Train to Civitavecchia & Firenze - Rome

[museumlover]

Cruise Critic posters are the greatest! We are landing at FCO outside of Rome on Feb 18 (835 a.m.) and planning to go to Florence (Firenze!!!) and then back to Rome on Saturday, Feb 20 for a 7 p.m. departure at the port in Civitavecchia. I have been reading other posts on this board and I believe I know what to do but please CORRECT me if any of my plans are wrong. When we land we will proceed to the train station at FCO airport (we will not have check-in luggage) and take the express train over to Roma Termini. At Roma Termini we will take the train to Firenze. On Saturday we will take the 1:40 train out of Firenze to Roma Termini and then have a 33 minute wait for the train that goes out to Civitavecchia. That train arrives at Civitavecchia at 4:40. Our ship departs the port at 7 p.m. QUESTION-How long will it take us to walk from the train station at Civitavechhia to the port terminal/entrance (we will only have 2 backpacks)? QUESTION-Is there a quicker way (in other words, is there a more direct way from Firenze to Civitavecchia? QUESTION-Can anyone give us a step by step directions from the train station at Civitavechhia to the port terminal? QUESTION-Are there any bargain compo tickets or special tickets we need to purchase? Your help is greatly appreciated! :)

[euro cruiser]

When we land we will proceed to the train station at FCO airport (we will not have check-in luggage) and take the express train over to Roma Termini. At Roma Termini we will take the train to Firenze.

Yep, that's it exactly.

On Saturday we will take the 1:40 train out of Firenze to Roma Termini and then have a 33 minute wait for the train that goes out to Civitavecchia. That train arrives at Civitavecchia at 4:40. Our ship departs the port at 7 p.m. QUESTION-How long will it take us to walk from the train station at Civitavechhia to the port terminal/entrance (we will only have 2 backpacks)?

About 10 minutes, tops, since you don't have luggage. Speaking of which, how do you do a cruise with only backpacks?

QUESTION-Is there a quicker way (in other words, is there a more direct way from Firenze to Civitavecchia?

Not by train. There is a less expensive, but longer routing from Florence to Grosetto to Civitavecchia. You'd get there at the same time, but would have to leave Florence two hours earlier. You'd be on regional trains the entire route, but it would cost about half of the Termini ES and IS train route.

QUESTION-Can anyone give us a step by step directions from the train station at Civitavechhia to the port terminal?

Exit the station, turn right and walk north (water will be on your left, across the street). At the end of the sidewalk, make a quick jog left and then right, and enter the port. Bring up a google map, it's very simple.

QUESTION-Are there any bargain compo tickets or special tickets we need to purchase? Your help is greatly appreciated!

Probably not. Trenitalia does have promotional fares, but the conditions likely won't work for your itinerary. However, it never hurts to ask. You'd be more likely to get a promo fare if you buy your return tickets (Florence to Civitavecchia) on your first day, when you travel from FCO to Florence.

[museumlover]

Thanks Euro Cruiser! Yes, we travel with backpacks only. Our backpacks are pictured in the Rick Steves guidebooks and we use the packing guide that is listed on his website's graffitti wall. In our two backpacks we will pack 4 pants each, 6 tops each, underwear, medications, pajamas, extra pair of shoes each, those ever needed essentials beyond just your toothbrush, travel info, and a few snacks. By using packing cubes and compression belts this all folds down into the two backpacks (about 25-30 pounds each). Our backpacks fit the requirement for carry-on luggage plus we have noticed that airline staff are not as picky with backpacks as they are with hard-side rigid carry-on bags that have no give when shoved up into the carry-on bins. We carry on our coats, that little bag of liquids and perhaps reading material. As soon as we arrive at our destination we unpack and hang up the clothes (we pack ONLY wrinkle free but we sometimes have to touch up with an iron-most of the time we don't). We wash out our clothes nightly in the sink and hang up. This takes about 10 minutes each night. This method has worked great for us for about 120 travel days in Europe over the past few years. While this will be our first ever large ship cruise (February 20), we have backpacked all over Europe using the trains and sometimes public buses. We chuckle just a little as we walk past the people waiting for their luggage and the many times we see people dragging large suitcases behind them. It takes a little more planning (for example, we make sure that almost everything we pack is mix and match ...it all goes together) but packing light pays off for us. Check out the website and give it a try. You might like it. Have a great day and HAPPY TRAVELS! :):):)

