Hi Fellow Travellers,
I'm hoping someone is having the same issue as I am and can offer some advice. I'm going to be going from Florence to Monterosso for about two weeks in June/July 2018. I am trying to buy tickets on the Trenitalia website and it seems that there are no tickets for my date/itinerary (June 30 - July 11). I was in Monterosso around the same time last year and was able to buy tickets for my dates several months in advance. The only choices I am given are to go from an alternate station in Florence (Campo di Marte) at two very inconvenient times, to La Spezia (and then take the regional train to Monterosso). I'm getting worried because I want to take advantage of the 2 for 1 summer tickets on Saturdays that Trenitalia offers, but it seems like I might not be able to get the tickets I want at all. Has anyone else experienced this issue? Maybe they just aren't selling tickets as far in advance as they did last year?
Thanks you all who can help!
Melissa
Posted by
Portland, Oregon
5687 posts
Hang tight. Trenitalia is late updating their summer schedule. Common problem, several people have reported it. Should be updated by June 10 I believe.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
It's too early to buy regional train tickets past the semi-annual schedule change on June 9. Wait until that passes. Full-fare 2nd-class tickets from Florence to Monterosso only cost about $20 per person, even on the day of travel.
Posted by
Italy
3812 posts
Trenitalia isn't late at all, they are paid to upload the summer schedules of subsidized trains within June 10 and they will do it.
As they have always done since the financing of local services has been appointed to the Regions.
I may add that only non Eurpean tourists know about the summer timetable change of June 10, because they are the only ones that look for trains schedules weeks in advance. 9 italians out of 10 use trains every week and know nothing about this "common problem".
Posted by
OP
Burbank, ca, usa
23 posts
Thank you all for your responses! I feel better now! I was getting concerned because I had to cancel a day off of my original Air BNB reservation (June 29 to spend an extra day in Florence) and wanted to make sure I had transportation to Monterosso on June 30th.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32398 posts
Melissa,
Many of the trains on that route are Regionale, so there's no cost advantage in buying advance tickets. It's just as easy to buy tickets from a Kiosk or ticket office at the time of travel, but remember to validate them before boarding the train on the day of travel or you'll risk hefty fines! Even if one segment of the trip involves an express train (Freccia, Intercity), that's not a long route so there shouldn't be a huge difference in price if you also bought those tickets locally.