Trenitalia 1st or 2nd class?

[busseltoncruisers]

We are travelling by train from Venice to Rome following our cruise. Could anyone advise if there is much difference between 1st and 2nd class.

[euro cruiser]

We are travelling by train from Venice to Rome following our cruise. Could anyone advise if there is much difference between 1st and 2nd class.

Slightly larger seats and a free cup of coffee and a cookie. To me, after having done it once, it's not worth the extra money. The only trains on which I generally pay for first class seats are ICs, where the upcharge isn't all that much and the difference in accommodation is more significant.

[aquilegia]

I agree with euro cruiser. Save your money and go second class.

[The_Big_M]

You'll also have more space for luggage, and less people crowding in. e.g. looking for seats.

 

Definitely not the end of the world, especially with reservations, but just depends what you prefer and are comfortable with. It's just a matter of preference.

[cruisemom42]

I'm doing the same Venice to Rome run in April and I booked second class.

[euro cruiser]

You'll also have more space for luggage, and less people crowding in. e.g. looking for seats.

Not sure if this is what you meant, but all of the high speed trains require seat reservations, so if you have a ticket you have a specific seat.

[busseltoncruisers]

Thanks guys. Your responses have helped us make our decision. There will be four of us travelling and DH and I are picking up the cost so 2nd class it is. :)

[The_Big_M]

Not sure if this is what you meant, but all of the high speed trains require seat reservations, so if you have a ticket you have a specific seat.

 

When I did the trip, we broke the journey in Verona so took regular trains. Although we had a booking, not all the passengers did!

 

However, if you're going direct then you'd probably take the high speed so a reservation will be held as you say.

[johnmik1]

We are taking the train from Rome to Venice carrying luggage and were told that 1st class had more luggage storage and ease of getting the bags aboard.Has anybody found that to be true?

[cruisemom42]

We are taking the train from Rome to Venice carrying luggage and were told that 1st class had more luggage storage and ease of getting the bags aboard.Has anybody found that to be true?

 

 

I'm not sure how it would be any easier to get bags aboard. It's the same height, ergo, the same number of steps and there are no official porters.

 

As to luggage storage, there may be minimally more.

 

Here's a photo of a first class compartment on the Frecciargento trains (the high speed trains that make the Venice-Rome trip):

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/5183793881_0aa1397488.jpg

 

And here's the second class compartment:

 

http://www.seat61.com/images/Italy-frecciargento-2nd.jpg

 

 

As you can see, the aisle is a bit wider, because there are only 3 seats across in first class (versus 4 in second class). But for those thinking of the major difference between first and coach on the airlines, there is not anywhere near that kind of difference in the train compartments.

[johnmik1]

I'm not sure how it would be any easier to get bags aboard. It's the same height, ergo, the same number of steps and there are no official porters.

 

As to luggage storage, there may be minimally more.

 

Here's a photo of a first class compartment on the Frecciargento trains (the high speed trains that make the Venice-Rome trip):

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/5183793881_0aa1397488.jpg

 

And here's the second class compartment:

 

http://www.seat61.com/images/Italy-frecciargento-2nd.jpg

 

 

As you can see, the aisle is a bit wider, because there are only 3 seats across in first class (versus 4 in second class). But for those thinking of the major difference between first and coach on the airlines, there is not anywhere near that kind of difference in the train compartments.

Thanks for the reply!I can only assume that less passengers boarding with less luggage would make boarding a bit easier.I will have to check the pricing .Thanks Again!

[Jacs]

I like traveling 1st class in Italy for long trips because the cabin isn't crowded and it's easier to store your luggage. A full cabin in 1st class doesn't feel full and you can almost always store your luggage above your seats, 2nd class you feel surrounded by people and often the only spot to put your bag is out of your line of site. In saying that though, Venice will be the start of the trip so more likely to get a spot for your luggage.

 

The comfort of the seat or the size of it I didn't notice much difference.

