Trenitalia

Lisa, Are you going to La Spezia for any special reason or just taking the train to La Spezia from Rome to get to Florence? I asked myself why doesn't she go from Rome to Florence direct..
I can't answer your question about Trenitalia but I know Tim will be on shortly with a posting.

They can't be bought online because they are regional trains. Don't worry. It's very easy to buy tickets there.

It means that you can't buy those tickets online at this time. Up until recently, Trenitalia has been notorius for not showing a shopping cart for runs involving a regional train. Trains from Florence to La Spezia Centrale are primarily regionale trains/ICPlus trains. You get the big NO. I've been able to beat the system a bit for pricing by placing a date about 5 days out into the window. For example, I can now see the shopping cart for these trains by putting in March 26. But, I'm betting that that isn't the date you want.

Trenitalia is now permitting many regional tickets to be purchased online. Be very cautious in buying regional train tickets this way. They are so easy to buy when you get to Italy. No seat reservations permitted. Don't thik for a minute that the trains are full to La Spezia. They are not. Besides, if no seats, you can stand on the regional train. It's like the MAX (Portland's rapid transit). The ticket is an open ticket good for 60 days or for 6 hours after validation.

Purchasing a regional ticket online with Trentialia is a whole different story. It looks like you have to specify a firm departure date and that the ticket is not changeable or refundable. Bummer. CLICK HERE to read the rules for purchasing regional tickets online. I just read these new rules. I don't like them.

Do you purchase your MAX tickets online each time before you travel? Nope. You just show up, put a bit of money in the ticket machine and off you go. Same with the regional trains in Italy.

Listen to Larry! He's the man for train travel in Italy--along with Ron in Rome--and speaks from personal experience. What I know about Trenitalia comes solely from online research.

Thanks!! This is what I thought, but it is nice to hear from those with firsthand experience :)

I am going to La Spezia from Rome to get to Cinque Terre and then on to Florence after a few days there.

Lisa, I'm reading your question a bit closer. Above, I was discussing why you get the NO on Trenitalia and focusing on the regional train part of the run from Florence to La Spezia.

If I go to Trenitalia and put in Rome to Monterosso on April 1, I can see the runs and I see the shopping carts. These runs from Rome primarily go west to the Mediteranean coast and then north through Livorno and Pisa to La Spezia Centrale where you change trains for the local train into the CT. You can buy these tickets. CLICK HERE to see the runs that I see. I don't see a ticketless option on these purchases. I do see self-service option. With self-service, you will get an email with a booking code (PNR). You will also see a pick to enter your first and last name. Self-service means you go to the electronic machines in the station (Rome has them) and enter your first and last name and the booking code. BTW, just below the self-service option, you will see a link that says "For further information (only Italian version)". If you are in the English version of Trenitalia, this further information will be in English.