Hi all I have 2 issues: 1) Trying to book a train from Florence SMN to Venice SL on Thursday 23rd June. Only 1 or 2 trains at bad hours show on TrenItalia, I assume it is still too early? I looked for trains for Thursday 9th June (2 weeks earlier) and there is one almost every hour. Looks like a 2hr train ride for about 43 euro for 2nd class on the Eurostar AV. 2) Trying to book a train from Venice to Rome on Friday June 24th 2011. Only 1 or 2 trains show on TrenItalia at bad hours, I assume it is still too early?
I looked for trains for Friday 10th June (2 weeks earlier) and there is one almost every hour. Looks like a 3.46hr train ride for about 76 euro for 2nd class on the Eurostar AV. * Are these prices the cheapest I will find it? Will they get more expensive closer to the date? Just wondering whether I should be buying it early. * Will more trains be released closer to the 24th June? I assume the train schedule will be the same as the one on the 10th June? My assumption is that TrenItalia is very slow to put up their timetables. * How can RailEurope.com offer the train for the 24th even though they are not on TrenItalia yet? I find RailEurope to be about AUD$20 more after factoring in their booking fees so prefer to use TrenItalia Thanks very much!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23301 posts
Don't believe the summer schedule will be up until about June 12th. The schedule will not differ much from the current schedule. Rail Europe is a travel agency with marked up prices. When the tickets become available the mini fare should be available. You may have to check daily to see when the full schedule is loaded.
Posted by
Gettysburg, PA
1589 posts
Danny, are you really going to Venice for only 24 hours?
Posted by
OP
Sydney
7 posts
Unfortunately yes, plan to in the morning, and depart venice in the evening on the next day Time is limited in our little whirlwind trip =(
Posted by
OP
Sydney
7 posts
So you recommend just checking the TrenItalia website every now and then and buy the tickets when they do become available? Or for peace of mind, go straight to Rail Europe and buy from them?
Posted by
Texan in CA
4407 posts
I would wait for Trenitalia. In theory, those MINI fares are available until the day before travel IF they're still any left...and sometimes there are. That trip b/n Florence and Venice could be €26,00 (and €29,00 b/n Venice and Rome! Yes, the same ES/AV train!)...(FYI - You have to 'selct' AND 'continue' EACH TRAIN to see if there are any MINI fares for THAT particular train...kind of a pain, but...) For Florence - Venice, MINI fares of €39,00 are showing up for 7 days from now, and €26,00 for 14 days from now, so I'd check on them daily or so and purchase tickets ASAP for the best fares possible. They will get more expensive as the good fares get snatched up... *'selct was the only way I could get 'that word' to be spelled out without the post thinking I was formatting...!
Posted by
Ballwin
833 posts
RailEurope will offer it to you, but won't actually sell/send you the ticket with the train for the 24th until the new train schedules officially come out. So yes, wait for TrenItalia. If Venice is definitely worth it to you to go for 24 hours, then do it. I went to Garmisch from Zurich for less than 24 and loved my time. It was tiring traveling so much though. If you're unsure, spend another day in Florence. Florence is a great city, and you take the train to go visit a smaller Tuscan city.