I am new to this website and apologize if this question has already been asked. At the end of April I will be taking the train on a Monday around 12:00 Noon from Venice to Florence. Should I purchase a ticket on-line prior to leaving home, or is it okay to purchase a couple days ahead of time when I am in Venice? Also, I will need to meet up with friends in Paris on a Friday. Is it best to take the train or fly from Florence to Paris? I imagine the train would take longer, but the airfare may be rather expensive. Are their small airlines for budget flights. Thank you for your kindness, I appreciate your patience with me.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32219 posts
Savannah, Buying tickets online can achieve some savings, but those will "lock" you into a particular train and departure. If you miss that train, the tickets are worthless and you'd have to buy more at full price. The trip from Venice to Florence is easy via high speed train. You have two choices: > Trenitalia (state railway) - trip will be via Freccia trains (compulsory reservations with are specific to a particular train and departure) > Italo (new rail network) - travel time the same. Your departure station will be Venezia Santa Lucia and your arrival station Firenze S.M. Novella. If you're willing to commit to a particular departure time from Venice, you could certainly purchase online. I'd probably try Italo first, as their website is more "user friendly". For travel from Florence to Paris, using a budget airline would be the most effective use of your holiday time. I'd have to check to find out what flights are available from Florence. However, one possibility would be to take the train to Pisa Airport (travel time 1H:15M) and use an EasyJet flight to Paris / ORY (flight time 1H:40M). They currently have fares listed as low as €64.99 PP, but those will increase as the flight fills. With the budget airlines, be sure to read their "Terms & Conditions" carefully, especially relating to luggage limits. Note that many only allow ONE carry-on item per passenger of the approved size (and they WILL check). The budget flights are cheap transportation, but there are no frills. You'll pay for any snacks on the flights. I use EasyJet on each trip, and would absolutely recommend them. For transportation from ORY into Paris, check the excellent Paris By Train website. Happy travels!
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Since your departure date is approaching quickly, you may not be able to get the really low fares for the trip from Venice to Florence (2 hours or so), but it's worth a try. There are frequent departures so you will be able to get tickets once you arrive. By the way, the vaporetto pass is probably a good deal, since each trip can cost €7. You validate the pass for each trip by swiping the pass at a machine near the platform.