Returning back to Italy for the 3rd time. Arrival time is scheduled about 10:30 AM into FCO.
In looking over the train schedule we can either go from FCO - Rome Termini - Florence, or FCO- Rome Tiburtina-Florence ?
What are the pros & cons for each route if any?
Our previous trips were spent in Rome, so this time around we want to explore Florence & work our way back to Rome for our return flight.
Thanks
The trains going via Termini involve the Leonardo Express train. It goes directly from the airport to Termini without any stops. The trains going via Tiburtina are all regional trains and they will make multiple stops along the way. I have only passed through Tiburtina so I can't speak to the station itself. Termini is huge with lots of shops/restaurants and is pretty easy to navigate. One other thought - take a look at http://www.italotreno.it/EN. They have fast trains from Roma Termini to Firenze SMN as well. You could potentially take the Leonardo Express to Termini and switch to Italo if the price/schedule is better for you.
Art,
There are a few direct trains every day from FCO to Firenze SMN, however it's doubtful that you'd be able to make the 11:08 departure. Therefore you'll need to change at least once.
In looking at the current schedules, it appears that many of the trains for that route are now being routed through Tiburtina, possibly in an effort to reduce passenger traffic at Termini. Tiburtina underwent a major renovation a few years ago so that seems likely. You can use either route but my suggestion would be to simply buy a ticket on the next train to Florence once you arrive at the airport rail station, regardless of which interim station it uses.
If the train you use connects with the Freccia at Roma Tiburtina, you'll be using the FM/FR-1 rather than the Leonardo Express, so be sure to board the correct train. Also BE SURE to validate your ticket for that train prior to boarding, or you'll risk hefty fines which will be collected on the spot! There's a departure at 11:57 that you might be able to connect with.
FIUMICINO AEROPORTO - ROMA TIBURTINA:
Aboard a regional train that makes multiple stops. Takes 48 min and costs only 8€.
So with this solution the total train time is:
Fiumicino - Tiburtina: 48 min
Tiburtina - Firenze: 82 min
Total time: 130 min (plus train change time at Tiburtina)
Total price to Florence (standard at full base fare): 8+45=53€
FIUMICINO AEROPORTO - ROMA TERMINI
Aboard the Leonardo Express. Makes no stops. Takes 32 minutes and costs 14€.
Fiumicino - Termini: 32 min
Termini - Tiburtina: 9 min
Tiburtina - Firenze: 82 min
Total time: 123 min (plus train change time at Termini)
Total price to Florence (standard at full base fare): 14+45=59€
The only difference is therefore the price, because now all trains to Florence stop at both Termini and Tiburtina, therefore no matter which solution you choose, you will likely board the same Freccia train, whether you pick it up at Termini (with the Leonardo Express) or at Tiburtina (with the slower Regional train).
www.trenitalia.com
enter
From: FIUMICINO AEROPORTO
To: FIRENZE S.M. NOVELLA
I also think that at Tiburtina you are less likely to be robbed by the gypsies. More modern too, after the renovation a few years ago.
The Regionale trains to Tiburtina cost less, 8 EUR vs 14 EUR for the Leonardo Express to Termini. The Regionale makes 9 stops on the way to Tiburtina and takes 48 minutes. The LE is nonstop and takes 32 minutes.
Termini is big, has lots of services, and unfortunately, a reputation for being home to numerous scam artists and pickpockets. Tiburtina is recently refurbished and transfers are pretty easy. You take the escalator from your arrival platform up to the cross-over bridge and walk to your connecting track and take the escalator down to your connecting platform.
I printed Roberto's instructions and took them with us to Italy last month. We followed them exactly and had no proeblems. FCO is marked well, so just follow the signs to the train and you will be fine.
We always wait until we get to FCO and buy our ticket to Termini and to FLorence. MOre costly but then we don't have to worry about timing. If the plane is late, we get a ticket that works; if the plane is early, we don't have to wait around. And by buying at FCO you don't have to deal with the chaos and long lines at Termini.
We used Tiburtina Rome to Florence and back again on the fast train with Italo, no stops. I have just in the past week or so purchased tickets for the same for our upcoming trip. This time Florence to Rome Tiburtina with Italo fast train. We had no other stops on the way either direction, last year in Feb.. I found Tiburtina easier to manage our first time using Italy trains. Fewer people and a nice place, smaller but not small. Just not as big as Termini. It is slightly farther from the historic area of Rome but only marginally. We found the cab rank easily. The coffee shop had great coffee and was relaxing to wait in for our train and read a news paper. Definitly not crowded, but we were there in Feb.
For the trains going to Termini, Tiburtina would be the stop before that. I have not been to Termini yet.
I transited through both stations several times each in summer 2016. I agree with those who say Tiburtina is easier to navigate. Far less crowded, modern escalators/elevators on all platforms if you need them, good signage and modern, clean restrooms. The only thing I'd add is that even in high summer (June and July) Tiburtina was almost eerily empty. Many of the newly-renovated storefronts were empty, so there was no shopping traffic at all. Yes, it's much easier to see a scam artist headed your way, but a few times when I was traveling alone, I felt a touch isolated. However, I'd pick Tiburtina, because like most North Americans, I like my personal space. There were no panhandlers to be seen there, and we saw plenty of them at Termini (including the hunched-over ancient gypsy woman trolling the taxi ranks, who turned away, stood up straight, dropped 40 years overboard, and started flirting with young men.)
Thank you all for your very good information.
We'll be buying the tickets at the airport & will connect thru Tiburtina.
