from rome to sorrento to sienna and back to rome

We just returned from 12 days and did this trip, we took the train and purchased our tickets in the train stations, it is pretty simple and the self-serve ticket machines have an English option. The Sorrento station is tiny and when we bought our ticket for the Circumvesuviana train back to Naples to connect to Rome. The turnstile did not open to let us through, immediately a local grabbed my ticket went over to the ticket agent, gave him the scoop and we were ushered through another turnstile. Just a word of information; when you purchase your ticket in the Rome station to go to Sorrento you have to transfer in Naples. Get off the train in Naples go downstairs and there you will find the Circumvesuviana line to Sorrento, buy your ticket, hop on the train and ride it to the end of the line which is the Sorrento.

I agree with Jerry to buy as you go unless you are traveling in high season. I always go on line and print out the train schedules so I have them to reference as we go. Also, when we arrive, I go to the ticket machine and double check the times and trains we plan to leave on. That way if something as changes, we're aware of it ahead of time and there are no surprises the day we leave. Was in Sorrento this September and had the same problem! A worker helped me. Enjoy your trip. We've been to all three cities are wonderful.

Regarding luggage, packing as light as you can (both in size of suitcase and its actual weight) helps IMMENSELY. Sometimes the stations don't have elevators. Sometimes the only place to leave your luggage within your sight is in the triangular space between the seats in which only a carryon sized case or smaller will fit, etc.

There are reports that people from the U.S. can now buy tickets from the trenitalia is. I haven't tried it yet but it's worth a shot. You can buy the tickets for the trip from Rome to Naples and back. The Naples to Sorrento leg will have to be bought in Naples but that's really easy. Just buy them on the way downstairs to the train. I'm not sure if you'll be able to pre-purchase the trip from Rome to Siena, part of it is on a regional train which can only be purchased 7 days in advance I believe. As others have said, you should plan to pack light. There are very steep steps to get on and off the trains. There are no porters to help so you will have to lift your own luggage. The trains don't stop for very long at each station so make sure you're standing by the door when your stop is coming up. Other than that, you should be fine. Donna

Hi We did a similar trip in 2010 and we bought the tickets in the ticket machine 1 or 2 days before when we could so that we werent rushed on the day of the train. However in Siena there is no ticket machine and you have to buy the tickets from the office, however our credit cards did not work. Neither Visa debit cards, Visa Cards or Mastercards and we tried 6. They do work in the ticket machines. However at the office the machine just kept rejecting all the australian cards like the Trentilia site does. So we had to go outside the office into the parking lot and get cash from the ATM machine with the same card and return to pay for it. Another warning about the train from Naples to Sorrento. Be very wary the platform and around the ticket office is full of pickpockets and they are very very good. When we were there the escalator to the lower platform was not working (hasnt been for years) so you have to carry your luggage down the steep stairs and while my husband was doing this he felt a hand on his pocket and a guy had come up behind him on the stairs and unzipped his pocket in the front and actually had the wallet in his hand. My husband grabbed his hand and the guy pushed him off and ran off but not with the wallet. The train can also be very very hot as when we were on it the windows didnt open and the airconditioning didnt work. I personally would never use this train again. The last time we got a transfer from Naples to Positano and it was well worth the money.
If I was going back to Sorrento I would do the same, probalby about 50/60euro I would think. Otherwise enjoy your journey. Happy to reply to any questions regards our 11 week trip in Italy by train and bus.