Post Cruise Train Time: Venice to Rome Termini

I spent the past 2 hours searching through this board for a posting I believe I made. I used the "search by username" and did not find the post. I have noticed other users had been blasted for not doing their own research before posting the question here. So I want it known that I have tried and not purposely reposting.

With that said, our cruise arrives in Venice on a Sunday in June at 9AM. Is there customs to go through upon arrival? We are non-EU citizens, not sure if that matters.

Is it doable to get from the terminal to St. Lucia for an 11am train? Or should I choose the one at 11:35am?

TIA.

11 or 11:35 will be fine.

Whether you have Immigration or Customs will depend on your previous ports.

Note that getting to Venice Santa Lucia requires crossing a bridge with your luggage. You will take the People Mover to Piazzale Roma and then either a vaporetto across the Grand Canal or walk across a bridge to the other side.

For those unable to handle their luggage for this transition you could take a land taxi to the Venice Mestre station and depart from there, as every train that departs from Venice Santa Lucia also stops at Mestre.

11 or 11:35 will be fine.

 

Whether you have Immigration or Customs will depend on your previous ports.

Our ports include:

Note that getting to Venice Santa Lucia requires crossing a bridge with your luggage. You will take the People Mover to Piazzale Roma and then either a vaporetto across the Grand Canal or walk across a bridge to the other side.

 

For those unable to handle their luggage for this transition you could take a land taxi to the Venice Mestre station and depart from there, as every train that departs from Venice Santa Lucia also stops at Mestre.

None of us have mobility issues (knock no wood). I read it's not too difficult to walk across the bridge to St Lucia.

It's reasonable then to book the 11am train?

I wouldn't choose anything before 11, and maybe a little after. Arriving at 9 doesn't mean disembarking starts then.

There are several segments to your short journey to the train. First you have to walk from the ship to the People Mover station, this may be just steps or it could be as long as a half mile, depending on where your ship is berthed.

People Mover trains come every seven minutes and the trip takes four minutes, so worse case is 15 minutes, including time to buy your ticket and get upstairs.

The walk from the People Mover terminus at Piazzale Roma to the train station is a third of a mile, including the bridge.

Once at the station you'll need a few minutes to find your train.

Adding it all up, your worse case scenario should be 45 minutes from ship to train, more likely it will be about a half hour.

If there are no delays disembarking 11 should work. If concerned about time do the self disembarkment where you keep your bags and walk off rather than having to find them in the terminal. Never had to go through customs at the cruise terminal. I would recommend getting the train at Maistre. Catch a taxi at the terminal and you and your bags will be at the station 15-20 minutes later. The people mover to Piazzale Roma can be quite a walk from your dock and then the bridge to the train station. I’ve done both and the cost of a taxi is well worth it. If you want to pre-arrange a car or van we’ve used Elite Autonoleggi, www.eliteautonoleggi.it, +39 349 4113646, twice with excellent service.

Our ports include:

Greece: Santorini, Piraeus, Katakolon,Corfu

Italy: Brinsdisi

Montenegro

 

I would say there might be a passport check...but not likely.

I would feel comfortable with the 11am train...as mentioned, if you are worried, select the self disembark option.

 

People Mover trains come every seven minutes and the trip takes four minutes, so worse case is 15 minutes, including time to buy your ticket and get upstairs.

 

I read it is possible to buy PeopleMover tickets before we leave for the cruise. That the tickets are good until they are validated. But it is the Internet - one has to the research one researched. :-) We arrive into Venice the night before our cruise. I thought about taking a walk out to the PeopleMover and purchase our roundtrip tickets.

Each of us will have one luggage (with wheel spinners) that we are responsible to take from point A to point B. I have told my family to bring only what you can transport. :-) Surprisingly we are going through Europe for one month with one luggage each!

There is a 11AM train with Italo and 11:35AM with Trenitalia.

Premier seats on Italo trains are 10e less than Trenitalia Super Economy 2nd class. I am considering the 11AM train because of the price and better class seating. Although, is there that much of a difference between the classes? However, if 11AM is cutting it short, then I will take 1135AM. I just did not want to "hang" around the train station for too long waiting for the train.

I can't speak to seating on the Italo trains, I've not been on them. On Trenitalia the premium cars have larger seats but after riding in them a few times on longer trips I would not pay for the upgrade, unless it was one of those deals where first class was nearly the same price as second.

The seats are wider but not so much that I'd pay a 50% (or on some lines a 100%) markup for them. I don't care about a free, tepid cup of coffee and a cookie (really? that's the best they could do?), but what really annoyed me about my last 1st class trip on Trenitalia was a car full of businessmen (mostly men, anyway) talking (loudly) on their cell phones for most of the five hour trip. So, if you are going to pay for a premium car, I'd advise going for one of the cell phone free ones.

In terms of timing, under normal circumstances you'd probably be fine with the 11 AM slot.

I've ridden both, and I would point out that the seating on Italo is different from Trenitalia, so keep that in mind. On Trenitalia you can book two window seats facing each other with a table in between; Italo is like the seating on American trains, two seats side by side. Italian trains change direction at times so at some point someone is going to be riding backwards. This is a problem for some people, and while on Trenitalia it's easy to change seats with your companion, on Italo you are both going to be stuck with it.

I've ridden both, and I would point out that the seating on Italo is different from Trenitalia, so keep that in mind. On Trenitalia you can book two window seats facing each other with a table in between; Italo is like the seating on American trains, two seats side by side. Italian trains change direction at times so at some point someone is going to be riding backwards. This is a problem for some people, and while on Trenitalia it's easy to change seats with your companion, on Italo you are both going to be stuck with it.

Are you saying Italo trains are like being on a plane, where in front of me would be the back of the seats?

Thanks!

You can see pictures of the inside of the Italo trains on their web site here: https://www.italotreno.it/it/il-treno

Just click on the different classes (smart, comfort, prima, club executive) to see the differences.

Are you saying Italo trains are like being on a plane, where in front of me would be the back of the seats?

Yes.