Q'n re: Leonardo express train and transfer

[floridafolks]

Ok, this is not relevant to anything (but since we just had a Martini who cares) so must post this comment. We are awed and "Wowed" at Euros level of knowlege on this subject. Now mind you we are not ignorant travelers and also have a teeny bit of knowledge, but this just makes us appreciate Euro even more. In fact, every once in a while we learn new things from Euro (we did not know you couldn't buy a BIRG ticket at the Fiumcino station). For those of you trying to really learn how to travel independently you cannot do much better then to listen to Euro.

 

Hank

P.S. I did not receive any compensation from Euro for this post :)

 

I too had been following this thread and thinking how glad I was to have taken Euro's advice regarding the FR1. For transport to the airport, it was so much easier than going to Termini and taking the LE-and cheaper too. The elevators even worked at the Trastavere station where we had to change--so much nicer with the luggage.

 

I also appreciated Euro's opinion on a thread a few days ago regarding that pickpockets are not as likely to be on the more expensive longer distance express trains. As we are going to Milan after visiting Rome, we have now reserved seats on the express train- even on one that is non-stop Rome-Milan, so we do not have to worry about luggage "disappearing" at stops along the way. I would never have thought of that had Euro not mentioned it.

 

Euro, I do have a question regarding the "s" word that Hank 'loves." If I am reading the schedule correctly, is the 7:59 the latest morning train that is guaranteed to run in case of strike? Since we are not heading to the airport, we will be going to Termini, ugh! I think that is the closest train stop to Via Veneto. It is a hefty walk, but we usually just walk or grab a taxi rather than deal with the metro to get from Termini to hotels in that area. Any thoughts on that, Euro?

 

Hank, I have not had a martini tonight, but I would like to thank you also for all your insightful suggestions that you have contributed to CC.

 

People like you and Euro have really devoted a tremendous amount of time helping us out.

[euro cruiser]

Euro, I do have a question regarding the "s" word that Hank 'loves." If I am reading the schedule correctly, is the 7:59 the latest morning train that is guaranteed to run in case of strike? Since we are not heading to the airport, we will be going to Termini, ugh! I think that is the closest train stop to Via Veneto. It is a hefty walk, but we usually just walk or grab a taxi rather than deal with the metro to get from Termini to hotels in that area. Any thoughts on that, Euro?

 

You are reading it correctly - after the 7:59, the next guaranteed train is the 6:56 PM. They are structured this way so people can get to work and get back home.

 

Know that the odds of a strike happening on the one day you need to use the train are very slim, but it can happen and it's good to know what your options are.

 

And yes, unfortunately, the nearest train station to Via Veneto hotels is Termini. If you are really adventurous and truly want to avoid Termini, I can tell you how to use mass transit from the Roma Ostiense station, but I honestly think you're better off just going to Termini. (Getting to Via Veneto from Ostiense would mean going through Termini anyway, just downstairs at the metro level rather than the train level.)

 

With a little time and thought I could figure out how to get you there by bus, but that would require changes and, again, you're really better off taking the train to Termini and either walking or taking a cab.

 

Guaranteed Trains

Linea Roma - Grosseto (fr5)

N.treno Stazione di Partenza Ora part. Stazione di Arrivo Note

12227 Civitavecchia 06:22 Roma Tib.

12229 Civitavecchia 06:53 Roma Term.

12231 Civitavecchia 06:59 Roma Term.

7257 Civitavecchia 07:59 Roma Term. Si effettua il sabato dal 8/1 nonchè il 18/12.

12261 Civitavecchia 18:56 Roma Term.

12263 Civitavecchia 19:39 Roma Term. Si effettua dal lunedì al sabato fino al 23/12; nei lavorativi dal 3/1 nonchè dal 27/12 al 30/12.

[floridafolks]

You are reading it correctly - after the 7:59, the next guaranteed train is the 6:56 PM. They are structured this way so people can get to work and get back home.

