Celine

Hello,

I have never taken a train in europe so I need some pointers before setting
off for Rome, Milan and Lugano in January. Thanks.

1) Luggage - where do you store this when using the Eurostar? I need to
validate the tickets before boarding, anything else I must know?

2) Eurostar tickets - should I book weeks in advance (yup, I know
RailEurope is vastly overpriced. But what must be done must be done.) or
should I just relax and buy tickets when I land in Rome? That would be 3
days in advance.

3) Lugano - to do a day trip or spend a night?

Thanks.

Go Fig

In article ,
"Celine" wrote:

    > 3) Lugano - to do a day trip or spend a night?

Spend the night. I like Hotel Walter right on the Lake, the 4th floor
rooms have balconies.

jay
Thu, Oct 10, 2002
mailto:[email protected]

--

Legend insists that as he finished his abject...
Galileo muttered under his breath: "Nevertheless, it does move."

Deep Fried Mars

Celine wrote in message
news:[email protected]
g...
    > Hello,
    > I have never taken a train in europe so I need some pointers before
setting
    > off for Rome, Milan and Lugano in January. Thanks.
    > 1) Luggage - where do you store this when using the Eurostar? I need to
    > validate the tickets before boarding, anything else I must know?

They check the tickets when you board, and sometimes when you are seated.
Luggage is stored near the doors.

    > 2) Eurostar tickets - should I book weeks in advance (yup, I know
    > RailEurope is vastly overpriced. But what must be done must be done.) or
    > should I just relax and buy tickets when I land in Rome? That would be 3
    > days in advance.

Out of peak season you should have no problems getting a seat. Eurostar is
never cheap though.

    > 3) Lugano - to do a day trip or spend a night?

A night or 2 at least. Stunning place! Do a boat trip, and take the double
funicular up the hill near the centre of town. I forget the name of the
village on top, but it is great, and the views are stunning.

For my money, the Italian part of Switzerland was my favourite.
---
DFM

Barbara Vaughan

Celine wrote:
    > Hello,
    > I have never taken a train in europe so I need some pointers before setting
    > off for Rome, Milan and Lugano in January. Thanks.
    > 1) Luggage - where do you store this when using the Eurostar? I need to
    > validate the tickets before boarding, anything else I must know?

I suggest that you keep your luggage on the light and compact size. You
can store a small suitcase overhead, and there are a few seats with some
limited space behind them. If you have one small suitcase and a carry on
that you can hold on your lap or store at your feet, you will be fine.

    > 2) Eurostar tickets - should I book weeks in advance (yup, I know
    > RailEurope is vastly overpriced. But what must be done must be done.) or
    > should I just relax and buy tickets when I land in Rome? That would be 3
    > days in advance.

Three days in advance should be plenty. If one train is full, take a
different one. Most cities are connected by frequent trains, and they
would never all be full. The absolute worst that might happen is that
you would have to travel on a train without reserved seats and run a
very small risk of not finding a seat, especially in second class. You
can always upgrade your ticket to first class on the train, for a fee.

I live in Italy and travel frequently by train. I have never reserved a
seat more than a day in advance and have never had to stand in the
aisle.

Barbara

Barbara Vaughan

Deep Fried Mars wrote:
    > Celine wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]
    > sg    ...
    > > Hello,
    > >
    > > I have never taken a train in europe so I need some pointers before
    > setting
    > > off for Rome, Milan and Lugano in January. Thanks.
    > >
    > > 1) Luggage - where do you store this when using the Eurostar? I need to
    > > validate the tickets before boarding, anything else I must know?
    > >
    > They check the tickets when you board, and sometimes when you are seated.
    > Luggage is stored near the doors.

I've never had my ticket checked when boarding in Italy. Usually I can't
even find a conductor if I need one.
    > > 2) Eurostar tickets - should I book weeks in advance (yup, I know
    > > RailEurope is vastly overpriced. But what must be done must be done.) or
    > > should I just relax and buy tickets when I land in Rome? That would be 3
    > > days in advance.

    > Out of peak season you should have no problems getting a seat. Eurostar is
    > never cheap though.

I realize now that you are probably thinking of the Eurostar that
travels from London to the continent. The original poster asked about
travel within Italy, so I assume that she means Eurostar Italia, which
is the premium class Italian train. Eurostar Italia is not expensive;
Italy has about the lowest priced train fares in Europe.

Barbara

Fred_Scuttle

Good Point



I didn't know Italy had a Eurostar.

