well, Don has been very efficient, more than any Italian person :o) BTW, I wanted to add a couple of things.

> with a Rail Pass do I still need to make reservations for
> specific trains and times or can we just walk on any train?

Check your pass: faster trains (Intercities and Eurostars) require a speed supplement on the ordinary ticket price, so check if your pass covers those supplements or not (in Italian it is called supplemento rapido). If you want a seat reservation you can just buy it, at the stations ticket office or at most of travel agencies.

Ciao Flavio in Rome