7 minutes enough to change trains? Trenitalia okay take next train if miss?

Hi Peter. 1. La Spezia station is small; 7 minutes is enough. BUT: 2. No, the regional trains are often late. 3. Depends on the type of ticket you have and the situation, but it will likely be a hassle.
Summary: If it were me, I would definitely NOT go with this plan. If this is a 6:51am train and you are set on it, I would stay in La Spezia the night before. Enjoy your trip!

3. It will not be a hassle but will take some time. If you miss your connection because the regional train is late you will need to go to a ticket window and get a new ticket/reservation for the next train. You used to have 90 minutes to do that but someone posted that the time has been reduced to 60 minutes. Do not know that for a fact. The type of ticket makes no difference IF trenitalia is at fault. BUT, you cannot just get on a train requiring reservations without having a reservation.

The next train to Rome after the 6:51 is at 7:39, so it's within an hour. So, I'm guessing if it's late it's Trenitalia's fault and therefore there wouldn't be a financial cost but only a time cost as we'd arrive in Rome two hours later since it's a slower train and less direct train. Seems maybe worth the risk. Pete

(To get to La Spezia earlier would entail leaving Monterosso at 4:56 instead of 6:20... definitely painful!)

Try convincing Trenitalia that it's their fault if you miss the 6:51 to Rome because the regional train is late. I don't think they are responsible. If you have a mini fare on that Frecciabiance the rules apply, no matter if you miss it because the connecting train was late. The morning regional trains in the CT area are less likely to be running late than later trains. However, starting at Monterosso, you will be stopping at each station, so there could be delays if people aren't quick about loading and unloading. Or maybe at that hour there won't be anyone else around and it's not an issue.

The only way you can get Trenitalia to show that 6:20 regional train from Monterosso is to put in La Spezia Centrale as the destination. If you put in Monterosso to Roma, starting at 5:00 am or 6:00 am, it won't show it; they show the first train possible as a later one, after 9. If you put in 4:00 as your start time, it will show the 4:56 regional train as the only one connecting to the 6:51 Frecciabianca. I would take this as a strong indication they don't want you to try that 7 minute connection from the 6:20 regionale train.

Lola, I don't think so. Lines connecting the Cinque Terre with other big cities are minor for the Italian market. It is not like a major route, despite its popularity on Helpline. I'd take the 7:32 train to Roma.

In my experience, the Regionale trains never leave early. I think if you are taking the Regionale, there is no reservation option so tickets are good for a block of time rather than a specific train (as is the case with first-class reserved seats).

The early trains in the CT are few. Frequent trains during the day but not early in the morning. There are only two trains from Monterosso to La Spezia Centrale that will get you there in time for your train to Rome. You would like the second train instead of the first train that departs Monterosso at 04:56 and arrives La Spezia Centrale at 05:22. A couple of thoughts. 1) If your second train is ontime, you can make this transfer. 2) The early trains are usually on-time. The operative word here is "usually". If your second train is late, you won't make it. 3) If this were Switzerland, you'd be OK but it's Italy. 4)If you have a mini-fare on the high-speed, you're locked into that specific train. Your ticket is non-refundable. I don't know if it's non-exchangable as well. I wouldn't chance it. So you have to arrive at La Spezia Centrale 90 minutes early. There's a McDonalds in the train station with two expresso machines. We've gone through what you are facing only we were going to Venice. Have breakfast and take along a sandwhich for your longer trip to Rome.

I can't speak for Trenitalia. Afterall, they are Italians. However, I can assure you that in German, if you miss a designated express train, at least one shown on a Savings Fare ticket, because the preceding train (also shown on the ticket) is late, they will honor the ticket and put you on the next available express train. It says this in the AGB and it actually happened to me a few years ago.

Lee, it sounds like you are talking about two express trains on a single ticket. That is not the situation here. Trenitalia will not even show that 7 minute connection if you ask for a booking from Monterosso to Rome. They have you take the earlier regional train, the 4:56, to catch that 6:51 to Rome. ( Bahn.de does not show that 7 minute connection either). So the only way to buy it is two separate tickets. Mini fare tickets can be exchanged, but only up to midnight the day before travel. So if you miss the train it is too late to exchange. And if one tries to argue that it is the fault of Trenitalia because the prior train was late, I can just picture the dismissive " so what?" shrug in response.

That doesn't match our experience which is the only thing I can report. Went to the ticket agent, he popped up something on his screen said something about "tardy" and cut us another ticket for the next train without a question. Will that happen every time? Have no idea. While it is funny to rip on the Italian way, we generally find the Italians in these situations to be very helpful.

Frank, was that a discount ticket with restrictions on exchange? I was actually speaking from experience with Trenitalia employees on the shrug, not "ripping on" anyone. It was not exchanging a ticket for a later train, it was finding our carriage on the train we boarded. We had reserved first-class seats in Car 1. We and many others walked the length of the train and could not find Car 1. So we boarded and my husband asked the conductor for help in finding our car and seats. He just shrugged and said "Numero Uno non c'e!" And then he turned and walked away before we could ask where we supposed to sit. Apart from that, and one very late and very crowded train going into Cinque Terre, we had very good experiences with Trenitalia, both the trains and the ticket agents. But I would not expect them to overturn their published fare rules for a discount ticket just because I chose to try a connecting train that their schedule does not show as a connecting train, and that train was late.