Train Help

In Italy, there are several different types of trains. The regional trains are the only ones that do not use/take reservations. Therefore, regional trains can't sell out - and they are also the same price bought far in advance as they are 10 minutes before the train departs. So there is no need to worry about booking regional trains early.

Other trains are reserved and could in theory sell out. A certain number of advanced tickets are discounted. So you can save a lot of money (sometimes) buying them early. But you can't change them (or not much) if you buy these cheap advanced fares. I suspect from the Cinque Terre to Bologna you'l be going through Florence. The train from Florence to Bologna is probably one of the fast/expensive ones that can be bought at cheap discount in advance.

Check the websites www.trenitalia.com and www.trainline.com to check ticket prices and schedules. Pick the name of the town in the Cinque Terre where you will be starting out.

This site was helpful to me, we went from Pisa to the CT and went all up and down the CT in the trains and it was a breeze. We also are not really train savvy where I come from. Good luck, enjoy the CT. https://www.seat61.com/Italy-trains.htm

I have this same question and keep seeing conflicting views. :) I don't see many options yet for the dates I'm traveling in mid-June. Loco2 has a few options, but other sites like Trenitalia/ItaliaRail don't show anything. Is it just too early? Are those not showing because they are regional trains and can't be booked early anyway? Even if I don't book in advance, I want to get an idea of the timetables for planning purposes. It looks like the timetables change in mid-June, so I'm worried about making assumptions based on earlier dates.

Is it just too early?

Yes, it is.

Are those not showing because they are regional trains and can't be booked early anyway?

No, because there is a timetablechange on June 9 and the schedule of trains that can't sell out are uploaded only in late May and early June.

I want to get an idea of the timetables for planning purposes.

Use a day of travel before June 9 for planning, enter a Sunday if you are travelling on Sundays.

I'm worried about making assumptions based on earlier dates.

There is no need to be worried, locals take trains every week but they don't know / realize there is a timetable change in June. Trains always run.

Anything involving regional trains may not show up until just before the June 9 schedule update. There will be trains, lots of trains, probably with no changes from the current schedule. Italians all know this, but it worries foreigners who are trying to plan travel for mid-June onward.

Suggest you book high speed and Intercity trains now to get the nonrefundable discount prices. Then book the regional connections when they show up on the schedule. The regional train prices are always the same price, no matter if you book months out or 1 minute before departure.

It is safe to say that there is almost no change between schedule releases. If there are changes, it is mostly a minute or two here and there. So use the same day of week, last week of May if you want schedule information. And while you are checking time schedule you can see the type of train service. If it says, Regionale, then buy the ticket when you get there. You should never buy Regional tickets on line as they come with more restrictions than the ticket purchased in the station and the price is exactly the same. No discount on Regional tickets.

Florence to Bologna is a short trip, so the price range for Standard class on the fast train is 18-29 euros per person, with limited seats sold at the lower prices. On the longer leg from Bologna to Milan by fast train, the advance-discount savings is greater but still not huge, price range of 20 or 25 up to 48 euros in Standard.

If going to Cinque Terre to Bologna, is a 10 minutes stop in La Spezia enough time to transfer? Or should I just wait and get my ticket there and take it as it comes?

If the train from LaSpezia to the Cinque Terre village is a Regionale, you'd better get tickets online.

Do not worry about the 10 minutes transfer. First, it's enough time. Even if it wasn't, You can use a Regiomale ticket purchased online on the booked train and on any other Regionale making the same route and departing within the following 75 minutes.

You don't need to be in LaSpezia to buy tickets of trains departing from LaSpezia.

I am also looking at purchasing my train tickets ahead of time, as I did on my last trip. My question is what happens if you have advanced tickets, but for some reason the trains go on strike? Is your ticket invalid? Thanks. Hope this is relevant for question for you too. Thanks.

The high speed for mid June isn't available yet either. I've been checking for a while.

Heads up. The fast train from Rome to La Spezia (Just outside Cinque Terre) on June 14 opened up this morning. Not sure what your dates are. The following week did not open up yet.

I have booked most of my trains, but Bologna to Como on June 9 is not on sale yet. Is that something that happens any day or is there a specific reason for that?

As it's already been explained, June 9 is the day of the summer timetable change.
Nothing to worry about, check again in late april. Trains do not sell out.

Jason, Como is both the name of the lake and a town on the lake. Are you going to Como, Bellagio or Varenna? This makes a huge difference.

On Trenitalia put in your departure village in the Cinque Terre then the actual town on Lake Como.

The actual route can be found in the grey shaded area on the lower half of the ticket.
It shows the time, #of changes (cambi) and if you hit info, it will tell you which station you change at + how many minutes you have to make the connection. Your actual ticket will have the train # and the track # it departs from.

I'm staying in Brunate, so I assume that's the Como station

Yes, that's the right station. Como S. Giovani.
So what your saying is you'll leave the Cinque Terre, stop in Bologna for a visit, then continue to Como, is that correct? From Como do you plan on taking the funicular up to your lodging?

Yep! That’s the plan right now. Hotel is Bella Vista

Bologna Centrale-Como S. Giovani will get you there.

Most of that schedule has Regional train in the mix. The Regional train schedules as the last to be update on or about June 9 so you need to wait bit.