Best way to travel through Italy? Venice-Florence-Rome

If you don't already have your plane tickets, it would easiest/quickest to fly into Venice and out of Rome.

If you already have your trans-Atlantic plane tickets and you can get a low cost flight from FCO to Venice, that's probably the second quickest/cheapest approach. Search skyscanner.com for low cost flights. The earlier you book, the cheaper the tickets will be, but be VERY careful to observe all the rules when booking and traveling on a low-cost carrier. Any special services that you buy at the airport will be very expensive (much more expensive than if you buy them ahead, via the internet).

Trains within Italy are the fastest way to get between the major cities that interest you. And again, if you purchase well ahead of time, you can get the tickets very cheaply.

However, keep in mind that advance purchase train or air tickets are non-refundable and non-changeable.

"This is our first visit to Italy, so we really don't know what to expect."

You should, as soon as possible, get hold of a copy of Rick Steves Italy (at this stage, it doesn't matter if it's the very most current edition). This will not only help answer your questions, but will tell you about things you didn't even think to ask. For your actual trip, you'll not only want the 2016 edition, but you'll want to check the guidebook updates: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/guidebook-updates

For getting between the cities you listed (Venice, Florence, Rome), the train is not only the best way, it's the only sensible way. If you can plan in advance, you can buy non-refundable and non-exchangeable train tickets for a substantial discount. If you need full flexibility, you can wait until you get to Italy to buy train tickets (they aren't crazy expensive even at the last minute). Note that for fast trains in Italy, which these routes are, your ticket is specific to that train only. In other words if your ticket is for the 9:20 AM train from Florence to Rome on June 15, you can't take the 9 AM or the 9:40 AM trains, and you can't take the 9:20 on June 14 or 16 (hypothetical times, but you get the idea).

Sherry is right about the flights. If you haven't booked them yet, fly into Venice and out of Rome. This will save time and money by not requiring backtracking. If you are stuck with flying into Rome, you'll want to take a train from the airport to Rome, then a train from Rome to Venice. This is easy, and cheaper than a separate air ticket from Rome to Venice (not to mention that Venice's train station is central, while it takes a while to get to Venice proper from the airport). This train ticket is one you don't want to buy in advance, since you don't know how long immigration will take (customs is a walk-through, but immigration can be 30 minutes or 2 hours).

Just to give you an idea of the train times, it is 3 hours and 45 minutes from Rome to Venice. You walk out of the station with your luggage and you are standing on the Grand Canal. The airport is on the mainland and after they unload the luggage, you have to decide on the ways to get into Venice, either by bus, Alilaguna water bus, or expensive water taxi. Both of the latter require a walk of 600 yds with your luggage to get to the boat docks. It will take more than 1 hour from landing to when you first set foot on Venice.
Venice to Florence is 2 hours and 5 minutes. Florence to Rome is just over 1 1/2 hours.
Schedules ticket purchases at www.trenitalia.com. Normally you can buy them on-line 120 days out. Because you are going in June, keep in mind that the schedules are reset twice a year, the second weekend of June is one of them. So the schedule might be out until 60 days or so before then.
It takes about 1 hour and 8 to 17 minutes to get from Rome to the cruise terminal at Civitavecchi. These trains go every half hour and cost only 5 euro and you can take any one as they are unreserved local trains.
What time do you need to be at the boat to board? Take that into your scheduling.
Think about how much luggage you are taking as you will need to carry it everywhere.

I'll agree with the folks suggesting that you minimize the backtracking if you can. If you still need to book flights, In addition to Venice, you may want to check Milan. It's a larger airport than Venice, with more flights and potentially lower costs. As I recall, It's about a two hour train ride between Milan and Venice.

For lots of good information on trains in Europe in general, and Italy in particular, check out the web site "The Man in Seat Sixty-One". http://seat61.com/

Thanks everybody for your responses.

I already booked the flight from Vegas to Rome using my skymiles (90,000 miles + $700 roundtrip for two, pretty sweet deal) the price to fly into Milan or Venice was way more. I realize there will be some back tracking, but I am hoping the train rides will be somewhat scenic? The links to those different websites for train information were very helpful so thank you. It looks like there is a train leaving from the airport in Rome to Venice about 50 minutes after our plane lands for only 27 Euro. Though that may be cutting it close on time? I wont be able to book anything until February, so I have plenty of time to plan. I will be buying Rick Steves Italy 2016 when it comes out in November. But wanted to get as much info as I can before then.

Thank you again everyone for your help.

jeff,

With such a very short time frame, I'd recommend using high speed trains as much as possible to minimize travel times. One important point to note is that those trains have compulsory seat reservations which are specific to train, date and departure time. The tickets can ONLY be used on the one train listed on the ticket, and if you board another train by mistake, you'll be subject to hefty fines which will be collected on the spot!

With such a short time frame, you might consider skipping Venice this time and limiting your stay to only Florence and Rome. Each change of location will have a cost in both time and money, and each change will require at least half a day.

