Train travel from Cinque Terre (Manarola) to Nice

(... continued from above...) We have a few specific questions: Is the Trenitalia train leaving Riomaggiore probably the best option, or are there other local trains that might not necessarily show up on Trenitalia's schedule that would work as well? If the Trenitalia train is the best one going to Genoa, we'll probably want to disembark at station "Genoa P.P". This station, when searching for our first train on Trenitalia, appears at the top of the list of stations that this train goes to... Does its position at the "top of the list" mean that it's the first stop in Genoa, or the last? Finally, should we proceed with ordering tickets online for each of these trains now, or is it really not necessary? If we order online, will we be able to print out our tickets at home, before we head to Europe? And overall, does this plan look reasonable to you? Thanks very much! ~Geoff and Jennifer

you're too worried about the time. i think if you leave in the morning around 8, it's not a long ride to laspezia? (check my spelling), from there you change a train on the main line that takes you into france. once your in france, the train runs very frequently get you in nice maybe around noon. maybe you have to either change or some wait time in genova but i don't think it's a whoe day deal, half day max.

Hi Geoff. Some of the trains that might work for you don't stop in Manarola, so you may want to consider taking a regional train to Levanto, then 'starting' your journey from there. On the trenitalia site, use Levanto / Ventimiglia and you will see some intercity trains with connection in Genoa. Intercity trains are faster and more comfortable for a journey such as this. For intercity trains, a reservation is required whicy you can buy online if you like, or just buy the day before if you don't want to lock in now - it will only be a small discount to buy in advance. Genoa P.P is the main station in Genoa. Enoy your stay in CT; we will be there a week earlier!

Geoff, For the trip from Manarola to Nice, the best route is north via Genova and not through La Spezia. According to the current schedules for July 23, the best choices for trains depart at 07:24 and 10:19. Which one to choose will depend on how late you want to arrive in the afternoon. I'd probably use the departure at 07:24, arriving Nice Ville at 14:36 (time 7H:12M, two changes at Genova Piazza Principe and Ventimiglia (the change at Ventimiglia is inevitable, as that's the border point). The segment from Genova to Ventimiglia has a compulsory reservation. My suggestion would be to buy tickets when you arrive in Manarola (presumably that will be a day or two before you'll be heading for Nice). I can't recall if the station in Manarola is "full service" but if necessary it's not difficult to pay €1.80 and take the train to Monterosso and visit the ticket office there (I did that on my last visit, when I was staying in Riomaggiore). As you're "new to train travel in Europe", you might find it very helpful to read the "Rail Skills" chapter in Europe Through The Back Door. In the 2011 edition, it's in Chapter 10 on page 101. Check your local Library or larger Book stores. You could also download the free PDF Rail Guide from this website (click the "Railpasses" tab at the top). One point to note is that when travelling on trains with compulsory reservations, you'll be assigned a Car No. (Carrozza) and a Seat No. (Posti). To find your Track No., you're looking for the word Binario. Cheers!

Tim, Good point! I don't usually check departures that early, but that would certainly provide a bit more time for touring in Nice.

It's too bad you don't have time to spend a second night in Nice. If you want to get there as early as possible, leave Manarola at 05:53, connect in Genova and Ventimiglia, and arrive in Nice at 12:06.

Thanks for the replies, everyone! David, Appreciate the feedback, but I haven't found anything that would indicate that the trip could be done in significantly less time than I've already figured. Do you have any tips that might help out? And as Ken mentions, it seems like going north through Genova would be better than detouring south through La Spezia. Bob, Enjoy your trip I know we will! We realize that the train I've listed in the First Leg doesn't stop in Manarola, and that we'll have to make our way to Riomaggiore first (guess I should've added that as the First Leg, actually). Do you think that going to Levanto first would save time, especially considering that we'd still have to change in Genova? Ken, Considering that our day and time for travelling is pretty fixed, is there a reason why we should wait until we arrive in CT to get our tickets, rather than booking now online? Also, could you clarify which schedule you're looking at for those times, as they're slightly different than the schedules I looked at yesterday. Tim,
Yes, more time in any one place in Europe would be great! However, it turned out that our night in Nice was actually a comprise in itself, as our main itinerary was going to take us directly from the Cinque Terre to Provence. Turned out that would've been a very long trek for one day, so we decided to split it up with the one night in Nice (we're renting a car in Nice the next day, then driving to Provence). Thanks again! ~Geoff and Jennifer

The fastest route is Manarola-Genova-Ventimiglia-Nice. Manarola-Genova and Ventimiglia-Nice will be on regional trains for which no reservations are possible and no discount fares are offered. There is no advantage to buying tickets for those legs in advance. Genova-Ventimiglia will be on an IC train for which a seat reservation is required and is included in the price of the ticket. The standard 2nd class fare for that leg is €17. If you book now at trenitalia.com, you can get a Mini fare of €7.

Good luck! I just did a similar route last week in Europe - went in the morning from Nice - Ventimiglia -Genova- Viareggio. The Italian train strike had started and I got stuck in Ventimiglia. The Genova centrale station was mobbed when we finally got there and everybody headed to the window to get their next leg fixed. It was a frustrating mess. So if you can't buy all your tickets online, and the window agent in Italy tells you 'it's too complicated to buy all ', that's a sign that there will be a disruption. No matter if you know the next train time; they put 3 trains' worth on the train from Ventimiglia to Genova and I got to my final destination by taxi around midnight.

Geoff, I prefer to buy tickets a few days prior to travel, rather than buying a long way in advance on the net. With pre-purchased tickets, if you should miss the train (for whatever reason), you've lost them and it complcates travels. Also, plans can change once in Europe, so I don't like to be "locked into" a particular departure time. If buying a few days in advance, that's still adequate time to qualify for the "Mini" fares. I believe I obtained the times from the Trenitalia website. I tried the bahn.de website but it wouldn't provide information for July 23. "and that we'll have to make our way to Riomaggiore first (guess I should've added that as the First Leg" NO, you DON'T have to make your way to Riomaggiore first! If you're staying in Manarola, that's where you'll board the train that will take you to Genova and then Nice. The local train that runs between Genova and La Spezia is the one you'll likely be using to Genova Piazza Principe. The only thing you'll have to do is wait at the station in Manarola at the appointed time. Note that there are two tracks - "per Genova" and "per La Spezia". As long as you're at the correct track, the train will be there at the time I listed above (unless there's a Sciopero.) Cheers!