Train travel from Venice to Vernazza

We liked the route via Milan, because if you pick the right trains you won't have to change again until Monterosso. The other route, via Florence, is often faster but has more changes on the way.

The route through Firenze is also only 2 changes and 40 minutes faster

http://www.trenitalia.com/

09:25
Venezia S. Lucia

11:30
Firenze S. M. Novella 02:05 Frecciargento
9415

11:53
Firenze S. M. Novella

14:23
La Spezia Centrale 02:30 Regionale
23357

14:55
La Spezia Centrale

15:12
Vernazza 00:17 Cinque Terre Express
21206

If you can commit to nonrefundable, non-changeable tickets, the 9:25 departure will be the most expensive at 106.40 EUR for 2, The one before it (8:50) going via Milan will be the cheapest at 66.40 EUR.
Because you are traveling on a Saturday, you get 2 for 1 special on the train to Milan, and there are SuperEconomy ticket available for the IC connector to Monterosso, and the Regionale connection is a short trip.
The 9:25 departure to Florence is a Frecciargento and has no 2 for 1 or SuperEconomy tickets left, just Economy tickets and the connections from Florence to Vernazza is with undiscounted Regionale trains.

You can only get these prices if you buy before the discount tickets are all bought. In other words, buy them right now at www.trenitalia.com. Remember, Venice is Venezia S. Lucia.

gary,

I've found that the trip via Florence is usually a bit faster and easier. If you change in Milan, you'll have to time your trip to connect with one of the direct Intercity trains that travels to Monterosso, otherwise there will be numerous changes in Genova or elsewhere. Depending on which train you use from Milan, you may still have to change in Monterosso and take a different train for the final segment to Vernazza. For example, IC-665 which departs Milan at 12:10, arrives in Monterosso at 15:07 and continues to La Spezia. It does NOT stop in Vernazza on the way to La Spezia.

Although the trip via Florence involves a few changes, those are easy and straightforward. The 09:25 departure which was previously mentioned is one of the easiest in terms of changes. If you decide to use that one, the only ticket you'll need to buy in advance is the segment from Venezia S. Lucia to Firenze SMN. The other segments are Regionale, so it's just as easy to buy tickets for those locally, as there are no cost savings for advance purchase (stop at the station in Venice and buy a few days before travel). BE SURE to validate Regionale tickets prior to boarding the train on the day of travel, or you'll risk hefty fines.

You can buy tickets for Italian trains either on the Trenitalia website or at www.captaintrain.com (which is more user friendly).

Plan to be up and out early. As I recall the train station is large and it may take a few minutes to find your train platform. If you aren't staying close to the station, it can easily take over an hour to get there - time waiting for the vaporetto, then the very slow ride.