We are staying in Matera, and then want to get down to Reggio Calabria. I plan on buying a 10 day 2 month rail pass for Italy through Rick Steves and making my reservations on line with the rail pass. I can't get the reservations to come up for this route. I changed it to Metaponto to Calabria, and it still won't let me make reservations. Is it just too early, since my travel date for that train trip is April 24, or is it something else? I am assuming I have to take a bus from Matera to Metaponto to then take a train to Reggio. Does someone have experience on this travel route? After Reggio Calabria we will take the train to Naples on April 27, then north over the next few days to finally end up in Pienza on May 1. It would have let me make train reservations from Calabria to Naples and from Naples to Rome and from Rome to Chiusi, but could not get that first leg. Any advice is appreciated. Staying in Pienza for two months, and will make some trips from there.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32353 posts
ritaoz,
I haven't checked, but the rail system out of Matera may not accept Railpasses as it's a smaller regional line and not associated with Trenitalia. One other point to mention is that on some of the other routes you'll be travelling, you'll be using Freccia trains which require compulsory reservations which are specific to a particular train, date and departure time. Those travelling with Railpasses must pay EXTRA for the reservation fees. DON'T be caught without a valid reservation for the train you're riding on, or you may be fined on the spot (and it's NOT cheap!). Bottom line - a Railpass will probably not be the most cost effective method of getting around Italy.
In terms of the route, I've only done a brief check but this should work.....
- Travel from Matera Centrale to Bari Centrale via Ferrovie Appulo Lucane rail system (trip is about 1H:10M).
- Travel from Bari Centrale to Reggio di Calabria Centrale via Trenitalia (trip varies from about 8H to 15H, depending on which train you connect with).
There may be quicker or shorter rail routes from Matera to Reggio Calabria, but I'd have to spend some time working on it.
The trip from Reggio Calabria to Naples is very straightforward, about 4 to 5 hours direct. You can see the details using the Trenitalia website. The trip from Naples to Rome is also very easy via Freccia high speed train (about 2 hours). The trip from Roma Termini to Chiusi-Chianciano Terme is about 1H:30M, and some trains on that route may be on Regionale trains, which don't require reservations.
Happy travels!
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
I tried doing this route in reverse two years ago, it's not easy. I was going from Tropea to Matera. Ken's advice is probably the least stressful. You can take a train from Potenza to Metaponto amd connect to a bus to Matera, but it might not be any shorter in hours than Ken's suggestion. I missed the last bus to Matera from Metaponto but the barista at the train station found someone to drive me to Matera (less than 50 kilometers) for €40 (by that time it was a bargain).
Posted by
OP
8 posts
Thanks for the suggestions. I understand that there is a bus from Matera to Metaponto, and then a train to Reggio Calabria. I understand what you are saying about the rail pass and the reservations, as I traveled on a rail pass before, and made all my reservations ahead of time. I still think a rail pass will be ok from Reggio Calabria on, since I will be traveling to Naples, Rome, Chiusi and then using it to get around up north while staying in Pienza. It is just this first part of the trip from Bari to Matera to Reggio Calabria that seems difficult. Wish my Italian was better.
Thanks again.
Posted by
Tilburg, Netherlands
2829 posts
@ritaoz: they are doing some heavy work on the tracks south of Metaponto. Moreover, though there is a rail line that goes all the way along the coast to Reggio Calabria, it is very impractical to travel along it as it takes many, many hours on slow trains (not fast trains run there), so you'd need to change trains up to 3 times to get to the "other" coast where faster trains run.
If you are willing to put up with inferior buses, it is better to seek travel options out of Potenza Inferiore, the go via Battipaglia/Salerno. It looks a lot of backtracking but it puts you sooner on the faster trains of the Tyrrhenian railway.