Transportation recommendations for getting to Tropea

[Red Red Wine]

I am seeking opinions/recommendations for ways to get to Tropea from Lucca (Lets say from Pisa or Firenze as those are going to be the jumping off points nearest to me.)

I can go from Florence's Campo Marte station on a night train (intercitynotte) that goes direct to Tropea for 70 Euro with cuchette. No changes.

I can go from Pisa on an intercity night train that has one change in the morning in Rosarno. 112 Euro with cuchette.

I could go by day instead and break up the journey in Naples (putting bag in the deposito bagagli at the station, and heading out for lunch at one of the famous pizzerie.) This involves Pisa to Rome by Frecciargento, Rome to Napoli by Frecciarossa and then after a few hours in Napoli, a Frecciabianca to Lamezia and then the last leg, a regional train to Tropea. Total cost Euro 104.

I have not done a night train in Italy since the 1990s. What's the latest on taking one to southern Italy regarding hoopla about theft?

 

[Katt B]

Or you could fly on Ryanair from Pisa to Lamezia Terme for 18 Euros on up, depending on when you're going. Flight time: 1-1/2 hours. Bus from airport to Lamezia Terme train station (5 min.), then train to Tropea (about 1 hour).

The current Ryanair schedule shows flights in the late evening for most days, though Sunday are a little earlier. So this could entail spending a night in Lamezia Terme if there are no trains to Tropea that late.

I don't know what month you were looking for, but when I looked at the Trenitalia site, I did not see a night train without changes from Firenze Campo Marte. The one I saw had a change at Rome Tibertina.

 

[Andrew]

On the random date I chose of Sept. 7, there is a direct train leaving Firenze Campo di Marte at 19.32, arriving Tropea at 6.08.

 

[Katt B]

Oh, that's interesting. On the random date I selected, August 26, there's no direct train, only the one with a change at Tibertina. Given that new information, it seems that the easiest way to go would be to take the direct night train from Firenze to Tropea.

Regarding the theft question, I have no recent experience on night trains, but you could take a locking cable for the bags if they will be out of sight.

 

[Ian Sutton]

A few years ago we took the night train from Ferrara to Bari.

I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't rush to do it again.

Issues:

• Quite cramped especially when factoring the luggage in, though ok once settled in the bunks.
• Was extremely hot and no way to turn the heating down. Thus we...
• Had the window open for lovely cooling air, but this meant we had the clickety-clack of the train to try to sleep through
• Older train stock (a more modern train might appeal), though they did seem to take reasonable care of it (however the toliets were best used near the start of the journey - later they became messy

Positives

• It's an experience, and that's not such a back-handed compliment. We remembered it and it was something special
• If you want, the guard can bring tea/coffee and a croissant round in the morning for a modest charge. Nothing of any quality, but actually rather enjoyable at the start of the day, and got us re-started nicely.
• It felt secure, guards checking people onto the train and a cabin for two is lockable
• It would have been a long journey to get that far anyway, so doing it at night has merit. Indeed without the idea of the night train, I doubt we would have looked to combine Ferrara with Puglia.

 

[Red Red Wine]

On the random date I chose of Sept. 7, there is a direct train leaving Firenze Campo di Marte at 19.32, arriving Tropea at 6.08.

Yes, that is the one I am talking about. I am going in early September. But I noticed that for 3 of us, the intercity trains have a 2 for 3 price but NOT for a couchette. Thus, if we take the day train we can pay a lot less. So I'm leaning toward the day train. People keep telling me it's hard to sleep well on the night train. I used to do them quite a bit back in the 80s and I was on such a budget that I never paid for a couchette -- I just dealt with sleeping in the seat, but now 30 years later, I would for sure do a couchette. But still people are telling me it's hard to sleep well.

 

[Red Red Wine]

Or you could fly on Ryanair from Pisa to Lamezia Terme for 18 Euros on up, depending on when you're going. Flight time: 1-1/2 hours. Bus from airport to Lamezia Terme train station (5 min.), then train to Tropea (about 1 hour).

The current Ryanair schedule shows flights in the late evening for most days, though Sunday are a little earlier. So this could entail spending a night in Lamezia Terme if there are no trains to Tropea that late.

I don't know what month you were looking for, but when I looked at the Trenitalia site, I did not see a night train without changes from Firenze Campo Marte. The one I saw had a change at Rome Tibertina.

The problem with the direct flight on Ryan is that both going down there and coming back, it is at night. The arrival in Tropea is really late, like close to midnight -- total bummer for the guy whose place we are staying at.

Then, coming back we'd get to Pisa at 9:30 pm and I don't know anyone available to get us except my landlady but she could only come in the day. By the time we get out of the airport and get the people mover to the station, I am not sure that we'd find a train to Lucca. Then once in Lucca I live 6 km from the station and so someone would have to get us and again, I'd have to rely on my landlady-- and that would be too late for her.

When it is just me and light luggage I leave my bike at the deposit bike place at the station and I can bike home after a trip but I have to get to the deposit place before they close at 7:00pm so in all cases I have to get back before night.

In this case with the Tropea trip, I would have considered the train down, and then a one way back with Ryan air if it got into Pisa in the daytime.

 

[Red Red Wine]

Ian, thanks for your helpful write up on your experience with the Ferrara Puglia night train. True about the bathrooms. Messy bathrooms are certainly not appealing. Now that I have found that intercity has this 2 for 3 deal and there just happens to be 3 of us, I may opt for the day train where I'd get that deal. (I'd only get it at night if we sat up in regular seats all night. I did that when I was 19 and 20 and roaming all over Europe but I'm not into it now!)

 

[GAC]

When checking Trenitalia fares for the day trains, remember that the 2 for 3 fare may not be the lowest available. Sometimes, the SUPER ECONOMY fare will be lower (if available for your travel date and time).