Buying train tickets in advance?

We've traveled to the major tourist destinations in Italy for several years now and ALWAYS prepurchase those money saving tickets. I don't see the big deal in locking myself into a date if that's my schedule.

Roma Termini
Firenze SMN
Venezia Santa Lucia
Napoli Centrale
Milano Centrale

Those are the major tourist destination cities and the most common train stations in each.

Firenze Santa Maria Novella is the "main" station and closest to the central tourist sites. Firenze Campo di Marte is about a mile east on the other side of town, and should only used if your lodging is located in the neighborhood. If by mistake, you end up there, there are frequent shuttle trains to SMN, or take a taxi or bus.
A few trains stop only at CdM as it is a through station. SMN is a terminal type station and it takes trains just a few minutes more to get in and out of, reversing direction.

You will save significant money booking advance Super Economy Tickets, but they are nonrefundable, so don't miss your train. But if you can score 10 EUR tickets, its no big loss if you do, but then you will have to buy full fare tickets for the next train.

Thanks so much Tim & Sam. That has helped a lot!

Make sure you down load the Italian train station app, it was very useful when we were in Italy and traveling by train. The app gives constant real time arrivals & departures at the major train stations.

Hi, the Super Economy tickets on the Trenitalia site go on sale about 3 months before the date and tend to go quickly. So, set a reminder to be checking 3 months from your trip. For Venice, you will want a hotel on the islands vs. the Venice Mestre area. Santa Lucia is the train station that reaches the islands.

Another advantage of purchasing tickets ahead of time is that there's no need to fumble with money at the train stations which lessens the chance of a pick pocketing incident.

Enjoy your trip! We love Italy!

Quick summary -- often the larger cities will have more than one train station. Therefore the different names you are seeing for the cities is the different train stations. You need to be careful on that one. Often the wikipedia entry for the city will list the different train stations.

Italy train tickets are priced at three levels - Super Economy, Economy, Base. SE is non-refund, no change. SE allows one change and paying the increased fare if there is an increase and no refund. Base is the standard ticket and can be change many times prior to the train leaving the station. A seat reservation is included with any of the above tickets. Your ticket is restricted to a specific date, time, train no., and seat no. Miss it and the ticket is dead.

Regionale trains - the slowest and cheapest - are a little different. The ticket is open seating. No seat. Stand till ones becomes available. Regionale ticket should never be bought on line since there is no discount. Buy in the station or at a ticket machine. The ticket is small piece of cardboard that is good for use on any Regionale train within a 60 day period. When you are ready to go, you stick the ticket in a little blue/yellow/green box near the tracks - watch for locals doing it - and it is validated with a time stamp. The ticket is now good for five hour. Get on the next Regtionale train headed in the direction. In the CT area you will encounter Regionale trains.

Laura,
You've received great advice here!
I must respectfully disagree with part of Frank's response regarding Regionale train tickets.

The ticket is small piece of cardboard that is good for use on any Regionale train within a 60 day period.

Regionale train tickets are no longer valid for 60 days from the date of purchased as they once were.

Frank is absolutely correct regarding the price of Regionale tickets not changing, but you can certainly buy them in advance online or once you arrive to Italy.

Any ticket purchased online is already validated, however, you will need to validate any Regionale tickets purchased at the train station in Italy.

Effective August 1, 2016, regionale tickets are valid for one date only.

Also, Trenitalia and Italo tickets go on sale 120 days in advance, not 90.

Thank you all for your comments. I purchased all of my train tickets on line earlier today, except for the one from the Rome airport to Trastevere. I think we will be ok to purchase that one at the airport.

Is a train the best mode of transportation to get to Trastevere from the airport or would a taxi or a bus be better?

Laura,

"I purchased all of my train tickets on line earlier today, except for the one from the Rome airport to Trastevere."

One important point to note is that there are two trains servicing FCO, the Leonardo Express (which goes to Roma Termini) and the FM/FR-1 (which goes to other stations. Be sure that you board the correct train.

One other thing to mention is that you MUST validate your locally purchased ticket prior to boarding the train or risk hefty fines, which will be collected on the spot. Validating also applies to using Buses, Metro or other forms of public transit. However validating is not necessary on the fast trains, as the tickets are specific to train, date and departure time, so can only be used on the one train listed on the ticket.