When can i book italian trains

If you want to book the thello train, you can book through the thello website. Or you can book italian train journeys nationwide on the italiarail website. Reserved seats for italian trains, clarification rick. We didnt know this our first time, and the nice italian couple sitting across from us even offered a bit of their picnic. Can you bring your own food on board trains in italy. Remember that all tickets are named so, at the time of booking, make sure your name, surname and date of birth are accurate and match with your id. Do i need to book train switzerland to italy in advance. Want the whole inside scoop on traveling italy by train. The book is well organized, easy to read and understand, and full of good advice. From personal experience, she knows that there are few things more satisfying as a. Jul, 2016 rail is one of the most popular ways for travellers to get around europe but ive often heard them bemoan the fact that fares are expensive. Italian frecciarossa train travel tips from rail europe. No need to wake up in the middle of the night, nobody gets tickets so early.

Train travel is a convenient form of transportation when vacationing in italy, especially when moving between major cities, where using a car would be a nightmare for visitors not familiar with the maze of meandering alleyways, oneway streets and traffic restricted zones. This book has alleviated my fears involved in the process of making reservations, etc. Train travel in italy with a eurail pass eurail blog. For the first week, we are going to concentrate on practical tips on how to save money while travelling, starting off with a simple guide to italian trains. The cheapest fares are the first to sell out on a limited number of seats and will typically go on sale about 180 days in advance of travel for italy. On captain train people from outside italy can compare prices and timetables for the two main operators trenitalia and italo, and buy all italian tickets at the original price including the discounts for advance purchase, without any transaction fee. Go to the trenitalia website to look at schedules and fares.

Train travel in italy, a beginners guide tickets from 9. Train tickets europe travel by train rail europe train. So you can book now for may and the price range is similar on all three of your italian routes. Thanks to their new features, they can contribute to a 30% reduction in energy consumption. How to buy train tickets for journeys in and to from italy. Best way to buy train tickets italy forum tripadvisor. You can book the following trains through the rail planner app. The italian railway system is one of the most important parts of the infrastructure of italy, with a total length of 24,227 km 15,054 mi of which active lines are 16,723 km.

Travelers can admire the beautiful scenery of the country as they pass through cities, mountains, countryside, lakes or by the sea. You can either book, and pay for, your ticket online, or, if youre feeling a little more spontaneous, wait. Rail is one of the most popular ways for travellers to get around europe but ive often heard them bemoan the fact that fares are expensive. Italiarail italy train ticket and rail pass experts.

Reservations can be made directly at a train station or by using the city to city. A simple guide to italian trains the crowded planet. Italiarail is a train ticketing site that is 100% in english. Italy rail passes must be purchased before you get to europe, within six months from the date you plan to validate it. This site uses proprietary or thirdparty profiling cookies to send online advertising with your preferences.

If you want to book your reservations in advance you can book them through the reservation selfservice. Booking trains for austria and italy rick steves travel forum. From florence to rome, consider the regional train. How to buy italian train tickets before you leave home tripsavvy. They are sometimes considered highspeed trains but are hampered by frequent stops. How can i buy tickets for italian trains before i go to italy. At the minute depending on the departure hour for each train, italian time. European trains seldom get full so youll have no problem getting a place, the only issue is getting the cheapest price as most european longdistance train fares have dynamic pricing. Intercity trains are comfortable trains the take you between major and intermediate cities in italy. The network has recently grown with the construction of the new highspeed rail network. Long a fixture on british trains, the standard class quiet carriage is now being unveiled in italy. Buying train tickets in italy the 2019 guide the hotel expert.

There are a few different names for regional trains in italy theyre usually identified by the r or reg on train schedules, but you can also find other abbreviations, including ir interregionale, d direct or e express. A new month is upon us, and for may we wanted to bring you something different. Dec 15, 2019 should we book in advance, or will we be able to secure tickets on the day we want to travel. Mention that you will travel with a eurail pass, so that you only pay the reservation fee and not the full fare. Even without these deals, kids ages 3 and under travel free on italian trains. In actual fact, if you can book your european train tickets well in advance, fares are likely to be less expensive than you think. The cost is only a little more, it can be more convenient if you find yourself near a travel agency while youre sightseeing, there are no crowds, and the language barrier can be smaller than at. Will our tickets have the exact seat number printed on our rail tickets. She has a bachelor of arts in italian language and culture from smith college. You can book major intercity fast trains up to 90 days ahead for good discounts, but you are locked in to a specific service on a specific date. Lines can be busy during evenings cet and at weekends, so you may have to wait a while to get through. Trying to figure out how to buy train tickets in italy in italian can be overwhelming if you are not fluent. Italy may look like a small country when compared to the rest of the planet, but getting around can still be a challenge if you arent prepared to deal with the vagaries of the italian rail system.

