Fly into Venice or Rome?

[ehogan]

Next May we are taking the NCL Gem out of Venice.

 

We would like to spend 7 or so days prior touring Tuscany and then 4 days in Venice.

 

We are conflicted about flying to Venice (3 connections) or Rome (2 connections). We have been to Rome twice before (love it!) so are familiar with the airport and the train system (Rome to Civi.) but have never flown into Venice.

 

Can anyone who has experience with the train system in the Tuscany region or who has flown directly into Venice advise on the best way to do this trip?

 

Also, any towns we should not miss in Tuscany?

 

Thanks in advance.

[jwds]

Since you don't seem to be planning time in Rome you should also consider flying into Milan.

 

If your connections require you to change in Europe (Paris or London??) you can consider flying to Pisa or Florence also.

 

I would search all of the possibilities and look for the best deal.

[ab0si]

The train from Rome Termini to Florence is 1:40; from Venice to Florence it is an hour longer.

 

From the Venice airport (Marco Polo) you can catch a bus to the train station. From Rome you can take an express train.

 

Another poster mentioned other airports. Milan airport to Florence: a LONG bus ride to the main station (the train from the airport goes to a secondary train station) and then 2:10 to Florence.

 

Pisa is easy: train directly from the airport to Florence in 1:15. the Florence airport is small and it is usually more expensive to fly into it.

 

Lots of choices. Where are you flying from? Carrier preference?

 

Asking what to see in Tuscany .... well, just about all of it (ok, skip Livorno, Prato, and Arezzo -- altho there are interesting sites in all of them --even Livorno). Skip the south unless interested in Etruscan sites. With only a week, I'd simply stay in Florence and take a day trip to Sienna and to Chianti but there MANY other great choices.

[GSPLover]

I would have to agree with what previous posts have said. I lived in the Tuscany region for three years and I would stay in Florence (make it my hub). Day trips (by train, of course) out of there.

 

Flight connections from the East coast US (good ones with good fares) are available into Florence and Pisa with connections through Zurich. You did not indicate where you are flying from. I would say more than two connections is not good and I'd look for another alternative. I'd also look closely where the connections were. There are a couple of European airports that had very bad records of luggage transfers. The best price is not always your best routing.

[ab0si]

I would have to agree with what previous posts have said. I lived in the Tuscany region for three years and I would stay in Florence (make it my hub). Day trips (by train, of course) out of there.

 

Train except for places you can't get to be train such as Chianti :) And Siena is better by bus. (I know you know this, GSP.) There is excellent bus service to just about everywhere not well served by rail.

 

Did you live in Firenze or ..? I envy you.

[GSPLover]

Train except for places you can't get to be train such as Chianti :) And Siena is better by bus. (I know you know this, GSP.) There is excellent bus service to just about everywhere not well served by rail.

 

Did you live in Firenze or ..? I envy you.

 

Chianti - not by train. Car is best. We did a one day tour (only paid tour our entire month last Oct) and it was worth evry euro!

 

Sienna by train is fine. Just don't try to walk to city center from the train station. Bus is cheaper, easier, and faster.

 

Lived in Tirrenia - about 15km north of Livorno. Went to Firenze almost every week.

[ab0si]

Lived in Tirrenia - about 15km north of Livorno. Went to Firenze almost every week.

 

Tirrenia: A town built by the Fascisti which is now one big disco (with an occasional bar here and there). <grin>

 

You are a big help in the forum here and I know many people appreciate your assistance.

[willow surfside]

We just got back from almost three weeks in Florence, Rome, Venice and greek cruise. We took the train from Florence to Rome....about an hour and a half. Then after 5 days in Rome took the train to Venice....about 4 and a half hours (130euro second class). Both very good, no problem and would definitely do it again.

[CathyCruises]

Is that 130 euros pp 2nd class one way? Why does that seem outrageously expensive to me? $170??? Four a 4 hour ride? OUCH!

[GSPLover]

Is that 130 euros pp 2nd class one way? Why does that seem outrageously expensive to me? $170??? Four a 4 hour ride? OUCH!

