I am wondering if the Trenitalia or some other app is the best way to buy tickets for our round trip from Rome to Florence. Should we buy in advance and how far in advance?
Thanks for info on this!
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
9829 posts
Trenitalia or ItaloTreno both run fast trains
Both have easy to use apps
When is this trip?
Purchase if your itinerary is set
Discounts available for advanced purchase but be sure to read all the restrictions
Posted by
OP
824 posts
We will be going to Florence on Oct 5th and returning to Rome on Oct 12th.
Thanks for your reply!
Posted by
Paris 🇫🇷
11663 posts
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
18290 posts
There are still discounted fares available (Economy, SuperEconomy, FrecciaDays, etc.) for your dates. So if you buy in advance you cans save over 50% on the full (“Base”) price, which is 50€ o/w in Standard (=Economy) class. Just be aware that discounted tickets come with restrictions on your ability to change tickets, and refunds are not available in case of trip cancellation, so your trip times must be firm.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
9829 posts
Posted by
San Diego, California, USA
2264 posts
All good advice provided here. You can buy discounted tickets by trading flexibility and committing to specific train. Fast trains have classes and reserved seats.
I recommend getting the Trenitalia or .Italo app depending on which company you end up going with. There is really little difference between them - especially for a short trip like this one. I recommend getting the Trenitalia app anyway if you plan to take any local trains like to Siena or Pisa. You can check schedules, buy tickets and track trains in motion using the app.
Have a great trip,
=Tod
Posted by
Paris 🇫🇷
11663 posts
It's absolutely possible to buy them at the station, but it's likely you'll pay a premium to do so (i.e., by waiting until you are in Italy to buy the tickets and letting more time pass between now and then, the remaining lower-priced tickets are more likely to have already been sold and this will be unavailable to you).
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
9829 posts
Nothing could be easier than purchasing on the app
Waiting til day of means you pay full price
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
9829 posts
True
But the OP knows the travel dates and asked when is best way and time to purchase.
Best time IMO is when you have a set itinerary and can get tickets in advance at a discount.
Nobody is saying you can't buy at the station.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
18541 posts
Just curious, mlstimetotravel, According to your posting history, you traveled to Florence on your last trip in May of '24. That trip looked to include Rome, Siena, Bologna, Orvieto. Ferrara, Lucca and maybe more. How did you purchase your train tickets last time, and did that work for you?
Posted by
OP
824 posts
We took a bus, I think a flix bus, from Rome to Sienna. We didn’t make it to Orvieto in 2024 because of a preference of our son’s girlfriend to spend more time in Sienna which was fine with us, and we hope to make it there this fall. We took a local bus from Sienna to Florence. Then we took trains to Lucca and Bologna. I will check my email history to see how I booked them.