Train Reservations after arriving in Rome

Buy at the train station in the airport when you buy your Leonard Express tickets.

Frank is correct. Buy at Rome Termini and get on. There are about 30 Eurostars that run from Rome to Naples each day so you don't miss trains - you're simply early for the next one. Americans, most of whom have never or rarely been near a real train station, just don't grasp the enormity of the European train system. Yes you do need seat reservations for the Eurostars but they come with the ticket when you buy it. The electronic machines are just great and will prompt you in English.

One downside of having a Eurostar train ticket in advance with seat reservations and a specific date and time is that you must be on that specific train. If you plane is late and your scheduled train departs before you can get to it, your ticket goes with it. There are ways to adjust if you can do it within 3 hours of departure but its a pain.

If you absolutely must have tickets in your hand before you travel, you can buy them on www.raileurope.com or www.italiarail.com for a higher price. If you end up on Rail Europe, please don't get sold on a railpass. You don't need one in Italy. P2P tickets are less expensive.

Thanks for the information. I would like to confirm one thing, however. Can I buy the ES tickets at FCO when I buy the Leonardo Express tickets or will I need to wait until I get to the Termini?

Thanks for you help.

There is a staffed ticket window just to the left when you enter the LExpress waiting area. You can buy all your tickets there. One time out of four the window was not open and we could only buy LExpress tickets from the tobacco shop on the far side of the waiting area. I do not remember if there are ticket machines available in the lobby.

It is not a big deal if you have to buy in Termini. There are dozens of tickets machines in the lobby area of Termini along with ticket windows. Often there is a line for the ticket windows but generally moves quickly.

Jonathan
Yes, buy all your tickets at FCO train station.Just note that although the express train into Termini is great, you must allow extra time to get from its binario(track)to the one that goes to Naples. I have missed my connecting train because my companion could not move quickly enough, especially stairs,& it's a surprisingly long walk(unless things have changed in the last couple of years. It's a whole lot simpler if you tell the ticket agent or the machine that you want one later train than the most likely one. It's more relaxing to wait in Termini with a cappucino, than to be waiting on lines to change your reservation to a later train.

Sue, it hasn't changed. The Leonardo Express comes in on Track 29 (out of 29).... It is definitely quite a walk to get to the lower track numbers from there!

The Leonardo Express is currently "scheduled to arrive" on one of the satellite tracks, Track #25. Tracks 1-24 are in the main station - and are the tracks from which the Eurostars primarily leave. The AV Italia, the fastest trains, usually leave from tracks 5-9.

Track 25 is about a 8-10 minutes walk (with luggage) into the train station and over to tracks 1-24 (24 being the closest). Taking this into account and adding 10-15 minutes for delays you can buy all your tickets at the FCO station.

For info on arriving at Termini and some pictures of the station, CLICK HERE

Ciao,
Ron

I don't understand why everybody treats a train ride in Italy or elswere in Europe for that matter,like they are about to board the space shuttle.Nothing against you Jonathan,but i have seen a lot of concerns on this site about advance train tickets.It's like a subway ride in any big US city nothing more,and we should treat it as such.Unless you absolutely have to be at your destination at certain time,just relax,show up at the train station,take a look at the big black board buy the ticket and be on your way.Even if you missed the immediate train,the next one it's no more then 30min to an hour away.It is the main mode of transportation over there and a very efficent one at that.So sit down at the closest establishtment,have an adult beverage and wait for the next train while you enjoy yourself.After all,you are on vacation,remember?LOL.Much love.

Gezim...if you've never been there and never done it, how are you to know "it's like a subway ride in any big US city" (although I would argue that's far too simplistic a description.) That's why people ask, and that's why we try to give them the best assistance we can.

AND to add to the rest of the posts, make sure you are at the "RIGHT PLATFORM" for your train. My husband and I were sitting at a platform in Rome on our way to the CT via Florence. We were positive we were on the right "marked" platform, but when we didn't see a train or other passengers, my husband went to check. Yep, we needed to be one track over....It really isn't a problem, we(I)just get excited and sometimes don't pay attention.
I remember watching a couple of people in France - one got on the train, the other got off, then they switched and then the door closed leaving one person on the train and one on the platform. I've always wondered how they finally connected. Make a plan of where to meet - just in case you get separated.

Hey,Norm.It was meant as a joke with a good dose of humor.Sorry if i sounded a little arrogant,but my only intention was to make people feel relaxed and not to worry too much about the whole process.Been there myself.By the way,your Senators stink(and so do our Lightning).A big LOL-:).Still much love to everybody.

That's OK Gezim....we just figured that, every 12 years or so, we'd give some other teams a break!

Just to add a little bit to Miss B's comments. We have learned not to go down the platform until about five minutes or so before the train arrives. Once we nearly missed a train because we were early, went to wait by the designated track that was posted only to learn that the track was changed about ten minute prior to arrival. We have also learned to ask other people waiting for the train if this is the train to "xxx". And that has been worthwhile a couple of time. If it is a big station we now wait here the head of the platform where we can see the arrival board.

I would like to thank everyone for their input and information, especially Ron (for your detailed information about the train station). While I am not used to being that out of control, we will just have to have a glass of wine and chill.

Again, thanks to all who have assisted.