 

Know that the odds of a strike happening on the one day you need to use the train are very slim, but it can happen and it's good to know what your options are.

 

And yes, unfortunately, the nearest train station to Via Veneto hotels is Termini. If you are really adventurous and truly want to avoid Termini, I can tell you how to use mass transit from the Roma Ostiense station, but I honestly think you're better off just going to Termini. (Getting to Via Veneto from Ostiense would mean going through Termini anyway, just downstairs at the metro level rather than the train level.)

 

With a little time and thought I could figure out how to get you there by bus, but that would require changes and, again, you're really better off taking the train to Termini and either walking or taking a cab.

 

Guaranteed Trains

Linea Roma - Grosseto (fr5)

N.treno Stazione di Partenza Ora part. Stazione di Arrivo Note 12227

Civitavecchia 06:22 Roma Tib. 12229

Civitavecchia 06:53 Roma Term. 12231

Civitavecchia 06:59 Roma Term. 7257

Civitavecchia 07:59 Roma Term.Si effettua il sabato dal 8/1 nonchè il 18/12. 12261

Civitavecchia 18:56 Roma Term.12263

Civitavecchia 19:39 Roma Term.Si effettua dal lunedì al sabato fino al 23/12; nei lavorativi dal 3/1 nonchè dal 27/12 al 30/12.

 

Thanks, Euro. After getting caught with a strike trying to get from Treviso to Venice a few years ago, I do try to have a back up plan. I now check the official website since strikes are supposed to be "announced" in advance.

 

I was not sure about the 7:59 b/c I did not know what "Si effettua il sabato dal 8/1 nonchè il 18/12.12261" meant after the time.

 

I think I will stick with walking or taxi to Via Veneto from Termini like we have in the past. We do have an adventuresome spirit, but not usually when we have luggage in tow, so we will pass on the bus and metro connections.

[Embracedbylife]

Another useful post!! :) Thanks for the info on the potential for stikes and the last train in the morning to catch. I suppose if we miss the train there is another alternative to get to the airport on our day of departure - a very expensive taxi right?? Any other budget friendly options?

 

I'll try to remember the day before we depart the ship to check on the train website to see if there are any strikes. Is there a special place to look for this strike info?

 

Again, wealth of knowledge!!! :)

[floridafolks]

Another useful post!! :) Thanks for the info on the potential for stikes and the last train in the morning to catch. I suppose if we miss the train there is another alternative to get to the airport on our day of departure - a very expensive taxi right?? Any other budget friendly options?

 

I'll try to remember the day before we depart the ship to check on the train website to see if there are any strikes. Is there a special place to look for this strike info?

 

Again, wealth of knowledge!!! :)

I use the strike commission website http://www.commissionegaranziasciopero.it Unfortunately it is in Italian.

 

Please do not let this become a worry, as Euro said, the odds of there being a strike on the day you want to travel is remote. Often even when strikes are scheduled, they can be revoked. I am not sure how far in advance they are required to register a strike, but I doubt it would be the day before. After being affected by a strike and having to scramble for plans, I just find it better for my peace of mind to have an alternative backup plan.

 

I do think that the LE has trains that still run in case of strike, but then you still need to get to Termini to take it.

[euro cruiser]

There are a few things you could do.

 

First, check with the port agent in Civitavecchia, they will know about a strike and what options exist.

 

If you read a little Italian, you can check the status of potential strikes on the official state web site set up for this purpose: http://www.commissionegaranziasciopero.it/

 

Do note, however, that if you watch you'll notice that stikes are more often cancelled than carried out.

 

Trenitalia strike information can be found here: http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=4e0f331438dea110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

[Embracedbylife]

Great! Thanks again! I would hope that they would announce any strikes to the cruise passengers if they are aware of any. Most likely worst case scenairo they'd allow us to purchase last minute ship transfers to the airport.

[Embracedbylife]

I got such great feedback from you guys I thought I'd add one more question if that's ok!

