Train Help Please

jenny,

As I recall, there's a schedule change in about mid-June, so that may be one reason you're not finding any solutions. I checked briefly and using a date of 5 June should provide a good idea of the solutions, although you won't be able to buy tickets yet.

My suggestion would be to wait a few weeks and keep checking the schedules. I wouldn't be too concerned about buying too early as that's a fairly short route so the prices won't vary much. Some of the trains you'll be using are Regionale trains, and there are never any early purchase discounts for those.

Hi Ken, so does that mean I must wait until June, or just keep checking daily until something opens up?

Check the schedule using a date in the next week. The summer timetable may not be out yet.
No need to book anything. Most of the travel will be on Regional trains that offer no discounts. Just buy the ticket when you are there, or maybe the day before if you want to save time the day of departure.
Booking ahead makes sense only if you travel on the Frecciabianca train which departs at 07:38 from Firenze Campo di Marte station (not the main station). In that case buying ahead gives a chance of saving some money. But if you are not 100% sure of your travel plans, don't. Once you book a train on a discounted fare, you can't change it or get refunds.
If you travel at any other time of day, don't book anything, buy at the station when you are there. The only portion potentially on fast trains are the short segment from Pisa to Spezia, but aside from the Frecciabianca mentioned above (maybe too early in the morning), the fastest option is on the Regional train to La Spezia which departs at 10:28.

If you are looking at Trenitalia, as I remember, they don't post the schedule for regional trains very far in advance. I think trains for LaSpezia to Monterossa are regional trains. You might find tickets available for Firenze to LaSpezia.

And, generally, you purchase regional ticket on the day of travel.

Although you can't purchase Italian tickets there, the German Rail website might give you a good idea of schedules.

jenny,

Also, where are you trying to purchase tickets? I would highly recommend the www.trainline.eu website as it's extremely user friendly, you can buy tickets for both Trenitalia and Italo and in most cases you'll be able to print tickets at home.

Ken, I was using Trentitalia. I'll look at the site you mentioned.
I've secured my first to cities, Bologna-Venezia and Venezia-Firenze, now I just need Firenze-Monterosso & Monterosso-Roma. Is it correct that both of those trips are regionale and not fast trains? So, booking them now wont make a difference? I wanted the fast trains if possible, since the durations are the longer ones of my trip.

Hi Jenny!
I agree that you are too early and Trenitalia doesn't have the schedule online yet for the end of June.

I bought our early April train tickets on Trenitalia's website in late January, to give you an idea of the time frame.

Also when I booked on Trenitalia, I just used the departure station and final arrival station for the to/from fields. For example, we're going from Venice to Manarola. The Venice-Manarola trip search showed me that there are stops in Firenze SMN and La Spezia, and I booked just that trip, but it includes several tickets. So you shouldn't necessarily have to do a search for La Spezia. I would just search for Fierneze to Monterroso, and you'll eventually purchase a ticket that includes a change in La Spezia. (Kind of like booking a flight! The layover is structured in your ticket.)

jenny,

The trip from Firenze SMN to Monterosso will most likely use a combination of express trains (Freccia, Intercity) and Regionale, so one or two changes are likely (possibly in Pisa Centrale and/or La Spezia Centrale). The main reason to book tickets in advance is to get the discounted tickets on the express trains. With Regionale trains, it makes no difference whether you buy tickets in advance or on the day of travel.

That's a fairly short route so there isn't a huge price advantage to buying advance tickets. For example, if you were to book a FrecciaBianca from Firenze SMN to Pisa Centrale, you'd pay 9.90€ for Super Economy and 15.50€ for Base Fare (the highest price tier). Not really a big deal, so even if you bought tickets on the day prior to travel, you wouldn't be paying a lot more. From Pisa Centrale to La Spezia Centrale via Regionale is 8.40€ and that won't change whether it's advance purchase or bought the day of travel.

For the trip from Monterosso to Rome, I'd recommend using one of the direct (no changes) trains from La Spezia Centrale to Roma Termini, as the travel time is only about 3H:45M. You'll use the local Cinque Terre Express to get from Monterosso to La Spezia Centrale, a trip which only takes about 15 minutes. Check the schedules for about 5 June to see the solutions that will most likely be available to you (the next version of the schedules probably won't change much from the current version).

If you're buying all your tickets online (including Regionale), you won't have to worry about validating. However if you buy Regionale tickets locally, you MUST validate these in the machines on the day of travel, or risk hefty fines which will be collected on the spot! One other point to note is that on the express trains, these come with compulsory seat reservations which are specific to train, date and departure time. The tickets can ONLY be used on the one train listed on the ticket. If you board the wrong train by mistake, again fines on the spot! On the express trains you'll be assigned a Coach No. (Carrozza) and Seat No's. (Posti) which is where you must sit.

The timetable change is on June 11.

As the OP is travelling on the 15th on a route mostly served by regionale that can't sell out, there is no need to check every day: checking and purchasing on the 12th of June will be enough and easier.

Timetable changes always take place on the second sunday of June and December.
Since 2013 trenitalia has been showing also regionale trains schedules up to the next timetable change.

They have also been selling all kind of tickets 120 days in advance but, for regionale trains, not beyond the next timetable change.
It's not a big deal, nobody checks regionale trains schedules more than a couple of days in advance.

I just checked La Spezia Centrale to Roma Termini in late June and tickets for both Intercity and Freccia trains are currently available for purchase. Try again to book the Intercity or Freccia parts of your post-June 11 travel, although you may have to wait to purchase the regional tickets. If you're registered on the Trenitalia website, they'll send you an e-mail if anything about your purchased tickets changes when the new schedules are released.

Thanks, everyone, for your helpful replies. I've done this before, 2 years ago, so I don't know why I'm having such a hard time. I did find a train to Roma from La Spezia, a fast train, so that is helpful. Thanks, Frank!
I just need Florence to Monterosso still. I will find it!!!
Thanks again,
Jenny