How far ahead do we need to reserve trains in italy. Book your italy train tickets online with us and find out everything you need to know about travelling in italy by train. The italian train network is one of the best ways to travel to and around italy. Percentagewise, the deepest discounts can save more than 50%. Dec 14, 2019 long a fixture on british trains, the standard class quiet carriage is now being unveiled in italy. Trenitalias frecciarossa and frecciarossa trains are some of the fastest trains in italy and can reach speeds of up to 300 kmh 186 mph and 400 kmh 248 mph respectively. You dont have to validate your ticket because it is only valid for the date and time you specify, unlike a regional train where you can use your ticket within a limited timeframe. Regionale is a service category that identifies trains in italy which operate within the same region or between neighbouring regions. Traveling italy by train means you can get everywhere, from the ancient relics of pompeii to the spectacular tuscan coastline. Italy is a member of the international union of railways uic. Opt for offpeak trains when you have to travel short notice. Regional trains take you to many smaller towns, linking them to stations that have highspeed services. So whilst it pays to book ahead to get the cheapest fares, it doesnt pay to be too impatient, you can t book before reservations open, but nor can anyone else.

You can buy train tickets and make seat reservations at major travel agencies in italian city centers, reserving several key trains at one stop. You must have your rail pass validated within six months of purchase by a railway official at a train station. Travelers can admire the beautiful scenery of the country as they. Rock trains are trenitalias new regional trains built by hitachi rail italy. And even though that is the english version, you still need to search on the italian station names so firenze rather than florence, for example. I will be traveling by train from rome to florence on september 21st, and by train from florence to venice on september 24th. Theres no better way to see the cities of italy than by train, trains link just about every town or city of any size, centre to centre. Travelers to italy often ask when they can buy their italian train tickets in advance of their trip to italy, or whether they even need to buy them ahead of their train travel date. The regionale trains from florence to pisa have no reserved seats. We are a fully licenced partner of trenitalia and make the whole process fast and efficient. You can buy your train tickets roughly 2 months ahead of when youll need them, and can even book them the day before your train trip.

Italy rail passes and train tips from rick steves rick steves europe. Trenitalia only shows a couple of hoursworth of trains at a time and can only book up to 5 people at a time. The big difference between first and second class on italian trains is the level of chaos. Hi hannah, thanks for your question, and have a great time in italy.

If youre looking for the cheapest possible ticket between a and b especially if a and b are in the same country this is the way to go. Hi all travelling from grindelwald to verona on 28 september 3 people. We always try to book seats where we can keep an eye on the luggage storage. Sleeper prices are generally lower in italy, scandinavia and eastern europe. Tickets can be booked up to 120 days in advance and are issued in a paper format, to be shown to train staff once you board. Europe booking trains in italy should i book in advance. Get the lowest prices by booking early and dont wait until the last minute as cheaper seats sell the fastest. How to ride italian trains video wandering italy video. You can get tickets and seat reservations 120 days in advance of your journey. Prices vary according to the class of service, time of travel and how far in advance you book. Book as early as you can, but you can get these cheap rates even a couple of weeks ahead, depending on the day of the week and month youre travelling. Can anyone tell me how far in advance i can purchase the tickets. Hi folks, travelling to italy for 3 weeks in july with 4 friends, expecting to take 6 train trips in total. Booking trains for austria and italy rick steves travel.

How to book trains in europe by rail expert the man in. Tickitaly offers train tickets between selected italian cities on the comfortable and fast freccia arrow train services read on for more information or simply complete the form below to purchase your tickets. Have looked up trains grindelwald to milan depart 07. With a eurail pass and comfortable italian trains, the entire country is within your reach. Russian trains previously opened 45 days ahead but rzd have now extended this to 60 or in some cases 90. Trenitalias train schedules and fares are typically only released between 90120 days in advance, so its not a good idea to solidify travel plans before that pointthe timetable can change seasonally.

Luggage space on italian trains fodors travel talk forums. On newer trains such as le frecce and italo services, the toilets are similar to what you would find on an airplane, with running water, soap and hand towels. Wherever you want to go, you can rely on cheaper train tickets with no booking fees. How to buy train tickets in italy an american in rome. Youll save money avoiding the reservation fee, follow a more scenic route, and have the option of stopping off at one of these three outstanding stopoffs. Sep 12, 2014 most eurail pass users follow the popular routes through italy. Check prices of or buy a eurail italy pass through rail europe. Italian international trains travel tips from rail europe.

