Can any one tell me if you need to pre-book a train ticket in Italy. I am travelling to Bergamo in north Italy in May and we are going to peshiera in lake garda by train and just wondered if you can buy the ticket on the spot and just board the train or do you need to buy in advance. Has anyone done this trip what are the dos and donts of travelling by train in Italy
train tickets in Italy
- Thread starter coleen
- Start date
Hi there,
I've travelled a bit in Italy and again never had problems buying tickets on the day (except that sometimes the queues are huge and move very slowly, so you could miss your train). Also sometimes in busy stations there are different counters for buying tickets for use that day, or tickets for use in the future. This isnt always clearly marked, and if you are in a rush, you can waste a lot of time queueing in the wrong place!
Now, if I know my date of travel, I pre-book on-line. The website is . I find it very convenient to get to the station and have my tickets already.
Ciao!
I've travelled a bit in Italy and again never had problems buying tickets on the day (except that sometimes the queues are huge and move very slowly, so you could miss your train). Also sometimes in busy stations there are different counters for buying tickets for use that day, or tickets for use in the future. This isnt always clearly marked, and if you are in a rush, you can waste a lot of time queueing in the wrong place!
Now, if I know my date of travel, I pre-book on-line. The website is . I find it very convenient to get to the station and have my tickets already.
Ciao!
Another excellent site to check out is the "The man in Seat 61" - tons and tons of really useful info and links for travelling by train anywhere in the world.
http://www.seat61.com/
http://www.seat61.com/
muffin1973
Registered User
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Were in Italy for our honeymoon travelled around a bit by train. We bought our tickets on the day that we were travelling, no problem.
My DON'T list would include not travelling with an oversized suitcase - they don't fit on top of the ledge thing over the seats meaning we had to put one out in the corridor and practically sit on the other one (yes, we had two huge suitcases with us )
and
we didn't work out that travelling first class you were actually allocated a seat in a compartment. The first time we just got on and took the nearest free compartment. By the time we'd worked out we were in the wrong compartment the others were full so we just stayed where we were. But it would have been a major hassle to move so make sure you're in the right seat.
Also people chance their arms and take a seat in the first class compartments all the time but they move on when you show them your ticket. First class tickets are great value by the way...
M
My DON'T list would include not travelling with an oversized suitcase - they don't fit on top of the ledge thing over the seats meaning we had to put one out in the corridor and practically sit on the other one (yes, we had two huge suitcases with us
) and
we didn't work out that travelling first class you were actually allocated a seat in a compartment. The first time we just got on and took the nearest free compartment. By the time we'd worked out we were in the wrong compartment the others were full so we just stayed where we were. But it would have been a major hassle to move so make sure you're in the right seat.
Also people chance their arms and take a seat in the first class compartments all the time but they move on when you show them your ticket. First class tickets are great value by the way...
M
Hurling Fan
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Just wondering if you book a ticket on line with trenitalia and then your flight is delayed and you miss the train that you booked the ticket for would you have to purchase another ticket. We're off to Tuscany in late May and going to try get from Forli (Bologna) airport to the campsite using trains as car hire (seven seater) is soooo expensive. Thanks.
Tickets & seat reservations are different things - normally. When you book online you should normally get coupons/vouchers/whatever for the seat reservations and the same again for the point to point tickets. At least that's the way it has worked booking through DB (Germany) and OBB (Austria).
We booked tickets to go by train from Salzburg to St Johann earlier this year, but our flight was late and so we missed the train we had seats reserved on.
However, our *tickets* were still valid through until the end of January. We ended up getting a taxi direct from the airport. When we got home I got on to OBB by email and got a refund from them a few days after physically mailing the tickets back to them.
My reservations were lost (but they only cost something like €4 each) because they were in the past, but the tickets were still good for travel or refund.
z
We booked tickets to go by train from Salzburg to St Johann earlier this year, but our flight was late and so we missed the train we had seats reserved on.
However, our *tickets* were still valid through until the end of January. We ended up getting a taxi direct from the airport. When we got home I got on to OBB by email and got a refund from them a few days after physically mailing the tickets back to them.
My reservations were lost (but they only cost something like €4 each) because they were in the past, but the tickets were still good for travel or refund.
z
EvilDoctorK
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I think your ticket would still be valid for most trains even it you missed the specific train .. the only think that you might lose would be the fee you paid to reserve seats - which isn't much anyway.
