Sandi

Hello all. The countdown is on for me... leaving in less than a week for my first Italian adventure, brief as it may be. I thought I had it all figured out until Continental Airlines threw a wrench in my plans by canceling my connecting flight out of Newark until 24 hours later.... anyway, that's all beside the point now. <BR><BR>I am so confused by all the transportation options on trains and so forth. For one thing, I know the trenitalia website is the best souce of schedule information but my web browser won't support this site. Lame but true. <BR><BR>If I just go to the train ticket office at the Rome airport and ask to get tickets for Termini to Naples (I want to specifically go to Mergellina station) and my return tickets from Napoli Central back to Rome on a different day, will I be given all the options or do I need to know exactly what I want before I get there? I would like to be presented with all the different types of trains (IC, ES, INC, etc.), price comparisons between them, and so forth. Is this expecting too much from the train ticket sellers? Also, I don't speak Italian .... this may be my biggest problem yet. <BR><BR>I was supposed to arrive in Rome one day earlier than I will be now and I was going to find a travel agency in Rome to help me with all this on my first day. But now I need to go directly to Naples upon my arrival to the Rome airport. I have a hotel reservation in Paestum that I want to keep for this first night. <BR><BR>My mixed up plans are like this:<BR><BR>Arrive to Rome at 7:45 am on Saturday March 2.<BR><BR>Get to Termini as soon as possible, store my carryon suitcase at a locker of some kind, and go to Naples (preferably Mergellina station so I can easily access the hydrofoil).<BR><BR>Hydrofoil to Sorrento, then SITA bus along the coast to Salerno. Bus or train from Salerno to Paestum, where I will spend the night. <BR><BR>Sunday, March 3: Visit Paestum temples at 9:00 a.m., maybe the museum too. I was originally planning to visit the Archeological Museum in Naples but decided to cut this out because of loss of time. <BR><BR>Paestum to Pompeii - I understand Sunday transport is hard to come by, not sure of the best transport choice here. I hope my hotel in Paestum will direct me to the best way to go. <BR><BR>Visit Pompeii in the afternoon and catch Circumvesuviana back to Naples. Hope I'll have time to grab a pizza in Naples. Then a final train back to Rome Termini. <BR><BR>Just looking for any comments about my plans and specifically about getting the train tickets at the airport. Thanks!<BR><BR>Sandi

s

First, don't panic. Next, DO NOT expect the ticket window personnel to be friendly and patient (Before anyone gets bent out of shape, yes, Italians are wonderful people, I am not insulting anyone). Usually there is a long line and they are there to sell tickets, not answer questions. Okay, back to the Dont Panic. There is a solution. At all of the major train stations, there are self serve computers/ticket dispensers. Press the British flag for English. You type in, by pressing the screen, your departure and arrival station, and it will give you all the times and prices. Much easier than shouting thru the ticket window! Good luck!

Sandi

sssssss, <BR><BR>Thanks for the reply. I really didn't expect an answer much different from yours. <BR><BR>Was wondering if there is a travel agency at the Rome airport where I could sit down to talk to someone in a relaxed manner? (the language barrier would still be a problem but I would hope with the help of my phrase book we could figure it out!)<BR><BR>Maybe these self-serve machines are not so bad, but I prefer to have some personal help, if possible. The don't panic advice is getting harder to accept right now. This is my first solo trip and at first I was very excited to do it but the anxiety is rising now. <BR><BR>Thanks again!<BR><BR>Sandi

Shayne

If your web browser doesn't support the Italian site, have you tried out the Deutsche Bahn one? This site is very comprehensive and should list all of the trains you need. Last year I printed out schedules of all the relevant trains and this helped a great deal in talking to the people and the ticket windows. I knew which trains I wanted to buy tickets for and when they were leaving. Try out the DB site before you leave. There is a link for it at ricksteves.com<BR>

Esther

May I suggest....<BR><BR>log on www.raileurope.com/us/ you may request your tickets and have them ship Fed Ex (3days) before you leave on your trip, and also they will answer any question you might have. By the way Italians are very friendly and helpful.....<BR><BR>Have a great time......<BR>

