Help Needed Train from Orvieto to Rome

[TerryItalyfan]

We have a Hertz rental car while in Italy, but once again the drop off location in Rome has changed.
We are considering dropping the car off in Orvieto and taking the train to Rome.
We have read that there are many different trains available, and were wondering if someone could help with the best to take. We would like to book online but not sure where to start. Thanks in advance.....

 

[Andrew]

You can search the schedules at www.trenitalia.com . Most of the trains are designated as Regionale Veloce, and don't take reservations: you can buy tickets at the station shortly before boarding, stamp them on the devices at the station, and take any seat. Some of the trains are Intercity and require reservations, which you can book on the site. The cheaper fares on those are non-refundable and non-changeable.

Also note that the trains go to different stations in Rome: it could be Termini or Tiburtina.

 

[Alpinista]

Is there a drop charge for leaving the car in Orvieto?

 

[TerryItalyfan]

You can search the schedules at www.trenitalia.com . Most of the trains are designated as Regionale Veloce, and don't take reservations: you can buy tickets at the station shortly before boarding, stamp them on the devices at the station, and take any seat. Some of the trains are Intercity and require reservations, which you can book on the site. The cheaper fares on those are non-refundable and non-changeable.

Also note that the trains go to different stations in Rome: it could be Termini or Tiburtina.

Hi Andrew and thank-you for the information.
I looked up the train, with a date in the near future, and it came up with only Regionale Veloce 2307.
It seems to stop(after a few towns) at Tiburtina first then Termini. It only quotes one price and I can buy it online.
I would love to do that, since then we would have the tickets in hand. Hopefully we would return the car right there at the train station and hop on the train.

It says second class and I didn't see anything for seats.
Hopefully it will be as easy as it sounds---first time for everything.
I don't know how many days in advance to buy it??

 

[TerryItalyfan]

Is there a drop charge for leaving the car in Orvieto?

I didn't see any charge on our statement.

 

[Andrew]

If you buy a Regionale ticket online, you can do it anytime up to five minutes before departure: how early you do it doesn't make a difference for finding a seat on a train, since there are no reserved seats on these trains or limits on how many tickets are issued. You either print it out or keep the confirmation on a tablet or smartphone, with a QR code that the conductor can scan.

 

[TerryItalyfan]

If you buy a Regionale ticket online, you can do it anytime up to five minutes before departure: how early you do it doesn't make a difference for finding a seat on a train, since there are no reserved seats on these trains or limits on how many tickets are issued. You either print it out or keep the confirmation on a tablet or smartphone, with a QR code that the conductor can scan.

Thanks again Andrew.
It was the only type of train I found from Orvieto. I would have liked assigned seats, but hopefully finding a seat won't be a problem.
Do you know how luggage is handled?

 

[Andrew]

I'm not sure what kind of search you're doing: entering dates in the near future, after train 2307, leaving at 11.20, I get Intercity 583, at 12.10 (going only to Tiburtina), where you can reserve a seat.

You handle luggage yourself. I'm not sure if someone like @GAC is around to talk about the likely configuration of these trains. The Regionale may have shelves above the seats for bags that aren't too heavy. On the IC, there may be shelves at the end of the car. If there are seats with their backs to each other, you may be able to put bags in the space between the seat backs. So either keep the bags near you or in a designated space that the car might have.

 

[TerryItalyfan]

I'm not sure what kind of search you're doing: entering dates in the near future, after train 2307, leaving at 11.20, I get Intercity 583, at 12.10 (going only to Tiburtina), where you can reserve a seat.

You handle luggage yourself. I'm not sure if someone like @GAC is around to talk about the likely configuration of these trains. The Regionale may have shelves above the seats for bags that aren't too heavy. On the IC, there may be shelves at the end of the car. If there are seats with their backs to each other, you may be able to put bags in the space between the seat backs. So either keep the bags near you or in a designated space that the car might have.

Hi Andrew
I did the search on trenitalia. The Regionale was the only one I saw from Orvieto,
but maybe I need to do a different search.
Our dates are in the future, so I just used dates to find out the schedule. We are traveling in September.

Tiburtina seems to be much further away than Termini, so I guess the Regionale would be the way to go.
It had a lot of stops, but as long as we get a seat, that won't be a problem.

We are so use to driving, so we never looked into this before.
They have so many different trains, that it is confusing. Driving was always simply.

 

[TerryItalyfan]

Hi Andrew, we are back trying to purchase train tickets (2307 Orvieto to Roma Termini Sept 29th), but having a problem.
I tried to purchase without registering, as there are both choices, and it seems I can't purchase without registering.
Do I just register? I know we can purchase at the station, but wanted to be prepared, in case there is a language problem there.

 

[ellen]

You won't get a ticket by purchasing in advance, just an e-mail that you'll need to print out or have on your smart phone for the conductor.

In your position, with luggage, I would consider spending just a couple of extra euro to take the next train at 12:10 because it's an IC and you'll get a seat assignment. The regional trains are open seating and there is limited space for luggage. Also, the IC only makes one stop between Orvieto and Rome.

As for the language issue, if that's your only reason for purchasing in advance (and therefore tying yourself to a specific train) you can easily print out the page showing the trains that day and simply point to or circle the train you want when you go to the ticket office. Doing this frees you up to take any train that day and not feel constrained to be at the station at a particular time allowing for traffic you didn't anticipate, or a rental return agent who gets very particular about checking the car, etc.

(Speaking of the car return, do be sure to take the time to thoroughly photograph the car when you pick it up unless you get the full/zero deductible insurance.)

 

[TerryItalyfan]

The train goes to to Tiburtina not Termini.
will it be included to go on to Termini?
Do we have to get a ticket for that. Change trains?
Sorry --not sure .

