I need transportation help!

[shayelle]

I am usually a great trip planner! I research and research until I am satisfied I know what we are doing and how! Saying this, I am having serious issues figuring out transpo to port from FCO (I'm thinking just a car service for this) and transpo AFTER the cruise from Port to Florence. I am thinking train, but what train station do I use? How do we get to the train station? We will have TONS of luggage as we will be gone for 3 weeks and I am not one to pack light on a 7 day trip let alone 21 days! Do we buy tickets in advance? What's the website? I'm not sure why I am having such a tough time, I think I am just nervous as I have never been to Italy so I am very unfamiliar with everything!

 

Any help would be so much appreciated!

 

Thanks!

[Keith1010]

From the airport to the port, there are many private car companies. One I would recommend is Rome Cabs and their web site is http://www.romecabs.com

 

Keith

[ollienbertsmum]

I am usually a great trip planner! I research and research until I am satisfied I know what we are doing and how! Saying this, I am having serious issues figuring out transpo to port from FCO (I'm thinking just a car service for this) and transpo AFTER the cruise from Port to Florence. I am thinking train, but what train station do I use? How do we get to the train station? We will have TONS of luggage as we will be gone for 3 weeks and I am not one to pack light on a 7 day trip let alone 21 days! Do we buy tickets in advance? What's the website? I'm not sure why I am having such a tough time, I think I am just nervous as I have never been to Italy so I am very unfamiliar with everything!

 

Any help would be so much appreciated!

 

Thanks!

 

First off don't take so much luggage - use the ship laundry and save on excess baggage charges.

 

Advice about this journey here

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=24669734.

 

It will be easier than you think. :)

[shayelle]

First off don't take so much luggage - use the ship laundry and save on excess baggage charges.

 

Advice about this journey here

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=24669734.

 

It will be easier than you think. :)

 

That helps.

 

We do plan on using the ships laundry but I know we will still probably have at least 3 checked bags and 3-4 carry-ons. We don't have to pay baggage fees as we both are frequent travelers and that is a perk of our status. DH gets 3 checked on I get 2. I am not going to pack for 21 days but will probably pack for at least 10-12! I know me, I can try to pack lighter but it isn't going to happen! That ship sailed a long time ago and we both have given up on it ever changing!

[riffatsea]

IF you are planning to take a train then you canNOT bring all that luggage! There will be NOone to help you on and off the train and you will not have time/space to put all that luggage on a train or get it off!! Your only option would be to hire a private car service.

[ajmsta]

From the airport to the port, there are many private car companies. One I would recommend is Rome Cabs and their web site is www.romecabs.com

 

Keith

 

We used Rome Cabs last month. They were great!! Worth every Euro.

[2theship]

Seriously, don't take more luggage than you personally are capable of handling all at once. Bags need to be lifted from platforms up onto trains and and back off again. Trains often only stop for a few minutes and there are a lot of people getting on and off. Please don't take offense but it you travel with that much luggage your appearance will scream "American tourists!"

[cruisemom42]

I am usually a great trip planner! I research and research until I am satisfied I know what we are doing and how! Saying this, I am having serious issues figuring out transpo to port from FCO (I'm thinking just a car service for this) and transpo AFTER the cruise from Port to Florence. I am thinking train, but what train station do I use? How do we get to the train station? We will have TONS of luggage as we will be gone for 3 weeks and I am not one to pack light on a 7 day trip let alone 21 days! Do we buy tickets in advance? What's the website? I'm not sure why I am having such a tough time, I think I am just nervous as I have never been to Italy so I am very unfamiliar with everything!

 

Any help would be so much appreciated!

 

Thanks!

 

 

Well, if you really do enjoy doing research, you should find fertile ground here. There are dozens -- if not hundreds -- of posts on transportation to Civitavecchia from the airport and vice versa. Just do a simple search.

 

As others have said, you cannot hope to do the train with that much luggage. Just put it out of your head. Your other options include private transportation (again, many options have been given here on this board, many times....). For two people the cost will be around 140-150 euro one way. Or you can take the ship's shuttle, I would assume, for a price that might be just slightly less.

 

At the end of your cruise, you want to travel to Florence from which port? Civitavecchia? The only options you'll have that won't be prohibitively expensive would be to take the train or to rent a car and drive.

 

The website for checking train schedules is www.trenitalia.com (click on the English option). The station at the port is Civitavecchia; the station in Florence is Firenze Santa Maria Novella. But I strongly suggest not going by train with anything more than one suitcase and one carry on per person!

[KayAnnie]

I agree with the others who say to pack light. We did a 19 day trip around Italy, including a cruise with one backpack each, and while that was somewhat inconvenient at times, it was so worth it on the trains. I bought all my tickets ahead of time at italiarail.com which sometimes has discounts not offered on trenetalia.

[riffatsea]

Just a slight correction to the post above.

Italiarail is an American company that has an arrangement with the Italian train company Trenitalia to show all its discount fares. The Trenitalia web site is sometimes a little tricky so you don't see all the discounts unless you click on the Le Frecce section.

You will pay slightly more on the Italiarail site but it is easier to use.

[bobalink]

I am a newbie to train travel in Italy so I am grateful for advice from you more seasoned train travelers.

 

I have been researching travel by train in Italy, and have received great information on these CC boards.

 

I have always checked everything on the Trenitalia site. It took me some time to figure out how to properly search dates, stations, etc.

 

I had never checked the Italiarail site until just now when I read the above posts. (Can't understand how I missed that site before.) It does seem to be much easier to navigate, and from what I can see on my initial finding, the prices in US $$ are pretty close to Trenitalia prices when you do the Euro conversion.

 

I haven't gone all the way to "purchase" on either site.

 

What is the biggest difference? Is there an advantage to using one over the other?

 

Thanks

[shayelle]

we will not plan on doing any travel by train. While we will do laundry on the cruise, we won't be doing it after so our luggage situation will change by maybe 1 bag if we are lucky. It's not that big of a deal to us that we would pack just to make 1 train ride convenient. Plus my dh will be working in Florence so he has to bring work stuff as well.

 

Thanks!