I am flying into Rome Airport and then taking the train to Florence. My flight gets in on British Airways at 4pm. I am aware that there is a train that leaves every 30 minutes or so from the airport to Rome Termini. Then there is a Eurostar train from there to Florence.

For the Eurostar train, they require an advance reservation. What time (or how much time to allow) would you suggest for the Eurostar train? Is 6:30pm enough time? What happens if we miss our train reservation due to a delay?

Thank you very much for your advice.

Mike

For the Eurostar train, they require an advance reservation. What time (or how much time to allow) would you suggest for the Eurostar train? Is 6:30pm enough time? What happens if we miss our train reservation due to a delay?
Thank you very much for your advice.
Mike

Mike, just buy your Eurostar ticket at Rome Termini. There are dozens of machines, with English instructions.

Occasionally the trains are full and you have to wait for the next one. You can pick your train, 1st or 2nd class from the machine, pick you seats, and pay with cash or credit card.

It's very simple...........I did it several times! :D

I am flying into Rome Airport and then taking the train to Florence. My flight gets in on British Airways at 4pm. I am aware that there is a train that leaves every 30 minutes or so from the airport to Rome Termini. Then there is a Eurostar train from there to Florence.

For the Eurostar train, they require an advance reservation. What time (or how much time to allow) would you suggest for the Eurostar train? Is 6:30pm enough time? What happens if we miss our train reservation due to a delay?

Thank you very much for your advice.

Mike

A couple of points to bear in mind:

a) baggage claim at FCO notoriously slow, you could be waiting at worst 45-60 mins IME;

b) on arrival at Termini, you are at the far end of the station so it is a very long walk to get to the platforms for other trains.

1830 would probably OK, assuming flight is on time and everything goes smoothly of course!

In addition a search on this board for 'Termini' will probably bring up responses to similar questions.

I am flying into Rome Airport and then taking the train to Florence. My flight gets in on British Airways at 4pm. I am aware that there is a train that leaves every 30 minutes or so from the airport to Rome Termini. Then there is a Eurostar train from there to Florence.

... Is 6:30pm enough time? ...

4:00 PM arrival FCO - 6:30 PM departure at termini can be tied...but it's doable
We just used the train to termini:
-You have to "find" and walk to the train station. You get the tickets in front of the station (8 to 10 minutes, may be more)
-The train was very slow, but made the trip in 30+ minutes (may be more, I forgot)
-At terminini we had a very long walk (10 to 15 min.) to get to the main terminal hall (and exit... in our case)

Travelling light would be a big bonus making the trip into and through Rome, which I did just over a year ago. Luckily for me, I had a railpass, so really didn't have to worry about which train to book as it allowed travel on any departure.

In Rome FCO allow for up to 60 min for baggage collection

To buy Eurostar tickets you can go on www.trenitalia.com then click english on the top left corner of the page and check the trains to Florence leaving from Roma Termini. You can buy via web with c/card. Choose "ticketless" option and will receive a mail with confirmation and Key details such as PNR number which identifies your booing, CP change code, coach and seat. Bring the email on the train and the trainguard will print the ticketless receipt on board.

At FCO rail station also there is a ticket box where you can buy both tickets to go to Termini and to go to Florence without warrying of advance purchase.

Also www.italiarail.com sells trenitalia tickets on the web although it might be more expensive.

Travel light if you can and have a nice holiday

IF you are lucky, you will get your bags within an hour of deplaning. Rome is very chaotic and things change around frequently, so while in theory a 630pm train is doable, in practice, it will work one time out of ten.

Be patient, and take the train that you find when you make it to the train station in Rome.

I just did this last month, arriving into FCO from the US. If you don't have to wait for luggage & your flight arrives on time, you'll have no problem in making the 18.30 train. Buy your Florence ticket at the same time as you're buying your ticket on the Leonardo Express into Rome. The train ride into Rome takes about 30 minutes, then (as others have said) it is a bit of a walk to the main train station area, but doable, so figure about a hour to be in Termini from FCO.

1. beware pickpockets at the train sta, particularly if loaded down with luggage.

2. first class in the next level of train down is quite decent(IC or EC i think). however it may cost more. must stamp ticket for this train.

A couple of weeks ago I flew into FCO (on British Airways from London) and we had to wait over and hour and a half just to get through passport control. You may breeze through quickly but don't count on it. :rolleyes:

A couple of weeks ago I flew into FCO (on British Airways from London) and we had to wait over and hour and a half just to get through passport control. You may breeze through quickly but don't count on it. :rolleyes:


points out the advantage of secondary airports like BLQ VCE, & FRZ. most of the planes are small, so out of luggage in 10-15 min, with a passport control thrown in. never seen a bag inspected on the way out.

This may be a stupid question but why are you flying to Rome in order to get to Florence - BA have flights to Pisa.