Subject: Re: Italy trip
On 25 Mar 00, at 19:38, Andrew McGarrell wrote:
> old acquaintances before we commit to an itinerary. We're more likely
> to decide while we're in Umbertide, which doesn't have an F.S.
> station, but has a travel agency. Keeping in mind that the Italian
> language isn't a problem for us:
> Train reservations can't be made by phone, can they? Only from some places (actually: you can reserve from ANY place but you have to retrieve the tickets in one of the few phone reservation offices at least 24 hours before the departure of the reserved train). This method can be however useful if one want to reserve a place for a peak day before actually arriving in Europe, calling the reservation center of the city where he/she will be, and retrieve the ticket there. They accept Diners, Visa, MC , AX cards. phone are Firenze 0552654618 , Roma 06486594 , Verona 045888179 , Milano 0266981464 , Napoli 081283737 , Venezia 0412750492 , Trieste 0404528087, Genova 0102461823 Ancona 07142250, Bologna 051249876 , Bari 0805231776 Reggio C. 096523640 , Torino 011534183, Palermo 0916169566
> If we reserve through a travel agent, will they expect us to buy the
> tickets from them rather than just pay the small reservation fee? I This rule is not only for a travel agent, but also on the station. You have to buy the ticket together with reservation, or if you have one [or a pass] show it so the reservation can be bounded to it.
> ask because when I used the Umbertide travel agent four years ago,
> they weren't equipped to take credit cards. If that's still the case,
> would a big travel agency, such as CIT in Perugia, take credit cards This is not a general rules. For example i can cite the fact that some agencies do accept only some kind of card for railway booking. If you are in Perugia anyway at the station of Fontivegge you can buy tickets and make reservation paying with any credit card.
> for train tickets? Will the total cost of the tickets and
> reservations be the same whether I use a travel agent or book at a
> station? Yes, except in four very peculiar cases for CHANGE of reservation: tickets to Spain, to Russia or to Sardegna (whose reservations can be changed only in a station) or for a train leaving earlier than the original one for you had reserved (that is free in a station, and you pay at an agency)
> I'm planning to stop in Verona; I see that it will be the beginning of
> the Arena season and it may be hard to get lodging, so I was thinking
> of stopping for a day and getting a train to Milan when I'm ready,
> without advance commitment to one of the frequent trains on the route.
> If, when I'm ready, the next train requires reservations, can I make
> a reservation even though the train may have left its starting point Sometimes yes, other times no but between Verona and Milano there is only two trains requiring reservation, the one that leave at 1828 and the one at 2028. in both case you have at least 4 other unreserved ones within an hour or you can board if there are available places (ask conductor when the train arrive - For second one should be possible to reserve even after it left Venezia at 1900)
> in Trieste or Venice and the seats can't be marked? Would it be like
> getting on a plane where all the seats are presumed to be reserved?

Leonardo Boselli