Rome to Venice- Train or Plane?

[TIdoubleGR]

Hi Everyone-

 

Been doing a little bit of searching, trying to find the right balance of reliability and cost effectiveness. In my effort to find transportation from Rome to Venice in order to hop on our cruise, I've found a couple of Alitalia flights round trip for about $120/person, meaning both of us could get from Rome to Venice and back to Rome again for about $240 total. The fares I found were through wegolo dot com (anyone ever use them? Any good?)

 

On the other hand, the romantic in me likes the idea of taking the train from Rome to Venice. Through RailEurope.com, we can both get to Venice and back to Rome for about $395 total. I've tried booking through trenitalia but my credit card (like many others) has been turned down. Just not sure if it's worth the extra cost/effort to take the train or not.

 

Any tips, experiences one way or another would be very much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[cruisemom42]

Don't book through RailEurope; their prices are much more than you need to pay. I prefer taking the train, I find planes eat up a lot more than the actual flight time.

 

If you are spending any time in Rome before you travel on to Venice, I really suggest you just wait until you arrive there to purchase your train tickets.

[euro cruiser]

It's not clear from your post if you would be flying on to Venice immediately after arriving in Rome, or if you will have been in Rome for a day or more.

 

If it's the former, I'd fly on and not change transport modes. If you're going to spend some time in Rome, I'd take the train and buy my tickets in Italy a day or so before the trip.

 

The Trenitalia site is infamous for refusing non-Italian credit cards. Sometimes people get it to work, but more often than not, it doesn't.

 

Maybe you can split the difference, and fly on to Venice the day you arrive in Italy, then take the train back on your return.

[Tiggertastic]

Sometimes worth looking at the prices on railkey.com

[CathyCruises]

I'm not sure when you are going, but I just saw tickets from Termini to Mestre for as low as 42 euros/pp; 73 euros for the faster train. 2nd class is fine; you don't get much benefit from 1st that I have ever seen.

[TIdoubleGR]

It's not clear from your post if you would be flying on to Venice immediately after arriving in Rome, or if you will have been in Rome for a day or more.

 

My apologies for not being clearer- we will be spending a couple days in Rome (July 27-28th) prior to heading to Venice (July 29th), and then a couple days in Venice prior to the cruise (July 29-30th), departing on July 31. My only concern with waiting to get the train tickets is that I heard it's hard to get a reservation from late July through August without purchasing a few weeks in advance. Do you think it's still possible to wait and get tickets once we've flown into Rome?

[euro cruiser]

It's pretty rare to get shut out, especially on a route like Rome to Venice that runs every hour.

 

Now, around August 15th is a problem, because it's a big holiday, but other than major holidays you should have no problem buying them once you are in Rome.

 

You can purchase them at any train station, or at any travel agent with the Trenitalia logo in their window (which is just about every one).

[CRUISELDP]

I would book ahead of time by calling or emailing the hotel you are staying at in Rome. They can arrange to book the train tickets for you so you are assured seats. We did this on our last trip to Rome and we loved taking the train. We booked first class tickets, trains were clean, they served coffee, drinks and a light lunch. It was very relaxing.

 

Just remember when you get to the train station in Rome you have to punch your tickets in this tiny non-descript box before boarding the train...and it seemed not one person at the train station spoke english nor knew what we were looking for. The boxes are located on columns right before the platform. I'm sure your hotel will stress this to you also when you pick up your tickets.

[euro cruiser]

To each his/her own, but I've traveled both first and second class on this route (although not on the newest train cars), and I can't see paying a third more (99 Euro vs. 73) for a slightly larger seat and free coffee and a cookie.

 

Also, on a train with a seat reservation like this, you do not need to punch your tickets. That's a requirement for the regional train tickets that do not have a specific train time and seat printed on them.

