Travel by train in Italy

Go here (see links below) for answers to this frequently asked question; especially Frank's 2nd reply. Go here http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/32125/bplease-read-before-you-post-how-to-search-for-answersb.htmlthat explains how you can find many more answers to your question than we can post here.Most people on this forum have not been able to get their US credit cards to work on the Trenitalia website, you apparently haven't gotten that far yet, at the end it rejects your card:http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/31936/getting-the-30-discount-on-trenitaliacom.htmlhttp://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/31595/buying-online-tickets-through-trenitalia-website.html

Kent's links above are great. To get the nice Trenitalia discounts, you either have to be there 7 days or better in advance of the travel date or buy the tickets in advance online. Unfortunately, Trenitalia is not accepting American credit cards although it looks like some Mastercard transactions may be getting through.

Aside from the discounts, the routes from Rome to Florence and from Florence to Venice are two of the most highly traveled routes in Italy. Numerous Eurostars on these runs. For example, there are 53 trains a day that run from Rome to Florence. Most are Eurostars with most of those being non-stops. Hard to grasp the enormity of the Italian train system when most of us have rarely been in a real train station in America anytime during our lifetime (NE America excluded). If you can't purchase online, don't worry. You can easily get the tickets there. Yes, you may be out of your comfort level walking into a train station that 480,000 travelers go through a day. Rome Termini looks more like an airport but it's a train station. But, go Italian. You'll be a native after your first ride or two.

Thanks!! Do you find that the train tickets are readily available for the early morning or early evening time if we decide to buy there? Also are the prices online the same as the train station or is it more? I've been they'd be less but I don't know if that's really true.

Jeanette, tickets are readily available. With 3 trains an hour departing Rome, you will easily find a seat or two. The trains all don't run full. You are not late for any train from Rome to Florence; you are simply early for the next one. That's 1,200 seats an hour departing Rome. The fares will be the same as you see at Trenitalia online. Just be sure to go online and look at the train schedules. From the schedules, write down the date, point of departure, destination, train number and departure time. This will help you immensely in just walking up and purchasing a ticket. If you do this at the ticket window, just hand the paper to the agent. He'll book your ticket based on your information. Or, you can walk up to the electronic ticket kiosk and buy your ticket there. There are rows of these kiosks at Rome Termini. The machine will prompt you in English, will make your seat assignments for you and will accept your American credit card. Just purchase when you first arrive. That should be at least a day or three before you depart Rome for Florence. You'll be just fine.

For some great information and pictures about the kiosk described above, CLICK HERE to see how our website friend Ron in Rome does it.

We haven't had to buy Italian train tickets in advance, and have never had a problem. It can be smart to buy your departure tickets for a city upon arrival in that city, a few days in advance, for peace of mind, and always try to avoid the slow, hot, and often delayed local trains...and 2nd class on Italian trains is nearly as good as 1st class.