We are travelling by train from Cesena to Venice and then from Venice to Milan. When we look on the Trenitalia site it says that things are already sold out. Concerned that while there may still be seats available they will be much more expensive if we wait. We are doing this travel at the beginning of August. My question is - should we advance purchase our tickets or not worry about it as there will likely be seats available at the economy price (super economy are sold out)
Thanks
Posted by
Pa and Italy
4152 posts
Trains rarely sell out in Italy. You will find that the super economy seats sell out quickly as they are cheap and of limited quantity. The next to sell out will be the regular economy seats but you will usually find base tickets available. If you know when you wish to travel then you should buy online to save some money. If you are unsure of your travel plans then just buy at the station. You'll pay the full price fare but you don't need to worry about all the trains being sold out. Donna
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32403 posts
Tanja, You can save some money with pre-purchase of discounted tickets, but these usually have to be bought well in advance. Note that with tickets that have compulsory reservations, you'll be "locked into" a specific train and departure time. You CAN'T use these tickets on any premium train that happens to be going in that direction. The highest fare you'll pay is "Base" which in some cases is not too much. I usually buy tickets when in Italy as that provides some flexibility in "when" I prefer to travel according to conditions at the time. I used that method this morning in buying tickets for a train trip tomorrow from Assisi to Florence (the fare via Regionale was €14.65 which is not going to "break the bank"). As mentioned in the previous reply, Italian trains rarely sell out unless it's a major holiday. Even if a particular train DOES sell out, another one will be along in an hour or so. The phrase "Sold Out" that you were seeing on the Trenitalia website was simply indicating that the cheaper fares were sold out. I'm sure there are still tickets available at "Base" fare. If travelling on a Regionale for part of your trip, DON'T forget to validate your ticket prior to boarding the train on the day of travel or you risk a hefty fine which will be collected on the spot! Happy travels!