[CRUISELDP]

Well...four months ago we did have to punch our tickets before boarding the train. And as you said to each his/her own. I love the more comfortable seat and the service. Everyone should always do what they want and I was just trying to give some advise to a fellow traveler. No reason for you to get offended by it....

[cruisemom42]

Here is a good link that explains a lot of the basics on train travel within Italy:

 

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/trains/tickets.htm

 

 

CRUISELDP: No one is offended, it's just that it is important to give out correct information for travelers. I assume you also traveled from Rome to Venice? If you traveled to Civitavecchia on a regional train, then yes you must validate your tickets. But from Rome to Venice on a ticket with a reserved seat, you do not have to validate them. Please see the link below under the section, "How to Validate Your Tickets," the paragraph starting "Not all tickets require validation....."

 

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/trains/station.htm

[CRUISELDP]

No I read the posting and understood the question asked.....I did not travel regionally. Thank you I have no further input on this matter.

[euro cruiser]

Wow, there's no need to be offended. It's just possible that your information is incorrect.

 

From the Trenitalia web site:

 

Tickets validity

 

National trains

 

The tickets are all sold with place reservation and are valid for the day and the train booked. Booking changes are allowed according to the formalities applied by the type of ticket.

 

Regional trains

 

Regional train tickets are valid for up to two months from the date of purchase. There are no time-use limits for distance-validity tickets or the self-adhesive voucher tickets.

Remember to validate your ticket before boarding. After validation, the time validity starts depending on the journey length. You must validate all parts of self-adhesive voucher tickets.

Regional tickets bought online are valid for 4 hours and do not need to be validated.

 

You can read it all here: http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e15046621a396210VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD#5

[CRUISELDP]

Dear TIdoubleGR, whether you fly or take the train either way you will be in beautiful Venice. If you take the train (whether or not you have to validate your ticket at the station) it was a relaxing ride and gave us time to re-coop before starting on our new adventure. Enjoy and we have friends that we met that own a restaurant in Venice "Osteria Oliva Nero" Isabella and Dino.

 

Wonderful food, and great people. I believe they have a website as reservations are recommended. Have a great time in Rome and Venice.

[CRUISELDP]

Possible it is incorrect, just telling what I was advised by the hotel numerous times and what I did when I went to the station. No need to send me info as I have been to Italy numerous times. Either way validate or not I enjoyed the train ride, and validation of the ticket still got me on the train!

[euro cruiser]

You are correct, there is no harm in validating a ticket that does not require it to be done. Oftentimes it's easier to simply tell people to validate all tickets, rather than explain which ones require it and which do not.

 

The additional information is not provided necessarily for your benefit, but for others who read these boards looking for help.

[Podie]

I have flown on Easy Jet for just $39 each way but will be taking the train from Venice to Rome next month. Our plane was delayed and even though it's only a 50 minute flight, the hassle isn't worth it. I'm looking forward to the 3:34 train ride.

 

Yesterday I booked the tickets on Trenitalia and got the 30% off price. I could not use my credit card but you can also choose to pick the tickets up in Italy within 24 hours. Luckily I was able to get my daughter, who is in the Army in Italy, to do that for me.

 

So theoretically you could reserve them the day before if you're concerned.

[scottbee]

Hi Everyone-

 

Been doing a little bit of searching, trying to find the right balance of reliability and cost effectiveness. In my effort to find transportation from Rome to Venice in order to hop on our cruise, I've found a couple of Alitalia flights round trip for about $120/person, meaning both of us could get from Rome to Venice and back to Rome again for about $240 total. The fares I found were through wegolo dot com (anyone ever use them? Any good?)

 

On the other hand, the romantic in me likes the idea of taking the train from Rome to Venice. Through RailEurope.com, we can both get to Venice and back to Rome for about $395 total. I've tried booking through trenitalia but my credit card (like many others) has been turned down. Just not sure if it's worth the extra cost/effort to take the train or not.

