HELP
For months, as I was planning my trip to Italy, I checked and re-checked train schedules and availability. Now , suddenly, everything seems to have changed. I will be staying in Verona for several weeks and had planned day trips to surrounding areas. All of a sudden, train trips to Venice and Padua, which earlier were scheduled to take about an hour, are now over 2 hours. Is this accurate: Where do I go to get an explanation, and is there any alternative
Sara, let's see if someone else can confirm this but someone over on the TA forum had a similar question about increased time for their August journey (Bolzano to Venice Mestre) and that " there seem to be fewer options in general, especially between Verona and Venice." This is what an Italian responder said:
"From Wednesday July 30 to Tuesday August 20 the train line between Verona and Vicenza (actually Grisignano Di Zocco) is closed completely because of extensive work constructing the new high speed line between Milan and Venice, which will run very close to the existing tracks. Between these dates all trains from Verona (and Bolzano) to Venice will run via Bologna, which is a longer and slower route."
Editing to add: I noticed from a previous thread that your trip is in August.
What dates are you staying in Verona? Unless there is suddenly scheduled maintenance or repairs on some section of the track there shouldn't be major changes.
=Tod
I'll be in Verona from August 1 until the 29th. Does anyone have any alternate suggestions for day trips to Venice. This is HUGELY upsetting. I've been planning this trip for 6 months. I had planned multiple day trips to Venice and Padua. I'm actually quite upset that they did not disclose this earlier. The first I saw of this was last week.
The regular train is 2h 33min from Verona to Venice and while this is certainly a let down from the 1:15 or so of the fast train it is still very doable. I have voluntarily decided to take the regular train from Verona because it left sooner even if the fast train got in 20 minutes earlier. I think the train is much easier and more relaxing than any other form of travel and while you will want it to be faster when you're heading home it is manageable.
As for other trips Brescia is city similar to Padua/Padova in size. It also has a very interesting mix of connected city piazzas, amazing Roman ruins which continue in the museum along with interesting art collection and there's castle on top of the hill to explore. I'm apparently alone in this vote but I prefer Brescia to Padova having done both as day trips from Verona.
Lake Garda is very close to Verona (20 minutes by train) and while the lower part of the lake is as touristy as you expect there are some interesting places to visit and taking a bus from Verona gets you further up the eastern coast and out of the train based tourist zone.
Bologna is an hour by fast train from Verona - although the trains are usually less frequent - and is a university town and the culinary center of Italy worth exploring. And at 1:30 on the fast train Florence is closer than Venice will be and is - of course Florence.
My vote is to make at least one trip to Venice - it is an amazing place worth seeing even if it will take an hour or so longer than you expected to get the there. A modest proposal - if you really want to explore Venice go and stay over night for one night and then you'll only spend the extra time on the train there and back once.
I know this is disappointing but Italy has a way of occasionally reminding you that even careful planning will sometimes not save you from the lurking chaos.
Verona is a lovely city and I'm sure you've already looked into but you'll be there in opera season if you want to see an opera in the old Roman Arena or music in the Roman Theater.
Have a great trip,
=Tod
You may be able to find a very inexpensive hotel room in Padua.
Glad I saw this thread!! I had planned to do a day trip from Venice to Verona. Aug 30. Back to the drawing board to find a Plan B... If nothing catches my eye, another day in Venice is not a bad thing!
Please don't suggest Padova, I'll be there Sept 2 to start the RS Village Italy tour.
EDIT: Hey Sarah, I just looked at Italo Treno and they have trains running between Venice and Verona on my date, Aug 30. Did you look on their website? I was surprised because I thought they and Trenitalia use the same tracks.
Also if you are in Venice Sept 1, the Historic Regata is running it’s boat races.
@Miuccia - Thank you so much for posting the Treviso link. It's been on my list and getting close to the top, so this will be helpful for me.
Thanks miucchia for the link. I will look at it as an alternative to Verona.
