Problems with Italy's public transportation

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Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
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Also i'm curious if frecciarossa doesn't cost in the region of three times as much.

I can't speak for Rome to Naples but La Spezia to Rome and Milan to Venice was 20 euro ea. The price does increase quickly with demand though.
 

AznAnarchy99

Lifer
Dec 6, 2004
14,695
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Lived in Rome back in 2013. Trenitalia was always pretty good to me. Now buses and public transportation in Rome is a whole nother thing lol. It always got the job done but whether it would be on time or if you would know if it would show up or not is something else.

Can't wait, I fly back to Rome on Saturday!
 

eng2d2

Golden Member
Nov 7, 2013
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We were queing in the subyway in italy like the picture above but we got on no problem. We relied on the bus and it was fine.
 

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
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dayum, i checked now the prices - incredulous - and venice to milan is 16 euro. that is pretty darn good.
 

dullard

Elite Member
May 21, 2001
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I have some strong memories of public transportation in Italy.

1) Getting on what I thought was the fast train from Naples to Rome. That was, after the signs said that it changed tracks at least a half-dozen times (in Italian of course that I can't read) in the minutes before it was supposed to leave. Finally, after sprinting to the last specified track, getting onto a train that said it was going to Rome, then only later once leaving the station, finding out the train was going to take 8 hours and arrive around 3 am in the wrong train station in Rome (they don't allow late trains to the main station). In the confusion, had gotten on the slow train that stops every few miles at every conceivable station.

2) Getting on a bus in Sorrento, starting to go on towards Positano, and the bus driver abruptly stopping, telling us to get off, and get on another bus as he didn't "feel" that the first bus would make it to the destination safely. Then the harrowing bus ride on one of the most beautiful roads in the world made me understand his point.
 
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AznAnarchy99

Lifer
Dec 6, 2004
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I have some strong memories of public transportation in Italy.

2) Getting on a bus in Sorrento, starting to go on towards Positano, and the bus driver abruptly stopping, telling us to get off, and get on another bus as he didn't "feel" that the first bus would make it to the destination safely. Then the harrowing bus ride on one of the most beautiful roads in the world made me understand his point.

Ah I remember going on a bus from Sorrento to Massa Lubrenese and those cliffs man.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
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I have some strong memories of public transportation in Italy.

1) Getting on what I thought was the fast train from Naples to Rome. That was, after the signs said that it changed tracks at least a half-dozen times (in Italian of course that I can't read) in the minutes before it was supposed to leave. Finally, after sprinting to the last specified track, getting onto a train that said it was going to Rome, then only later once leaving the station, finding out the train was going to take 8 hours and arrive around 3 am in the wrong train station in Rome (they don't allow late trains to the main station). In the confusion, had gotten on the slow train that stops every few miles at every conceivable station.

That sounds about right.

My first time, outside of the US, really...bro and I took an overnight flight from US to Milan, took the bus into the city to grab the train to Laussane, SWZ....and it was the city train. the slow train. The bus was pleasant, if only because having lost half of my face 2 nights earlier in a blackout-drunken going-away bar hop that my friends threw for me (yes, literally: I woke up that morning with half of my face missing, covered in blood. It was a foot race in the street that I agreed to at some point, apparently...) and it was the first calm, not quite painful moment for a few days...

anyhoo, got on the slow train, after ~10 hours flying, another 6 hours puttering up to Laussane...the alps are lovely, Lake Como and all that...but just outside of Milan, some 120 year old, 4-foot tall lady made of wrinkles climbed onto the train and sat across from us, our 4 seat space already loaded with bags, with plenty of other spaces on the train, and immediately began her chain-smoking right in our faces. For the next 4 hours. It was great. I guess it was on time, and we were heading in the right direction, but it had been several years at that point in my life, since having someone sit down next to you in public and smoke in your face. It was weirdly surreal.
 
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