Train Ticket Help

Jeff, it's a lot easier over there than you think. Trains don't often run full. Very low probability of a full train until you get to the Cinque Terre where they are full but they are locals with no seat reservations possible. You can cram the train there. Here's the scoop. First, it looks like you will be arriving in Rome FCO. Go to train station at Terminal 3 and you can buy all of your Italy tickets there including the one for the Leonardo Express into Rome Termini. I don't think Italy agents will sell you the Munich/Paris ticket. You won't believe how frequent the trains are in Italy. Next, buying all of your Italy tickets early is great but it will lock you in to specific departure dates and times so make sure that your travel schedule is solid. For your overnight train from Munich to Paris, the overnight trains do fill up. Right now, you can go to www.bahn.de (Germain train website) and book your tickets). You'll want the City Nightline train departing at 22:43. I can see the run for 9/23 and they are already posting "check for availability" which means they could be sold out. You can purchase online and print at home. Being the last part of your trip, you might get lucky.

There are four EuroCity trains from Verona to Munich. One even starts in Venice (at 13:34). You can book any of these trains on the German Rail website and print the tickets out at home. Some of these trains have Europa-Special (non-refundable) ticket as low as €39 pP. For three of the trains, you would still have to buy tickets to Verona in Venice, but there are lots of choices. As for the Munich-Paris night train, there are still places available (depending on date) for next week, but you can't count on them still being available when you get to Europe (if you are going first to Rome, you could probably book from there). It looks like for a full fare ticket, the Bahn will only mail tickets for this train, but if you select a non-refundable discount ticket, you can print it at home. However, there are a lot of ICE/TGV day trains taking about 6 hrs and you can book these trains online at the Bahn and print the tickets. As for your travel in Italy, trains rarely sell out and if they do, there are lots of trains a day. You should be able to find one with seats, particularly if you get all of your tickets in Rome when you arrive. Other than that, in the future, don't depend on RailEurope.

Larry and Lee Unbelievably helpful information that will be put to good use. Thank you very much for your kind help! Jeff

Just to make it clear. Rail Europe is basically a travel agency that sells limited tickets at marked up prices (have to make their money somewhere) to North Americans. They are convenient but not a good source of information for prices or schedules. You need to find a friend to print your tickets especially for the night train. Advance reservations for night train is critical. Night trains are about the only trains that sell out. Day trains rarely if ever sell out.

'You need to find a friend to print your tickets" Raileurope only has the print at home tickets for French and Spanish Rail tickets.

Jeff, just to add to the good info already given - it's easy to buy tickets online and print immediately if desired; for a couple of your trips (Rome - La Spezia and Florence - Venice) it may make sense. Use trenitalia.com. The main reason to buy in advance is possible savings. e.g. Rome to La Spezia Sept 13 at 12:10, buy online now for 25E (mini price) per person, if you wait, you will likely pay the base price of 49E. Up to you whether the savings are worth it; just wanted you to be aware of the option. (p.s. any train listed as a regional train (e.g. la spezia to ct) is not practical to buy online; don't try. Enjoy your trip!

" they are already posting "check for availability"" "Check availability" means nothing. The Bahn always says "check availability" for night trains, because they have so many options. Some accommodations might be at a higher price and some still at the starting price.

I have several times taken the night train from Venice to Munich HBF. It departs about 2200 and arrives between 0600 and 0700.