[euro cruiser]

I can certainly see the benefit of backpack only travel when you're moving around a lot on trains, or moving around a lot on the ground, period.

 

I've never found waiting for luggage after an international flight to be an issue, because it takes so long to get through passport control that the luggage is usually up and waiting by the time I get there!

 

I'm off to Italy for a couple of weeks soon and will be taking the train from Rome to Naples and back. Remembering that I have to lift the bag over my head into the luggage rack is a great incentive to pack light!

[Hlitner]

We would probably not advise your cruise day connections. From our point of view (having traveled extensively in Italy on train and by car) you are cutting things too close and putting lots of faith on the trains running on-time. If you did arrive in Civitavecchia at 4:40 it would only take you about 10 min to walk to the port entrance where you could get the free shuttle bus to your ship (allow another 15 - 20 min) which normally get you to the ship check-in by 5:30 (one hour to spare). If your train from Florence would happen to be delayed you could very easily miss the ship. Since you are obviously very experienced travelers, we might advise that the risk is OK as long as your ship is in a nearby port the following day (worst case is you could catch up to the ship and only lose one night on-board). Otherwise, we would recommend that you take an earlier train from Florence to Rome.

 

Hank

[museumlover]

Good point! We will take an earlier train out of Florence which should get us to Civie port before 4. Thanks again and have a great weekend!

[scottbee]

Something to consider (and look carefully at) is which train station in Firenze you intend to leave from, or may be closest to. Even though the slower train takes an hour longer, if you have to get a taxi across town, vs crossing the street, that can make up for a lot of it.

 

It appears that most of the fast trains to Roma leave from Firenze Campo Di Marte; whereas the slower train down the coast via Pisa leaves from Firenze Santa Maria Novella and also stops at Firenze Rifredi.

 

[GSPLover]

I think that the last post may be slightly off the mark. The main station in Firenze is Santa Maria Novella (Firenze SMN). It is in the center of town and the main way to get out by train. Other stations are remote from city center. Many of the trains that stop at/originate at Firenze SMN do not even stop at the other stations.

[euro cruiser]

You have several options earlier in the day on February 20th:

 

Florence 7:00 AM, Civitavecchia 10:35 AM (3:35 total) via Rome Termini

 

Florence 7:27 AM, Civitavecchia 11:03 AM (3:36 total) via Pisa Centrale

 

Florence 9:27 AM, Civitavecchia 12:24 AM (2:57 total) via Rome Termini

 

Florence 10:27 AM, Civitavecchia 12:51 PM (2:24 total) via Rome Termini

 

Florence 12:10 PM, Civitavecchia 14:51 PM (2:41 total) via Rome Termin

 

Florence 12:40 PM, Civitavecchia 15:47 PM (3:17 total) via Rome Termini

 

Florence 13:40 PM, Civitavecchia 16:45 PM (2:55 total) via Rome Termini

 

Florence 13:40 PM, Civitavecchia 16:45 PM (2:55 total) via Rome Termini

 

The price ranges (in second class) from 37,70 Euro (the 7:27 via Pisa) to 56,50 Euro (the 10:27 and 12:10 via Termini).

 

Lots of options.

