Train System in Italy-How To Get Around?

Question

While in Italy I will be traveling:

*From Rome --> To Florence

*From Florence --> To Cinque Terre

*From Cinque Terre --> To Venice

I will also be traveling around within the cities.

I am very confused about the rail system in Italy.

-Do I need to reserve a seat in advance?

-Should I buy a 4 day pass in advance?

-Should I just buy the tickets when I get there?

-What is the best website to find the train schedules?

-Is it all just part of one rail system or are there different companies?

-What should the cost/travel time be?

-Any suggestions?

Answer 1

I am also going to Italy soon. I have found this site:

http://www.italiarail.com/tickets/IR/IR....

and

http://www.trenitalia.com/en

the first one seems a bit more user friendly to me.

There seem to be a few different names for the trains, but I don't know if they are different companies, or just different products.

I have also heard that strikes do happen occasionally. Some trains still run, and the strikes only last a day or so.

I plan on buying my tickets ahead, because I've heard you have to reserve a seat on the express trains. In looking at my trip from Rome to Florence, there are some routes that take 1.5 hours and others that take up to 3 hours (stopping more along the way).

Answer 2

http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html is the *official* site, with all the info you may need including last minute offers (and strikes :)  and other news for travelers)

About trains: Locale, Diretto, Regionale stops in all cities and towns, are slow and are used for traveling in the neighborhood.

Interregionale (IR) the same but for longer routes (between two or three regions, generally).

Espresso (E) for very long routes inside the Country, low price.

InterCity (IC and IC plus) is faster, stops in main cities, costs a little more; EuroCity (EC) the same but international.

Eurostar (ES) is faster, stops in big cities only (Milan, Florence, Rome, etc), costs more and booking is mandatory.

Cisalpino  (CIS) is Italian/Swiss; the best choice if you have to trip between Milan and Florence or Milan and Venice, since it's fast as a Eurostar but cost like an InterCity (it's an international train but you can use for traveling inside Italy, there's no limitations).

There are also Night trains: ICN-Intercity Notte, EN-Espresso Notte.

Booking are available for every train but mandatory only for Eurostar or sleeping cars or InterCity plus

It's just advisable for InterCity, Eurocity but HIGHLY advisable for Espresso and Nigh trains, if you want to be sure to find a seat; I know very well because of personal experience!

You can buy any ticket in advance or in the railway station or in some Travel Agency or from home; by choosing ticketless option you will receive a code you have to give to ticket inspector while on board.

For Eurostar, you can buy tickets till three hours after the train departure from the station it's originated from. Anyway you risk not finding seat, if you do so lately. If you book a ES and you can't use that train for some reason, you can ask for a "change of booking", with no further fee.

In Italy Trenitalia cover almost all the Country, Ferrovie Nord are useful if you plan to trip north of Milan (like Como province or nearby) http://www.fnmgroup.it/en/index.htm

International train from and to Italy are listed on Trenitalia website, as well.

Answer 3

www.trenitalia.com is the site.

No need to reserve in advance.

If you want 2 save use the IR (Inter-regionale) rather that ES ( eurostar)