Booking Trenitalia Regional Trains on line - Livorno to Pisa

[mimlypops]

We are in Livorno 9 August & will be visiting Pisa on train under our own steam. Timing may be tight and station busy so I intend to book train tickets on line (for regional trains this can be done from 7 days pre travel date) before we go so one less thing to worry about on the day. I understand from the Trenitalia site that this also means that tickets are pre validated (we just need to carry id). My understanding is that can travel on any regional train on ticket date so not tied to a particular train time.

 

Has anyone done this ? Any problems encountered ?

 

Many thanks for any input.

[euro cruiser]

My understanding is that can travel on any regional train on ticket date so not tied to a particular train time.

Not quite. This is true of a regional ticket purchased in a station, but on-line regional tickets are only good for 4 hours after the selected train.

 

More here: http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=7a3f99e8e609a110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

[Hlitner]

I have not researched this on the Trenitalia site since we would never consider booking a regional train in advance. There is just no reason since we can quickly buy a ticket from the ticket vending machine in the station, or at the ticket counter.

 

The pre purchase of regional tickets is a new service of Trenitalia but we are not sure of the final procedure (guess you don't know until you purchase). Since they say the ticket is valid for 4 hours one wonders how they would know when those "4 hours" begins without validation. So we surmise (educated guess) that you would have to buy that regional ticket for a specific train time which we think is never a good idea when on cruises. When you buy a ticket at the station you simply validate it and jump on the next train. But if they pre-print a specific train number/time on a pre-purchased ticket your validity is set in stone. For DW and I this is not a good thing since we will often change our port plans on the spur of the moment. For example, if we were going to Pisa (we would never repeat this experience) and it was pouring down rain that day...there is no way we would take that journey.

 

Or, if we knew it was going to be a gorgeous day with comfortable temperatures we might arrange (the day before) to rent a car at the port so we could drive up to Riomaggiore and enjoy hiking on some of the Cinque Terre trails. Or we recall one cruise where as we got off the ship another couple asked if we wanted to join them and drive over to San Gimignano. Up to that very minute we had planned on taking the train to Florence...but that last minute change in our plans turned into an absolutely fantastic day. So you never know :)

 

Hank

[mimlypops]

Thank you euro_cruiser & Hlitner. I hadn't registered the 4 hour clause but that doesn't concern me given the timeframes for the day, I would just book earliest potential train each way and 4 hour window would be fine. I haven't done this in Italy before but the way it is described on website is exactly the same as the Swiss rail system which we know very well as we have a home there. You book on line, have a printable doc with a bar code and just show it on train with id. No need to validate in machine on platform.

 

I was thinking it would just take some stress out of the day if the queues to buy tickets are very long (3 or 4 ships in Livorno that day). Tickets for the 4 of us are only 20euro so not a great loss if plans change dramatically.

 

In both of your experience are queues to buy tickets at Livorno station likely to be very long on a busy day in peak summer season ??

 

Many Thanks

[euro cruiser]

I've found Livorno to be a mess, with long lines for both the machines and the windows. I think the on-line option makes perfect sense - the risk is small enough that I'd go for it. (by risk, I mean that the ship doesn't dock there at all.) As you point out, the four hour window on a port day is certainly sufficient.

[diverward]

Thank you euro_cruiser & Hlitner. I hadn't registered the 4 hour clause but that doesn't concern me given the timeframes for the day, I would just book earliest potential train each way and 4 hour window would be fine. I haven't done this in Italy before but the way it is described on website is exactly the same as the Swiss rail system which we know very well as we have a home there. You book on line, have a printable doc with a bar code and just show it on train with id. No need to validate in machine on platform.

 

I was thinking it would just take some stress out of the day if the queues to buy tickets are very long (3 or 4 ships in Livorno that day). Tickets for the 4 of us are only 20euro so not a great loss if plans change dramatically.

 

In both of your experience are queues to buy tickets at Livorno station likely to be very long on a busy day in peak summer season ??

