My husband and I are traveling to Italy for the first time. Our itinerary is fabulous, and pretty much set – but we need a fabulous and easy mid-way train stop for 1 night in between Venice and Rome. We originally intended to stay 1 night in Orvieto, but now are being told the train trip between Venice and Orvieto is not easy. We will be traveling back to Rome FCO airport for our 5:00 pm flight, so the stop over night needs to be an easy train stop. I really hope someone has a good suggestion! P.S. We really don't want to spend that last night in Rome, since we begin our trip there with a 4 night stay. Thank you!
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
How about Bologna? Some of the best food in Italy.
Posted by
Cary, NC
687 posts
How about one more night in Venice? The fast train only takes 3:46 hours. Otherwise it looks like Bologna or Florence. The train trip between Venice and Orvieto doesn't look difficult, just slow - it takes nearly five hours, but there are direct trains. Where are you getting your information? Schedules at bahn.de or trenitalia.it.
Posted by
Pa and Italy
4152 posts
Even though you don't want to spend your last night in Rome it's what I would suggest you do. You don't want to take the chance of missing your flight by having problems with the train. There have been many times when trains are late or sold out and people have missed their flights. I wouldn't risk it. If you have a 5 pm flight you must be at the airport no later than 2 pm which cuts down the amount of time you have to get from where ever you'll be staying to the airport. Donna
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15585 posts
I think Florence is easy. The train station is smack dab in the heart of the city. There are good hotel choices within a 10-minute walk. On the other hand, I'm always a little edgy about getting to the airport on time, so I'd probably plan on getting to Rome the night before. You won't have time to see anything on the morning of your flight anyway. Working backward: 5:00 flight 2:00 arrive at airport 1:00 train to airport 12.30 arrive at Rome
10.30 arrive at Florence train station You could still leave Venice on an early train, drop your luggage at the Florence station, spend the day and evening there, get a late train into Rome. That gives you a leisurely morning before your flight home.
Posted by
California USA
3955 posts
I too agree with Donna. I would not risk staying too far outside the city on the day I'm going to fly home especially in Italy. Just to add another sceniero, strikes can happen on the spur of the moment especially in Italy and it would be imparative to be only a taxi ride (or other alternative mode of transportation) away. Just this week when we were returning to Milan from our overnight outing to the opera in Verona we encountered a train strike of regional trains in Italy and Metro services in Milan were even affected. We couldn't get from from our very well thought out point A to B without scrambling for a different type of more expensive train. We should have had to purchase a different ticket but there were no ticket takers on the train maybe b/c of the strike? When we reached Milan we found that we needed to take a taxi once we got into the station because the tram/bus/Metro transportation was on strike too. Some friends of ours recently used their Rome airport hotel location to quickly explore Ostia Antica for the day prior to their flight.
Posted by
OP
Pacifica, CA, USA
2 posts
A great big thanks to everyone who provided thoughtful suggestions! I truly appreciate it. I'm feeling dangerous, though, and just may stay in Bologna.....is it really too risky? Thanks again.
Posted by
Pa and Italy
4152 posts
You never know what might happen and you don't want to be caught several hours away from the airport with no easy way to get there. Take this week for example.....there was a fire in the Tiburtina train station and stations as far away as Milan are experiencing delays and chaos because of it. This station is due to be closed for at least a month so this will effect the system for at least that long. This is just one thing that can happen. Last year the volcano caused problems for thousands of people.... Every day trains run late ...... Transportation strikes can pop up.... The decision is yours but if it were me....I'd spend the night in Rome. No sense tempting fate but it's really up to you. Donna
Posted by
Carbondale, IL, USA
1201 posts
You have been given what seems to me to be prudent advice. Obviously, it is ultimately your trip and your decision. bologna is just about an hour or so out of Venice and while a lovely spot, it doesn't seem to be far enough along the journey. Florence might make more sense if you insist on staying out of Rome. for future refernce and in case some else is reading that might benefit, when you are locked into a single arrival/departure point, put your time in that location at the end of your trip. You will avoid these one night stays before departure. On arrival, depart for your farthest location and work your way back to your departure point.