trains in Italy

With such a large travel party, a large car will be probably less expensive than trains. However, if you are only planning to stay in Firenze and Roma (not travelling to the countryside), the car would be idling for most of the time. Toddlers (don't recall up to what age) can travel for free if not occupying a set on trains. I would do the following: - rent a car in Napoli to travel withing the Amalfi Coast (where lack of car is dreadful to enjoy the trip) - use trains elsewhere (Firenze-Roma-Napoli).

Carolyn, You didn't say where you'd be travelling to on the Amalfi Coast, but generally speaking travel by train would be a better option. If you buy tickets several days before travel, you may be able to qualify for the "Mini" or other discounted fares. Travel by train will be the quickest method. Travel from Rome to Florence would definitely be better by train, as the trip is only 1H:35M via EuroStar Italia / Alta Velocita. Note that your departure station is Roma Termini and your arrival station is Firenze SMN (reservations compulsory). While rental cars can be useful in some situations, especially in Italy these come with some "complications".... > For a party that size, you'd need to rent a larger vehicle which would be on the higher end of the price scale. > EACH driver must have the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. Failure to produce an IDP if requested can result in fines on the spot! > Cost of CDW / Insurance can be high. > Cost of fuel is also fairly steep. > You would need to be familiar with ZTL zones in order to avoid the high fines that occur when driving through these. > A GPS along with a good Map would also be a good idea. > You may find it interesting to read the comments on driving in Italy on Ron's excellent website. Of course, travellers can also be fined when riding on trains and Buses, so it would be a good idea to have a look at the Guidebook so that you're aware of how to avoid that. When are you planning to take this trip? Good luck with your planning!

I am not a big fan of the car recommendation unless you are staying outside of big city areas and using rural B &Bs, farm houses, etc. Four adults and two toddlers with the associated luggage - car seats ? - you will need a van. You will need to manage your luggage carefully but for those locations a train is best. Trains are frequent, comfortable, and, with a little advance planning, cheap.

If you are willing to travel on the trains (except for Amalfi Coast), children under 3 ride free as long as they don't occupy a seat. However, if there is an open seat, nobody complains if a toddler is placed there. Second, you can ride quite cheaply on the trains if you are willing to ride the Regionale trains. The fares are about 1/2 those of the high-speeds but they often take twice as long as the high-speeds. Both types of trains ride on the same tracks. The high-speeds are faster and are often non-stops. For example, the high-speed from Rome to Florence (about 55 runs a day) takes 1hr35min and costs 45Eu. These are generally non-stops. The mini-fare for this ride is 41Eu (not really the best deal for a restricted ticket). Alternatively, you can ride the IC train for 30Eu (Mini-Fare 24Eu) but the journey time is about 3hrs. The IC train makes more stops. Third, you will face about the same choices, fares and journey times from Naples to Rome on the train. Fourth, between Sorrento and Naples, you only have the private Circumvesuviana train. It's a local train. Time for the run is about 1hr20min and the fare is about 4Eu. Very cheap. Fifth, on the Amalfi coast, there are no trains. Buses and taxis only. If you are planning on lots of movement on the Amalfi Coast, you might consider a rental car there. But, be forewarned. Driving on the highway there is a nightmare and parking is tough.

If you do consider a rental car for the Amalfi Coast, you might consider renting in Rome and returning in Florence. You could knock out some high train fares. You'll need to crunch some numbers here to see if it works. One more "Do Not Do". Do not drive in Florence. Most of the entire historical area is a Zona Traffico Limitado (ZTL). They get you with cameras. Very expensive tickets. As an interesting alternative, you could turn your car in in Siena and take the bus into Florence (an 80 minute ride on a nice bus).

Thank you so much for the information. I have to start hunkering down on the details this weekend and have a feeling I'm going to be using this site a lot.