Civitivecchia train seats

[leaves]

Hi,

 

We;re taking our first cruise to Rome this summer and I'm trying to plan our day out without paying Royal Caribbean's extortionate prices. Looking at getting the train- does anyone know what it's like getting a seat on the train from Civitavecchia to Rome? I see that you can't book in advance and reserve your seat- could someone explain how it works please? Is it just first come first serve once on board? My mum has arthritis so will not be able to stand for an hours journey.

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited June 12, 2015 by leaves

[kuldalai]

Look up Trenitalia website . Date and time specific . Some trains originate further up the Coast and you can book seats . Many other trains are local trains originating/terminating at Civitavecchia which do not require seat reservations . Travelling towards Roma you are the originating station so plenty of room . Departing Roma don't leave it till late afternoon as the daily commuters come on board . Should be OK they have seats for the elderly and Italians of all ages are very respectful of senior citizens .

[cruisemom42]

EDITED LATER TO ADD: Oops, sorry. I misunderstood your post and thought you were looking to get from Rome to Civitavecchia to board ship. Apologies. Must learn not to post until having had coffee. Perhaps the info below will help others though....

 

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You have a couple of options. (On the Trenitalia website, the type of train is designated.)

 

Option 1: the Regionale/Regionale Veloce trains

 

You cannot reserve a seat on the "Regionale" or "Regionale Veloce" trains -- they are first-come/first-serve seating. On the Rome-Civitavecchia run the trains are mainly used by commuters and cruise ship passengers. If you can time your departure from Rome to Civitavecchia for mid-day, the trains should not be very crowded. I have done this before.

 

Bear in mind that you may want to catch the train at one of the smaller Rome stations (like Trastevere or San Pietro) that do not require a lot of walking. Termini, Rome's main station, is large and unfortunately the Regionale trains to Civitavecchia generally depart from the auxiliary tracks that are a long walk of several blocks from the head of the station.

 

Option 2: the Frecciabianca/Inter-city trains

 

You can make seat reservations on these trains, which are slightly more expensive but still reasonable. I believe you have to go to Termini for the Frecciabianca, but the trains do not leave from the auxiliary tracks. Looking at the schedule right now, there is a Freccia train that departs Termini at 13:57 (1:57 pm) arriving at Civitavecchia at 14:37 (2:37 pm).

 

You can see other possibilities on the website.

 

Keep in mind that once you get off the train in Civitavecchia, you will likely have to walk down a flight of steps and up another (with your luggage) in order to exit the station.

 

Also understand there are no porters at the stations -- you will have to get your luggage on and off the train.

 

Then you'll have to get to the (temporary) port entrance somehow -- either by bus from the station (80 euro cents per person); by taxi (if you can get one) or by making the fairly long walk with your luggage.

Edited June 12, 2015 by cruisemom42

[Hlitner]

Out of the perhaps 2 dozen times we have used the Regionale trains we have found seats all the time except for one very busy day when we had to stand about half way (30 min) to Rome. We never recommend using the faster (you only save 10-20 min) intercity trains for several reasons. They do cost a lot more, you cannot use the popular BIRG ticket on those trains, you must often book well in advance, and because the intercity trains heading towards Rome start from a long distance before Civitavecchia they will often be running late. Bottom line is that while you are standing around the platform cooling your heals others will already be in Rome via the more frequent Regional trains.

 

My advice is just get yourselves to the station as early as possible and hop on the next regional train. If you would happen to get there late and the next train was a fast intercity you could ask at the ticket office if they have any seats.

 

Hank

Edited June 12, 2015 by Hlitner

[MeHeartCruising]

As noted above, it is possible that the regional trains could be crowded to the point that some people will need to stand in the aisle for part of the journey. When you board, I would head directly for any open seat and put your mother in it even if you cannot sit beside her. The seats will fill fast, so don't spend too much time looking for the best seat. Then find yourself a seat if possible. On one of my trips, I was able to get my mother seated, but my father and I could not get into one, so we stood in the aisle. After a few minutes, a younger man noticed my 75 year old father standing and gave up his seat so that my father could sit. I would hope that someone else would do the same if your mother was in obvious need of a seat. And frankly, I would not hesitate to ask if anyone were willing to give their seat for your mother if she truly needs it.

