Train tickets from Milan to CT?

I don't know what the Thello trains on-time performance is, but it might be safer to take the 8:10 train. Besides, the 6:10 will leave you cooling your heels in Levanto for 50 minutes waiting for your connection. The 8:10 only has a 20 minute change time in Levanto. With 2 hours in Milano Centrale, you'll have time and plenty of services, like shopping and breakfast (including Mickey D's!). Then you can buy an advance purchase ticket.
You can get to Florence from Corniglia using all Regionale trains. Florence to Rome should be done with an advance purchase discount ticket on the high speed train.

Thanks for your response!
Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but I don't see a 50 minute "layover" in Levanto. ? I see the transfer only being 9 minutes, which would put us in Corniglia 2 hours earlier. That is definitely more appealing, but I'm not going to risk buying those tickets if they will be forfeited if our overnight Thello is late. (Is that how it works? Or if I miss the 6:10 train, can I use my pre-bought ticket for a later train?)

So if I don't pre-buy the 6:10 tix, what are the downsides to waiting til I get to Milan to buy tix? (In the event that we get there on-time or early, maybe we could still make the 6:10 train?) How much do prices go up on tickets bought the day of?

Am I making sense at all? Thank you for the help!

I was looking at Deutsche Bahn, but I see Trenitalia does allow the fast connection.
If you buy the tickets through Capitaine Train, will they allow a linked ticket that protects you if the Thello is late? www.captainetrain.com

Edit - The full fare ticket from Milan to Corniglia is only 29 EUR per/p, so I would go with that. That way it can be changed to the 8:10 if you are late. Buying Super Economy tickets would save about 30 EUR for 2, so its pretty cheap insurance.

You can check and compare all prices at Trenitalia.com. Prices don't go up or down, but the cheapest tickets sell out faster, since they are allotted for a limited number of seats.

Erin,

Assuming your train from Paris arrives on time, you should be able to connect with the 06:10 departure from Milano Centrale (but don't stop for coffee). According to the current Trenitalia schedules, the transfer time in Levanto is six minutes. Levanto is a smaller station, so a short connection time shouldn't be a problem.

In this case, I'd purchase tickets in advance for the reason that if your train from Paris is a few minutes late, you won't have a lot of time to buy tickets. There are ticket Kiosks at track level, but if you want to use the staffed ticket office, it's two floors down and there's often a queue. To reach the ticket office, you'll also have to leave the trackside security area, and if there's a queue getting back through the gates, that will add to the delay.

However, there is a slight risk in buying advance tickets. The first train you'll be using from Milano Centrale to Levanto is an Intercity train, which requires compulsory seat reservations which are specific to train, date and departure time (the reservations are provided with the tickets). If your train from Paris is late and you miss that Intercity train, the ticket is worthless and you'll have to buy another (that's assuming the ticket you bought is a Super Economy ticket).

The second train from Levanto to Corniglia is the Cinque Terre Express, a Regionale train. That will come pre-validated and can be used anytime within four hours of the departure time listed on the ticket. If you buy Regionale tickets locally, you MUST validate (time & date stamp) before boarding the train on the day of travel or you'll be subject to hefty fines which will be collected on the spot!

If you decide to buy advance tickets, I would highly recommend www.captaintrain.com as someone else mentioned. They have a very user friendly website, and you can print the tickets at home. They also sell tickets for the French and German railroads (among others).

In the same situation, I'd probably buy the advance tickets, but be prepared for the eventuality of having to buy more if the Paris train is late.

Are you planning to use the Shuttle Van to get up to Corniglia from the station, or walk up the ~400 steps with your luggage?

Thanks all!

Ken and Sam, are you both saying the same thing?

Sam seems to say if I miss the 6:10, I can take the 8:10--do you mean without buying a new ticket?

Ken says if I miss the 6:10, I lose the money and must buy a new one.

The rules of the 2nd class tickets on capitaltrain.com say that BASE ticket can be exchanged unlimited number of times before departure, but only one time after departure (up to one hour afterwards). Does that mean if I miss my first train, I can exchange the ticket for a later one for no cost?

Sorry if I am dense! And as for the shuttle or the steps in Corniglia--I have no idea! Do you recommend one or another? We don't mind steps, and don't plan to have lots of large luggage.

Erin,

Don't worry about being "dense". It takes awhile to get used to all the rules of the Italian train systems.

"Ken says if I miss the 6:10, I lose the money and must buy a new one."

Whether you'll have to buy a new ticket or exchange your present ticket will depend on which class of ticket you bought. If you want to save money on the Intercity train and opt for a Super Economy ticket, those are non-refundable and non-changeable once purchased, so yes, you will have to buy another ticket.

If you buy the most expensive Base Fare ticket, these can be exchanged, even up to one hour after the listed train has departed. However, from a pragmatic point-of-view, that's not the most ideal solution. To exchange the ticket, you'll have to exit the secured trackside area and wander downstairs to the ticket office in order to speak with a "live" agent. There may be a queue so no idea how long that might take? On top of that, you may not sleep as well on the night train as anticipated, you could be tired and ornery. That's not a situation I'd like to endure.

As I mentioned earlier, I'd probably try to buy in advance and get the cheapest Super Economy ticket. If the trains are on-time, you'd be ready to do. If the train is late and you miss your connection, you'll have to buy another ticket. Using the Kiosk at track level will be easier and simpler than going down to the ticket office.

this is the sight for Italian trains www.trenitalia.com There is no 50 minute wait between trains in Cinque Terre. The Cinque Terre express is about every haft an hour from 7 am to 10 pm