Thoughts on Departure Time Schedules

There are trains to Venice at least once an hour from Termini, and about every half hour between 9:50 and 11:50. So just buy tickets when you arrive at Termini for the next train.

What is the name of your ship company? Since you will be classified as an independent traveler, most ship push those to the end of the line by controlling your access to luggage. If you carry-on on the cruise (we do) then you can ignore the line and just walk off. You have to be a little pushy about it but since you have your all your luggage you can do it. The first passengers off are those using ship transportation to Rome or the airport. Then you have to get to the main gate via a shuttle bus to met your driver. With min traffic it is a solid hour to Termini. And you have no guarantee that you can get off at 8am. Will a lot of people leaving the ship, it can get slow with lines waiting board buses, etc. Personally I would wait till I get to Termini so I can buy a ticket for the next train. But 9.50 probably is too tight.

Where are you getting your schedule information? I saw fast trains at 9.50, 10.35, 10.50, 1 1.35, 11.50, etc. You have lots of choices other than 9.50 or 11.35.

We will be on Royal Caribbean. In all previous cruises on RCCL, if you carry off your own luggage, you can leave when you want.

I was using the site www.itailiarail.com - searching for direct trains. Ideally, a 10:35 train would be perfect. However, the next train shown after 9:50 is 11:35. I do realize there are plenty of later times but that defeats my point of wanting to get into Venice, as early as possible.

Been on lots of cruises including leaving the ship in Civitavecchia. Even with only carry on luggage getting off the ship can be iffy at times. And one never knows about traffic tie ups. I'm with Frank about waiting to buy the tickets at Termini.

Can you find out if your "private transportation" is permitted to pick you up at the side of the ship? Not all vehicles can come out on the pier. I would think that the cruise company's proprietary (and expensive) private limos would, but you need to check. That will expedite your departure. Your cabin level (cost) and the travel schedule you give to on your Embarcation form can also affect your exit time.

I don't think you gave the day of the week. Think for a moment about weekday rush hour into Rome. If you can handle your luggage yourself, maybe should should consider the (up to one hour) train ride from Civitavecchia. I would also (given your personal desire for a certain schedule) look into meeting a train at another place (say, Viterbo, but I made that up, because we drove there from Civitavecchia once. My point is other possible routings to Venice.)

Some days, ports are very busy, and the authorities take a long time to clear the passengers. Other days, its really quick. Impossible to predict. Also, what is the port you are coming from? How close is it? Is the entire cruise in the EU? (I'm not sure if that matters to clearance paperwork or not.)

Don't use Italiarail, even though they should have all the Trenitalia train data. Use the Trenitalia site.
http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en

All the train times I listed are high speed, direct trains. Italiarail is basically a travel agency reselling tickets. They may not have tickets for the 10.35 for sale. Use the national rail site - trenitalia for accurate info. Buy your tickets at Termini when you get there.

PS -- I just doubled checked. All of the train times I listed are correct. All on Frecciarossa trains.

ItaliaRail is a re-seller whose site shows only the trains they sell tickets for. Use the official sites of the 2 competing companies running high speed trains to Venezia S. Lucia: italotreno.it/en and trenitalia.com/tcom-en