Standard or Premium on train

People here will tell you that second class is just fine. They will drum it into you. They will tell you Rick says second class is just fine.

My attitude....for $22 more I'll take the extra legroom and quieter cars. It's a 5 1/2 hour trip so it comes out to about $4 more an hour.

The last time I took a train in Italy--a couple of years ago thanks to Covid--I sat in Premium. There was one other couple in the entire car. We sat at either end of the car and had a very peaceful journey.

• Video about Italotreno's trains and carriages: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfny-mIFt7M&ab_channel=ItaloTreno
• Video about Trenitalia's Frecciargento (i.e. not that fast) trains : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVu8DdmHUAY&ab_channel=SebastianHowa%C5%84ski
• Many Trenitalia trains runnin' between Naples and Venice are Frecciargento, but not all. This is a video about the Frecciarossas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWX2WMOLVMg&ab_channel=HelloNickiTravels

How much more legroom do you need? How much do you want the $22 for something else? Are you going at a time of year, or time if day when you expect the car to be packed with other riders in Standard?

Personally I don't think leg room increases that much but the seats are considerably wider. You will have three across seating in a 1x2 configuration instead of 4 seats in a 2x2. But for a difference of $22 I probably would do it. And the drink and snack is a nice touch.

I'd say standard normally, but with a ride that long I might pay a little more for the legroom, free food and drink, and maybe fewer people in the car. I was on a tour (non-RS) in England a few years ago that included a train from Reading to Penzance, about 5.5 hours I think, and the first-class seats they provided made it a lot pleasanter. Depends I guess on what's the cost difference.

What Frank II, Frank, and Dick said.

Did premium Florence to Venice and was worth the extra $. It’s not just leg room as previous poster explains.

And there’s more room for luggage in Premium class.

Normally I would say just go second class, but if it's only $22 difference to upgrade, then I would do that.
Make sure to book in advance to save a little money.

Thanks everyone I will go ahead and book premium instead and yes the snack and drink plus luggage room is worth $22. I can afford that. Plus what am I a plebe. 🤣 Grazie. I'm out a $100 when I mistakenly booked a flight instead but now I'll never make that mistake again. Mile Grazie a tutti. 🙏🤗❤

Have you looked at the Italotreno? They are often a little less expensive, and all leather seats no matter the class...

Saw that you booked Premium, Yea!!! I always book the ticket based on the length of the ride. A short ride then standard, anything longer I book premium.

The Premium/First Class on the Italo trains are very nice and very clean and comfortable. I book those whenever I can. I would definitely spend the extra $22.

One other advantage is the premium cars are at the front end of the train, so there are less people walking through your car as you’re traveling - less interruptions if you’re napping.

My rule is 4 hours or more, first class. It is worth it.

Thanks everyone you rock for great advice. Sometimes you never know if it's truly worth it and I see that it is. Thanks for the videos and everything. Forza Azure.🤗😊

Be careful taking naps on the train; people have had their luggage stolen during stops when passengers get on and off the train.

Please, Take nap. Very little luggage theft on the train especially the fast trains. More of a problem on the Regionale when packed and making frequent stops. We have been stuffing our luggage in the luggage bins for 20 years and haven't lost a single item.

Thanks for the Info on possible stolen luggage is there not a way to lock your luggage? Normally when I've traveled to other countries I lock my luggage to a bar or something with a chain lock. 🙂

We have done that trip, Venezia to Napoli a couple of times, travelling economy. Perfectly OK. With regard to the drink and snack, there is a bar car on that train, you can have an Aperol spritz (they don’t do Campari) and a sandwich as the train blasts along at 300 km/hr. And of course you can bring your own picnic on board, and many do.

I've not travelled on Italian trains, but we've always gone for 1st/premium on OBB (Austria), Deutsche Bahn, and TGV. On the OBB we boarded the wrong car and had to make our way forward; the economy cars were absolutely packed, we could hardly move through the aisle. The 1st class car had a lot more room and much more comfortable seats.

We considered the modest (to us) fare premium well worth it.

