Train to Vernazza- need station help

Hi sherry. Yes, the connection in Sestri Levante shown on trenitalia is only one possibility, there are several connection options. For your train from Genova (#665), she is suggesting that you take it to Monterosso (two stops past Sestri Levante), and make your connection to a regional train there. I agree this is a good idea; it will give you an easier / more relaxed connection. Enjoy your trip!

sherry,

What time are you planning to depart from Nice and what time would you prefer to arrive in Vernazza?

I believe the train departs from Nice around 9 am. I hoped to arrive in Vernazza before dark - no specific time. We have already bought our tickets to Sestri Levante so we may not be able to change them now. I thought that once we got to Sestri Levante that we would get a regional train to Vernazza.

sherry,

Thanks for the additional information. I assume that you'll be using a departure from Nice Ville at 09:56, arriving Sestri Levante at 14:42 via IC 665? I would have used a slightly different method but as you've already bought tickets, the one you have will work and will get you to Vernazza before dark.

From Sestri Levante there appears to be a Regionale departure to Vernazza at 14:50 which you could possibly connect with if your previous trains aren't late. The next departure from S.L. appears to be at 15:18, arriving 16:16. That one has a change at Riomaggiore which is strange since you'll go right past Vernazza and then have to backtrack.

In order to buy tickets for the segment from S.Levante to Vernazza, the easiest method would probably be to buy them at a Kiosk when you arrive at Genova Piazza Principe (the process normally only takes a few minutes), since you have a 41 minute layover there. DON'T forget to validate them prior to boarding the train!

If you're travelling with a cell phone, you could always call the apartment owner once you've departed from S. Levante and give her the arrival time of your train.

Ok, I understand now. Thank you. I'm on train 665 but the ticket I bought has me disembarking at Sestri Levante. If I want to continue to Monterosso, instead of getting off at Sestri Levante, is there a way to make this change online? If I wait to buy/change the ticket at the Genova station I'm afraid the train will be full. Thanks, you've been so helpful.

sherry,

At this point, the tickets you have only provide passage as far as Sestri Levante, so you will have to disembark there. I don't know if it's possible to change your tickets online as I've never dealt with that situation. Someone in the group here may have information on whether tickets can be changed after purchase, but I rarely buy tickets online so I'd have to do some research on the topic.

As mentioned in my previous reply, one of the easiest solutions would be to buy tickets from Sestri Levante to Vernazza when you stop at Genova Piazza Principe, since you appear to have a 41 minute layover there. There may be a queue at the ticket office, so just use a Kiosk.

Whether you connect with the 14:50 or the 15:18 departure from Sestri Levante doesn't matter, as both of those trains are Regionale (DON'T forget to validate). Those trains are like a Bus and won't be full but they may have lots of passengers which means you may have to stand for part of the trip (possibly in sweltering conditions). That's the reality when travelling on Regionale trains in Italy and part of the "enjoyment" of Italian rail travel.

That's the way I'd handle the situation, but one of the others may have different suggestions.

How to Look Up Train Schedules Online gives you the DB train schedule link and tips for using it, for instance to get the fastest connections from Nice Ville station to Vernazza. It does not yet have all the regional Italian schedules past June 14, so look at an earlier date to get a good idea of choices. They were talking about eliminating the connection at Ventimiglia this summer, but I have not yet seen evidence of that happening.

Expanding on an earlier suggestion, during your half hour layover between trains in Genoa, either exchange your tickets to Sestri Levanto for ones to Monterosso or just buy Sestri Levanto to Monterosso tickets (€7.50), whichever option is less expensive. If you purchased non-exchangeable Economy tickets online, buying the Sestri Levanto to Monterosso tickets will be your only option. Also buy your Monterosso to Vernazza tickets (€1.80) while in Genoa. With this change, you’ll arrive in Monterosso at 15:02 and can catch the 15:23 train to Vernazza, arriving at 15:27.