Train help for a newbie!

You don't need to make a reservation. Just buy the tickets when you get there. There are lots of trains.

Not sure which train you are taking but some require you to validate ticket before you get on train. The machines are just as you get to platform. If you do need to validate it you must do so or a hefty fine will be assessed by conductor.

Since you'll be arriving that same morning, I assume by plane, I would suggest waiting until you get to Italy before buying your train tickets. If you purchase tickets ahead of time and your plane is late you'll have to go through the hassle of changing tickets. There are lots of trains everyday between Rome and Florence so you won't have any trouble getting on one. You'll have to go from the airport to the termini station and then transfer to the train to Florence. Unless you buy tickets on the slowest trains, the regional trains, your tickets will be for a specific train and a specific seat so you won't need to validate your ticket. It will only be good on that particular train. If you are coming from another city and arriving by train you could buy your tickets in advance but just make sure you have enough time between trains in case one is late. Donna

First, you will need to take the Leonardo Express from the airport to Roma Termini. It's a regional train with open seating so you will need to validate your ticket in a yellow machine at the airport train station. Second, you most likely will take a high-speed EuroStar Italia train from Termini to Firenze (Florence). All seats are reserved and the reservation is included in the price of the ticket. You don't need to validate tickets for trains that require seat reservations. You can buy tickets at the airport for both trains.

@ Karin, In the same situation, I'd probably buy the tickets for your ongoing rail journeys at one of the Travel Agencies in Venice (which is what I've done on past occasions). Check the listings in the Guidebook for locations and other details. There's absolutely NO WAY I'd pay $60 to have them shipped here in advance. Cheers!

I think everyone's advice is good. We were traveling in Italy two weeks ago and found the ticket machines easy to use and they took my Visa card just fine. Just have someone with you to watch your back and don't accept help the the young men who hang around the machines waiting to "help". Here's an excellent explanation on the machines, offered by "Ron in Rome" http://www.roninrome.com/%20transportation/buying-train-tickets-updated

My family of four will be taking a bus from Venice to Villach, Austria, then a train to Lesce-Bled (in Slovania.) What do you think, should we buy our tickets ahead of time in the US or wait until Venice?!! Between insurance and UPS mailing costs, it's an extra $60. It is worth if for piece of mind and simplicity?

$18 shipping
$36 insurance Do you think i am crazy? Do you think we should buy them in Venice? Is it a problem to get 4 seats on the bus together (2 kids, 2 adults)...

Donna and Tim are right. Just buy your tickets as you go along. The only thing I have to add is; when you get off the Leonardo Express in Roma Termini, follow the crowd all the way to the front of the terminal and buy you tickets from one of those ATM looking machines. It's simple and you don't have to stand in line. If you want to get an idea of the train schedules and cost, go to trenitalia.com web-site. Funny thing about EU is that you need to make restaurant and museum reservations, but not to ride the train.

A@ Ted, "I can't imagine using a travel agent out a middleman to get trenitalia tickets. If you can't handle the trenitalia web site or using the ticketing machines in the train station, well you should probably be holding your mommie's hand." I felt that using a Travel Agent located close to the Hotel I was staying at in Venice was a reasonable option, as it saved me a trip to Venezia S.L. station by Vaporetto. I don't recall being charged any huge fees by the T.A. On future visits, I'll probably buy my ticket for the outgoing journey when I arrive at Venezia S.L., since I'll be at the station anyway. Cheers!

Ted, maybe you were or are having a bad day but when someone asks a questions, I don't personally i think it is ok to tell them they should be 'holding mommy's hand". That advice is not helpful in my opinion.

Thank you so much to everyone who has replied! Very helpful!

other advice aside... ...learn to use the trenitalia web site. I can't imagine using a travel agent out a middleman to get trenitalia tickets. If you can't handle the trenitalia web site or using the ticketing machines in the train station, well you should probably be holding your mommie's hand.

We always buy Italian Rail passes here before we go and take them with us. You just need to remember to validate them the first time you use them, and date them, (you do this at a ticket counter with a live person) and they cover a certain number of train travel days (this varies depending on how often you plan to use trains but if you know, then you can buy the appropriate rail passes), but after that, you just board whatever train you plan on taking and only need to show the conductor the rail pass when asked for it. Some trains DO require you making a reservation, but the schedules tell you which ones. It costs more if you have to do it on board. To us, this is by far the easiest way to travel in Italy.

Kelly, DON"T do what we did...learn from our mistake!! Two trips ago to Italy, we did the same thing you are going to be doing. Taking the local connection to the main train station, then on to Florence. I did on-line translations ahead of time with little cards that I could show the train personnel that said, "Where do I buy train tickets?" then, "Two fast-speed train tickets to Florence, please?" I watched YouTube videos ahead of time of how to arrive in Rome and catch the Leonardi Express, etc. I was SOOOO prepared, so I thought. We ultimately found the ticket counter (it's a long walk), purchased our Florence tickets after reconfirming with two very kind college students from England who had been there/done that many times, and reconfirmed which bin # in which to depart. Went to that bin #, train was there, no train personnel to be found, got on the train and ultimately left the station. When the train started stopping in every station en route, I quickly realized we had gotten on the local commuter train, confirmed by the train personnel who ultimately came around to check tickets (and had a big laugh), telling me I must pay "attenzione." Oh, well. Morale of the story....ask, ask, ask, ask, reconfirm, reconfirm, reconfirm..........and if the train looks old and has burnt orange seats....NOT the fast-train. A local I asked (and it was not easy to find someone who spoke English on the local train) pointed out what to do to loop back to catch the train to Florence, as the local train does not stop in Florence. I had Rick's book with us, and I had already read that when I realized my error. Don't sweat it, though. Any errors can be quickly corrected. We can NOW laugh about it. My husband knew I was melting down when I said, "if we had caught the fast train, the sunflowers would have still been in bloom."

Some of the other advice is a little shaky also. First, always know the number of your train, it is on your ticket, that number will be shown on the announcement board. Do not go down the platform until that track number has been confirmed on the board. The platform can sometimes time be changed. When you arrive at the platform, asking anyone standing around To Florence ? or better Firenze? They will understand what you are asking. Second, buy your tickets to Florence when you buy your buy your ticket for Leonard Express at the ticket office in the airport. If that ticket office is closed or the line is long you can use the ticket machines in Termini but buy a ticket to Firenze. When the office is close or the line is long, buy the LE ticket at the Tobacco shop across from the ticket office. The LE are open tickets which can be used on any train at any time SO validate at the yellow boxes prior to getting on. Rail passes are of limited value for Italian trains. ALL trains, except for the Regional trains (slowest) require reservations in advance. While some conductors on other European train systems may allow you to buy a reservation at a higher price on the train, all the Italian conductor will do is access a very high, on the spot, fine for not having a reservation. For your other train travel in Italy trying buying you tickets a few days earlier and ask for the Mini fare which can be a substantial discount. No discount on Regional trains. You only need to validate open tickets that is tickets that do not specify a specific a train and seat. That ticket is only good for that train at that time.

We bought our railpasses ahead of time. I have been reading up on it and it seems easy to have it validate and all. Have fun in Italy we will be there also.

I have to echo Gail. The "hold your mommy's hand" comment Gail referred to contributes nothing and I would respectully suggest that the poster not reply to posts if he can't stick to constructive advice. That is what this site is all about.