I'm trying to book train tickets for Venice to Monterosso through the Trenitalia site (after doing some initial searching on Rome2Rio.
A favorable option only allows 14 minutes to transfer trains in Florence and 35 minutes in Pisa. Is this enough time to change trains?
We've never been to these stations before so don't know how easy or tricky it might be.
Thank you.
There are two train stations in Pisa and three in Florence. Providing your trains arrive and depart from the same stations (likely Pisa Centrale and Firenze Santa Maria Novella), you should have no difficulty transferring between trains. A 14-minute transfer in Florence within Firenze Santa Maria Novella (SMN) train station is plenty of time.
The 35-minute transfer time in Pisa almost gives you enough time to go see the leaning Tower. ( Almost— but it’s a mile away so don’t risk missing your train to Monterosso)!
They are definitely enough most of the time, I had one that was 14 min where our incoming was running 10 min late and I was becoming concerned.....but I think if everything was on time, I would be ok with a 7 min transfer at the least.....
The trains you will be taking from Florence to Pisa and onwards to Monterosso are most probably regional trains (R or RV) and your ticket for those will be flexible. So if you miss a connection due to a delay you can just take the next train.
If you did miss your connection at Florence due to a late arriving train, there are regional connections to Monterosso about every 30 minutes, so you can just take one of those. Download the Trenitalia app on your phone so you can keep track of your options in real time. All of the trains from Florence to Pisa are regional trains. There are also options of trains that by pass Pisa and go to La Spezia where there are lots of regional trains to Monterosso.
oohh yes, I didn't even think it through like Wengen and Sam, it's good that you're coming in on a freccia (most likely) because I would depend on them more to be on time than anything else......but yes, those regionales are more frequent and able to take any trains
According to Seat61, regional trains depart from Tracks 1-6 with Freccia trains (like those coming from Venice) arriving at the Tracks. Here is the station track plan.
https://www.gsretail.it/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Mappe_FISMN.pdf
Thank you all. This is good intel. If we miss the local train connection in Florence, do we have to buy new tickets or we can use the tickets we have, just on the next train?
Is there still value to purchasing all the train tickets (in one package) now (3 weeks ahead) via Trenitalia, versus just purchasing the train fare to Florence and then buying the local train tickets there?
Just book the entire journey in advance
You don’t need new tickets if you miss the regional connection
Those tickets are good for any regional on same route for up to 4 hours
Excellent. Thank you!
Not all regionali depart from tracks 1-6, but those directed to Pisa, for technical reasons, do.
The Regionale you plan to take in Florence is, I believe, the 18367, departing Florence at 11:53 from track 1A. Your FrecciaRossa 9411 from Venezia SL is scheduled to arrive at track 11. Assuming an on time arrival, 14 min are sufficient to transfer. If you miss it there is another regionale to La Spezia departing at 12:53 from track 3.
If you miss the connection you can take any regionale in the next 4 hours.
Your connection in Pisa, 35 min after your arrival, is with Intercity 674, directed to Milano C.,via Genoa, which stops in Monterosso. The regionale 18367 from Florence is actually directed to La Spezia, therefore you could stay on that train all the way to La Spezia, then take a regionale from La Spezia to Monterosso. It might take only slightly longer, but it would cost less.