 

Many Thanks

 

Hello mimlypops, we did the same thing in Oct. 2011. First off there was no line up at the train station. But before you get to the station, you have to remember that you have to take a shuttle from the ship to the middle of town in Livorno. From there you have to take a bus to the train station. When you get to the train station at Pisa, you still have another 30 minute walk to get to the Leaning Tower. The tourist info folks suggested taking a bus but we walked and it was a very enjoyable and pleasant walk. You can get the bus ticket at any tobacconist shop and the train tickets at the machines or at the ticket counter. Buy the return trip at the same time. This way you don't have to line up again on your way back. Have fun. Don't forget lots of pictures.

[kuldalai]

If heading for the Leaning Tower in Pisa just do not bowl up and expect to get in . Numbers are limited and you should book on line via Leaning Tower website in advance for set date and time.

 

That way you bowl up with your voucher at the set time and you are straight in .

 

Last year people just turning up were finding the first available times available were 4 days later !!!!

[CathyCruises]

Hello mimlypops, we did the same thing in Oct. 2011. First off there was no line up at the train station. But before you get to the station, you have to remember that you have to take a shuttle from the ship to the middle of town in Livorno. From there you have to take a bus to the train station. When you get to the train station at Pisa, you still have another 30 minute walk to get to the Leaning Tower. The tourist info folks suggested taking a bus but we walked and it was a very enjoyable and pleasant walk. You can get the bus ticket at any tobacconist shop and the train tickets at the machines or at the ticket counter. Buy the return trip at the same time. This way you don't have to line up again on your way back. Have fun. Don't forget lots of pictures.

 

As often discussed here, it is much easier just to grab a taxi at the port for 25 euros and go straight to the station. The taxis often seat 6 so you may even find another couple to match up with.

[mimlypops]

Thanks all. I am aware it is easier to get taxi to Livorno Centrale but as we are just going to Pisa the concensus amongst the family is not to rush to be 1st off ship at 7am (and therefore up by 6am !) . We are going to have a more civilised start to the day and disembark at 8am. If there is a taxi that will take us to the station then great, otherwise we will get shuttle & local bus. I understand that the shuttle may not start until 8.30.

 

Not planning to go up the tower but thanks for advise on tickets. We plan to walk to Field of Miracles from station via Corso Italia. Will probably take in the views, do the obligatory photos and poss go in Duomo. Rest of time my kids want to "eat italian !". I have found some great local delis, restaurants & gelaterias on tripadviser that we will choose from.

 

Hopefully it will be a relatively relaxed day not trying to rush from tourist site to tourist site !

 

Thanks again everyone. Will feedback on the online booking process.

[scottbee]

Hello mimlypops, we did the same thing in Oct. 2011. First off there was no line up at the train station. But before you get to the station, you have to remember that you have to take a shuttle from the ship to the middle of town in Livorno. From there you have to take a bus to the train station. When you get to the train station at Pisa, you still have another 30 minute walk to get to the Leaning Tower. The tourist info folks suggested taking a bus but we walked and it was a very enjoyable and pleasant walk. You can get the bus ticket at any tobacconist shop and the train tickets at the machines or at the ticket counter. Buy the return trip at the same time. This way you don't have to line up again on your way back. Have fun. Don't forget lots of pictures.

 

The tower is a 4 minute walk from Pisa San Rossare station, just stay on the train to Pisa and get off one station past Pisa Centrale (which you're right, is a long walk)....

[hansolosmom]

We are just back & I wanted to comment on the 4 hour window for the regional trains.

 

When you prebook online they will send you a PDF file with your voucher. At the bottom it says the voucher is "validated and allows for the journey to begin within 4 hours of the date/time listed"

 

For us this worked well since it gives you flexibility for the trip, we ended up returning earlier then our ticket stated. The other issue it helps you avoid is a sold out situation on the train. We saw a few people who couldn't take the train because it was sold out, so I was glad we had prebooked & already had tickets

[mimlypops]

Thank you so much Hansolosmum. That is exactly what I wanted to hear. So just to be absolutely sure - is the 4 hour window from the time of the train you book online ? I had a horrible thought, from the wording on the website, that it could be 4 hours from printing the ticket.

 

Thank you