Train Tickets to Rome

[wardy86]

Hi All,

 

Should I buy my train tickets to Rome from Civitavecchia in advance on the trenitalia website (http://www.trenitalia.com) or should I just buy on the day?

 

Thanks

[CruiserBruce]

There are many threads on trains here. I think you can only buy the local train route tickets at the station. Longer distance trains you can buy up to 4 months out. But local is last week, or at the station only, I think.

[dogs4fun]

Definitely buy on the day.

[John Bull]

IIRC, the BRIG tickets are un-dated, you validate the tickets on the platform at the station (hence the heavy fines for those who forget to validate).

 

So, (this bit is purely an educated guess) - if you're in Italy you can probably buy in advance, but you'll not be able to have them sent to you outside Italy & you'll not be able to download / print. And you'll not save any money.

 

Because there can be long lines at Civi station's ticket office, best to buy from booths along the seafront between port gate & station if you're walking to the station, or from the news-stand at the station. The prices are the same as at the ticket office.

Wherever/whenever you buy, do remember to put them thro the yellow validation machine on the platform - there are no machines on the trains.

 

You can buy tickets in advance (with reserved seating, I think) for the express trains but the timetabling & frequency of express trains doesn't work well for a port-of-call trip to Rome.

 

All a bit vague - needs a second opinion.

 

JB :)

Edited August 7, 2016 by John Bull

[RVAExplorer]

Hi everyone, my wife and I will be going on a cruise around Italy and France in October for our honeymoon. One of the stops is Civitavecchia, and after doing some research I realized most of the things to do are going to be in Rome it looks like. We are mostly interested in eating good food and seeing a few sites. I noticed to take the excursion that drops us off in Rome would cost $129 per person for the bus $179 for the train. However it looks like if we took the train ourselves we would save about $100 or more per person. What I am wondering is how difficult is it to do this not knowing the language and is there a large risk of getting stuck in Rome and getting left by the cruise ship? I have heard about train delays and other such things. Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

[helpthejuggler]

It is not difficult and the language is not a barrier. The risk of being left in Rome can be reduced by planning to return in good time, travelling as a group which makes a shared taxi a viable plan B.

 

Any planned strikes are scheduled so you can check in advance.

 

https://www.italiarail.com/strike-information

 

Planning makes all the difference.

[CruiserBruce]

Language is not a problem. Have hundreds of days in Europe, and can count on one hand language was a problem. That was typically in smaller towns. Rome is not a small town.

 

While doing it yourself is quite doable with a little research- there are many threads here talking about your exact question, as you are not familiar with traveling in Europe, perhaps a private tour would better suit you. Ship's excursions will also help.

[thunes]

You will save a ton of money if you do transport on your own. We spent less than 13 euro for round trip train tickets.

 

There's a shuttle bus that will take you to the port gates. From there, it's an easy walk to the train station, about 15-20 minutes.

 

We took the train to the Trastevere station and then caught a quick tram that dropped us off in front of Campo Di Fiori. From there, we walked to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, Trevi fountain, Spanish Steps and Vittorio Emanuele. We had amazing granita di caffe at Caffee tazza d'oro and a fabulous meal at Roscioli. We also walked through the Jewish Ghetto and the Trastevere neighborhood where we bought a couple bottles of wine to bring back to the ship.

 

We did experience a train delay that almost made us miss our boat. Allow at least 2.5 hours prior to all aboard time for travel time.

[hallasm]

We have done the tour twice and last time very similar to tunes - no problems with language - easy to buy tickets, but be aware of delays.

 

[YOUTUBE]lPRGQG3CzNo[/YOUTUBE]

[Hlitner]

So, my message to the OP is that different folks have different levels of risk tolerance...not to mention the spirit of adventure and "travel smarts." If you are truly concerned about issues like "missing the ship" and train strikes then we suggest you only take the overpriced cruise excursions at every single port. This will alleviate your anxieties. For the record, having taken dozens of Med cruises we never take cruise line excursions (except in the rare case where we cannot possibly go off on our own)....and in hundreds of port calls have never missed our ship. But no matter how much we tell you "do your homework...and go off on your own".....your post gives me pause that you will still worry. And much of your fun might be ruined if you spend your entire day (not to mention the year before your cruise) worrying about missing the ship.

 

Hank

P.S. If we would ever miss a ship....we would simply catch-up at the next port.

[tdtanc]

I concur. These independent tours would never let passengers miss the boat! They rely to heavily on the reviews from this board to get bad reviews! Their very livelihood depends on it. Have no fear!

[cruisemom42]

I concur. These independent tours would never let passengers miss the boat! They rely to heavily on the reviews from this board to get bad reviews! Their very livelihood depends on it. Have no fear!

