Traveling from Rome to Siracusa by rail...

In Italy a rail pass is usually more expensive than point to point tickets. I don't know if you can take the train all the way to siracusa, you may have to take a boat part of the way but I'm not sure. I would just keep checking the trenitalia site. There is a schedule change coming on Dec 12th or so so most of the new schedules haven't been posted. You should be able to find the info you need after that date. Any info on trains eurail gives for March is just a guess on their part. Donna

You don't say how much time you have. Traveling to Sicily from Rome by train and ferry will probably take up to 14 hours. You can get a flight to Catania from Rome and be there in 1-1/2 hrs. You can then take a train or bus to Siracusa. Sicily is beautiful!

I agree that you won't need a rail pass. There are two or three trains a day that go direct from Rome to Siracusa. You probably have to change trains at Villa San Giovanni. (They put the train on a boat to cross the water.) One schedule leaves Rome at 7:39 a.m., arriving Siracusa at 6:40 p.m. Another choice leaves Rome at 11:39 a.m. and arrives 10:30 p.m. The Intercity Night train leaves Rome at 9:20 p.m. and arrives Siracusa at 10:00 a.m. "New schedules" do come out a couple of times a year, but most routes really don't change by more than a few minutes. If you check the times for trains in November, you will get a good idea of what will be available in March.

Will, I make this trip almost every time I go to Italy. Never buy a rail pass in Italy if you can avoid it! Point to point works out much cheaper in Italy. First, if you must make the train trip in one shot (I'd suggest a day in Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, or Paestum), take the fast train from Rome. I almost never take the overnight train, as a safety measure but also because there is some beautiful coastline on this trip. You will not have to take a boat (train cars get loaded onto a ferry) and you will probably end up in Messina, where you'll need to transfer to another train or perhaps a bus to Siracusa (buses are operated by several different companies with varying degrees of comfort). The train from Messina to Siracusa is probably more predictable than the bus. Do you have a hotel in mind for Siracusa?

I am guessing that Will might think that Eurail is a train system. Tranitalian is the national rail and only train system in Italy Eurail is a travel agency selling rail passes. They do not operate any trains. For planning and pricing purposes you can get the schedule by simply plugging in your day of the week travel within the next month. The train schedules change very little from one period to another. At most it is just some time adjustments.

Will, if this is your 1st EU trip, skip this train ride...it's not that neat, and wastes a lot of time. We have done the Naples to Messina part by rail, and did not especially enjoy it. Better to take the train from Rome to Naples...then to Sorrento. Enjoy the Sorrento area (Pompeii, Herculaneum, etc. ), and then take one of the lo-cost inter EU airlines from Naples to Sicily. (use Whichbudget.com to find these airlines), You can also take an overnight ferry from Naples to Sicily from Naples. Spring is the best time to see Sicily. It is just awesome! Pick up a copy of the Lonely Planet guidebook and use it to plan your trip in Sicily.