 

Showing current prices on the Eurostar from Rome to Venice at €89,30 ist class, €61,80 2nd class (one way, per person)

[ab0si]

Is that 130 euros pp 2nd class one way? Why does that seem outrageously expensive to me? $170??? Four a 4 hour ride? OUCH!

 

I just checked the official site. Standard 2nd class fare Rome -> Venice is 61.80 euro on the fast train.

 

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=3fdbe14114bc9110VgnVCM10000080a3e90aRCRD

 

The schedule only goes out two months or so.

[CathyCruises]

Thanks guys. That's more like it. Maybe Willow Surfside was quoting for two people?? 61 euros sounds MUCH better to me!

 

Cathy

[ab0si]

Thanks guys. That's more like it. Maybe Willow Surfside was quoting for two people?? 61 euros sounds MUCH better to me!

 

Cathy

 

Cathy: Sorry, didn't mean to repeat what GSP wrote -- I think we posted at the same time and mine got hung up for several minutes in the forum software used here.

 

My guess is that Willow bought the ticket(s) from the U.S. agent -- who charge a huge fee -- rather than purchasing the ticket in Italy.

 

You can buy the ticket in advance .. if you know what date/time you want ... from any FS (the national train company) station or from almost any Italian travel agent. There is no additional cost for purchasing through a TA.

[CathyCruises]

Thanks for that info. I would never buy something like that from home--we would want to go post-cruise, so if I bought the ticket before we left on the cruise, (11 days ahead of time) I would assume that would be early enough, yes? This would be like November 20th or something. . .definitely not prime time!!

 

Cathy

[ab0si]

Thanks for that info. I would never buy something like that from home--we would want to go post-cruise, so if I bought the ticket before we left on the cruise, (11 days ahead of time) I would assume that would be early enough, yes? This would be like November 20th or something. . .definitely not prime time!!

 

Cathy

 

Indeed. That would be more than enough time. Actually, you would likely have no problem getting on the train you wanted if you purchased on the day of travel .. but, there is no point in doing that. Unless I am at a train station for some other trip, I usually get my tickets at a travel agency. No lines. (I do not queue well <grin>)

[macaroni]

I would rent a car out of Rome and drive thru Tuscany and end up in Venice. You will get to see so much more with a car and driving is easy enough.

[CintiPam]

In October 2006, we did a land trip to Italy, flying into Venice and working our way south, all by public transportation. We spent five days in Venice, including a day-trip by train from Venice to Padua, primarily to see the fantastic Giotto-painted chapel. We also had planned a day-trip by train to Verona but changed our minds because the weather was so unexpectedly glorious in Venice that we spent that day there as well.

 

We then took the train to Florence for four days, including a day-trip by train from Florence to first Pisa and then Lucca. From Florence, we took the bus to Siena for two nights, with one full day spent sightseeing in Siena, plus a lovely one-day visit to San Gimignano by bus. Next we took the bus from Siena to Assisi for one day of sightseeing there, then took a train to spend the rest of our trip in Rome.

 

You will have a lovely trip!

[CathyCruises]

I would rent a car out of Rome and drive thru Tuscany and end up in Venice. You will get to see so much more with a car and driving is easy enough.

 

That's a thought too. We rented cars in multiple ports a couple of years ago, and spent 4 days driving to Paris afterward which was great. I would NOT want to drive in Rome, but I'm sure we could get a rental car in Civitavecchia and bypass it entirely--I need to look at a map!

 

Thanks!! D'H' says "let's do it!"

 

Cathy

[dbh62ark]

We are conflicted about flying to Venice (3 connections) or Rome (2 connections). We have been to Rome twice before (love it!) so are familiar with the airport and the train system (Rome to Civi.) but have never flown into Venice.

 

Thanks in advance.

I would advise you to look into flying into Florence or Pisa. We're flying out of Florence after our cruise and prefer using the smaller airports in Europe if it doesn't add a connection. The only disadvantage is that sometimes it's a little harder to process VAT refunds in smaller airports, but that's a minor disadvantage over the many advantages for us. And sometimes these airports are cheaper too, so it's worth a look.

 

Happy travels,

Donna