Italian rail: book here online or once we get there?

Question

i am going to be travelling italy in a month and i have decided that it will be best to use teh train to get from rome to la spezia, la spezia to florence and then florence to venice. my main concern is about the tickets. should i purchase them online before i go or just wait till i get to italy and get them there? is there a difference is cost? are italian trains a safe and reliable mode of transport? if u have other suggestions about how to get from each place let me know. thanks, e :)

Answer 1

If you want to take the train thinking it's the cheapest option, it's not always the case. Last time I was there I caught the train from Turin to Rome and on the way back the plane as it was cheaper. There are always lots of special going on and sometimes it is really more convenient.  Sometimes the do have train tickets in special but you usually need to book them in advance.  Being Easter it might be a bit harder

Answer 2

Most of the time you don't need to have tickets in advance. However, if you're going to be here during the weeks on either side of Easter, you should make reservations. Easter is a very heavily travelled period and reservations are mandatory on some trains that don't normally require them. There is not a difference in cost. The trains are safe and usually reliable. I live in northern Italy and use the trains extensively to travel.