We will be flying from the US to Rome in May and when we land, we want to go to the train station and head to Florence. Can we get a train from the Rome airport to the Rome train station? Since we have no idea what time for a train ticket, is it going to work to get the tickets when we get to the station? We want the "fast" train and I understand that train has reserved seats. (Do we have to validate tickets if they have reserved seats?)
Next we will be taking the train from Florence to Sorrento and then after a few days, Sorrento to Rome. Should be buy our tickets ahead since we are more flexible about times? Any suggestions for us? We have never traveled only by train so we would really appreciate any ideas.
Thanks!
Cindy
Posted by
Green Bay
21151 posts
Easy Peasy. After you've got your luggage, head the the airport train station. Go to the window and tell em you are going to Florence. They will get you tickets for the Leonardo Express train to Rome Termini station where you will change to a Freccia high speed train to Florence S.M.N station. The Freccia seat reservations are included in the ticket price, so you don't validate that one, and the Leonardo Express ticket should be prevalidated because you are using it to make a connection.
You could also buy tickets out of a vending machine, but that is perhaps something more seasoned travels would do. There are also a couple of direct trains to Florence from the airport, but the timing has to be just right in order to get it. Otherwise just go the standard way connecting in Rome.
You might have the option of taking a local train to Tiburtina station and getting the Florence train there. All the Freccia trains going to Florence stop there as well as Termini. It is slightly cheaper because the local train makes stops along the way, but does not go to Termini. Tiburtina station is a little more user friendly than Termini for making connections.
Yes, tickets Florence to Naples and Naples back to Rome should be bought in advance to get cheap nonrefundable tickets. Naples to Sorrento and back is on the Circumvesuviana commuter type trains that you buy at the stations. They are independant of Trenitalia. There is also another train company called Italo Treno that operates high speed trains on the Florence-Rome-Naples corridor. Prices are similar and some people swear by them. (Better than swearing at them:-)
Posted by
OP
San Diego, CA, USA
135 posts
Sam:
Oh thanks so much! That is wonderful information! We figured it was do-able but when we haven't ever done it before, we just weren't sure where to start.
Appreciate your help!
Cindy
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4088 posts
Everyone travelling by train in Europe should look at the volumes of advice on www.seat61.com
Posted by
OP
San Diego, CA, USA
135 posts
Southam:
That is one amazing website! I have bookmarked it so I can refer to it whenever we plan a trip. Thanks for the advice.
Cindy
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16538 posts
There are also a couple of direct trains to Florence from the airport,
but the timing has to be just right in order to get it. Otherwise just
go the standard way connecting in Rome.
Cindy, Sam is absolutely right about timing but if it CAN work for you, the twice-daily direct trains from Fiumicino airport to Florence depart at 11:08 and 15:08. Otherwise, follow his excellent advice for the express train to Rome Termini or local train to Tiburtina to make an onward connection.
Posted by
OP
San Diego, CA, USA
135 posts
Kathy:
We don't arrive to Rome until 3:30pm so neither of those train times work-unfortunately. We are figuring we will just have to buy our tickets to Florence when we get there as we just don't have a clue if we will be on time; customs, etc. Fortunately we have been to the Rome airport before so we are a little familiar.
I have received some excellent information!