Train travel in Italy

For the high-speed (Frecchia) trains, you may be able to get discounts by buying in advance, but you are then locked in to that particular train - if you miss it, there is no refund. For the Regionale trains, there is no point to buying in advance.

There are three levels of fares in Italy -- Super Economy, Econ, and Base. The SE and E are discount tickets that are limited in actual number per train. Those generally sell out well in advance. They come with restrictions -- no change, no refund. They worth it IF you are absolutely locked into your train schedule. Need to be purchase in advance. The base fare is always available and can be changed if your miss your train. There are no discounts for the Regionale trains -- more like a bus on rails. No seat reservation and never sell out. Purchase the day of travel or maybe the day before. For shorter distances, the time different between a Regrionale train and a high speed may not be that great.+-

https://www.seat61.com/train-travel-in-italy.htm

Official sites

Fast trains and regional trains
Trenitalia
https://www.trenitalia.com/content/tcom/en.html

ItaloTreno
Fast trains only
https://www.italotreno.it/en
Sign up for their newsletter for discount codes

Both have easy to use apps.

We will be coming off a cruise ship at Civi port and need to take the train from there to Rome and then from Rome to Venice. We do not know how long it will take to get off of the ship if doing self debarkation after breakfast and then the time from the port to the Civi train station so not sure what time the train will be to Rome plus the hour or so ride once we are on the train to know which one to book for Rome to Venice. Will there still be room on the train to Venice if we wait to buy once we arrive at Rome Termini? It will be on a weekday in July. Thanks!

Welcome cynbeth-

If you post your question in its own thread you’ll get more specific advice

There are fast trains almost every hour from Rome to Venice on Trenitalia as well as fast trains almost every hour on ItaloTreno
The chances of all or any being sold out are not high

You can download the app and purchase tix once you disembark and have a better idea of timing.

Station names
Roma Termini
Venezia S Lucia

The big hang up will be getting from Civi.... to Rome's Termini. It is basically a one hour (little more or less depending on the train) run to Rome. Three to four trains an hour. The big issue will be buying tickets at the little station in Civi..... It can be a mob scene when the cruise ships unload. So buying a ticket ahead will save time. At any other station time in Italy buy a couple of Regionale tickets for that day or buy on line a Regionale ticket and set you start time at 8 or 9 am. A Regionale ticket purchased on line requires a start time and then is only good for four hours. That way you can get to the station, by pass the mob buying tickets, and take the first "R" train to Rome. Regionale trains do not have reserved seats so you can get on any R train headed to Rome. Once in Termini either hit a ticket window or a machine and buy your ticket to Venice on the next available train.

IF you purchase a Regionale train ticket at another station prior to Civi...., then that ticket will need to be validated (time stamped) in a little box track side. Watch for local doing that. That makes the ticket valid for four hours. Don't forget.

Will there still be room on the train to Venice if we wait to buy once we arrive at Rome Termini? It will be on a weekday in July.

More than likely there will be space on the train. The class of service ie first class vs second class could be an issue of that concerns you.

Will there still be room on the train to Venice if we wait to buy once we arrive at Rome Termini?

Every day from Roma Termini to Venezia There are:

1. Fourteen direct high speed trains run by Trenitalia.
2. Three high speed trains with a change in Bologna, run by Trenitalia
3. that One Intercity train left on that route that departs around 10 PM.
4. Five Regionale trains before 10 AM. These local trains take ages and you must change 3 times to get to Venice, but they can't sell out.
5. Eight direct high speed trains run by Italotreno.

If it wasn't enough, Trenitalia and Italotreno would add more cars and make more money. You'll find a seat, the problem is how much you are going to pay: the walk-up fares are quite expensive. Trenitalia's BASE (i.e. walk-up) high speed trains tickets cost 92 Euro per person on that route. In Standard Class!

Italo may be a little cheaper, check both companies before buying.

Thank you everyone for the help!