 

Any tips, experiences one way or another would be very much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

Train tickets shouldn't be anywhere near that price. As for trenitalia turning down the creditcard, I know they have issues with AMEX, and some people say either visa or mc can also be a problem, so just try VISA if your MC was turned down (or vice-versa)

 

Also, if you fly, you don't go from Rome , you go from Fumicino another 15€ and 30 minutes from Rome, so factor in the airport transfers, whereas most european rail stations are in the middle of downtown.

[euro cruiser]

Train tickets shouldn't be anywhere near that price.

The range is from 170 Euro (42,50 one way, times four, second class on slowest train) to 396 Euro (99,00 one way, times four, first class on fastest train).

 

Using $1.25 USD to the Euro, that makes the range $212 - $495.

 

Second class on the fast train, which is probably the most popular alternative, would be $365 (73,00 one way, times four, at $1.25/1 Euro).

[euro cruiser]

The extra $30 in the Rail Europe fare, vs. the second class high speed train fare, is likely their ticketing fee.

[TIdoubleGR]

Well I'm convinced to go by train- truth be told, I was convinced before, but just a bit intimidated by this whole train ticket situation. The websites were much appreciated!

 

Ugh- I really wish I could book through trenitalia directly now -- they are offering a 19 Euro/person/trip special right now! We could travel second class, round trip, for about $100 total for both me and my husband! Are there any travel agents out there who might be able to help??? ;) Or any idea which credit card will work? Maybe I'll apply for a new card to use during the trip and then can use it for purchasing the train tickets...

[euro cruiser]

Some folks over on the Slowtrav site are reporting success purchasing tickets through the Trenitalia web site, maybe their experiences will help: http://slowtalk.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/862600685/m/303005190001

[ItalianGuest]

Here are some information from Trenitalia.it:

 

1)

With Frecciarossa e Frecciargento starting from 19 euro!

 

 

Only 19 euros (Speciale 19Euro) or 39 euros (SfrecciaPrima) in 2nd class and 69 euros in 1st class to travel :

 

from Roma to: Milano, Venezia, Padova, Torino, Verona, Brescia, Bolzano, Udine, Paola, Lamezia Terme, Villa San Giovanni and Reggio Calabria

 

 

How and when you can purchase the deal

 

The deal is available for journeys until 30/09/10 and you can buy the ticket 30 days before your train's departure, online in the ticketless way only on this website, contacting the Call Center (fee paying number), or in the travel agencies.

The seats are limited and depend on week's day, trains and class chosen. You cannot add the deal to any other reduction including the one for children.

 

2)

meno15 and meno30 offers

The offer allows for the reduction of about 30% (meno30="less 30")meno30="less 30") if bought at least 15 days before and and about 15% (meno15="less 15") when bought at least 7 days before and is valid for travel in both 1st and 2nd class. You cannot add the benefits of the discount on to other reductions, including the one applied to children. They are also subject to the minimum fares on trains used.

The offer has limited seats availability, the numbers of which vary depending on the day, train and class.

Trains you can use this solution on:

Express, ICN, IC, ES* City, ES*, ES* Fast, AV and AV Fast, and in the couchette or WL services. The Excelsior and Excelsior E4 carriages are excluded.

You must buy separate tickets for journey solutions that involve also using trains not allowed under the offer.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

Hope It helps.... ItalianGuest

[ItalianGuest]

e.g.

 

Train: ES Italia AV 9406 date: 29/07/2010 from Roma Termini (09:45) to Venezia S. Lucia (13:33)

 

19,00 €

[CathyCruises]

The deal is available for journeys until 30/09/10 and you can buy the ticket 30 days before your train's departure, online in the ticketless way only on this website, contacting the Call Center (fee paying number), or in the travel agencies.

The seats are limited and depend on week's day, trains and class chosen. You cannot add the deal to any other reduction including the one for children.

 

 

So maybe try this call center number if you can identify it. This is a great fare and worth pre-booking.