Enjoy your trip!

steve,

1. As someone else mentioned, the famous Via dell' Amore is still closed, and may not reopen until 2019. The segment from Manarola to Corniglia is also closed. The two segments that are open are the most challenging ones.
2. You'll likely be using Regionale trains for much of that trip and you can buy tickets in advance, but BE SURE you specify the day of travel. Also, DON'T forget to validate locally purchased Regionale tickets prior to boarding the train on the day of travel. There are a few express trains used also, and those come with compulsory seat reservations which are specific to train, date and departure time.
3. From what I recall, the Lucca station is staffed in the mornings (but of course that may have changed). How early were you thinking of travelling? The Kiosks are very easy to use.

Thanks to all.
I think I can do this like a pro now.

We did this trip in 2012, and it's easy. We saw all the villages except Vernazza, which still was recovering from the mud slides that year.
We bought all our tickets on the day.
I remember the Pisa Station S. Rossore was unmanned, and we difficulty buying tickets from a machine until another passenger helped us.

We also took a day trip from Lucca to Cinque Terre. Fabulous day but the line in La Spezia to buy the hiking pass took over an hour. Maybe there was a better way to do this.