Hamilton

In article , "Celine"
wrote:

    > Hello,
    > I have never taken a train in europe so I need some pointers before setting
    > off for Rome, Milan and Lugano in January. Thanks.
    > 1) Luggage - where do you store this when using the Eurostar? I need to
    > validate the tickets before boarding, anything else I must know?

like any other train -- overhead or at the ends of the cars. When we last
took a Eurostar we had large cases and put them in the luggage storage at
the end of the car -- because this train doesn't stop often, it is
relatively safe whereas trains that stop at many stages are risky since
stealing luggage is so easy.
    > 2) Eurostar tickets - should I book weeks in advance (yup, I know
    > RailEurope is vastly overpriced. But what must be done must be done.) or
    > should I just relax and buy tickets when I land in Rome? That would be 3
    > days in advance.

We bought just a few days in advance with no problem -- We came in from
Fiumicino on the train and since we were at Termini anyway, we went ahead
and booked our tickets for later in the week at that point.

Eurostar is reserved seating so you need a couple of days
    > 3) Lugano - to do a day trip or spend a night?
    > Thanks.

Hamilton

In article , Barbara Vaughan
wrote:

    > Deep Fried Mars wrote:
    > >
    > > Celine wrote in message
    > > news:[email protected]
    > > m.sg    ...
    > > > Hello,
    > > >
    > > > I have never taken a train in europe so I need some pointers before
    > > setting
    > > > off for Rome, Milan and Lugano in January. Thanks.
    > > >
    > > > 1) Luggage - where do you store this when using the Eurostar? I need to
    > > > validate the tickets before boarding, anything else I must know?
    > > >
    > >
    > > They check the tickets when you board, and sometimes when you are seated.
    > > Luggage is stored near the doors.
    > I've never had my ticket checked when boarding in Italy. Usually I can't
    > even find a conductor if I need one.

On frequent trains like the Circumvesuviano which is basically local
transport or the metros, we have had tickets checked about 20% of the time
-- just often enough to make cheating pricey

On the Eurostar we have ALWAYS had our tickets checked by a conductor and
almost always on other intercity trains in Europe

Barbara Vaughan

hamilton wrote:
    > In article , Barbara Vaughan
    > wrote:
    > > Deep Fried Mars wrote:

    > > > They check the tickets when you board, and sometimes when you are seated.
    > > > Luggage is stored near the doors.
    > >
    > > I've never had my ticket checked when boarding in Italy. Usually I can't
    > > even find a conductor if I need one.

[snip]

    > On the Eurostar we have ALWAYS had our tickets checked by a conductor and
    > almost always on other intercity trains in Europe

I said I've never had my ticket checked WHEN BOARDING, in response to
D.F.M who said otherwise. The tickets are checked during the trip,
usually just once every ten or so stations.

Barbara

Hamilton

In article , Barbara Vaughan
wrote:

    > hamilton wrote:
    > >
    > > In article , Barbara Vaughan
    > > wrote:
    > >
    > > > Deep Fried Mars wrote:
    > > > > They check the tickets when you board, and sometimes when you are
seated.
    > > > > Luggage is stored near the doors.
    > > >
    > > > I've never had my ticket checked when boarding in Italy. Usually I can't
    > > > even find a conductor if I need one.
    > [snip]
    > > On the Eurostar we have ALWAYS had our tickets checked by a conductor and
    > > almost always on other intercity trains in Europe
    > I said I've never had my ticket checked WHEN BOARDING, in response to
    > D.F.M who said otherwise. The tickets are checked during the trip,
    > usually just once every ten or so stations.
    > Barbara

ah true

another thing we learned on Eurostar is that they close the doors on time
and if you are outside, you are out of luck -- there don't seem to be
actual conductors that can assist -- I almost got out because I hadn't
punched my ticket on the platform [as one does with other train tickets]
and was afraid that I would be fined. Luckily I didn't hop off to do this
with a few minutes to go because the train locked down and that was it
until it took off a few minutes later.

since the ticket is a reserved seat, the ticket stamping requirement
doesn't seem to be in force for Eurostar -- or at least the conductor
didn't demand it

Luca Logi

Celine wrote:

    > Hello,
    > I have never taken a train in europe so I need some pointers before setting
    > off for Rome, Milan and Lugano in January. Thanks.
    > 1) Luggage - where do you store this when using the Eurostar? I need to
    > validate the tickets before boarding, anything else I must know?
    > 2) Eurostar tickets - should I book weeks in advance (yup, I know
    > RailEurope is vastly overpriced. But what must be done must be done.) or
    > should I just relax and buy tickets when I land in Rome? That would be 3
    > days in advance.
    > 3) Lugano - to do a day trip or spend a night?

