Looking for feedback on if I need to make train reservations for Pisa to Monterosso in early June for my family of 5. I'd prefer to be flexible, but recently read that the Cinque Terre trains are expected to be very crowded in June. Any input would be appreciated.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32776 posts
You can't make a reservation on a regional (Regionale) train. There aren't any. If the seats are full and you can squeeze on, you stand. Or a generous soul offers you her seat and she stands.
Trains from La Spezia into the villages of the Cinque Terre are almost all Regionale, and yes they do get considerably crowded, especially when they add in all the people off the cruise ships which now regularly stop there.
The trains from Pisa to La Spezia are less crowded, and a mix of Regionale and InterCity. For InterCity trains which are nicer and usually old stock too, you need a reservation to be on the train. If you buy your passage on that train as a ticket the reservation will be included. If you are using a rail pass you must buy a separate reservation for that exact train (used to be €3 per person per leg).
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15176 posts
No reservations.
Most trains are Regionali, which are like commuter trains or subway trains, seats are not reserved, first come first served, if no seats, you stand up.
There are some faster Intercity trains on that segment, but it is not a long segment, therefore you don't gain a lot of time over the Regionali therefore it may not be worth the extra money. Purchasing IC tickets ahead of time gives you a chance of getting discounted Economy or Supereconomy fares. However those discounted fares are non refundable and non changeable, therefore you would lock yourself to the specific train you book online.
In your shoes, I would just buy tickets at the station whenever you are ready to go, and buy tickets on the first train you wish (and they are frequent). If the next train is an IC you decide whether you want to pay a bit more and get there a bit sooner, or if you prefer to spend a bit less on a regionale and get there a bit later (Regionali make more stops).
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32212 posts
At this late date, most of the discounted tickets will probably be sold out for the faster trains. You wouldn't save a lot on that short run anyway, so the easiest solution is just to buy ticket at the station, either from a Kiosk or a staffed ticket office. One important point though - if you'll be using any Regionale trains, you MUST validate the tickets prior to boarding the train on the day of travel, or risk hefty fines.