I've never bought train tickets to travel Italy. We need to go from Venice to CT. CT to Florence and back. CT to Rome. Rome to Pompei and back. There will be 2 of us on the trip. We need to travel quickly as we do not have a ton of time. What type of tickets do I need to buy? I was considering two 5 day passes. Will these work for all the trains we will need. Also, any tips for the above mentioned trips would also be greatly appreciated. Thank You!
Posted by
Los Angeles, CA, USA
1003 posts
You will need a variety of different tickets as some of your routes aren't direct. The fastest trains are the Eurostar and they are the most expensive. On some of the legs of your trips you may only have Regionale trains available. From Rome to Pompeii, you will have to travel to Naples first (via Eurostar in just over an hour if time is an issue) and then Naples to Pompeii via the commuter-type Circumvesuviana. Personally in my research, I have never found passes worthwhile in Italy. For Cinque Terre, make sure you are putting in one of the actual towns or you won't find the train schedules. I'd always buy second class trains, don't think the difference is worth the extra money. If you book ahead on the Trenitalia website and want to lock yourself into your travel day/times, you can get a Mini fare possibly, which would save you money. I've used Mini fares multiple times and found it a great money-saver. I have to ask, though, if you don't have a ton of time, why are you backtracking? Why not go Venice > Florence via Eurostar (just over 2 hours), then Florence to CT (around 3 hours if I recall correctly), then CT to Rome, and Rome to Pompeii and back. In fact, I'd guess the itinerary you lay out wastes several hours on the train, which if your time is as short as you make it sound, is significant. Depending on how short your time is you may even consider saving CT and/or Pompeii for a subsequent trip. I hit CT on my 2nd trip to Italy and Pompeii on my third and don't regret either. Italy is all about savoring and if you are running around, you won't have the chance. Regardless of what you do, though, I still wouldn't buy a pass if it were me. Have a wonderful trip!
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Ditto Debra. Your train trip from Venice to the CT will most likely route you via Florence. You're changing trains there anyway. As Debra suggests, go from Venice to Florence and visit Florence. Then, go from Florence to the CT. Next, there are great train runs from the CT down the western part of Italy to Rome. Now for your pass. You pass will get you onto any Regionale train without having to pay a supplemental fee. You will most likely ride the Regionale trains from Florence to Pisa and during your stay in the CT. That's it. All of your other trains will most likely be high-speeds. Each one you are on will require a 10E supplemental fee to get your required seat reservations. The Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Pompei and back will not accept your pass. You can reduce costs and save time on the high-speeds if you are willing to book online early and go for the mini-fares. These are non-refundable tickets with really special fares. You will be locked into the specific trains and travel times. But, if you plan well, these are great savings. You can print your tickets out at home. You'll throw rocks at the cost of your pass.