Train travel questions - First time in Italy (or overseas)

From the Milan airport you need to take the train to one of the Milan train station depending on which station you are using. For all trains except the Regionale trains, there are three price levels of tickets - Super economy, Economy, Base. The first two can be deep discounts but are very restricted about changes and refunds and limited to a few tickets per train. Base is the standard ticket price. You can purchase the SE and E tickets about 120 days out on-line. You can save money but locked into a fixed schedule. Changing trains is part of train travel. Not a big deal. Just like changing airplanes.

Rather than locking in a specific travel time on your flight arrival day, I'd buy a regular "base" fare ticket at Milano Centrale train station for about $30 per person in 2nd class to Cinque Terre. If you're committed to a particular departure time from CT to Venice, then you could book that ticket at www.trenitalia.com with advance discount, or buy it in Milan train station, together with the earlier ticket.

If a portion of the ride to our from your CT destination is by regional train, then those are not sold far in advance and don't have discounts. At How to Look Up Train Schedules and Routes Online, the DB train schedule link will give you an easy-to-print view of train connections and which legs require reservations (most) versus which are unreserved regional trains.

It sounds like it's best to not chance getting the restrictive reservations, since we all know how unpredictable air travel can be. That being said, and with your helpful tips above, can I buy the tickets going all the way to CT at the airport? What is the name of the actual station at the Milan airport? Is the first leg the regional train?

Also, how do I know it's a regional train (and requiring validation) as opposed to one that isn't?

Also, do the ticket counters have English speaking people to help you?

Thanks! This is confusing for a never travelled on a train, person :)

At Milan airport (MXP), just follow the signs with the little train icon to the station. Yes, in my experience they speak English. I believe they do sell Trenitalia tickets at the airport station. I know they sell them out of the vending machine, but that may be a bit of a challenge as you're a newby. You can buy at the window at Milano Centrale (that is the Milan station you want) if you can't get them at the airport. The airport trains go also to Milano Cadorna, the station you do not want, so make sure you get on the right train. If you are going to Monterosso, there are direct trains from Milano Centrale. For other CT towns, you will need to transfer, probably in Monterosso.

PS You will definitely need to change trains to get to Venice from CT. Probably several until you get to Florence.

When I was at the train station at Malpensa in October, I specifically asked if they could sell other tickets at the counter. At that time, they said no, just tickets to Milano Centrale Train Station, and other tickets could be purchased at the machines. After a long day and night of flights from the West Coast, I elected to just get my ticket to Milano Centrale and get my next ticket there. It may also depend on how much time you have before your train leaves for Milano Centrale.

Validating a Regionale train ticket gets a little complicated depending on where you bought t - ticket booth/window or on-line. If you are travel from A to F and the leg from C to D is a Regionale train and you buy that complete ticket on line, then the Regionale ticket comes pre-validate and you have an hour and a half to get on the Regionale train at station C. But if you buy a Regionale ticket at the station, then THAT ticket has to be validated (time stamped) in the little blue/yellow box prior to getting on the train. ALL other tickets will indicate a specific train number, car number, seat number, day and time on the ticket and it is only good for that spedified train. Easy to tell the difference.

Rule of thumb, if it fits in the validation machine, validate it. Print-at-home tickets won't fit.

To be more precise, if the ticket has the word "Convalidare" at the top, you must validate it. If the ticket shows a carriage and seat number ("Carrozza" and "Posti"), you have a reserved seat for a specific train and it does not need to be validated.

www.rome2rio.com
or better yet download the free App
Rome2rio
for info on how to go from point A to B, how many train changes, where to change trains, time duration of trip, costs, travel options. Icons hyperlink to schedules.

Agents at train stations are highly skilled understanding where English-speaking travelers want to travel.

Thanks everyone - This helps a lot! I think I have the first leg figured out (though our innkeepers want to know when we arrive, so they can meet us, I think. Might be hard to tell them if we're getting a regional train and then have to change when we get to CT to get to Vernazza). Second leg though, from CT to Venice sounds more complicated.

Do I buy the entire route in CT? (with all the different legs, including regional)??? I've read that there's several routes - up to three now, that involve different numbers of stops and prices. Or, do I buy them at each station to the next, since some are regional and some aren't. That's what confuses me.....

Thanks again to everyone. I'm getting there :)

You can buy all your Trenitalia tickets at any station. Major stations have a customer care desk. You can also go to any travel agent that has a Trenitalia logo and buy all your tickets from the agent (a very small markup and they will not try to sell you anything else, like overpriced tours or hotel rooms).

You can and should buy all your tickets at the same time. Train routes make little difference other than number of train changes and total time. So pick the one that best fits your schedule. Second, validate any Regionale tickets at the first station. Once validated the Regionale ticket is good for five hours. The only reason not to validate a Regionale ticket is because you total trip is over five hours and the last leg is a Regionale. So you validate that one at the last station. Tell you host the Regionale train you are on and when it leaves the station. They will know how to determine when you will arrive. All trains times are fairly accurate. Some posters like to rip on Italian trains as never being on time, but that is false. However, if a train is going to be late, it probably will be a Regionale simply because these trains make a lot of stops. While stops are quick, they don't move until everyone is on or off so if passenger traffic is heavy or slow getting on and off, these small delays can add up.

