Pisa to Riomaggiore

Susan:

Here's what we did in September, 2008, going from Pisa Airport to Monetrosso. We purchased our ticket at the railway ticket office in the terminal, then walked to the other end of the terminal, where you will see a train platform. VALDIATE YOUR TICKET AT THE YELLOW BOX. This train will shuttle you to Pisa Centrale. In our case, we took the train from Pisa Centrale to La Spezia Centrale, where we transferred to the local train to Monterosso [which, as I recall, stopped in Riomaggiore]. Nothing to it.

Susan,

The previous post provided a good description of the route you'll need to follow. You should be able to buy a ticket right to Riomaggiore at the Pisa Airport station. DON'T forget to validate!

When will you be travelling to the C.T.? It would be easier to research rail connections with a definite date to work with.

The trip to Riomaggiore will take 1.5 - 2 hours (depending on which train you choose). Coming from the airport, you'll change trains at Pisa Centrale and board the train to La Spezia. When you arrive there, you'll switch to the local Cinque Terre train. Using an "arbitrary date" of 22 Sept., I found a number of trains that you could take. There's one departing Pisa Airport at 13:35 which would get you to Riomaggiore at 15:34.

The trip from La Spezia to Riomaggiore is only about 8-10 minutes, so be ready to disembark at the first stop (even if your car appears to be in a tunnel). When you board the train, watch how others release the door. Sometimes it's necessary to lift up a lever, other times just push a button. Arriving in Riomaggiore, you'll probably have to walk through a Sotto passagio (tunnel) to get to the side of the tracks where the station is located.

When you arrive in Riomaggiore, you may be greeted by the famous Mama Rosa who will try to "corral" you into her Hostel. She doesn't speak much/any English but just point to the tunnel that leads to the town and say "I have reservations". To get to the main part of town, walk past the station building in the small plaza and through the tunnel. At the end of tunnel, turn left and you're on the main street.

Incidentally, there are ATM's in the station plaza (at least two machines as I recall).

As you have to be there by 17:00, I'm assuming you're staying with Mar-Mar Rooms? As I recall, their office is about 50 feet from the end of the tunnel, on the left (hopefully that hasn't changed?).

Hope this helps.

Happy travels!

Thanks for all your help! I am arriving on Sept.24, and yes I am staying with MarMar, so I'm a little nervous about delays (plane, train). Any suggestions if there is a "train strike"?

Susan,

I had a brief look at the Strikes during that period, and as far as I could determine you should be clear on 24 September.

There was a listing of a strike for Trenitalia-Liguria (Regionale) for 26 Sept. from 21:00 to 20:59 on the 27th. That could possibly affect the Cinque Terre if you happened to be departing that day?

If you do encounter a strike, I'm not sure what to suggest - perhaps the Bus?

Cheers!

Ken,
Thanks for the heads up. I am actually leaving Cinque Terre on the morning of the 27th to go to Florence, so I'll try to scope out any options just in case.
Any ideas, anyone???