My daughter and I are going to Italy this fall. Here is our set itinerary: arrive Rome, 3 nights; train to Florence for 3 nights; train to Pisa, bus to Lucca, train to La Spezia for 2 nights to explore Cinque Terre; train to Venice for 3 nights; train back to Rome, fly home. A three day Italy rail pass at $223 per person would be less than the individual fares ($66 Rome to Florence, $78 La Spezia to Venice, $110 Venice to Rome). Are there reservation issues I have not taken into consideration? What is the most cost effective way to manage this train travel? Thank you for thinking about this. Mary
Posted by
Des Moines, Iowa, US
13 posts
We're planning our own late September trip, too. I've seen some passes that charge an extra fee (up to 10 Euro for each ticket) to get reserved seats (required on high-speed trains). Also, if you can book your tickets in advance on the trenitalia website, the "MINI" fares available (for both first and second class) may give you discounts up to half off. Four of us are traveling from Venice to Florence on a MINI fare (2nd class) for a total of 116 Euro, vs a base rate of 172 Euro. We have two short trips that I'm not even booking ahead (no discount) - Florence to Orvieto and Orvieto to Rome. In general, Italy has some of the best train fares around, so it doesn't always make sense to get a pass.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
Most European rail lines feel that their trains are too good for just a rail pass. This is particularly true in Italy. Expect to pay a €10 ($15) surcharge to ride on most express trains. It looks like you have five legs, potentially €50, about $70. Be sure to factor that in. Also, by purchasing in advance, you can often get fares (Mini) for less than you quoted.