 

The OP is talking about doing Rome on their own, not on a private tour. There's a difference!

 

I know that -- as Hank says -- some people area just worriers. But the train ride to Rome and back from Civitavecchia is pretty easy to do. (Although not as easy as it used to be before they moved the port entrance. :mad:)

[steamboats]

The train ticket to get to Rome is called BIRG and costs 12 Euro. It includes public transportation in Rome. You have to stamp the ticket at the train station to validate it. It´s valid for all regional trains. The ticket is available at the train station (counter or ticket machine) or all shops with a "T" tabacchi sign (which includes the shop inside the train station).

 

It depends on where your ship docks. With pier 25 you have to take the free shuttle bus to Largo della Pace. There you find a 2 Euro shuttle to the train station. Otherwise you have to walk 20 min. With all other piers there is a shuttle bus stop close to the Fort Michelangelo. From there it´s 10 min walking.

 

If you don´t want to rely on the trains. There´s also a bus service offered by Civitatours for 19 Euro. They meet up at the shuttle bus parking lot at Largo della Pace.

 

Language is not a problem.

 

steamboats

[rdt10]

I've done the trip from the port to Rome twice. Once DIY on the train and the other with a private tour with Rome in limo.

 

The train is very doable. Just keep in mind that you need a plan when you get to Rome of what you want to see and how to get there. Many things are within walking distance of each other. Don't expect to see everything. Book your tickets to the Vatican and Colosseum in advance to avoid the long lines. Also the train to Civitavecchia at Termini station is a long walk from the front of the train station.

 

If you want to eliminate the stress of getting to Rome and each of the sites go with a private tour like Rome in limo. They pick you up at the ship, get you to Rome and take you to each of the sites you are interested in. They will also recommend things to see that you are not familiar with. You will be able to see more and having your own car and driver is a pretty luxurious way to get around. In my opinion this is the best way to see Rome on a port day assuming your budget can handle it. If you can get a small group from your ships roll call to share the tour you get the benefits at a very reasonable price.

 

What ever you do make sure your expectations are realistic. It is difficult to really see Rome in a day so set your priorities and a pace you can enjoy. If you run out of time skip the rest.

 

Enjoy Rome it is a fantastic place.

[Hlitner]

We want to clarify something about trains. You can purchase a basic train ticket (should be a little less then 10€ for both ways) that will simply get you to an from Rome. A BIRG ticket is a bit different and includes both the round trip regional train (not valid on the high speed intercity trains) plus unlimited all days use of Rome's local buses and Metro (subway) system. So BIRG is the way to go for nearly everyone. If you purchase the BIRG at the train station (ticket window or machine) it will cost 12€. But if you buy that ticket at a news stand, kiosk, or the small agency next to the train station...you will likely be charged 13€. Personally, we just buy the BIRG wherever it is convenient (and the line is short) and do not care about an extra 1 Euro.

 

Keep in mind that there is a return train (to Civatavecchia) every hour (or more often) and you can catch that train at either Termini or a few other Rome train stations (such as S. Peitro, Trestevere, etc). The other stations might be more convenient if one is closer to your location. And its a long hike within the huge Termini Station to get from the main entrance to the far track where the Civitavecchia Train departs.

 

Hank

[LuckyStar]

I bought mine in advance and printed them out from the kiosks in Italy.

 

Great site for information www dot seat61 dot com.

[steamboats]

Not sure, but I think you can´t buy the BIRG ticket online just the regular train tickets. BIRG is a day ticket for 12 Euro and includes all public transportation in Rome. It´s valid for regional trains only (RE).

 

You can get it at the train station (counter or ticket machine) or at the shop inside the train station or at any place saying "Tabacchi". There´s a shop at the corner close to the shuttle bus stop at Largo della Pace.

 

steamboats

[slidergirl]

No real value in buying ahead in this case. If you wait and buy at the station or the local tabacchi, you validate before you board, so you can get a later train IF the first one is too crowded for your comfort.

You are certainly able to buy online at trenitalia.it beforehand, just not same-day. I just did a sample booking for Civi-Roma Termini on the 8:59 Regionale tomorrow morning. You can actually get a mobile pass (like a plane e-pass) or print out a ticket from home. I do this all the time for my trenitalia travels, bought at home in the US or in Italy. They are pre-validated BECAUSE you have purchased online. The negative for this is that you are limited to that specific train; you can't change it and if you miss it, you are out your 5EU...

 

Something for people to also look at if they are doing more train travel in Italy - the Trenitalia app for your smartphone/tablet. If the lines are long, you can just buy with the app and hop on the train!!! I used this last year for some of my last-minute trains and for the Leonardo (when the lines for the kiosks were hideously long).

Edited September 20, 2016 by slidergirl