Bear in mind that regionale tickets not purchased via internet can be used on any. Trains in italy the fastest and best value routes omio. Theyre commuter trains that can reach speeds of up to 160 kmh and accommodate about 600 people, just like a metro train. The best way to book travel through italy usa today. Leaving italy isnt easy, but trenitalia international trains can at least make sure your departure is as efficient, comfortable, and stylish as italy itself. When booking tickets for trains in italy using the services omio has to offer, travelers can effortlessly plan their trips. Its selling point is that its designed to make it simpler for tourists to book italian train tickets and one advantage over the trenitlia website is that it uses the english names of cities and towns in italy. Theyre usually much more basic and wont be as well looked after. How to buy italian train tickets before you leave home. It shows a full days trains in the search results not just an hour or two like other train booking sites, it can book up to 20 people at a time. Only a few years ago i wrote a post on this topic and the advice was that you usually dont benefit from buying european train tickets in advance, and now the advice has reversed. Italys fast trains are called le frecce, italian for the arrows. Book italy train tickets online with italiarail the italian train travel specialists.

Second class on italian fast trains is actually quite nice, as you can see from this photo. I usually can fit my suitcase above the seat though. The short version of the story is that nearly all european countries now price their intercity train fares similar to how budget airlines operate. For domestic italian trains they have a ticketless system where you book online and simply quote your booking reference on board the train, other. Travel with our frecce trains, at high speed, departing and arriving from the center of the main cities. How soon should i be booking my train tickets or can i wait until i arrive in rome before i book the the.

With omio travelers will be able to see which trains better fit their need, for example depending on price and travel time, as well as see whether the train is highspeed or regional. Now, with select italy, you can purchase italy train tickets right on our website, which gives you the chance to pay. Eurail pass holders have to pay an additional fee for these reservations. Should we book in advance, or will we be able to secure tickets on the day we want to travel. As mentioned above, right now its temporarily impossible to make reservations for italian trains through the trenitalia website. The trenitalia and italo trains technically offer food in a designated car or pushcart, but whether the pusher of the cart is feeling sprightly enough to push it all the way to your car is a toss up in the air. The answers depend on the type of tickets and each type of italian train. Discover the many treasures of rome and florence, go shopping in milan and explore the canals of venice by gondola. We can help you choose the best ticket for all the major european train operators right here and if you see a ticket you want, and the price is right, you can book it and, in most cases, we will honour the fare for 48 hours. If youre planning a trip to italy and plan to travel by rail, you may wish to buy your train tickets in advance. Whats the best website to book italian trains italy. Rick steves book states the train platforms are marked where 1st and 2nd class cars will be located upon arrival. Advance tickets can be an especially smart buy for popular highspeed trains such as frances tgv trains and italys le frecce trains, which frequently sell out.

So, we have purchased 2nd class reserved seats for 5 different trains during our first trip to europe. May 05, 2014 a new month is upon us, and for may we wanted to bring you something different. Get even more advice on italian trains in my fulllength guidebooks for italy. Frecciarossa tickets are open for booking 120 days ahead. Have a look at our top point to point cities below and see if any of them catch your eye. Train rides can be long, and unless you have a designated layover time, there isnt time to exit for a bite to eat during stops. You can hop on and off the majority of local and regional trains in the countries covered by your pass, but a good rule of thumb is that reservations are usually required on premium trains including. Trenitalia are increasing this to 180 days in early 2018. I highly recommend it to others who plan to travel by train in italy. You can buy passholder seat reservations at train stations and major travel agencies, reserving several key trains in one visit. Answer yes, italian trains are very easy to use, but remember to validate. But, as you can see, this photo is of an empty train and the older slow trains are not as nice but they often dont have first class. Please note that the db booking center can t book thalys and tgv trains.

I am preparing for an upcoming firsttime trip to italy, which will involve much train travel. Call it a travel book, cultural anthropology, or memoir its more than a little of each italian ways off and on the rails from milan to palermo belongs on every first time travelers to italy reading list, particularly if the trip involves train travel. Europe do i need to book train switzerland to italy in advance. You can compare fast and slow trains or filter them out completely if you dont want to worry about accidentally. Hi, i am a bit confused whether i should book my train tickets in advance for my travel in italy. Trainpal book your train tickets quickly and easily to your destination in the uk and italy.

Discounts are often available on fast trains for advance purchases, sameday return, or for groups of three or more. How far in advance can i book european train tickets. Italia rail reservations and supplements italiarail. Can italians be persuaded to speak sotto voce on the train. While you can usually buy italian train tickets right at the station in italy, its often more convenient to buy them ahead of time. The short version of the story is that nearly all european countries now price their intercity train fares similar to. Tickets for frecce trains, the highspeed trains that run between italys major cities, can usually be bought within four months of your travel date. Italiarail shows a whole days trains in the search results and can book up to 20 people at a time.