Rail passes or not in Italy in November

"...for a few days of rail travel." I'm going to guess that's not a good deal. I say guess, because unless I know exactly when and where you're going, I can't 'do the math'. And yes, you'll probably need to purchase reservations in addition to those railpasses. What is your Italian train itinerary?

Where are you going?
Buy as you go may be cheaper depending on what your plans are, these rates are pricey!

Rail passes rarely make financial sense in Italy. Buy point-to-point tickets.

OUr travel itinery for the trains: one day trip from Florence to Cinque terre; on day trip from Florence to Venice; one day trip from Florence to Lake Como; one day trip from Florence to Rome and then stay in Rome.

Always cheaper Point to Point and pay as you go.

Not enough info here to know the correct response, but why 4 passes? Folks traveling together can buy one saver pass. If you are going first class, it is cheaper to buy a saver pass and make reservations. I recently did so and added it up with and without pass. My husband and I leave tomorrow for Italy where we take 5 train trips, first class, for around $500 with pass. For me, knowing I have good seats, times set and reservations already paid makes for a better trip.

Not enough info here to know the correct response, but why 4 passes? Folks traveling together can buy one saver pass. If you are going first class, it is cheaper to buy a saver pass and make reservations. I recently did so and added it up with and without pass. My husband and I leave tomorrow for Italy where we take 5 train trips, first class, for around $500 with pass. For me, knowing I have good seats, times set and reservations already paid makes for a better trip.

Here are some fares that you can get on trenitalia and what you'll pay at the station. Florence-Vernazza= 10 euros each way Florence-Venice= 42 each way Florence-Varenna (lake como area)= 57.10 each way Florence-Rome= 44 each way. These are high speed trains with the exception of the train to the cinque terre. You're looking at 262.20 euros or 1048 for 4 or 1461 dollars which is much less than the 1677 plus reservations fees quoted by your travel agent. You can easily buy these tickets once you get to Italy. These are base fare prices but if you're in Italy for at least a week before any of your travel you can get a discount fare. Either way you save money buy buying point to point tickets. The trains never sell out so you can always get a seat. Donna

Your travel agent doesn't have a clue! First of all, the most expensive pass, a 1st class individual Italy pass, costs $229 for three days of travel. An additional day costs $29. Adding those figures together and multiplying the result by four brings the total to $1028, not $1677. And 1st class Saver passes cost even less. You would, of course, have to add in the seat reservation fees for trains that require them (10 EUR for EuroStar Italia trains and 3 EUR for EuroCity and InterCity trains). No reservations are possible on Regionale trains. 2nd class Saver passes for four days cost $178/person. The same seat reservation fees apply to trains that require them. Donna has given you the fares for point-to-point 2nd class tickets. The fares include seat reservations on trains which require them. So you're looking at 262.20 EUR/person ($365 US/person) for point-to-point tickets. Even with the possibility of getting some discount fares as Donna described, 2nd class Saver passes will save you a good deal of money. Why? Because in effect you are taking seven trips in four days (Florence-CT round trip, Florence-Venice round trip, Florence-Como round trip, and Florence-Rome). You won't have to stand in line at a station window to buy your seat reservations. The station ticket machines sell seat reservations, they have an English option, and they accept US credit cards. In my mind, the bigger question is this: Have you checked the timetables? Travel time on your day trips will take up a major part of each day, leaving you not much time for sightseeing in the CT, Venice, and Como.

Based on what you've told us, it's this kind of travel agent that gives the good ones a bad reputation.