We are arriving at the Leonardo da Vinci airport on Saturday Sept 1st at 10:20 AM. We will be taking the train from Rome to Florence. We have the Euro Rail pass but understand that we have to make reservations. What amount of time should we allow to clear the airport, take the train from the airport to the Termini station and possibly allow for a late arrival at the airport? Is it possible to wait until we arrive at the Termini station to make the reservations or would that be too much of a chance? Never been to Italy so we don't know what to expect. Thanks Clay
Posted by
Pa and Italy
4152 posts
You can easily buy your tickets at the termini station. I would not book ahead because you never know if your flight will be delayed. If you can get a refund on your rail pass you may want to do that. Rail pass almost never save you money or time on Italian trains. It's very easy just to make point to point reservations in Italy and if you book in advance you can save a ton of money. Donna
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
I would suggest that you wait until you arrive at Rome-FCO. Once you clear immigration at FCO, you can transition to the airport train station in front of Terminal 3. At the Terminal 3 station, you can make all arrangements. Unless your Eurail pass is a 1st classe pass, you will pay either the full 14E or a portion of the full Leonardo Express fare as it's a 1st class only train. Second, you will be charged 10Euros to get your seat reservation on the high-speed from Rome to Florence. The reason that it is not wise to make firm reservationson a high-speed shortly after you arrive at the airport is that your plane may be late. You could easily miss your train. With 55 high-speeds a day departing Roma-Termini for Florence, you will easily get seats when you arrive. The agent at the airport can arrange all of this. Just permit about 15 minutes between to change trains. The LE arrives on Track #25 at Termini. The high-speeds depart from other tracks a short distance away.
Posted by
OP
Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada
9 posts
Thanks Larry That sounds like great advice. Clay
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
Clay, did you cost out the price of the Eurail pass compared to point-to-point tickets? As Donna points out (and perhaps this will just be for the benefit of others and not for you at this point), it almost always doesn't make financial sense to buy a rail pass in Italy.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Clay, the Leonardo Express comes into Track 24 now, which is much closer to the railhead and more convenient. Point-to-point tickets will save you money, as posted, and I would definitely wait until the plane is on the ground before buying a train ticket for the same day.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
You need to allow up to an hour to clear immigration/passport control. The Leonardo Express departs at 8 and 38 minutes past the hour. The ride to Termini takes 32 minutes. If you manage to catch the 11:38 express, you'll have 35 minutes to make the connection to the 12:35 EuroStar to Florence. If you're delayed a bit and have to take the 12:08 express, you'll have 35 minutes to make the connection to the 13:15 EuroStar. Buy your seat reservation for the EuroStar at the airport station so you don't have to take the time to find where to do it at Termini.