Travel in Italy

No Europass Buy your tickets over there Stay away from a rental car
Don't know about the overnight from Naples, but it is far to assume that it goes via Rome. Rome to Venice is about 3.5 hours. No need to overnight.

Bob has nailed it. I would suggest doing it exactly as he has.

Michael, As Bob stated, travel by train is the best method. It will be faster and more efficient than travel by car. To answer each of your questions: > I wouldn't bother with a Railpass in Italy, especially if you'll only be taking a few trips. One point to consider with Railpasses is that these don't include reservation fees that are compulsory on some trains, so you'd need to pay "out of pocket" for those. Reservations are included with P-P tickets if required. > I'd recommend buying tickets in Italy, either at staffed ticket windows in the stations, or from the automated Kiosks (you'll need a credit card). If you know the date and time you'll be traveling, purchase tickets a day or two before each rail journey. > If you buy your tickets in Italy, I doubt that "refunds" will be a concern. > NO, there's no advantage to renting a car and in fact having a rental car can add other problems. For example, you'll need a compulsory International Driver's Permit to drive in Italy; travel by Car will be appreciably slower than by "fast" train; having a Map or GPS is highly advisable if using rental cars; you'd need to be aware of ZTL zones and other issues so that you avoid expensive fines if driving in some cities. > For travel from Naples to Venice, I'd suggest travel during the day so you can enjoy the scenery, especially through Tuscany. Using the EuroStar Italia / Alta Velocita, the trip is about 5.5 hours with one change at Roma Termini. You'll likely be using Napoli Centrale and Venezia Santa Lucia as your departure and arrival stations. If you haven't travelled by rail in Europe, I would highly recommend reading the "Rail Skills" chapter in Europe Through The Back Door. Congratulations and Happy Travels!

Thanks everybody! you've been very helpful!

Congratulations to you and your bride. I completely agree with the previous posters. I drive to Italy most years because I drive my own car from England. I can read Italian and I know where I'm going. Even so, my wife hates me driving south of Tuscany. I get into the mindset and go with it, but as RS has said (paraphrased - sorry Rick) the southern Italians have the lane discipline of an avalanche of rocks. I love it, but even I, distainful of large ZTL fines and not liking dented hardware tend not to drive in cities.....

Michael, you've been given great advice, I'd only add one thing. Train tickets are also available at any travel agent. Many dont charge fees--those that do, only charge a small amount. Lineups at the ticket counters at train stations can be long and frustrating, so getting tickets at a local travel agent, many times will save you time and hassle.

A little different perspective. We drove a leased car through Italy from the Brenner pass, through Verona, Venice, Florence, Tuscany, CT then down to Rome where we dropped the car. Driving can be great in areas like Tuscany where train service is limited to many great destinations. Driving requires a GPS (road signs are almost non-existant), a careful eye to avoid expensive tickets for driving in limited traffic zones (such as downtown Florence), and an ability to quickly adapt to the local driving style. If everything you want to visit is accessable by train. I agree about taking the train. Typically passes aren't the best deal. Unless you travel really long legs, point to point is cheaper. When I take the train, I'll typically do point to point tickets, second class, without reservations. I normally travel outside the busiest seasons and haven't had problems getting where I want to go. For high season, you may want to consider reservations. Get advice from people with experience on using reservations.

Michael, We took our two kids over last year. We used trains exclusively except for one day trip out of Florence when we did rent. There is no reason to rent a car if you're staying in big cities. If you've got an out of the way destination in mind, rent the car and the GPS. I agree with the person who said get your point to point train tickets at an agent (some hotels can do it) if it's possible as the lines can be long and the process confusing at the station, BUT we bought at the station each time and somehow managed with a VERY limited ability in Italian. It was part of the adventure.. Enjoy!

"Lineups at the ticket counters at train stations can be long and frustrating, so getting tickets at a local travel agent, many times will save you time and hassle." The lines can be long, depending on the station and time of day. The Veloce machines are easy enough and never crowded. A suggestion: Identify your desired trains and times before you go and type them out with date, train number, departure and arrival times. (You can research this in English online.) If you need help from a ticket agent, most speak enough English to help you especially if you have this information ready for them in writing. There are often discounts you can only get if you buy from Trenitalia, not a ticket agent, so watch the website for things like "Promo Autunno" or "Meno 15/Meno 30." We were there for 3 weeks, so on day 2 we bought our tickets for 15 days later, saving 30% (Meno 30). The Italian ticket agent was surprised to hear an American tourist ask for the fare discount. My research and limited Italian paid off to the tune fo 68 euros! Congratulations and have a wonderful trip!