Traveling in mid to late June from Venice to Florence to Rome to Naples -from there to our destination in Sorrento. We'll be staying 2 to 3 nights in each city. Should I purchase train tickets now or can I wait to buy them when I'm in Italy? Will the prices rise if I wait too long -- or trains be booked and unable to travel except in very early morning or very late at night? I read about a bus from Naples to Sorrento that may be safer than traveling by train. Does anyone know about the bus and approximately how long it takes to get to Sorrento? Thank you
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32405 posts
Marcia,
All of the routes you'll be travelling use high speed Freccia trains, except of course for the Naples - Sorrento segment.
Although it's a bit "late" to be getting the best deals, there still may be some Super Economy or Economy tickets left. Check the Trenitalia website for details. You can save money with pre-purchase but note that the tickets are specific to train, date and departure time and can ONLY be used on the one train listed on the ticket, so choose carefully. The least expensive tickets are non-refundable and non-changeable. YES, the prices will rise if you wait too long! The highest price tier is Base Fare, which is what you'll pay if you buy tickets on the day of travel. You'll need to know which stations you're using in each city and be sure to use the Italian names for stations when buying tickets.
On some of the routes, you could also look at the competing Italo Treno high speed service but in some cases they use different stations, so may not be as convenient. One that works well is the Venezia S.L. to Firenze SMN route, as Italo uses the same stations as Trenitalia. Check the Italo website for details. On the Firenze SMN to Roma Termini, you'll have to use Trenitalia (unless of course you don't mind using Roma Tiburtina and then taking the Metro to Termini).
There are LOTS of trains every day on those routes, so you won't have to travel early in the morning or late at night. Pick whichever departure time works best for you.
Regarding the trip from Naples to Sorrento, while the Circumvesuviana is somewhat "colourful" and has a bit of a reputation, it's a reasonably safe method of transportation. Just be sure to watch your belongings carefully and wear Money Belts.
Posted by
Wilmington, DE, USA
1075 posts
If you can live on a schedule you can save lots by buying train tickets early - especially on the high speed freccia line. The sooner the better but remember to follow the schedule! Circumvesuviana is safe if you stay alert. The train though is dirty and slow. I took the hydrofoil last year and will probably continue doing that. More expensive but fast and fun. With the elevator in Sorrento getting up the cliff is so much easier!
Posted by
693 posts
If you do decide to catch the ferry from Naples you can book online and in advance at: http://www.alilauro.it/
The site is in Italian but pretty easy to work out.
Posted by
OP
Louisville, KY
14 posts
Thank you all for your advice. We may try the ferry to Sorrento. We'll have carryons and may want to stop at Capri or Ischia--any places we can store luggage? Thanks!
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32405 posts
Marcia,
Taking the Ferry from Naples to Sorrento with stops at Ischia or Capri is going to be an "awkward" solution, and not one that I'd recommend. You'd first have to get from Napoli Centrale to Molo Beverello and I doubt there will be any luggage storage options in the ports at Ischia or Capri.
If you'd rather not use the Circumvesuviana and your budget will allow, you might consider using a car service from Napoli Centrale to Sorrento. One possibility would be the Monetti Taxi listed in the guidebook. That would be a much more relaxing and pleasant trip than by taking the Ferry (IMO).
If you want to see Ischia or Capri, make a full day of it when you can spend more time there.