[joysea]

Hope you can help with a question. We currently have economy tickets on the train from Rome to Florence and back again the same day. We have printed out our ticket which has a bar code on it. Do we just take the ticket and board the train or do we have to have it scanned somewhere or do we have to take it to a ticket counter??? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[dogs4fun]

Hope you can help with a question. We currently have economy tickets on the train from Rome to Florence and back again the same day. We have printed out our ticket which has a bar code on it. Do we just take the ticket and board the train or do we have to have it scanned somewhere or do we have to take it to a ticket counter??? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

We did not validate/scan our tickets that we printed at home. Just take your voucher onboard with you. When the attendant comes around, he/she will scan it for you.

jill

[slidergirl]

I happened to be looking at the Trenitalia site last night for some trains for my upcoming trip. I did see somewhere that it did say that the "E-tickets" that you print out yourself at home are already validated. You won't have to find the yellow validation machine. The conductor onboard will scan your paper and match it against the list of passengers. Be aware of one thing: it did say that, because they are pre-validated, they become void 90 minutes after your appointed train has departed.

[brickgirl]

Is there somewhere to store larger suitcases? There is no way our big suitcases will fit in the overhead bins.

[twosit]

Is there somewhere to store larger suitcases? There is no way our big suitcases will fit in the overhead bins.

There is usually a place for large suitcases at the front or rear of each car. There is a lot of great train information on seat61 dot com

[ab21au]

There is usually a place for large suitcases at the front or rear of each car. There is a lot of great train information on seat61 dot com

 

There doesn't seem to be much info on which seats are closest to the luggage. (High seat numbers or low seat numbers). Also 4 months out from travel date tickets have just gone on sale (Venice to milan) and there are no cheap 1st class. Do they not have cheap first class tickets.

[DKJ]

Has anyone had the experience of taking the italo train from Rome to Venice and back in one day ? And do their tickets sell out ? We are doing a few days post cruise in Rome and so wanted to visit Venice?

 

Donna

[slidergirl]

I did 1st class Florence-Rome in May, only because the price for the 1st class ticket ended up the same as the 2nd class the day I looked! In the car that I was in, the luggage stowage was in the rear of the car (I had the 1st seat on the "1" side of the aisle. I was able to lift and stow my bag (a 25" Osprey Soujourn wheelie) in the luggage rack above. If you CAN'T lift your bag to put it in a virtual "overhead" at home, you're going to have to make due...

 

One very fun thing to do that I will now suggest to everyone taking a train in Italy: get the window seat, load up your favorite MP3 player with Andrea Bocelli, bring your noise-cancelling headphone, sit back and enjoy the Italian landscape with an amazing musical backdrop!!!

[4774Papa]

If you have a lot of luggage and want to keep your luggage in sight, you will do better in first.

Also, if the train is crowded, second class can be a real pain in the .

[cruisemom42]

If you have a lot of luggage and want to keep your luggage in sight, you will do better in first.

Also, if the train is crowded, second class can be a real pain in the .

 

For the fast train to Rome from Venice that the OP is taking, I did not find that to be true at all.

 

All seats are reserved and they are spaced apart, so even if it is crowded, the train isn't bad at all. In fact, there is MUCH more room than in a coach class airline cabin!

 

There was good luggage storage for larger bags at the rear of the car I was in. As already stated, the overhead racks are able to handle an average carry-on sized bag (but perhaps not one that is extra wide, e.g., stuffed).

 

With the limited number of stops that this train makes, it is pretty easy to keep an eye on the luggage even if you are not facing it or next to it the whole time. Just stand up when the train approaches the station and stand near it while passengers board.

[4774Papa]

For the fast train to Rome from Venice that the OP is taking, I did not find that to be true at all.

 

All seats are reserved and they are spaced apart, so even if it is crowded, the train isn't bad at all. In fact, there is MUCH more room than in a coach class airline cabin!

 

There was good luggage storage for larger bags at the rear of the car I was in. As already stated, the overhead racks are able to handle an average carry-on sized bag (but perhaps not one that is extra wide, e.g., stuffed).

 

With the limited number of stops that this train makes, it is pretty easy to keep an eye on the luggage even if you are not facing it or next to it the whole time. Just stand up when the train approaches the station and stand near it while passengers board.

Thanks, cruisemom, we had taken the Eurostar from Venice to Florence in first and were unaware that second class were reserved seats as well.