Edited June 12, 2015 by MeHeartCruising

[euro cruiser]

Yes, if there isn't a seat available don't hesitate to politely ask a younger person to give up theirs. It's wonderful if someone offers without being asked but if they don't, go for it. It can all be done with gestures. (Watch how older Italian women handle the situation - they don't suffer any fools and they get what they feel they deserve.)

 

You might want to consider buying a lightweight travel chair for your mother. A Med cruise means day after day of sightseeing, a lot of it on foot. If you're traveling during the high season it also means a bit of standing on lines. I got a chair for my mother ten years ago and it's been a godsend for us when we travel. It allows us to move at a normal pace without wearing her out, and she never has to feel like she's holding the rest of us back. Ours weighs very little and folds up easily.

Edited June 12, 2015 by euro cruiser

[insanemagnet]

At civitavecchia don't stand with the crowds at the entrance from the underpass, but walk down to the end of the platform (either way) and you will stand a much better chance of getting a seat.

 

At Rome, if you must have a seat, I would get on at Termini, not a later station.

[suec12]

I am an avid DIY and have used trains on this route several times over the years but when you mention your mom's arthirits it gives me a bit of a "red flag". What is your plan when you get to Rome? to begin with, it used to be, where the train arrived into Termini was at the faaaaar end of the station - like a 10 minute walk to the front of the station. It will be hot and Rome is spread out and frantic. So if you do plan to DIY, it's not just the train ride that could be difficult. Waiting times can be long - pre-book! for Vatican and other sites if possible. The "crumbles" Forum / Colusseium require alot of walking - did I mention it will be hot. I would really suggest you get on your roll call and join up with a small group that will have transportation, pre-booked entrances, and transportation between the sights. Most likely it will be quite a bit cheaper than the ship's excursions. If you still want to DIY, get Rick Steves guide to Med. ports - he will have helpful logistical info. Rome is one city where I think you will maximze your time (and minimize stress!) by being on a tour.

[katsmom1]

Instead of the train, you may want to look into a bus transfer to Rome. It would require less walking for your mom. I've been considering:

 

http://www.civitatours.com/en/roma-in-liberta.html

 

Their prices seem very reasonable, especially since it looks like the price includes round-trip. It leave Civitavecchia at about 9:45 a.m. and drops off near St. Peters. The time and drop-off location are the only hesitation for me because I want to get to Rome very early and I'm planning on being on the other side on Rome near the Colosseum. But if you are flexible on time and want to be near St. Peters, the Vatican, etc, this may be a good option for you.

 

I've read mixed reviews about their tours but read generally positive things about their "Rome on your own" bus transfers from Civitavecchia to Rome. The negative I read recently was about a couple being left behind in Rome because they were not at the meeting place at the scheduled time. But, if you make sure that you are on time, I don't see that being an issue. Check tripadvisor or cruise critic for reviews.

[PrinzessinFiona]

@suec12: God you are right! the gate is "miles" away from the rest of the station!

We (and many others!) missed our train back to Civitavecchia, because we thought the gate would be right in front of us (and had all the time to finish our espresso)....and as it turned out to be around 10 minutes away it was about 20 of us see the train leaving without us!!!!!

 

BE THERE ON TIME AND WALK STRAIGHT TO THE RIGHT SECTION!

The gate is in the very, very (very!) back of the station!

 

PS: the next train was cancelled...which seems to happenen all the time according to the forum and the one after the cancelled-one was more than 30 minutes too late :)

Edited June 21, 2015 by PrinzessinFiona

[syesmar]

Agree about awareness of the long walk for the Civitavecchia train, as well as the one to Fiumicino airport. If someone is already coming in from Via Giovanni Giolitti, there are side entrances that could save the walk, depending on where you enter.

 

Leaves, once there, walking the cobblestones will not feel good to your mom's arthritis. If you DIY, be sure to wear comfortable shoes and take precautions.

 

There have been several times we haven't gotten a seat. Agree that getting close to the front further away from the crowds will help.

 

PrinzessinFiona, did you make your ship before departure? How did you get back to Civitavecchia?

Edited June 21, 2015 by syesmar