 

[ellen]

Oh, sorry no the IC train does not go on to Termini, its next stop is Latina. You could get on the metro at Tiburtina and take that into the heart of the city though.

 

[TerryItalyfan]

Thanks, I think we will stick to the one train to Termini.
Hopefully we can find a spot for luggage.

We have to register to book ahead of time.

We would gladly pay more to get tickets--in fact the one you suggested is 2 for the price of one.

 

[Andrew]

The machine at the station should work easily enough for getting tickets on the day of travel. I'm having trouble determining on the Trenitalia site (some changes since I last looked) whether you can buy regional tickets without registering or whether you can register without listing an Italian ID document, but I point to what the helpful Seat 61 site says at https://www.seat61.com/Italy-trains.htm#How to buy train tickets for Italy :

There's absolutely no need to buy in advance and no advantage in doing so other than saving time at the ticket office. The price is fixed so there's no cost advantage in pre-booking, no reservation is necessary or even possible so the train can never 'sell out'. In fact, buying in advance is a disadvantage as regional tickets bought online are non-refundable and non-changeable, limited to a 4-hour window from the time of train you book. So just buy a ticket at the station from ticket office or self-service machines when you get there, validate it in the little green validating machines and hop on the next train, sitting in any empty seat.

 

[susan]

Hi TerryItalyFan,

I have done a lot of solo train travel over the years in Italy. From my experience, there are no special areas for luggage on regional trains. If the train is not full, it is easy to keep luggage with you (either in front of you or in front of the seat next to you, depending on how many of you are traveling together), but if it is full, it is much more of a problem. I am assuming the regional trains do not originate in Orvieto so they will already have passengers on them, which means you may need to walk through a few cars to find a group of empty seats. The racks above the seats will fit small luggage like a small backpack or a very small suitcase. When the trains are very full, I sometimes end up just standing in the area between two of the trains. Sometimes there is a little seat there. If more than one of you are traveling together, you could always take turns if the trains are packed. Usually midday trains are not as full unless it is a holiday weekend but you never know.

I checked the Trenitalia schedule and there are two Intercity trains on Sept. 29th that depart Orvieto and arrive iat the Roma Termini train station. There is a 7:25 train that arrives at 8:20 (no stops) and a 14:10 train that arrives at 15:30 (1 stop before Roma Termini). If you decide on taking an intercity train, I would purchase the tickets in advance. From what I found last year, there are cheaper prices offered the earlier you purchase them. You do need to register on the Trenitalia site but it is easy to do to purchase the tickets in advance. I also called my credit card company in advance to inform them that I would be making a purchase from Italy - just in case they denied it / causing more confusion with the Trenitalia purchase. You could also go to a train station once in Italy and purchase your tickets for this travel day in advance and make your seat reservations then.

I agree with Andrew. There is no need to purchase any regional tickets in advance online. You can purchase these tickets in advance at any train station or the day of your travel. If you do purchase them the day of your travel, get there early. I usually purchased my regional tickets before my day of travel during my trip last year, to avoid possibly waiting in line that morning, but also did purchase regional tickets the day of when doing day trips. You can use the ticket you purchase for any regional train that travels for the date of purchase, meaning that regional tickets are valid for any train only on the of that ticket (date you choose/not date you purchse the ticket). Just make sure to validate the ticket before boarding!!

At most train stations, there are automatic ticket machines. There were a couple of smaller train stations during my travels where either there were no automatic ticket machines or they were broken, but I would not consider Orvieto a smaller train station. These were very small towns.

Using one of these automatic ticket machines, you can purchase your tickets (either Intercity train tickets or Regional train tickets) any day in advance of your travels or also the day of your travel. I am not sure if there is a cut off time though for Intercity trains. I always purchased Intercity train tickets in advance of that day.

The automatic ticket machine will ask for the date (I believe first) or maybe it is the departure/arrival first and then the date. It then asks for a time range. It really is very simple. The first thing you do is choose your language. English is an option and the steps are very easy.

Purchasing the tickets at the window is also an option. As Ellen mentioned, just show them the printed out page with the train you want circled. If purchasing a day or more in advance, make sure to also circle the date.

Hope this helps.
susan

 

[TerryItalyfan]

Thank-you all. I appreciate the time you have put into answering my questions!!!!

I guess we will have to go with the 11:20 Regional . We would love the Intercity, but the times are not good.
We are returning our car that morning and the next would mean spending a day hanging out at the station in Orvieto with suitcases.
Hopefully everything will work out with the seats being available and space on the train for suitcases.

We can walk down to the station one day while in Orvieto and book them beforehand, if we have no luck on the internet. .
We could actually buy 2 1st class intercity for less than 2 reginal...

First time for everything--

 

[susan]

Keeping my fingers crossed that it all works out! Have a great time in Italy and let us know how it goes after you return.

 

[TerryItalyfan]

Thank-you Susan, I hope so too.
We were able to book and print tickets from Italiarail site. Same train that we were trying to book on
Trenitalia.
We at least have the tickets and don't have to worry about standing in line or
validating them.
Just hope that Saturday is a slow day and there is lots of room.

 

[italian excursion]

I may be too late in this response but thought I'd add my two cents. I take the Orvieto train to and from Rome a couple of times a year. I do not book in advance because a) there is never a line at that station (maybe 2 people if that) b) there are daily trains, running the hour long trip into Rome Central. I go to the station about 30 or 40 minutes before scheduled arrival, buy a ticket and then wait. Sometimes a little late! You don't have to go to Tiburtina, which I don't do as I just get to Rome Central and get the Leonardo Express to the airport. It runs every 15 minutes. And I've not had a drop charge when I've left a Hertz car, in the past. Not sure how it is these days.

Ciao,
Cheryl
www.italianexcursion.com