Italy by train

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HobbitFertang

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Hi Folks, just back from a brilliant short holiday in Italy via Switzerland and the Gotthard Base Tunnel AMAZING 58 km (a total of 12 trains there and back!). All the connections worked perfectly (phew) though next time I'll give Gare de Nord Paris Eurostar a miss (its can be a bit shambolic). We spent most of our time at Monterosso in the Cinque Terre. Thoroughly recommend to you all (maybe not in July though . . . very hot and very busy). Brilliant hotel (Margheritta on Via Roma), again recommend. The Swiss and Italian trains are the best, though taking short journeys within the Cinque Terre are pricey. It's interesting that the Italians seem to have painted all rails on the network white to mitigate thermal expansion (seems to have worked). Is the UK going to do likewise?
 
We are planning a trip to Puglia in September. Then up to Venice by train. I've been researching the train journey and so far have found that the Trenitalia site is the simplest to navigate. In the past I have used Trainline while in France and it seemed to work okay.

Any thoughts ?
 
Hi Madman, yes the Trenitalia app is good, though my wife, who organised most of it, preferred The Trainline. If you're going through Paris its worth getting your RER Line D tickets in advance (Gare de Nord to Gare de Lyon and vice versa) as there's a lot of queuing at busy times.
 
HobbitFertang said:
Hi Folks, just back from a brilliant short holiday in Italy via Switzerland and the Gotthard Base Tunnel AMAZING 58 km (a total of 12 trains there and back!). All the connections worked perfectly (phew) though next time I'll give Gare de Nord Paris Eurostar a miss (its can be a bit shambolic). We spent most of our time at Monterosso in the Cinque Terre. Thoroughly recommend to you all (maybe not in July though . . . very hot and very busy). Brilliant hotel (Margheritta on Via Roma), again recommend. The Swiss and Italian trains are the best, though taking short journeys within the Cinque Terre are pricey. It's interesting that the Italians seem to have painted all rails on the network white to mitigate thermal expansion (seems to have worked). Is the UK going to do likewise?
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Not all rails painted white but a good few in places where expansion a particular problem often near points/switches. Perhaps mire in future.
 
HobbitFertang said:
It's interesting that the Italians seem to have painted all rails on the network white to mitigate thermal expansion (seems to have worked). Is the UK going to do likewise?
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They already do in the UK. I've seen plenty of white painted rails during my travels this last 2 weeks....
 
Paul M said:
We tend to return via Brussels. As you say the Gare De Nord is worse than an airport.
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Via Paris a real pain, but there are other options to bypass Paris on trains that you can change to a London one x Paris at Lille. Have done this a few times and worked very well.
 
It seems Eurostar have taken all the worst elements of flying and piled them onto rail travel . . :( I remember the days when you could rock up at a station, buy a ticket and get on a train . . open the windows and enjoy the view and the smells ! Aaah . . .
 
In order to speed up embarcation how about the passport check is done at your train seat after leaving St. Pancras and if your details don't match up . . . you get thrown off at Ebbsfleet! And if you've brought 5 items of luggage weighing a ton, none of which fits in the overhead shelf . . you get thrown off at Ashford?
 
HobbitFertang said:
In order to speed up embarcation how about the passport check is done at your train seat after leaving St. Pancras and if your details don't match up . . . you get thrown off at Ebbsfleet! And if you've brought 5 items of luggage weighing a ton, none of which fits in the overhead shelf . . you get thrown off at Ashford?
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Ha good idea except that both those 2 Stations not open now along with Stratford Intl that has 2 platforms for Intl punters that have never been used unless they were at the Olympics, but not sure they were even for that. 2 central platforms are for the Javelin services to Kent.
 
HobbitFertang said:
Hi Folks, just back from a brilliant short holiday in Italy via Switzerland and the Gotthard Base Tunnel AMAZING 58 km (a total of 12 trains there and back!). All the connections worked perfectly (phew) though next time I'll give Gare de Nord Paris Eurostar a miss (its can be a bit shambolic). We spent most of our time at Monterosso in the Cinque Terre. Thoroughly recommend to you all (maybe not in July though . . . very hot and very busy). Brilliant hotel (Margheritta on Via Roma), again recommend. The Swiss and Italian trains are the best, though taking short journeys within the Cinque Terre are pricey. It's interesting that the Italians seem to have painted all rails on the network white to mitigate thermal expansion (seems to have worked). Is the UK going to do likewise?
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ciao, regarding the white rails, I always thought it was a crazy idea and that no one would ever replicate it :)

(No strikes, no breakdowns, no delays? Pretty lucky)

saluti dall'Italia
 
Talk of Italy by train allows me to post this photo taken from the train as we moved down the side of Lake Maggiore. We did a Great Rail Journey about 20 years ago, no flying so to and from Norwich all by train with stays in Rome, Florence and Venice.

Paul

Italy.jpg
 
voodoopenguin said:
Talk of Italy by train allows me to post this photo taken from the train as we moved down the side of Lake Maggiore. We did a Great Rail Journey about 20 years ago, no flying so to and from Norwich all by train with stays in Rome, Florence and Venice.

Paul

View attachment 345069
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Yup, we did one via Strasbourg on the way out and Dijon on the return - good stuff but I'm having difficulty finding the photos of anything apart from the trains :oops:
 
ge_rik said:
The irony is, of course, that at least one of the UK train franchises (Essex Thameside) is owned but Trenitalia .... :eek: :wasntme:

Rik
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Aren't the Pendolinos (made in Italy) now run by an Italian operation....
 
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ge_rik said:
The irony is, of course, that at least one of the UK train franchises (Essex Thameside) is owned but Trenitalia .... :eek: :wasntme:

Rik
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It is indeed, the C2C Line to brand it correctly, and due to be Re-nationalised on July 20th....
 
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