 

Departing the cruise at the pier - how hard will it be getting to the train station? Will the transfer buses be packed? should we just grab a cab to the train station or is it pretty easy going via the shuttle and walking? We have to catch a 7:59am train and wanted to be prepared for what to expect. I know we can do it - just wanted to be ultra prepared and give enough time so we arn't pulling out our hair and missing the train.

[euro cruiser]

I've never ended a cruise at Civitavecchia, so I can't help you with your question about shuttle crowding or cabs, but I'm sure someone else will.

 

As far as getting to the train station from the port entrance, it's a short, flat walk of about five blocks (less than half a mile).

[floridafolks]

I got such great feedback from you guys I thought I'd add one more question if that's ok!

 

Departing the cruise at the pier - how hard will it be getting to the train station? Will the transfer buses be packed? should we just grab a cab to the train station or is it pretty easy going via the shuttle and walking? We have to catch a 7:59am train and wanted to be prepared for what to expect. I know we can do it - just wanted to be ultra prepared and give enough time so we arn't pulling out our hair and missing the train.

 

I am certainly not the expert like Euro is, but we do take the train after disembarking--sometimes heading to FCO and sometimes going in to spend a few days in Rome post cruise. We have been fortunate to catch the 7:59, but the important factor for us is that we choose the self-disembark option where we take our own luggage off with us. We are ready to get off as soon as the ship is cleared and then we are always on the first port shuttle bus to get to the port exit. Sometimes they wait until the bus is full, sometimes they will go when partially full and one time we had to wait for the bus to even start running. Just be sure you are on the first bus.

 

If I remember correctly, the taxis are not at the pier but are outside the port where the shuttle bus drops off. IMHO the taxis are few and far between at that time. We never bother anyway with the taxi and just take the easy walk to the train station. Since we are on the first shuttle bus, there has not been a line at the ticket window. I believe there is also a tabac that sells tickets if the line is long and time is pressing. As I recall you had mentioned luggage was not an issue for you as you only had one bag. Depending on the track you may need to go down and up stairs to the train. Walking is easy and there will probably be a few other folks that will be doing the same thing.

 

You really are doing your homework so I think you will be well prepared.

[Hlitner]

I hate to inform some online friends, but we do not make martinis with Gin (only use Vodka) in this house. It's always interesting to see that "S" word when it comes to Europe (not just Italy). In nearly forty years of international travel we have been inconvenienced by two train strikes (Italy and France) but, as has been said, the odds of this happening are not great. It is unuual to have an unannouced strike (it happened to us in France) so just check out the internet resourses and do not get overly concerned. Besides, most strikes are for the full day so its very very unlikely you would take a train to someplace and get stranded (in which case you find a taxi and pay whatever it costs).

 

Hank

[euro cruiser]

I hate to inform some online friends, but we do not make martinis with Gin (only use Vodka) in this house.

That's perfect. I'll bring the olives. What time? Is there a train station within walking distance? Where and how do I buy tickets? :D I'm not making fun ... I can get pretty much anywhere in Italy by public transit, but PA is well outside of my experience. Well, other than a long bus ride out to Altoona many years ago, with a busload of West Point cadets ... quite an experience for an 18-year-old girl!

[floridafolks]

That's perfect. I'll bring the olives. What time? Is there a train station within walking distance? Where and how do I buy tickets? :D I'm not making fun ... I can get pretty much anywhere in Italy by public transit, but PA is well outside of my experience. Well, other than a long bus ride out to Altoona many years ago, with a busload of West Point cadets ... quite an experience for an 18-year-old girl!

 

 

Oh Euro, you should write a book of your experiences--it might be a best seller!

[bobalink]

Ok, this is not relevant to anything (but since we just had a Martini who cares) so must post this comment. We are awed and "Wowed" at Euros level of knowlege on this subject. Now mind you we are not ignorant travelers and also have a teeny bit of knowledge, but this just makes us appreciate Euro even more. In fact, every once in a while we learn new things from Euro (we did not know you couldn't buy a BIRG ticket at the Fiumcino station). For those of you trying to really learn how to travel independently you cannot do much better then to listen to Euro.

