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Train itinerary help

Posted by on

Hello all.
For those experienced train travelers, I'd like to ask your advice. I'm going to Italy with my daughter in June for nearly a month, and we plan to travel by train only. I've downloaded the Trenitalia app and think we've got a good idea of how to do, but would like to get some feedback here on timing of ticket purchases and any circumstances we should be aware of that could affect travel, especially with it being a Jubilee year. Lodging and air travel are booked, so kindly refrain from suggestions to change the order of travel as there is a reason for the order we chose. Here is the itinerary, please advise if you see something off/troubling or have suggestions for other travel options in the event, God forbid, there is a strike:

6/19: fly into MXP, train to Florence - I understand no point in booking this ahead as timing depends on whether we arrive on time. We are just worried about availability what with the jubilee and all.
6/23: Florence to Perugia - appears there is a regional train, about 2 hours. ok to wait, or prebook? Not sure how crowded this line is likely to be with tourists at that time/this year.
6/25: possible day trip to Spello - regional train, about half an hour - anything we should know?
6/27: Perugia to Cortona - understand we would travel to Camucia-Cortona station and then bus to town, appears to be less than an hour on a regional train.
6/28: possible day trip to Casteglione del Lago - it appears to be just a short train ride, correct?
7/1: Cortona to Arezzo - take bus to station then catch regional train to Arezzo, about a half hour.
7/3: possible day trip to Orvieto - looks like the trip is just over an hour - anything we should know?

7/5: Arezzo to Lucca - looks like it's a regional train, about an hour.
7/9: Lucca to Turin - this will be a long journey at about 5 hours, but it appears the change is in Florence, so planning to take one of the options with the longer break between trains so we can stretch our legs, use restroom, etc. before the second leg. Book this one in advance?
7/14: Turin to MXP train station - hotel is near the airport, we fly home the next morning. Looks like it's 2.5-3 hrs depending on the train, with at least 1 change. Book this in advance?

Thank you all in advance for your time and kind advice.

Posted by
7982 posts

You’ve picked some very nice locations! I haven’t stayed in Cortona, yet, but have all of the other ones.

There’s no need to book the Regionale ones ahead of time; the price stays the same. But, you’re in the vicinity of Assisi when you’re at Perugia to Spello, so I would probably buy it ahead, although I think there’s no assigned seats.

Do buy any of your faster train tickets ahead of time for savings. Those have assigned seats and a specific time of departure like a plane ticket.

When you go to Perugia, there’s a station for the mini-metro above-ground little boxes that will take you, up, up into Perugia. It’s a very short walk from the train station to the metro station.

An absolute “yes” for Spello!

This is a very helpful site!

https://scioperi.mit.gov.it/mit2/public/scioperi

And from the Trenitalia site, “For local transport in particular, essential services have been planned for the peak time-bands (from 06:00 to 09:00 and from 18:00 to 21:00 Mon-Sat). Some long-distance trains are also guaranteed on all days including holidays.”
I had to quickly take an earlier train one time that would end by 9am on a strike day.

There’s also a list of the Frecciarossa - faster, trains that run even during strikes. Unfortunately, I can’t find it in my files. Hopefully someone else can point to that link.

I didn’t look at your dates, but Sunday transportation- especially buses can be unreliable. I’ve found that out twice.

Posted by
7331 posts

No need to ever buy Regional tix in advance
The price never changes and they can’t sell out
It will just be “stand til you can grab a seat” if crowded
No reserved seating

You certainly CAN buy all in advance if you want-just so it’s done and no worries about app not working or lines at kiosk too long

I would purchase all fast trains in advance( ex arrival day) as those can sell out

Posted by
1771 posts

Arezzo to Lucca is on two legs, Arezzo-Florence and Florence-Lucca, both about one hour long.

Lucca to Turin can be done with a change in Viareggio or with a change in Florence. The first option is faster and cheaper but few trains run between Viareggio and Turin, so you will most likely be traveling over Florence.

Do not plan too long a break in Florence as there is no place to sit down at the station and too long waits may become uncomfortable.

Posted by
41 posts

Thank you both for your replies. Jean, was it easy to change your ticket when you had to take an earlier train, or had you not bought in advance? And how did you find out in time to change plan? Part of me wants to just book all so it's done, but if something happens and we have to change am wondering if it's a big hassle.

Posted by
23654 posts

Changing a ticket is not always possible. You have three levels of tickets -- Super Econ, Econ, and Basic. SE and E are discount tickets with restrictions -- basically no refund, no change. There are a couple of exceptions but it has to be the fault of the railroad company. The discount are limited and generally sell out early. The Basic ticket -- walk up -- is always available and can be changed within 90 minutes of a missed train. All of these tickets come with a required seat reservation and that ticket is ONLY good for that train at the day and time. The Regionale train is like a bus on rail. No seat reservations, no discount, and can be bought at any time and can be used on any Regionale train headed in the right direction. There has been some recent changes in how that ticket can be used. So double check.

Posted by
7982 posts

Hi, for the day that I needed to take an earlier train in 2022, I found out the day before only because I was riding on a train to Pisa. There was an announcement of the strike the next day. I had a ticket to leave slightly after 9am to head to Florence. I just purchased a new ticket on-line in my hotel room that left around 6:30am.

For strikes that happened last May, I had the link that I shared with you to know plenty ahead of time. I was able to shift my hotel ahead of time by a day in both incidents. I was using the Trenitalia app, and it was very easy to go to the tickets I couldn’t use, under “Manage”, and request a refund.

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