You can and should buy all your tickets at the same time. Train routes make little difference other than number of train changes and total time. So pick the one that best fits your schedule. Second, validate any Regionale tickets at the first station. Once validated the Regionale ticket is good for five hours. The only reason not to validate a Regionale ticket is because you total trip is over five hours and the last leg is a Regionale. So you validate that one at the last station. Tell you host the Regionale train you are on and when it leaves the station. They will know how to determine when you will arrive. All trains times are fairly accurate. Some posters like to rip on Italian trains as never being on time, but that is false. However, if a train is going to be late, it probably will be a Regionale simply because these trains make a lot of stops. While stops are quick, they don't move until everyone is on or off so if passenger traffic is heavy or slow getting on and off, these small delays can add up.

Know the train schedules from Malpensa to Milan Centrale before you land. You will go past the bus kiosk before that. Unless you have a train soon, you should ask when the next bus is leaving. They take about the same length of time (unless it's rush hour). In hind sight, I could have saved a lot of time by doing just that - I just missed a train and had to wait about an hour for the next one. I didn't want to schlep back to the bus kiosk with my luggage on the off-chance that there might be a bus sooner. Note that not all the trains from Malpensa go to Centrale.

The station in Malpensa only sells tickets for the Malpensa trains, not the Trenitalia trains. There are machines outside the ticket office but they only take credit cards. I tried once to use mine and had no luck. So I had to buy my ticket to Padua when I got to Centrale.

This was a month ago.

We were in Italy in Sept. Our innkeeper in Vernazza also wanted to know when we would arrive. I originally let her know what time our flight was, and then we called from the Milan train station to tell her what time our train was departing. She spoke a little English, but everything worked out. We did not have any trouble purchasing tickets, as the employees in the train stations spoke English. However, be aware that small stations, such as the one in Vernazza, do not sell tickets direct to the bigger cities. For example, we could not buy a ticket there to go back to Milan. We had to purchse a ticket to a bigger station and then get the one to Milan from there. You will have a wonderful time!

Theresa,

It would help to have some idea what time your flight is arriving? It would be easier to suggest the optimum route with that information. Which of the five towns will you be staying in?

To summarize the procedure.....

• When you arrive at MXP and collect your luggage, go directly to the airport rail station. Buy tickets for the Malpensa Express to Milano Centrale and from Milano Centrale to whichever C.T. town you're staying. The agents at the ticket office usually speak some English or you could use the automated Kiosk to buy tickets. There may be a queue at the ticket office, so the Kiosks are often quicker.
• Before boarding the Malpensa Express, verify that the destination is Milano Centrale. Also, you MUST validate your ticket prior to boarding the train, or risk a hefty fine!
• Your train will arrive at Milano Centrale on one of the outside tracks (Track / Binario 1 or 2). Walk into the main part of the station and check the electronic board for the track number of your next departure. In some cases, this may not be shown until about 30 minutes before departure.
• If your next train has compulsory reservations, the Car No. (Carrozza) and Seat No.'s (Posti) will be listed on the ticket. You must sit in the assigned seats.
• Your trip to the C.T. may involve one or more train changes, so you'll need to be aware of that.

As you're planning to rent a car, note that each driver will require the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. These can easily be obtained at any AAA office for a small fee, and are valid for one year. You'll also have to be vigilant to avoid the dreaded ZTL (limited traffic) areas which exist in many towns in Italy, as hefty fines will result if you pass through these.

Thanks so much, everyone - This definitely helps.

Ken, our flight gets in sometime around 8:30am.....

Theresa,

Thanks for the additional information. If you flight arrives "about" 08:30, I'd probably allow for at least an hour to de-plane, collect luggage and go through Passport control. Add another 15 minutes or so to get to the airport station and buy tickets. That means you may be able to connect with a 09:43 departure from MXP to Milano Centrale (the direct trains to Centrale run at :19 and :43 after the hour).

If you're going to Vernazza, unfortunately there will be a short layover at Milano Centrale. The most likely train will be a departure at 12:10, arriving at 15:26 (time 3H:16M, one change at Sestri Levante, first segment via InterCity so reservations compulsory, second segment via Regionale so DON'T forget to validate before boarding the train). One note to mention regarding the compulsory reservations, is that these are included with P-P tickets. When the train arrives in Vernazza, be prepared to disembark promptly as it won't stop for long.

The trip from the Cinque Terre to Venice is fairly straightforward, but will take the better part of a day (when all is considered). One of the shortest trips will be a departure from Vernazza at 09:28, arriving Venezia Santa Lucia at 14:20 (time 4H:52M, 3 changes at La Spezia Centrale, Pisa Centrale and Firenze SMN, first & third segments via Regionale, second & last segments via InterCity and Freccia). There are numerous other departures but many of the others are six hours or more. You can check all the solutions on the Trenitalia or Bahn .de websites.