[scottbee]

I'm not sure where the last two posters are coming from;

 

a) My comment that the fastest trains leave Firenze Campo Di Marteis correct, all but one of the sub 3 hour journeys.

b) Firenze Campo Di Marte is NOT remote from the city centre, it is only a mile or so east of Santa Maria Novella

 

Here is the timetable, as retrieved from http://trenitialia.com/ (the italian rail system) for Feb 20

 

07:00 FI.SMN 10:17 C.CCHIA 03:17

08:10 FI.SMN 11:13 C.CCHIA 03:03

08:40 FI.SMN 11:57 C.CCHIA 03:17

09:27 FI C.M 12:15 C.CCHIA 02:48

09:27 FI.SMN 13:20 C.CCHIA 03:53 (via Pisa, also calls at FI.RIFR)

10:27 FI C.M 12:51 C.CCHIA 02:24

10:27 FI C.M 13:14 C.CCHIA 02:47

10:27 FI.SMN 14:39 C.CCHIA 04:12 (via Pisa, also calls at FI.RIFR)

11:10 FI.SMN 14:15 C.CCHIA 03:05

11:39 FI C.M 14:57 C.CCHIA 03:18

11:40 FI.SMN 14:57 C.CCHIA 03:17

12:10 FI.SMN 14:51 C.CCHIA 02:41

12:10 FI.SMN 15:14 C.CCHIA 03:04

 

FI.SMN: Firenze S. M. Novella

FI C.M: Firenze Campo Di Marte

FDI.RIFR: Firenze Rifredi

C.CCHIA: Civitavecchia

[euro cruiser]

Scottbee's list is correct - he ran the full list of all trains under the subscriptions heading (abbonamenti), while I listed only those under the tickets heading (biglietti).

 

What is not clear to me is whether trains listed solely under "subscriptions" are available for single ticket purchase. It doesn't make sense that they wouldn't be, but as I'm not sure, I've stopped listing them when giving people options.

[museumlover]

Thanks everyone! I will check in person at the train station in Firenze since there's a little confusion regarding the website info. I will try to get to Civie port by 4. Thanks again for your help!

[GSPLover]

I think that the confusion is understanding what the website is really reporting. Your best connections from Firenze to Civitavecchia (timewise) are probably through Roma Termini. Overall travel time may vary depending upon how much time you wait between trains at Termini.

 

If you are staying in Firenze, and anywhere near the central historic district, departing from anywhere other than Firenze SMN makes no sense (believe me, I've been in/out of there at least 50+ times.)

 

I might add that I have traveled from From Firenze to Pisa and Livorno, and from Firenze to Roma, and have never departed from Firenze Campo Di Marte.

[samavarcruiser]

I'm not sure where the last two posters are coming from;

 

a) My comment that the fastest trains leave Firenze Campo Di Marteis correct, all but one of the sub 3 hour journeys.

b) Firenze Campo Di Marte is NOT remote from the city centre, it is only a mile or so east of Santa Maria Novella

 

Here is the timetable, as retrieved from http://trenitialia.com/ (the italian rail system) for Feb 20

 

07:00 FI.SMN 10:17 C.CCHIA 03:17

08:10 FI.SMN 11:13 C.CCHIA 03:03

08:40 FI.SMN 11:57 C.CCHIA 03:17

09:27 FI C.M 12:15 C.CCHIA 02:48

09:27 FI.SMN 13:20 C.CCHIA 03:53 (via Pisa, also calls at FI.RIFR)

10:27 FI C.M 12:51 C.CCHIA 02:24

10:27 FI C.M 13:14 C.CCHIA 02:47

10:27 FI.SMN 14:39 C.CCHIA 04:12 (via Pisa, also calls at FI.RIFR)

11:10 FI.SMN 14:15 C.CCHIA 03:05

11:39 FI C.M 14:57 C.CCHIA 03:18

11:40 FI.SMN 14:57 C.CCHIA 03:17

12:10 FI.SMN 14:51 C.CCHIA 02:41

12:10 FI.SMN 15:14 C.CCHIA 03:04

 

FI.SMN: Firenze S. M. Novella

FI C.M: Firenze Campo Di Marte

FDI.RIFR: Firenze Rifredi

C.CCHIA: Civitavecchia

 

 

I agree :)