Train Tickets

I have this question too. I'm following to understand. Good luck.

kath27_99, your questions will be answered on the thread you started.

This page on the Trenitalia website explains the differences in different ticket tiers. Click on "Base", "Economy". and "Super Economy" for explanations on restrictions for each type:

http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en/Offers

The cheapest tickets sell out in advance, are non-refundable, and are either non-changable or not without paying the difference between the purchase price and same-day base fare, depending on the type of ticket. Even the highest-price base ticket has a few restrictions on refunds or changes (see the page linked above).

This is also a very good resource for understanding Italian trains:

https://www.seat61.com/Italy-trains.htm

From Venice to Florence and Flor nice to Rome you can also use Italo trains. Their prices are competitive and their website a bit more user-friendly than Trenitalia.

https://www.italotreno.it/en

Regional trains that make every stop never fill up, the tickets are not for a specific train and the prices will not be any different if you pre-purchase or buy on that day (make sure to validate these). If you get tickets for a high-speed train, those could book up because you are buying a specific seat. However, unless there is a something special going on, it is unlikely that all tickets would be sold or that you could not just catch a train at a later time. However those tickets will be cheaper if you buy them earlier. If you know your schedule and have hotels booked for each day, I don't find it hard to commit to a specific train time. It is just something you have to work into your schedule. Trains are not like flights in that you don't have to get there really early in order to make the connection because there is no security to go through, no luggage to check, etc., you just walk onto the train.

Unless you are flying in to Venice and getting directly on the train, buy your train tickets in advance. Yes, you are locked into them - like a flight, you can't miss the train and it's non-refundable if you book in advance to get the big savings.

Try www.trainline.eu to shop tickets for both Trenitalia and Italo trains, both of which serve Venice-Florence-Rome. Unlike Trenitalia's site, you don't need to spell the city names in Italian - "Venice" and "Florence" will work. You will want "Venice Santa Lucia" (Venezia Santa Lucia) station for Venice if you are staying on the island and (probably) "Florence Santa Maria Novella" (Firenze S.M.N) station for Florence.

Can't help you with Montepulciano, sorry.

You can usually get a pretty good idea of what you'd pay for a last-minute ticket vs. a way-in-advance ticket by changing your travel date on the [Trenitalia][1] website. Use the Italian form of each city/station name. What I'm listed means "all stations" so you don't have to guess about the station.

Roma ( Tutte Le Stazioni )
Firenze ( Tutte Le Stazioni )
Venezia ( Tutte Le Stazioni )
Genova ( Tutte Le Stazioni )
Napoli ( Tutte Le Stazioni )

Edited to add: Andrew has given you the names of the major stations.

Last year Roberto answered a similar question about getting to Montepulciano. Click here for the earlier thread.

Adding one comment to Roberto's posting from last year, the bus from Chiusi to Montepulciano passes a stop fairly close to Piazza Grande on its way to the bus station at the bottom of town. Tell the driver you want to get off at the stop closest to Piazza Grande. You'll have a few minutes walk slightly uphill, but it's far better than the long, steep walk up from the bus station. Also note that Montepulciano is a long day trip from Florence, with travel time each way being 2.5-3.0 hours depending on connections.

Full fare for either Venice-Florence or Florence-Rome in the cheapest class of service on the fastest trains is $50-60 per person per leg. If the cheapest class of service sells out, the next level costs another $10-15; the fast trains have 4 different seating areas/classes. It's rare for whole trains to sell out, since there are so many departures.

However the trains serving Montepulciano are mostly slower, cheaper, unreserved Regional trains (which cannot sell out). Heading to Rome, your last connecting leg could be on a medium-speed (reserved) InterCity train.

Thanks everyone. It sounds like getting our tickets in advance is the way to go.