Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Travelling by Train
Travelling overland can be a pleasurable way of getting
to and travelling around Tuscany. Italy's state railway
(Ferrovie dello Stato, or FS) has a train for every type of
journey, from the quaintly slow
regionale
(local trains)
through various levels of rapid intercity service to the
luxurious, super-fast
freccia rossa
, which rushes between
Italian cities at a speed to match its ticket price. The net-
work between large cities is good, but journeys to towns
on branch lines may be quicker by coach
(see p310)
.
TICKETS AND FARES
Fares vary by train type (the
slowest trains cost the least)
and class (first and second).
Fares and timetables are listed
online (www.trenitalia.it). Fast
trains have obligatory seat
booking, while regional trains
do not have reserved seats.
There are often special
offers online for certain trains
or destinations, as well as
online price variations for fast
trains (Eurostar and
freccia
rossa
). You can get a 15-30
per cent discount on advance
bookings for the
freccia rossa
,
but such tickets come with
limited flexibility if you need
to change your booking later;
you can also pay a 20 per
cent surcharge in order to
have total flexibility.
Trenitalia offers a Travelcard
for one week, two weeks, or
a month on the route and train
type of your choice, offering
1,000 km (620 miles) of travel
during the specified period.
Travelcards can be purchased
online or at train stations.
rank in front, and local buses
(see p314)
depart from the
side of the building.
Facilities include a left
luggage office, a pharmacy, a
sala blu
(for disabled traveller
assistance), a hotel-booking
service, and newspaper
kiosks which also sell city bus
tickets. The nearest tourist
information office is at Piazza
della Stazione 4, across the
street. Florence also has two
other smaller train stations -
Campo de Marte and Rifredi -
running some regional trains
and intercity night trains.
Freccia rossa
(red arrow) train at
Santa Maria Novella station
ARRIVING BY TRAIN
Florence is a major arrival
point for trains from Europe.
The Galilei from Paris and the
Italia Express from Frankfurt
travel direct to Florence.
Passengers from London have
to change in Paris or Lille.
From Florence, there is a
direct train link with Pisa's
airport
(see p307).
Trains from all over Italy
arrive at and depart from Pisa
Centrale and Florence's Santa
Maria Novella stations. The
high-speed
freccia rossa
train
stops at Santa Maria Novella,
connecting to Bologna and
Milan in one direction, Rome
and Naples in the other.
Some intercity and regional
trains stop at Florence's other
two (smaller) stations; from
here you can take a regional
train to Santa Maria Novella
for free, or it may be quicker
to take a local bus to your
final destination
(see p314)
.
SIENA STATION
Siena's train station is situated
outside the city walls on
Piazzale Carlo Roselli. It is
quite small and about a
20-minute walk from the
centre. Any bus from opposite
the station goes to the city
centre. The TRA-IN bus
company
(see p315)
runs
coaches to Montepulciano,
Montalcino and Buoncon-
vento. These depart from the
front of the station. Tickets
must be bought from the bus
ticket window or self-service
machines before you board.
Logo on an intercity train
BUYING TICKETS
Always buy a ticket before
you travel, otherwise you will
be charged the price of a full-
fare ticket plus a €50 fine. If
the ticket office is busy, try
one of the self-service ticket
machines found at most
stations. You must validate
your ticket before every trip
by stamping it in one of the
yellow machines situated at
the entrance to most
platforms. If you forget to
stamp your ticket, write the
time and date on the edge of
the ticket and explain your
error to the inspector in order
to avoid paying a fine.
To purchase tickets online
you must first register at
www.trenitalia.com. American
Express is not accepted. You
can download and print your
ticket in PDF form or show
the reservation number to the
agent on the train. Tickets
bought online do not need to
PISA CENTRALE
Pisa's central station is quite
large, with facilities including
a restaurant and bar, news-
paper kiosks selling bus
tickets, a currency exchange
booth and left luggage office.
Tourist information is at the
front of the station. Most local
buses, including to the Campo
dei Miracoli
(see pp158-9)
and to the airport, stop in front
of the station. A bus informa-
tion and ticket office are close
by. Pisa also has another train
station at the airport
(see p307)
.
SANTA MARIA NOVELLA
STATION, FLORENCE
Santa Maria Novella
(see p113)
is Florence's central railway
station. It is always crowded
and attracts some unsavoury
characters, so you need to be
vigilant and take care of your
belongings. There is a taxi