Thanks Aussie, yeah I'm sure the standard is totally fine. But as others have pointed out for a little extra if I can have more comfortable space its worth it. Yeah I'll bring my own food as I have allergies. I'm manifesting more money in my life anyways so staying in a fancier seat is apart of that journey. I bought my tickets already. I'm worth it. Grazie

Above post reported

We usually took second class when riding the trains in Europe. However, I remember taking a couple of trains in Italy were there was only stand up room. This was in the late 1980s.
I know for fast trains going long distances, like the one from Venice to Florence and then to Rome the first class is the way to go.
Not sure if you can reserve a seat on second class.
Just be sure you get a seat.

You absolutely can book a seat in second class on the fast trains. On the Freccia trains and a few others you must book a seat, no matter what class ticket you buy.

Not sure if you can reserve a seat on second class.

You absolutely can - in fact, MUST - do that for a 2nd class seat on any high-speed train in Italy. I'd only book a higher class for trips of 4 hours or so, not for, say, the 90-minute journey between Rome and Florence, or approx. 1 hour between Rome and Naples. Maybe I'd spring for the higher class if it was a too-good-to-pass-up deal.

However, I remember taking a couple of trains in Italy were there was only stand up room. This was in the late 1980s.

There are only reserved seats both in 1st and 2nd class on Trenitalia's Freccia-something and Intercity trains. Standing is forbidden. Same for Italotreno: only reserved seats in all classes and no standing.

I doubt anyone in his mind would seriously think of going from Naples to Venice on a Regionale train calling at any given station along the way. What happened on a local train in the late 80s has no relevance 30 years later.

I bet that 90% of those flying to Europe in Economy would mistake Trenitalia's 2nd class for a 1st if they weren't told it's a 2nd. Especially in September after schools have re-opened and 90% of Trenitalia's customers are back to work. And especially in the Covid age, when they can sell only 80% of the seats and crowds are a not a big problem.

Nobody, in railway history has ever been forced to leave his suitcases on the platform because there was no luggage space left on board. At the worst you put your stuff it in the A-shaped space between the seats, or in front of an empty seat close to you.

We took Trenitalia in the opposite direction Naples to Venice in second class. It was comfortable enough, good for people watching. There were few passengers when we boarded and more as we headed north. We left our luggage in the luggage rack without any problems. But next time I’d upgrade to First class for a little more comfort.

If you're worried about your luggage, see if you can book a seat close to the end of a car. facing the luggage racks/doorways.
Then you can see it from your seat.
You will see seat and car maps when you book online.
As always, make sure to keep items that can't be replaced easily, on your person at all times.
I mean passport, CCards, money, medications etc.
When I take European trains, I get up at each stop to keep an eye on my luggage until the train starts moving again.
Stretches your legs too!

How far in advance do people recommend booking train reservations? I'm particularly interested in the high-speed train from Rome to Naples, and the high speed train from Naples to venice.

@Gratefull Traveller, it depends on the Season and the cheaper tickets will go first albeit those are often for a specific train. Plus you can book only about 3 month in advance (something around 85 days if i recall correctly)

SO book as soon as you are sure that you can get that specific train. On the other hand most of the time you will have no trouble to book for later today or tomorrow.

couple of months is loads of time. for me usually a couple of weeks out at most...

Plus you can book only about 3 month in advance (something around 85 days if i recall correctly)

Now it's 30 to 60 days because of Covid, but in normal times both Trenitalia and italotreno uploaded the new schedules in six months blocks.

Train schedules change on the the second Sundays of June and December all over Europe. So if 2021 was a normal year, a couple of weeks before December 12, they would gradually open the bookings up to June 12, 2022. If things will be back to normalcy, a couple of weeks before June 12, 2022 they will start uploading the schedules of trains running up to December 11, 2022.

How far in advance do people recommend booking train reservations?

Try an experiment: go on www.trenitalia.com/en.html and search trains going from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale, but enter a day of travel next week and an early hour of departure.

Pick Frecce (high speed) from the drop down menu and click SEARCH.

Bearing in mind that they can sell only 80% of the seats now, is any train sold out? I mean seats, not the discounted Economy tickets. Those will be sold out for sure on the day of travel and you'll have to pay for the BASE fare tickets.

We’re on Italy now. Booked Italo from Milan to Verona and the gave gave us free upgrade to premium. We’re booking tonight to Venice in the AM. Maybe we’ll be lucky again. Very nice train, not very full. Did check our CDC cards about 2/3rds through the trip.