Regarding the train that leaves 50 minutes after your flight lands, I can just about guarantee that you won't be able to make that departure. Most here (including myself) do NOT recommend buying a rail ticket to connect with an inbound flight, as if you miss the train, your ticket is worthless and you'll have to buy another at full price. If you could indicate your flight arrival time, it would be easier to suggest the best train options.

One other point to mention regarding trains is that if you're travelling on a Regionale (which doesn't require reservations), you MUST validate your ticket prior to boarding on the day of travel or again, hefty fines! An example of a Regionale train is the Leonardo Express from FCO to Roma Termini. The same applies to travel on Metro, Buses, etc.

Here is my cheap-skate advice, do Florence first. It is too risky to buy an advance ticket from Rome airport to Venice in advance. You don't know your flight will be on time and you don't know how long (30 minutes to 2 hours) to get through passport control. Just buy the first connection available after you clear customs and get to the airport train station. That way you will only be paying for a full fare to Florence. The base fare is 43 euro 2nd class from Rome to Florence per person. Trenitalia is suggesting taking the local train to Tiburtina station for 8 euro (don't forget to validate the ticket) then connecting there to a fast reserved train to Florence. Then the other legs, Florence to Venice and Venice to Rome can be bought in advance to get the Super Economy tickets with the deep discounts. These are nonrefundable, but you will be there and should not have any difficulty making the trains.

I would not book a train that leaves just 50 minutes after your flight is scheduled to arrive---that is not enough time. Even if your flight lands on schedule, it takes time to get off the plane, possibly go through passport control ( depending on where you are coming from) and navigate the airport.

And the chance of the plane being delayed is pretty high. We are in Italy now with family and ---maybe just a run of bad luck----but our group is 3/3 on delayed arrivals. Our daughter and our niece (flying separately on different airlines) each experienced a late departure from the US which caused them to miss the connecting flight to Italy. Each arrived 4-5 hours later than scheduled. And our own flight into London, while departing on time, was late for arrival as the gate ramp would not connect to our plane and they had to bring up the stairs for de-planing. That took a good 30 minutes extra.

Those discounted train tickets from the airport to Venice look tempting, but it is hard to get the timing right.

Her is another idea.
This is based on that you are going on a cruise and assuming you might have a little more luggage than you would need for just a few days in Venice and Florence. And assuming you will be staying in the same Rome Hotel after your cruise. The less luggage you have to take with you on the train the happier you will be.

When you arrive in Rome spend at least one night in Rome for Jet lag recovery purposes. Then perhaps work out with your hotel a way for you to leave some of your luggage in storage and carry only what you need for a few days of train travel.
Then take an early morning train to Venice for X number of nights and then train to Florence for a few more days/nights. The morning your ship departs train back to Rome pick up you luggage and then head to the ship. (Or the night before you get on the ship spend the night in your Rome hotel and pick up you luggage.)

Advance purchase of train tickets can be really cheap. I got a Rome to Venice trainitalia ticket for 9 Euro a couple of years ago.

Also many of the regulars on this site would suggest to pick either Venice or Florence and spend all of your extra days really seeing that city.

"Assume you will return" to be able to see the other city.

My final thought is two spend your first two nights in Rome, then take a morning train to Venice (or if you prefer Florence) on the third day arriving in Venice around noon. Spend three nights in Venice then in the late afternoon on the day before the ship sails take a train back to Rome for the night. Plus the morning your ship leaves (probably 6PM or later) you have another morning to see another Rome sight before really needing to head to the port .

If it were me, I would just stay in Rome the whole time. There is so much to see and do in Rome and the surrounding areas. You can easily spend 2 weeks in Rome.

I find it a bit confusing when people talk about the number of days they have on the trip. Do you have 6 days or 6 nights on land? I always count the nights i stay in hotels and deduct travel time. When I do that i find that my actual number of days are usually less than i thought.

For example, if you arrive in Rome and spend 4 nights, you really only have 3 days. The arrival day is probably short depending upon time of arrival, you need to get from airport and check in and grab dinner. You will be jet lagged. Then you only have 3 full days to enjoy Rome and surrounding areas. . On your 4th day you need to pack, check out, get to the cruise ship, check in on the ship, explore the boat which is fun if you are new to cruising and then stuff your face at the buffet on your first day.

I found our 7 day med cruise to be exhausting. Every day a new port. Get up early, breakfast, go on a full day shore excursion, rush back to ship, shower, big dinner, show, crash in bed and repeat.

After you return from your cruise, if you have 2 nights, you really only have 1 full day. You arrive at port, travel to to hotel, check in etc, get a meal, you may have an evening but many attractions may be closed in the evening. You have one full day, spend the night and then you are packing, checking out and going to the airport the next day.

Adding in Florence and Venice will involve more travel time and checking in and out. Assuming that my number of nights is correct, you will only have about 1 full day in each city once you factor in the logistics of travel. Maybe you are more energetic (most probable) and more organized (doubtful) than me. You may be able to pack in some extra attraction or site on the travel day, but it will be rushed and you find it hard to relax.