FCO to Lucca via train

The L Express only goes to Termini - nonstop. Departing from Tiburtina would require a change to the subway at Termini to get to Tiburtina so you really want to go from Termini. There are no direct trains from FCO to Lucca.

PS - Just checked schedules quickly -- There is one train directly from FCO to Firenze (Florence) at 11.08 and then change to Lucca. With luck you might catch that BUT I would not buy a ticket in advance for that train. And there are several trains from FCO to Tiburtina to Firenze to Lucca in addition to the L Express to Termini. You need to decide the schedule that best fits your plans. Personally I would wait until I was at the ticket office in FCO and then select the schedule that is quickest, most convenient. Generally two train changes.

Use the website of the Italian railways to see the connections: http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en
This is also the place to make advance reservations (paying by credit card; printing at home). But be careful with choosing a close connection with your arrival. Your plane might be delayed, there can be something wrong with the luggage, or whatever.

bill,

I highly doubt whether you'll be able to connect with the 11:08 departure that goes direct to Florence. Therefore you'll need to use one of the trains that goes into Rome.

One connection you may be able to make is.....

• FCO to Roma Tirburtina via FM1 at 11:27, arriving 12:15 (this is a Regionale train so you MUST validate your ticket prior to boarding)
• Roma Tiburtina to Firenze S.M. Novella at 12:29, arriving 13:51 (this train has compulsory reservations so you'll need to sit in the Coach (Carrozza) and Seat No.'s (Posti) listed on your ticket; the ticket is specific to that one train only and can not be used on any other train).
• Firenze S.M. Novella to Lucca at 14:10, arriving at 15:29 (this is also a Regionale so DON'T forget to validate the ticket prior to boarding the train).

You can buy tickets for all the trains at the airport rail station. One point to make regarding the trains at FCO is that there are two different trains operating there - the Leonardo Express to Termini and the FM1 which goes to different stations in Rome, including Tiburtina. Be sure you board the correct train as if you board the L.E. by mistake and end up at Termini, you could miss the Freccia train to Florence, which will cause all kinds of complications in your long travel day. You'll also likely face a hefty fine on the L.E. as you won't have a valid ticket (the fine will be collected on the spot - if you don't pay it then, it doubles!).

Thanks all for the good advice---first time training in Italia since '07---let's hope I get it right!

It is just as easy to get get a train to Florence from Tiburtina station as it is from Termini. In fact, this is how www.trenitalia.com will route you if you enter a start point of Fiumicino Aeroporto and a destination of Firenze S.M. Novella. Virtually all of the Freccia trains leaving Termini also stop at Tiburtina. Tiburtina is a lot easier to navigate than Termini and way fewer hustlers. Saves 4 euro to boot.