Is there a preferred/recommended full rail reservation site you use? Or, when making reservations so you keep up both Trenitalia and Italiarail on two windows to compare schedules and prices?
I know about GoEuro, the Rick Steves RailEurope site, and Wanderio - do you all have a favorite?
Posted by
Coeur d'Alene
378 posts
I book directly with the train company, either Trenitalia or Italorail. I’ve had no problems.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23653 posts
I don't know of any site that will give you a side by side window. However, on the Mac at least, you can keep two windows open and just switch from one window to the other. I just use the train site as it is easy to use either. It is not very complicated to do and there is little difference between the two railroad companies as to price. Some complain about trenitalia but I have never had any problem with the site.
Posted by
8 posts
As a complete novice at this stuff I found trainline.eu easiest to use. Their site is in english as are the station and place names when you search which I found helpful. I've purchased tickets using both the website and the very easy to use phone app. I had no problems with credit card authorizations (AMEX). I did have to make an account but they store all my ticket purchases so they're easy to find. You can print tickets or display them on your phone.
Initially I did double check the prices against Trenitalia and they were the same. I'm not sure how they make any money but I'm glad a few people here pointed them out.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23653 posts
I think that trainline is fine but they are a third-party seller. In the event of a problem, however unlikely, I prefer to deal with the train company or airline or bus company directly. That said, I have not had any direct experience with trainline.
Posted by
Tucson
4183 posts
For Italy, my favorite is Trenitalia. This is the English search screen link. So long as I informed my CC folks that I was going to make an online purchase in Italy in €, I've never had a problem.
For example, last year I made my Frecce train reservations online in advance and saved a lot of money. My printed tickets scanned just fine when the conductor came through.
Posted by
Halton, Ontario, Canada
208 posts
I use loco2.com. You can also have the app on your phone so all your tickets are in one place. It is also recommended by ‘seat61.com’ train everything website.
Posted by
OP
atlanta, ga, usa
16 posts
This is helpful. Thank you!
And, I did just realize that ItaliaRail is powered by TrenItalia (haha!) so essentially the same thing. I think Italio was what I was thinking of but that service is so limited anyway it's not an option for most of what we're doing.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11838 posts
I have had great success with www.Trainline.eu. The nice thing is in Italy that they offer both Trenitalia and Italo so you can see schedules and prices side-by-side. They are also friendly with American credit cards and we have found the communications during the trip very good. Downloading the app is helpful and it is nice to have all of your reservations on one site if you are going to multiple countries.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16706 posts
I think Italio was what I was thinking of but that service is so
limited anyway it's not an option for most of what we're doing.
Without knowing what you're doing, maybe don't discredit Italotreno yet? Info on the site says that they're adding stops between Milan and Venice on May 1:
"From 1 May 2018 a host of new stops. With Italo you can stop at Brescia, Desenzano, Peschiera del Garda, Verona, Vicenza, Padova e Venezia Mestre leaving both from Milano Centrale and Venezia (Venice) S.Lucia."
They're also adding additional trains between Venice and Milan on July 1.