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Purchasing train tickets in advance

My husband and I will be traveling to Italy for the first time. It's are first international trip! I'm a bit nervous about purchasing tickets in Italy. Is it worth the hassle to prepurchase our tickets? We will be traveling from Rome to Florence, Florence to Venice, Venice to Rome- Would I be paying alot more by purchasing in advance through Rick Steve's Site.?

Posted by
21576 posts

Don't buy through Rick Steve's site, but through the sites of the people who own and operate the trains.
http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en
Be sure to use the Italian city names and train stations, Roma Termini, Firenze S. M. Novella, Venezia S. Lucia.
You can probably save about 50% by buying in advance, but make sure you make the trains as the tickets are nonrefundable and cannot be used on any other trains, just like airline tickets.

There is also another train company that does these routes, just as fast, same prices normally, but fewer departures.
http://www.italotreno.it/en
Some think their trains are better and easier to buy.

Posted by
3325 posts

The rail system in Italy is economical and easy to use. If you go to the TrenItalia website, you can check schedules and prices. Note that buying tickets as far as possible in advance, gives you the cheapest prices. However, the tickets are usable only on the train and time chosen. If you can't use the ticket, you've lost the money. When using the website, you must enter the Italian name of the city - Roma Termini, Roma Tiburtina, Firenze S. M. Novella, Venezia S. Lucia.

Posted by
905 posts

I agree with the earlier posts. Purchase in advance if you are certain of your schedule. Savings are great if you can find Super Economy.

Posted by
8272 posts

Certainly better organization for the first time traveler to buy in advance and print e-tickets at home and take with

Posted by
473 posts

I'm a big fan of Trainline. Use their website or download the app. No fees and easy to use.

Posted by
23702 posts

Train travel is very simple. Three levels of ticket prices --
Super Economy - no refund, no change, availability is limited by train, time of day travel etc. and generally sell out quickly.
Economy - no refund, one change paying a few and current price. Again, limited availability
Base - standard fare, price available at any time and changeable within one hour of train departing.
All three classes of ticket include the mandatory seat reservation required on all trains except Regtionale trains

All three classes of ticket can be purchased on-line but no reason other than convenience to purchase Base fare on line.

Regionale trains are non reserved, local trains that never sell out. If full you stand till a seat becomes available. You purchase these tickets in the station or at a ticket machine and they do need to be validated (time stamped) prior to boarding.

Posted by
16895 posts

Tickets prices through our Rail Europe link are not particularly different for these trains than when going straight to Trenitalia's or Italo's own sites. That's easy to confirm. Do whichever seems easiest to you. The bigger price difference is between booking ahead and booking on short notice, since only limited seats are sold at discounted rates. But there are many departures and perhaps you're not ready to commit to one. The top price in Standard class for each of these legs is about €47 or $55 per person.