So, I have spent literally HOURS planning this trip -- searching the tipline, researching websites & guide books, checking times at the various railway websites and now - I am freaking a bit. The way I have planned train times is to look at times during the same day of the week (for ex., to check the schedule for Mon., 6/25 - I checked Mon., 5/5). Now that the trip is closer and I am able to actually search my real dates - there are very limited trains showing up! This is the case for my connections in Italy: Rome-Florence, Florence-Venice. And I haven't even looked into the Amsterdam-Paris line yet. Is it possible that as the dates get closer, they will add more trains? As much as I am freaking about this, I find it very hard to believe that they would have only ONE morning train running from Rome to Florence!! Any advice, suggestions, calming techniques :~) would be so much appreciated...
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
What website are you using? For instance, on Trenitalia.com for 5/5/08, I find plenty of morning trains from "Roma Termini" to "Firenze".
Posted by
San Jose, CA, USA
424 posts
Kim, perhaps Trenitalia (the official Italian Train Site) was in the process of updating their schedules when you were searching for options. This happened to me as I was planning my December trip. It took a week or so for the complete schedule to be added.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
I think Trenitalia updates its schedules as of early to mid June, so don't panic....more will be up there shortly. But don't worry, the changes from the schedules you can access now will probably be minimal. Rome-Florence is almost like New York-Washington in terms of frequency and commuter use, so there will be LOTS of trains to choose from.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
Jeff is back trying to push RailEurope. RailEurope will not show all of the trains available.
Posted by
OP
Oldsmar, FL, USA
33 posts
A bit stressed doesn't quite cut it -- but that's what I have you guys for!! Thank you everyone for your suggestions and the info. I will just keep my fingers crossed, I guess!!
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
Maybe it was RailEurope she was using. I tried to get the schedule from them for May 5, and they only show one train connection leaving from Rome Termini to Venice from 8 AM to noon. Trenitalia, on the other hand, lists 5 connections.
Of course RailEurope only lists the connection for which they sell tickets, and they get a premium price for them. For the 8:50 ES* AV from Rome to Venice, RailEurope charges $94 (€59). The Amica price at the counter, purchased the night before, is €44,90. That's a difference of over $20 - enough to make Kim stressed.
As another example, if you are willing to spend another hour traveling, the Amica fare on the 10:55 IC from Rome is only €30,80, less than $50, compared to $94 for the only train RailEurope shows.
Posted by
OP
Oldsmar, FL, USA
33 posts
You guys are great! I just love this site because I know that I will get responses from people who know what they are taking about and who care...
I was using bahn.de & the Italian rail website to check times. After taking a deep breath and armed with your advice, I took another look -- it seems to me what has happened (I hope this is it!) is that the railway doesn't have their full schedule done through June. I checked Mondays from Rome to Florence and there are a ton of options (and all the same options) through the 2nd week of June; same for Wednesdays from Florence to Venice.
Do you concur with this conclusion??