 

Hank

P.S. I did not receive any compensation from Euro for this post :)

 

I would like to add my name to the long list of GRATEFUL CC members who have benefited from euro cruiser's wisdom!

 

And, KUDOS, to Hank, for all of the useful information you have provided.

 

You both are awesome and I am THANKFUL for all I have learned from reading your posts.

 

Cheers!

I raise my glass to you! Although, it is not a martini. :D

[Embracedbylife]

I am certainly not the expert like Euro is, but we do take the train after disembarking--sometimes heading to FCO and sometimes going in to spend a few days in Rome post cruise. We have been fortunate to catch the 7:59, but the important factor for us is that we choose the self-disembark option where we take our own luggage off with us. We are ready to get off as soon as the ship is cleared and then we are always on the first port shuttle bus to get to the port exit. Sometimes they wait until the bus is full, sometimes they will go when partially full and one time we had to wait for the bus to even start running. Just be sure you are on the first bus.

 

If I remember correctly, the taxis are not at the pier but are outside the port where the shuttle bus drops off. IMHO the taxis are few and far between at that time. We never bother anyway with the taxi and just take the easy walk to the train station. Since we are on the first shuttle bus, there has not been a line at the ticket window. I believe there is also a tabac that sells tickets if the line is long and time is pressing. As I recall you had mentioned luggage was not an issue for you as you only had one bag. Depending on the track you may need to go down and up stairs to the train. Walking is easy and there will probably be a few other folks that will be doing the same thing.

 

You really are doing your homework so I think you will be well prepared.

 

Thanks for all this great information! We always self disembark. What time did u typically leave the ship? I was thinking if the trip to the ship is ok we may try it! The shuttle seems to be the only potential issue plus train delays.

[euro cruiser]

Oh Euro, you should write a book of your experiences--it might be a best seller!

It would be WAY to embarrassing ... I'm not kidding when I say that much of what I know about travel was learned by making every single rookie mistake there is to make. Fortunately for my ego, I often travel alone and many of these "adventures" go unobserved by anyone I know.

 

As I'm blithely advising others to hop on a bus in Rome, or a train in Naples, I try to remember how difficult it was for me the first time. (Clearly I don't always succeed at that.) I actually learned Rome on foot because I the first time I was there I was alone for the first three weeks and didn't understand Italian. I was afraid to get on a bus because I wasn't sure where they were going, so I walked the entire centro storico, block by block, church to church and museum to archeological site. I made dozens of wrong turns and found lots of "new" thousand year old streets :rolleyes:, but in the end I know Rome better than I know New York.

 

One of the dumber/funnier "adventures" on that first trip had to do with the trash. I simply could not figure out what to do with it ... I looked all over the palazzo my apartment was in trying to figure out what the heck my neighbors were doing with theirs, but after a week of stalking them I still didn't know. Finally, one morning in my second week I happened to see someone putting their trash in the communal bins on the street ... the same bins I'd been walking past every single day since I had arrived.

[Hlitner]

That's perfect. I'll bring the olives. What time? Is there a train station within walking distance? Where and how do I buy tickets? :D I'm not making fun ... I can get pretty much anywhere in Italy by public transit, but PA is well outside of my experience. Well, other than a long bus ride out to Altoona many years ago, with a busload of West Point cadets ... quite an experience for an 18-year-old girl!

 

Trains in PA? Now that is interesting. Yes, there is a station about 10 miles away in Harrisburg but you never know about those trains. Sometimes they run, sometimes they run very slow, and sometimes they don't run at all (after all, this is America). And why in the world would you want to go to Altoona. That is one of the few places that is less worthy then where we live :) Those cadets should have spent their day running around Michie Stadium :)

Hank

[euro cruiser]

Actually, I have taken Amtrak across PA, just last summer. We'd gone out to visit friends in far western MD on the motorcycle but I needed to get back for a meeting, so I took the train. Eight hours to go from Greennsburg (near Pittsburgh) back to New York, through Harrisburg. If I'd only known!