Eurostar Italia tickets are issued for a specific date and trains, so it
is not necessary to validate (=timestamp) them. However, if you validate
them at the jellow machines (as it should be done with all other Italian
railway tickets just before boarding the train) there shouldn't be any
problem.

As other posters have already written, luggage can be put in overhead
racks (that are somewhat narrow, so only small luggage goes there) or in
the big racks at the end of the carriages. This makes somebody anxious
about luggage being stolen; in my experience, I never heard about stolen
luggage and I have travelled by train quite a lot. There are also spaces
between the opposing backs of chair where you can put fairly large
luggage; this would be near your chair and you wouldn't need to lift the
luggage, so it gets occupied rather early.

In may opinion Lugano isn't worth a stay, unless you want to explore the
zone; but it should be an easy daytrip from Milan. Of course, please
note that Lugano is in Switzerland, so there is a passport check and
different train tickets apply there.


-- -----------------------------------------------------
Luca Logi - Firenze - Italy e-mail: [email protected]

Helmut Uttenthaler

"Barbara Vaughan" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:[email protected]
.edu...
    > I realize now that you are probably thinking of the Eurostar that
    > travels from London to the continent. The original poster asked about
    > travel within Italy, so I assume that she means Eurostar Italia, which
    > is the premium class Italian train. Eurostar Italia is not expensive;
    > Italy has about the lowest priced train fares in Europe.


Train fares in some countries in Eastern Europe are even cheaper:
A trip of 300 km costs about EUR 8,4 in Slovakia, Moskva - Sankt Peterburg
(650 km) starts from EUR 15...



--
Regards,

Helmut Uttenthaler
Graz - Austria













    > Barbara

Krist

Barbara Vaughan wrote:


    > Italy has about the lowest priced train fares in Europe.

Unless the the ticket machine refuses to give change, as happened to me when
travelling Trieste - Venice last september...

Krist

Frank Matthews

For anyone concerned with the vulnerability of luggage left at the end
of the car I suggest a bicycle lock -- cable variety. If you link your
cases they become very difficult to steal and the cable is simple to
remove as you get ready to depart.

Frank Matthews

hamilton wrote:
    > In article , "Celine"
    > wrote:

    >>Hello,

    >>I have never taken a train in europe so I need some pointers before setting
    >>off for Rome, Milan and Lugano in January. Thanks.
    >>1) Luggage - where do you store this when using the Eurostar? I need to
    >> validate the tickets before boarding, anything else I must know?

    > like any other train -- overhead or at the ends of the cars. When we last
    > took a Eurostar we had large cases and put them in the luggage storage at
    > the end of the car -- because this train doesn't stop often, it is
    > relatively safe whereas trains that stop at many stages are risky since
    > stealing luggage is so easy.

    >>2) Eurostar tickets - should I book weeks in advance (yup, I know
    >> RailEurope is vastly overpriced. But what must be done must be done.) or
    >> should I just relax and buy tickets when I land in Rome? That would be 3
    >> days in advance.

    > We bought just a few days in advance with no problem -- We came in from
    > Fiumicino on the train and since we were at Termini anyway, we went ahead
    > and booked our tickets for later in the week at that point.

    > Eurostar is reserved seating so you need a couple of days

    >>3) Lugano - to do a day trip or spend a night?

    >>Thanks.

Timothy J. Lee

In article ,
Celine wrote:
    >I have never taken a train in europe so I need some pointers before setting
    >off for Rome, Milan and Lugano in January. Thanks.
    >1) Luggage - where do you store this when using the Eurostar?

Big luggage in racks near the doors. Smaller luggage overhead.

    >2) Eurostar tickets - should I book weeks in advance (yup, I know
    > RailEurope is vastly overpriced. But what must be done must be done.) or
    > should I just relax and buy tickets when I land in Rome? That would be 3
    > days in advance.

In September, we bought on the days of the trips. However, on one trip,
we took a slightly later train because we were told at the time of buying
the tickets that the desired one did not have enough seats in the
no-smoking cars (Eurostar Italia tickets are for specific seats on
specific trains). So it may make sense to buy a few days in advance.

If you have a group traveling together, you can ask for a group discount
(which gives you one ticket for all of the people instead of a bunch of
individual tickets, so you have to travel together).

Be sure you know which options you want -- first or second class, smoking
or no-smoking. You can check schedules on trenitalia.it . Supposedly
you can buy tickets there, but the Italian purchase page appears to assume
that you live in Italy, and the English one doesn't work (as of a few months
ago).

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Timothy J. Lee
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