If I am going to take a train from Florence to Monterosso in Cinque Terre, and am going to stop in San Miniato for a tour which will be about 5 hours, do I get two separate train tickets? OR do I get just one ticket from Florence to Monterosso and can get back on a train later with the same ticket? How does this all work? Also, would you suggest getting tickets before I leave home?
Linda
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Most service around here is by unreserved regional train. Buy separate tickets when you are there. You can buy both in Florence train station, but don't activate the later ticket until you're heading to that train. There's a deadline to complete each ticketed journey, so you only have time for relatively normal connections and delays, not side trips. Also, if you have bought a ticket valid on regional trains, don't attempt to board a reserved, more expensive train type, such as InterCity or Le Frecce.
Posted by
Seattle
4637 posts
You will go by regional trains. You can buy your ticket once you get to Florence. Your ticket is valid for any train that day so you can buy ticket Florence to Monterosso. Ask the conductor if you have to have your ticket stamped for interruption. You double posted so you can delete the other identical post.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16238 posts
Is the tour at the San Miniato church above Florence? Or at San Miniato, the town after Empoli?
Make sure you join the tour in the right place.
If it's the town, the station is in San Miniato basso. You need separate tickets because once you validate the ticket in Florence, you have 6 hours to complete the journey, and if you are going on a tour for 5, chances are you can't. Therefore you need 2 separate tickets: Florence to San Miniato, and then San Miniato to Monterosso. Be aware that the portion from Pisa to Spezia is covered by both regional and high speed trains (IC or FrecciaBianca), so make sure you have the right ticket with reservations, if you use one of the fast ones.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
My understanding is that the journey on a single ticket must be completed within a certain number of hours. I have never heard of an interruption authorization merely to extend the ticket's validity.
Posted by
Seattle
4637 posts
In some countries it works this way. It looks like it's not the case in Italy.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32404 posts
To add to the comments that Roberto and Laura mentioned, some of the trains from San Miniato to Monterosso may be Freccia or IC. Those trains require compulsory seat reservations which are specific to train, date and departure time. If your tour lasts a bit longer than planned and you miss the train you booked, the ticket is worthless and you'll have to buy another. You can NOT use tickets with compulsory reservations with any other trains than the one listed on the ticket. If you do, you'll be deemed to be travelling without a valid reservation and will face hefty fines, which will be collected on the spot!
Also as mentioned by Laura, locally purchased tickets on Regionale trains MUST be validated (time & date stamp) prior to boarding the train on the day of travel.
I assume the San Miniato you're going to is the one close to Empoli? The station appears to be called San Miniato-Fucecchio.
Posted by
Green Bay
21370 posts
The Regionale fare from Florence to Monterosso is 17.30 EUR. By splitting the journey at San Miniato, it is only costing another 2.50 EUR (5.50 + 14.30). Buy the separate tickets at Florence station. Validate (in the stamping machine) the ticket to San Miniato-Fucecchio, and hang on to the continuation ticket and validate when you leave San Miniato.
Are you meeting the tour at the station or in the town? The 320 bus goes up the hill to the town from the station every half hour.