Walter

Sandi: I remember you posting about this journey all I can say is WOW! I assume you'll be coming into Rome on the Airport Train, if so why not leave your bag at the manned luggage storage area? The Airport train drops you far from the main station, you go downstairs and then walk or use the moving walkways. Near the end on the right side is the luggage storage area. Personally I'd worry about not getting back in time on a locker, say a train strike happens, remote but possible. If you pass on the Hydrofoil and can be on this Rome train at 09:38 connect in SALERNO 12:22 and arrive at Paestum at 13:48. By 2PM you'll be at the museum/site buying your ticket, my 2002 guidebook says the site is open to 1hr before sunset and the museum is open until 6:30. That way you'll have all day Sunday to do your Amalfi Coast to Pompeii trip. Paestum is basically a walk-thru site, see the temples and then visit the museum. BTW this is one of the best laid-out museums I have ever seen, not stuffy, boring or crammed more like a nice art gallery. I assume you'll be coming back by train Paestum-Salerno and then a bus to Amalfi-Sorrento. If so when you buy your train ticket to Naples also get one for the Paestum-Salerno leg, when I was there the station was unmanned for some reason. I remember because the validation machine was broke and no one was at the ticket window to validate mine & others' tickets. If you take the hydrofoil (I'm guessing here but I think there are more and faster trains to the Naples Centrale/Garibaldi station (same station/different levels), from there take a taxi directly to the pier. I doubt it would be over $10. Regards, Walter<BR>p.s. I'll also be arriving next Sat and leaving for Naples on Thur. Between then, if you see a *big* 47yo man with *long* silver/blond hair in a ponytail always held in place with a bandana and a black leather daypack, or stereotypically if you see someone dressed like a *neat* trucker/biker (jeans, black leather vest), Say Hello. <BR>

Walter

Sandi: If you can print out the schedules from those other websites and check the website below on when the Airport-Termini train leaves (some many mins before & after the hr). You can plan your time so that you can buy your tickets at the Airport Train Station, I haven't since any lines there in the off-season. Also my guidebook mentions at Paestum next to the museum is a AAST(?) Information Office (Via Magna Graecia 155) Sun 9-noon, M-Sa 8-2 if they are open perhaps they can help with the Paestum-Sorrento leg. Below is a walk-thru from the airport to Termini via the train. Regards, Walter<BR>Go to http://www.adr.it/en/fiumic/fiumic-00.html click-on "Airport Map". Arrivals is on the ground floor, you want to go up 2 levels so you can take the walkways (yellow tubes on the map) over to the small (4 tracks?) train station. It's very easy, one look outside and you'll see the walkways and the train station. As you enter the station the ticket window is on the right, if there is a long queue/line go to the newstand/kiosk to the left of it and buy your ticket. The train is *usually* on the last track (4?) to the right. The departure board will say "Termini" I believe and the departure time. If you have time board at the furthest cars away, usually less crowded and when you get to Termini it will put you ahead of the herd, it's quite a long hike into the train station from the track you arrive on. The train is now 17,000L and a taxi would cost you ~80,000L (airport to hotel). <BR>  Also on the left-side in the airport train station is an FS ticket booth where you can buy your regular train tickets. This way you can avoid the long lines at Rome's Termini train station. I would give myself a *very very tight minimum* of 45mins, from the airport train's departure to boarding an outbound train from Termini. I've also heard! that the FS ticket booth also sells the Airport-Termini train tickets?<BR>

jahoulih

Walter's right--it works out much better if you see Paestum on Saturday and Pompeii on Sunday. Even if you miss the train Walter mentioned, you can get a train leaving Termini 10:45, reach Napoli Centrale 12:30, leave 13:20, arrive Agropoli 14:50, leave 15:21 and reach Paestum at 15:27, which still leaves you enough time to see the site and the museum.<BR><BR>Sunday would work out as follows: Leave Paestum 6:54, arrive Agropoli 7:00. Leave 7:10, arrive Salerno 7:50. Take the bus at 9:00, arrive Amalfi 10:10. Leave on the bus at 10:45, arrive Sorrento 12:20. Have lunch, take the Circumvesuviana at 13:56, reach Pompei Scavi at 14:23. Spend a few hours at Pompeii, Circumvesuviana back to Naples and train back to Rome after your pizza.

MK

Other options might be using a computer at a library or somplace like Kinkos, or picking up a Thomas Cook European Timetable at a library or bookstore.<BR>Sorry to hear about your flight, best of luck.