Italy, Train or Plane?

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I am about to buy air tickets on Ryan air from Rome to Venice for $260total for 3 people rt. Leaving Aug 17 to the 20th.

Will taking the train be better or cheaper?

Does anyone have a link for the Trains pricing and times in Italy?

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Frank,

This is the train that my son's school used to travel through Italy. I do not know if there are better choices.....





http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/pa...taly_index.htm

[Bill4728 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Bill4728]

The European travel guru from my area "Rick Steves", says the train may take a little longer but it so easy to get from the downtown to downtown that it's the way to go.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

The fast trains in Italy are really nice. The direct fast trains take about 4 and a half hours and run about every two hours. There are also trains that connect in Bologna. Purchased at the station in Italy, the tickets were reasonable. Make sure you buy a ticket on a train that goes all the way into Santa Lucia station in the old city rather than to Venice Mestre on the mainland.

I don't remember which airport Ryanair flies into, but getting into the city from the airport is also something I would look into. As I recall they use an outlying airport. From the main airport you can take a vaporetto (water bus) into the city.

Although I am generally a fan of Ryan Air, I would probably lean toward the train on this one. The train is city center to city center, and by the time you consider the trips from city to airport on each end, probably has little time difference compared to flying.

The direct fast trains leave Rome at 8:55, 10:55, 12:55, 4:55, 6:55, and 10:55 according to my Cooks European Timetable.

I have generally found that Rail Europe charges more than the stations in Europe. In the Baltics, it was about ten times what a ticket purchased in Europe cost. For continental Europe, including Italy, I have generally bought the ticket after I got there.
One time I used the US office of the Italian railroad. Although their fare was the same as that at the station, they added a service charge to each segment that added up. They also charged significantly more than the fare charged at the station for segments of that trip that were in Slovenia and Croatia, charged me an extra fee for a seat reservation on every segment, including segments where they were not necessary and even on non-reserved trains! The Slovenian railroad had no record of one of my reservations, the seat was taken, and I had to hunt for a seat myself. I would not use that office again!

[Sydney Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close Sydney]

Also, try this site for prices. It's an Italian rail site. Was going to use it for our next Italy trip. So if you do, let me know how it works out.

[Carol C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Carol C]

Train. Or a bitchin' convertible sportscar.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I talked it over with the boss. We felt that since we had a Time share room for the week rather than check out 2 or 3 day's before and lose all that time on the train. We could book the air at a cheaper price and use up a quarter of the time. Instead of Thursday to Sunday, We booked Friday 7 am arrive in Venice at 9:30 am out of Rome. This way we have all of Friday and Saturday there. I needed to pay for one night in a hotel since my TS is a Friday check out. Now I only need to book 2 nights rather than 3. I leave Sunday Morning at 7 am arrive at 9:30 am in Rome and check in to come back to JFK at the same time.

Now my Question, Do I book 2 nights in Venice or 1 night in Venice and 1 night in Florence? It might be easy just to rent a car and drive it back and forth or just use the train and stay in Venice. Or should I just stay in Florance?

[wombat Member Find all posts View Profile Close wombat]

Hi Frank,

I suggest you spend all your time in Venice and leave Florence for another trip. 2-3 full days will be sufficient to see all the major sights in Venice, but you'll probably need 3-5 days or more for Florence (depending on how long you spend in the museums), plus another full day for excursions to Siena and San Gimignano. The train ride between Florence & Venice takes around 3 hours, so a day trip is quite tiring.

[Sandcrab Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sandcrab]

Hi Frank,

This info is 38 yrs old. I was stationed in Brindisi for a year and a half (located on the heel of the boot).

Every guy that came back from Venice...said it stunk and not too romantic. Everyone liked Firenza (Florence) including myself. Pisa close by.

Hope things have changed, but every railway station smelled like underarm sweat and cigar smoke. The latter I know you'll enjoy.

We also rescued many an American and Northern European toursists from the butt pinchers, that seemed to have been a part-time job for Italian males in ages from 16 to 86.

Rome is a a must, Naples, skip unless you have relatives. Saw a Formula I, Grand Prix race at Monza where Jackie Stewart clinched the world driving championship with a last lap pass on a hairpin curve. Ferrari had been struggling with their racing program for years and they had 3 blood red Ferraries entered in that race...with great hopes. They finished about last three. The Wopenese locals roundly booed them.

Other than that, Anisette is every bit as good as OOzo and without the codein...at least back then.

Never did hear how and if your spousal unit enjoyed Hotel on the Cay.

Say hi to the Pope from this BSL (back sliding Lutheran).

When are you going and take notes...may want to revisit.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Well my advice isn't quite 38 years old, but it has been 20+. I MUCH preferred Florence to Venice. I would stay in Florence and not even bother with Venice, but if you really want to see Venice, take a day trip.

If Venice has been magically cleaned up and made more "genuine" rather than "tourist trap," well I hope someone will post some less stale info than mine...

[Sandcrab Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sandcrab]

I think that was an "Amen" to what I said but maybe things have changed...but I doubt it.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

I think that was an "Amen" to what I said but maybe things have changed...but I doubt it.

you got it, and I will likely never bother going back to Venice to found out if/how much it's changed. But in Florence I could spend a long time....

[wombat Member Find all posts View Profile Close wombat]

Hi!

We were last in Italy last year (and going again next year!).

I agree with your posts that Venice is a tourist trap. It feels a bit like like DisneyWorld, with everything catered for tourists and everyone herded into the same footpaths, bridges, squares, Kodak Moment spots etc. Most shops sell just souvenirs and food is awful and overpriced.

I much prefer Florence -- much better food (never had bad food there, but plenty in Rome & esp. Venice), more things to see and has a much more genuine "lived in" city feel.

Still, Venice is a must-see, and should not be missed. Even though you probably won't return for a second visit, at least its ticked off from the "to see" list.

[Sandcrab Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sandcrab]

Avery,

Just saw you had a birthday. Congrats! I got one coming up in about a week but I'm a Gemini Twin. That means I don't know what my "evil twin" is up to and posting on these boards.

[Sandcrab Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sandcrab]

OK Wombat,

Why do you keep going. Food is awful and over-rated, especially in the south. People are extremely rude (worse than New York), especially in the south. Basil, Rosemary, heavy pasta with little sauce get old fast. A trash-can lid full of pasta with a teaspoon of meatsauce doesn't get it for this Nordic. What am I missing?