Thank you all so much for taking the time to provide information and make suggestions. Re shortening my stay. I was so fortunate to find an apartment that gave me a huge discount for a 1 month stay. So, it is cheaper to stay for 1 month than for 2 weeks. If I shortened my stay it would actually be more expensive. For the person going to Venice in late August, YES, the train repairs are scheduled to be finished on Aug 20th. Yes, I will be in Venice for the Regata Storica. We leave Verona on the 29th for 4 nights in Venice. But that's not enough. I had hoped to see the Bienale, the Guggenheim and other museums before my husband joins me in mid August. He enjoys art too, but wont want to spend days and days in museums. I am hoping I might be able to find a bus that will get me to Venice in less than 2 1/2 hours. If not, I will bite the bullet, get up very early and spend 5 hours on the train. ALso my niece is joining me early in the trip and we have decided to do an overnight in Venice instead of day trips. It's not just that the high speed trains are not available. THERE IS NO TRAIN SERVICE BETWEEN VERONA AND VICENZA so all trains are detoured through Bologna. THanks for the Verona advice. OF COURSE I'm going to the Opera ( 3 times). I lived in Verona for 4 years growing up and I even though summer is crowded and hot, I had to go back in summer to see the Opera again, and to see the Regata in Venice. Thanks for suggesting alternatives. I will definitely consider them.
Also, we have plans to visit lake Garda. We will take the train to Sirmione and have rented a car for several days to visit the towns in the northern part of the lake. We also plan to take day trips ( high speed train) to Florence, Mantua, Padua and perhaps Bologna. I plan to spend a week in Florence in the next year or two, but I can't be that close and not visit the Uffizi.
For those of you who know Verona, Padua, Bologna, Mantua, Venice and Lake Garda well, can anyone recommend some good restaurants. I havent been in 20 years. We prefer restaurants that the locals like, from hole in the wall to moderately fancy. And, my favorite food in the entire world is real, authentic Italian Tortellini. In all my travels in the US, in even the best Italian restaurants in New York, I have never ever found Tortellini that is anywhere near as good as the tortellini you can get in any typical restaurant in Italy.
My favorite cafe in Verona is Caffe Monte Baldo on Via Rosa away from the touristy area. I fit in there like a dog at a cat show with chic, confident Italians circulating in and out but I love the vibe. Great cicchetti display and beer and wine on the the street - just don't request caffe only service because they don't do that. (Guess how I found that out.)
https://osteriamontebaldo.com/en/home-en/
Via Rosa has some hip thing going on with little independent shops and also a very hip tiny cocktail bar about a block away called Archivio.
In Rick's book about Italian food one the contributors lists Trattoria al Bersagliere as one of his all time favorites, but I haven't been.
Trattoria al Bersagliere Via Dietro Pallone, 1, 37121 Verona
There are a whole series of outside restaurants - mostly osterias - under the colonnade along Via Sottoriva outside of the super touristy areas.
Right in the middle of the tourist crush I enjoyed Osteria del Bugiardo at Corso Porta Borsari, 17/A for a glass of wine and maybe a quick bite. It feels old school wine bar but with a younger, hipper feel and definitely not aimed at tourists.
If you are interested in the Guggenheim then don't miss the under advertised Palazzo Maffei museum just off Piazza Erbe in Verona. A small but very well curated mix of modern and old art displayed in the palazzo. Last year they had a Duchamp exhibit at the Guggenheim but it looks like may have been replaced by a Jean Cocteau exhibit currently.
Starting September 1st in addition to the Biennale in Venice there is also Homo Faber: https://2024.homofaber.com/
Have a great trip,
=Tod
Sara, I'll throw this out for kicks as I've seen mentions of Flixbus now and again on the forums.
I messed around with schedules from Verona to Padua (and return) for a random date in August and there looks to be multiple buses a day taking abt. 1 hour, 15 minutes for the journey at a price (today) of about $11 + $3.99 service fee. I haven't yet checked for Verona> Venice but you could take a look? Prices could change if purchased nearer the desired dates of your day trips.
THANK YOU AGAIN. I just booked flixbus round trip from Venice to Verona for Aug 3. Not quite as good as the original train schedule but much better than the current one.
Oh gosh, you're welcome! Very happy that this looks to be an efficient work-around for you!
How long is the bus trip between Verona and Venice?
About 1;35 From Verona to Mestre and 1:45 from Venice St Lucia to Verona. The bus schedule is not as flexible as the train schedule, but it works and it sure beats 2 1/2 hours each way. Thanks for the advice.
