We are a week a way from finally leaving for Italy - for a part of our trip we will be staying in the country outside Florence near the town of sant' ellero - we plan on taking the train from the station in sant'ellero to Florence SMN station - as well as traveling to Pisa by train on another day - through SMN station
to confirm what I think I know - we can buy train tickets for those trips when we arrive in town - use them on the days we intend to take the train to florence - we must first validate the ticket we use on that day in the yellow machine in the terminal area - we do not need any formal reservation or any other pre-booked ticket for these local day trips thanks to many for all the reply's and advice that the Rick Steves' forums have provided as we have planned for this trip . Ron
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32402 posts
Ron, I agree with a previous reply, that it would be a good idea to check the schedules so that you have a good idea what the departure times will be, and more importantly what time the last train returns to Sant'Ellero. I checked briefly and it appears that all trains on that route are Regionale, so you won't have to worry about reservations. However, you WILL have to validate tickets prior to boarding the train. If the Convalida machine is broken (which could be the case in smaller stations), I usually write the time and date on the back. I'm not sure that's acceptable, but figure it's better than nothing. The travel time appears to be either 34 or 38 minutes, depending on which train you choose, and the fare is €3 each way (a bargain!). I'm not sure if the station in Sant'Ellero is staffed, so you may have to rely on the ticket Kiosks. Happy travels!
Posted by
Birmingham, Alabama, USA
290 posts
Dear Ron, I'm not sure what the question is, but what you say is correct. You are essentially looking at taking regional trains and for these routes there should be no need to pre-book. Just go to the kiosk in the train station or go to the counter in the bar or tabacchi in the train station and request the tickets that you need. It would be a good idea to look up schedules in advance, etc. Before boarding the train convalidate the back of your ticket in the yellow convalidator machines that are around the train platform. Enjoy your trip!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23660 posts
You are basically correct but that is limited to regional trains. Without looking at a schedule, I don't know if other trains - IC, Intercity - run the same route. There is no discount for regional train tickets so buy when it is convenient. Also, you could buy all of your tickets at one time and then validate and use as needed. Any other train other than a Regional requires a reservation.
Posted by
Napa, CA
3580 posts
In Florence and La Spezia last month I looked for yellow validation boxes. The ones I found were new and not yellow--I think dark blue. They are still near the tracks, but not so easy to see as the yellow ones were.