Trenitalia

read my posting:

http://slowtalk.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/862600685/m/226106825

http://slowtalk.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/862600685/m/226106825

BEWARE: The new Trenitalia schedules are being posted over the next couple of days. SOME of the schedules shown today are INCORRECT (e.g. Milano to Venice routed via Bologna). Many others are INCOMPLETE (no IC, few ES trains shown). Be patient and check back periodically until the new schedules are FULLY uploaded.

BREAKING NEWS (from the Trenitalia website, NOT yet translated into English):

Beginning December 13, 2009, Trenitalia will revamp and significantly tighten the rules and restrictions for discounted promotional fares. Here is a brief summary of the new rules:

1. The "AMICA" fare for ES-City, IC, ICN and EXP trains will be eliminated.

2. All long-distance trains (including those previously eligible for the "AMICA" fare) will be eligible for a 15% and a 30% discount, if the ticket is purchased at least 7 and 15 days in advance. Seats at these fares will be capacity controlled and limited according to travel date, departure time, and fare class (first or second class).

3. RESERVATION CHANGES will be allowed, free of charge, ONCE ONLY up to 24 hours BEFORE train departure time, ONLY for a LATER train departure, and ONLY if discounted seats are available on the substitute train. Otherwise, the travellers must try to get a TICKET EXCHANGE (see below). Reservation changes can be made online, at manned ticket windows at rail stations, at automated ticket kiosks, via the telephone call center in Italy, and at authorized travel agencies in Italy. NO Reservation Changes allowed if you MISS YOUR TRAIN!!!
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1. TICKET EXCHANGES will be allowed ONCE ONLY up to 24 hours BEFORE train departure, ONLY for a later train departure, by paying the DIFFERENCE IN PRICE between the "full fare" ticket for the new train and the discounted fare held. Ticket exchanges can be done ONLY in person and NOT via the website or by telephone. No Ticket Exchanges allowed if you MISS YOUR TRAIN.

2. TICKET REFUNDS will be allowed up to 24 hours BEFORE train departure, with a penalty of 20% (but no refund if amount to be refunded is 10 Euros or less). Refunds are processed at manned ticket windows at rail station, or at authorized travel agencies in Italy which actually sold the ticket. No ticket refunds allowed if you MISS YOUR TRAIN.

3. "HOP ON" PRIVILEGES (without a reservation change): will be allowed, for substitute trains of the same or different category, which depart UP TO ONE HOUR BEFORE and ONE HOUR AFTER the scheduled departure time of the train reserved, by paying the DIFFERENCE IN FARE (in case higher), PLUS a "fee" of 8 Euros. "HOP ON" passengers MUST FLAG a ticket agent on board the new train as soon as they board. No refund is given if the difference in fare is less than what was paid for the original ticket. Ticketless passengers (holding electronic tickets) may NOT "HOP ON" a "regionale" or an "international" (e.g. EC, ECN) train. The "HOP-ON" privilege is useful if you've MISSED YOUR TRAIN (and consequently can't request a reservation change or a ticket exchange).

NOTE: This replaces the previous 3-hour "grace period" to "hop on" a later departing train.

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COMMENT: The rules have changed significantly. What we "learned" previously must now be forgotten, and the new rules must be learned. In particular, discounted tickets will require a longer advance purchase, and the restrictions have become significantly more onerous.

Several other promotional fares will also be offered, some limited to specified timeframes.

www.ferroviedellostato.it

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/...CM1000003f16f90aRCRD (Italian only)

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/...CM1000003f16f90aRCRD (Italian only)

Here are current travel times and 2nd class fares for Rome-Florence:

1hr39min on EuroStar Italia trains for €39.90.

2hr49min on IC trains for €26.50.

3hr42min on regional trains for €16.10.

UPDATE: Trenitalia has just uploaded the new schedules (effective 12/13/2009) for all ES-City trains in Italy. This includes the very important Milan/Venice corridor, the Turin/Genoa/Rome corridor, and the Turin/Milan/Bari/Lecce corridor.

You will note that virtually all trains between Milan and Venice will be ES-City trains. No more "regular" ES trains, and we'll know next week whether there will be any more "regionale" trains on this corridor. ES-City trains will run every 30-60 minutes throughout the day.

The "base" fare for the ES-City train between Milan and Venice will be 30.50 Euros (increased from 27.60 Euros), but 15% and 30% discounts will be available with advance purchases of at least 7 and 15 days, respectively.

The final updating of the Trenitalia website should occur next week.

The ES-City train will typically have eight second class railcars with 72 seats each (4 across), and two first class railcars with 52 seats each (3 across), for a total of 680 seats. There will be no restaurant car, but many convoys will have the snack/beverage rolling cart service for people who need that can of Coke, package of crackers, or shot of espresso. There will be special racks for heavy luggage, and of course no smoking anywhere on the train, plus air conditioned railcars.

For the 2.5 hour trip between Milan and Venice, second class will be fine for most travellers. First class will nevertheless be available for a 12-Euro surcharge (40% increase over second class).

The Trenitalia website has added a message informing the the new schedules effective 12/13/2009 will be COMPLETELY uploaded tommorrow, December 4.