For a <span title="Rome-Sorrento-Florence-Venice">Rome-Sorrento-Florence-Ve...</span> plan, does it make sense to buy a 2nd class Eurail pass for 121 euros?

Question

We are a couple from India; we plan to spend 4 days in Rome, then travel by bus to Sorrento, then on to Florence by train after 4 more days and on to Venice by train again after 4 more days. Would include day trips to Capri from Sorrento and Pisa from Florence. We fly to Madrid out of Venice. Thanks!

Answer 1

You&#039;re better off buying point-to-point tickets than a Eurail pass as explained below.

If you&#039;re taking the bus from Rome to Sorrento, the Eurail pass wouldn&#039;t help. For the rest of the trip, the point-to-point tickets depend on the type of train you take.

A Alta Velocità or Eurostar train from Naples to Florence is 58 euro 2nd class for the standard fare. There is also a discount price called Amica (limited availability must be purchased between 1 and 60 days in advance) for 46.40. A similar high speed train between Florence and Venice is 32.30 euro 2nd class. (25.80 euro Amica fare). This part of your trip would cost you between 72.20 euro and 90.30 euro. With a Eurail pass, you will have to pay an additional supplement of 15 euro per train for a Eurostar or 20 euro for the Alta Velocità trains. Even without the extra supplement for the Eurail pass, the individual tickets are cheaper.

You could also take Intercity trains which are a bit slower and cheaper. Using all Intercity trains, the cost would be 46 to 63.50 euro per person depending on whether you could get the Amica fare. Using your Eurail pass, you would have to pay an additional 5 euro per train supplement.

From Sorrento to Naples, you take the Circumvesuviana trains. This is a separate train system from Trenitalia, but the train arrives in Naples at the same station where you need to catch the train to Florence. I don&#039;t believe the Eurail pass is valid on this train; the ticket price is only 3 euro anyway.

There&#039;s a schedule for the Circumvesuviana trains between Naples and Sorrento here:

http://www.sorrentoinfo.com/timetable/lo...

Eurail supplements are shown here: http://www.eurail.com/1_reservations_sup...

Answer 2

You can only buy a 2nd class Eurail pass if you&#039;re under 26.  Otherwise it&#039;s 1st class.  

If you qualify for the 2nd class pass then buy it if it makes you feel more secure.  But rail travel within Italy is relatively cheap.  I&#039;d just buy point-to-point fares.