 

(I don't remember where the cadets were headed, I got off in Altoona to visit my best friend who was at St. Francis College in Loretto.)

[floridafolks]

Thanks for all this great information! We always self disembark. What time did u typically leave the ship? I was thinking if the trip to the ship is ok we may try it! The shuttle seems to be the only potential issue plus train delays.

We have usually been right around 7. Of course the ship has to be cleared first. If you are getting off on the 30th, according to cruisett and whatsinport, your ship is the only one that day. I can't say those sites are 100% corrrect, but at least they both indicate that.

Do what makes you comfortable. To me saving money is no use, if it causes stress.

[Embracedbylife]

Thanks Floridafolks! I agree 100% about paying for a stress free transfer. I think that's why I like to go on these boards and get all this info ahead of time to be ultra prepared, so I can't thank you all enough for your help and input.

 

7am is totally doable for me to disembark and that's the time I was thinking of actually. There is a 7:33am train that we could always take if we get there earlier, or worst case it'll give us an hour to catch the train right before 8am. Honestly I hate the idea of sitting on a bus with 50 other people LOL. But I'd prefer the princess transfer over a transfer with other roll call members.

 

I was just a little worried about standing for an hour waiting for a shuttle to drive us to the port exit/entrance and was hoping there were taxis there to take, but no problem, we'll give ourselves an hour just in case we have to wait awhile! :)

[Crusin6]

There are a few things you could do.

 

First, check with the port agent in Civitavecchia, they will know about a strike and what options exist.

 

If you read a little Italian, you can check the status of potential strikes on the official state web site set up for this purpose: http://www.commissionegaranziasciopero.it/

 

Do note, however, that if you watch you'll notice that stikes are more often cancelled than carried out.

 

Trenitalia strike information can be found here: http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=4e0f331438dea110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

this is probably the most important bit of info that I saved on my computer today!! We will be traveling by train in July 2012 from Rome to Venice to catch the Ruby..but I am considering adding an extra day in Venice as a buffer anyway...but it is great to know which trains are guaranteed. also,...4 out of the 6 of us are fluent in Italian!!!!!!:D We are full blooded Italian Americans but the kids took to the language immeadiately and the 21 yo is constantly mistaken for an Italian native and has spent many many days studing in Roma...so that is a real extra we have going for us too...and she has traveled the trains often.

[browneyes7]

We almost always take the local FR1 line for the reasons you stated AND more often than the one or two stations before Termini are usually closer to our hotel than Termini or provide us with a better place to change trains if we are heading to other areas like Cinque Terre.

 

Does the local FR1 train go all the way to the Termini Station? We've taken the Leonardo Express before, but would consider taking the FR1 if we aren't in a hurry.

[Hlitner]

Unless they have made recent changes the FR1 train does not go to the Termini....but it does stop at a number of other stations within Rome. Here is a link that might help...

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=240ab31e1bdb7210VgnVCM1000004016f90aRCRD

 

Also keep in mind that the FR1 is more like a subway then a normal train and there are always locals getting on and off at different stations. This means you need to always keep your luggage under close control and be alert for pickpockets ( a good idea anywhere in Europe).

 

Hank

[euro cruiser]

The FR1 does not go to Termini, the LE has that route exclusively. The FR1 bypasses Termini and goes on to Tiburtina.

[lmbecker]

Does anyone know if there is luggage storage at the Roma Ostiento station? I would like to take the FR1 from Fiumicino and go directly to the Vatican before my hotel. I know I've seen that there is day storage at Termini station, but that is out of the way and would mean taking the LE which I don't want to do. Thanks for a reply!