You went AGAIN? Or do you really mean a couple MONTHS ago.

I wouldnt even bother with first class on such a short trip. I paid $30ish for a 2nd class ticket back in Feb. There are machines in the station at Termini where you can buy your ticket in 6 different languages. Just make sure you're buying a ticket on the fast train.

I want to thank everyone for all the advice.
I will wait to buy our ticket's at Termini.
Thanks again, Duke

On the Eurostar First, you need a reservation. It may not be a separate document, but printed on the ticket.

Another recommendation for the machines at Termini. They take credit cards and are easy to use. They even specify which trains are EuroStars, etc. First class is definitely worth the extra cost, especially because it's not much

Even if you don't use the machines, all the Italian you need is "Uno bigletto (due bigletti) per Firenze, per favore." The ticket sellers are nice.

When you get old you lose track of time. You, me, Rome, it seems like yesterday!

You should buy the tickets at the station, but if you can do it a day or two before your scheduled departure, all the better. As stated above, the trains run very often between the two cities. Definitely take the Eurostar. The ES trains are fast, are in good condition, and the bathrooms were not bad. The seats in second class were roomy and adequate for the two hour trip. As stated above, the seats offer more room than a coach seat on American Airlines. DO get a seat reservation. Also, do not forget to validate your ticket before boarding the train. This can be easily done at the numerous little yellow validation boxes located in the station and at the end of each platform. The boxes are about waist high. You simply slide your ticket into the slot and it stamps your ticket. If you fail to validate the ticket you will likely not have any problem, but the conductor may grumble at you and give you a small lecture. Happy travels.

One word of caution/advice. Be advised that often in Europe, many trains use the same track, some departing only a few minutes from each other. For example on Track Two, there may be a train scheduled to depart on this track at 1:15 p.m. and another scheduled to depart at 1:20 p.m. Make sure you get on the right train. DO not assume that just because there is a train on the track you need, that it is the train you're scheduled to be on. Watch the signs closely and if you can, verify with a uniformed train employee (there are usually several on the platforms) that you are boarding the correct train. You shouldn't have a problem if you are attentive.

[This message has been edited by hhonorman (edited 05-15-2003).]

My favorite Italian train/city story is about the trains running from Milan to Munich. The Italian for Munich is "Monaco," and the departure boards in Milan main station used to show the trains running to Monaco (I think they may have since changed it to "Muenchen" to help the non-Italians). I always wondered how many foreign tourists wound up arriving in Munich and asking when the train would arrive in Monaco (conductors generally don't ask Eurail-pass holders where they're headed to).

Three years ago I bought the tkts Rome-Florence in Termine. Once in the train we sat with some people wo had bought their tkts in the States and we saw that we had paid less than 50% of what they had.

I think designated travel agencies are now selling train tickets.

There are two in Venice.