I'm open to correction on this - but I think this should be the case for most trains anyway (apart from maybe the "Eurostar Italia" trains)
I'm open to correction on this - but I think this should be the case for most trains anyway (apart from maybe the "Eurostar Italia" trains)
Hi Coleen, I have taken this exact train. We flew into Bergamo and travelled by train to several nearby locations over the course of 10days (Brescia, Garda, Verona, Padova, Venice). It is relatively easy to organise buying the tickets from the automated machines in the station. The machines have several language options and once you're on the English version it's plain sailing. If you want to be assured of your seat you can pay the premium for the 1st class carraiges but, as others have mentioned, passengers usually sit in here regardless and only move when you show them your ticket. This happened to us several times and everyone who we had to move did so graciously. You can buy tickets in advance at the automated machines too. We alternated between buying 1st class and not buying them, depending on how tired we were. But in reality we ended up sitting in 1st class virtually all the time since the seats would be vacant. When in Rome..etc etc
I cant help with campsite as I am staying in hotels but check these sites out. It seem to me that the public transport is good so not much need to hire a car. You can also check out campsites on www.gardacamping.it http://www.gardalake.it (www.gardalake.it) Good luck with your choice
Taking the train in Italy is great but it's no harm to book in advance because you could end up standing or being turfed out of your seat that was booked by someone else.
Next recommendation is to go first class. It costs only about 30% more but it's sooo worth it.
Enjoy Italy!!! I hope to take another trip or two this year.
Next recommendation is to go first class. It costs only about 30% more but it's sooo worth it.
Enjoy Italy!!! I hope to take another trip or two this year.
I recently travelled 2nd class return on the Italian Eurostar from Rome to Naples. I bought the ticket at the ticket desk in the Termini just before departure.
I didn't realise that we had been allocated a particular seat on the train. The ticket was naturally enough in Italian, which I don't speak, so I didn't study it except to see what time the train was leaving at. Nobody said anything on the outward leg of the trip, but I thought it a bit strange at the time, that people would sit opposite us, and put their baggage over our heads, when there were other places in the carriage that seemed much less crowded. On the way back the same thing happened again and it wasn't until a bloke said to me that we were in his seat, and to stay where we were that I studied the ticket more carefully and realised our mistake.
The train left Rome at 10.45 as per the ticket. It was due to arrive in Naples at 12.30, a 1 hr and 45 minute trip, but the driver opened the train up a bit and we arrived in Naples station 23 minutes early. 1 Hr and 22 mins, not bad going considering the distance travelled (300 Kms).
On the return trip, the train was going to Milan via Rome and departed Naples at 15.30 and arrived in Rome at 17.05. He was due to arrive at 17.16 so he was only 9 minutes early. I presume he left Rome for the next leg of the trip on time.
The other thing I noticed about travel on the buses and trams in Rome (and I presume that it's the same elsewhere in Italy) was that not just children, but even youths and older people, without hesitation jumped up out of their seats to give them up for a more elderly person. (I was embarrassed once or twice until I caught on).
One final word of warning, the pickpockets operate in gangs on the underground in Rome especially when the train is crowded at rush hour. At that time the carriage especially around the door actualy makes a sardine tin look spacious. Make sure you keep your wallet and important items buttoned or zipped in your breast pocket or you will regret it. Do not leave them in your trousers or jeans whatever you do.
Murt
I didn't realise that we had been allocated a particular seat on the train. The ticket was naturally enough in Italian, which I don't speak, so I didn't study it except to see what time the train was leaving at. Nobody said anything on the outward leg of the trip, but I thought it a bit strange at the time, that people would sit opposite us, and put their baggage over our heads, when there were other places in the carriage that seemed much less crowded. On the way back the same thing happened again and it wasn't until a bloke said to me that we were in his seat, and to stay where we were that I studied the ticket more carefully and realised our mistake.
The train left Rome at 10.45 as per the ticket. It was due to arrive in Naples at 12.30, a 1 hr and 45 minute trip, but the driver opened the train up a bit and we arrived in Naples station 23 minutes early. 1 Hr and 22 mins, not bad going considering the distance travelled (300 Kms).
On the return trip, the train was going to Milan via Rome and departed Naples at 15.30 and arrived in Rome at 17.05. He was due to arrive at 17.16 so he was only 9 minutes early. I presume he left Rome for the next leg of the trip on time.
The other thing I noticed about travel on the buses and trams in Rome (and I presume that it's the same elsewhere in Italy) was that not just children, but even youths and older people, without hesitation jumped up out of their seats to give them up for a more elderly person. (I was embarrassed once or twice until I caught on).
One final word of warning, the pickpockets operate in gangs on the underground in Rome especially when the train is crowded at rush hour. At that time the carriage especially around the door actualy makes a sardine tin look spacious. Make sure you keep your wallet and important items buttoned or zipped in your breast pocket or you will regret it. Do not leave them in your trousers or jeans whatever you do.
Murt
Hurling Fan
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Hi All, trying to book train tickets in Italy on line with trenitalia.com. Just wondering if anyone could help me out wiht what ticket I should select - just a standard one or there are options like Familia 15% and Familia 25%. We are a family of 6 with 4 children (one under 4 so presume from website there is no charge for him). Anyone?
tinkerbell
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I booked tickets online last week for Rome/Naples, three adults travelling with a 10 year old. They had an offer on then of two for price of one that meant half the price but with little flexibility but we got those. If I read it right many of the other offers like family reductions you need to be Italian and hold a special card Cartaviaggio? Type in your travel details on this site and select the various ticket options, then read the details on them to see which may suit best. [broken link removed]
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