Ciao,
We're house trading in La Spezia. Does anyone know how early and late the trains run between La Spezia and Cinque Terre? If its feasible, we'd like to day trip into Cinque Terre rather than get a hotel there. We'd like to be there in the early morning and evenings and not be limited to mid-day.
Rick Steve's 2014 book recommended not driving into Cinque Terre if you don't have a hotel - any comments?
Grazie
Mark
Check Trenitalia.com for schedules. You need to enter the name of any one of the five towns, Cinque Terre isn't a train station option.
Right. As Zoe said, the Cinque Terre is a collection of 5 villages strung out along about 7 miles. They are (from closest to La Spezia to furthest away): Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. Each of them have a train station, and all but Corniglia are also accessible by ferry during the warmer months.
Corniglia also involves a long climb on foot or a short ride on a little bus that zips up and down the hill between village and train station.
You can explore the train schedules on the Trenitalia website:
http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en
Each individual journey (one point to another) should cost about 4 euros (there are a few exceptions for the "fast" trains which travel through the region) and you must validate each single ticket before boarding the train: fines are high if caught with an unvalidated ticket.
There are Cinque Terre MS Treno cards which will cover unlimited 2nd-class journeys by train between La Spezia and Levanto (the five villages are between these two) plus use of the main hiking route for either 1 or 2 days. It also covers the little bus up/down from Corniglia. If using one of these cards, you only have to validate it the first time you use it.
http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/page.php?id=158
You can purchase these at the Welcome Center in La Spezia.
http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Ecentri-visita-dettaglio.php?id=524
Riomaggiore is only 7 minutes from La Spezia, and the other villages are only a few minutes apart. Trains run quite early in the morning until late into the evenings.
The train is very easy. Since more service was added abut a year ago, trains run almost every half hour on this route. The last return train to La Spezia departs Monterosso at 23:30 and makes all the stops. Driving would certainly take longer, and you'd pay for parking, and most parking lots are small and can fill up.
Perfect, that's what I needed. Thanks.
In your case depending on the location of the house in relation to the La Spieza train station you may be better driving.
Depending on the time of year and If you have to get in your car and drive to the La Spieza train station and pay for parking there at least.
The drive to Rio Maggiore or Manarola is easy and they have pay lots in both towns, they are small though so peak season not recommended.
Excellent point. We'll be in La Spezia third week of October - perhaps high season is on the wane.
Yeah, at the time of year, you will be able to find parking in the small town pay lots.
I have heard the drive onto Vernazza is not an easy one, so drive as far as Manarola if driving that drive is simple.
If going to Monterosso you take a different route.
You will waste time driving to each of the towns, and then have to pay for parking once you get there. My suggestion would be to use the frequent (and cheap) local trains, as that will allow you as much time as possible in each of the towns. The trip from town-to-town is only about 10 minutes in each case.
