{"id":1208,"date":"2011-08-03T18:38:32","date_gmt":"2011-08-03T16:38:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/walks.friday.ie\/?p=1208"},"modified":"2024-11-14T18:24:35","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T18:24:35","slug":"budget-travel-in-italy-car-train-flights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/budget-travel-in-italy-car-train-flights","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Around Italy on a Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Trying to save money on transportation in Italy? Don&#8217;t worry &#8212; it <em>is <\/em>possible get around Italy on a Budget!<\/p>\n<p>What your cheapest transportation option is depends completely, of course, on what your specific plans are &#8212; and what deals you can find. That said, there are some general things to keep in mind when you&#8217;re weighing your options.<\/p>\n<p>This will be the first post in a series on how to save money while traveling in Italy, so stay tuned for more!<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/budget-travel-in-italy-car-train-flights\/#Renting_a_car_in_Italy\" >Renting a car in Italy<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/budget-travel-in-italy-car-train-flights\/#Should_you_rent_a_car_in_Italy\" >Should you rent a car in Italy?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/budget-travel-in-italy-car-train-flights\/#Italy_on_a_budget_How_to_save_on_renting_a_car_in_Italy\" >Italy on a budget: How to save on renting a car in Italy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/budget-travel-in-italy-car-train-flights\/#Flying_in_Italy\" >Flying in Italy<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/budget-travel-in-italy-car-train-flights\/#Should_you_take_planes_within_Italy\" >Should you take planes within Italy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/budget-travel-in-italy-car-train-flights\/#How_to_save_on_flying_in_Italy\" >How to save on flying in Italy<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/budget-travel-in-italy-car-train-flights\/#Taking_the_train_in_Italy\" >Taking the train in Italy<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/budget-travel-in-italy-car-train-flights\/#Should_you_take_the_train_in_Italy\" >Should you take the train in Italy?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/budget-travel-in-italy-car-train-flights\/#How_to_save_on_taking_the_train_in_Italy\" >How to save on taking the train in Italy<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Renting_a_car_in_Italy\"><\/span>Renting a car in Italy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_you_rent_a_car_in_Italy\"><\/span><strong>Should you rent a car in Italy?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When it comes to getting around Italy, many travelers&#8217; first instinct is to rent a car. And there are some significant pluses to having your own wheels: You can explore out-of-the-way areas (including in the beautiful countryside), and you have the freedom to go when you wish.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1227\" style=\"width: 2058px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1227\" class=\"wp-image-1227 size-full\" title=\"Renting a car is a great way to see Italy's countryside\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/DSC_0814-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Tuscany, easily explored by car\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/DSC_0814-scaled.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/DSC_0814-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/DSC_0814-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1227\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Want to see beautiful countryside like this (in Tuscany)? Renting a car might be your best bet<\/p><\/div>\n<p>As far as cost goes, though, driving is only the cheapest option if you\u2019re planning to cover a lot of ground and make many stops. Renting a car generally costs \u20ac40-60 per day, <em>if <\/em>you book the car in advance. And if you can&#8217;t drive stick, beware: Automatic-transmission vehicles are rare in Italy, so renting one will cost you. (It&#8217;s not uncommon to see them costing \u20ac60-80 or more per day, when booked in advance). If you want a GPS, highly recommended if you&#8217;ll be doing any driving in the countryside or to, say, find out-of-the-way <em>agriturismi, <\/em>that&#8217;s another \u20ac15 per day.<\/p>\n<p>Then, of course, there&#8217;s the cost of gas. Think prices in the U.S. are a joke? In Italy in July, the average gas price was \u20ac1.55&#8230; per liter. (That comes out to \u20ac5.87 per gallon). Say your car gets 35 miles per gallon. That means that to drive from Florence to Rome, for example, a distance of some 165 miles, you&#8217;re looking at almost \u20ac30 in gas, one way. Plus, don&#8217;t kid yourself that renting a car is the fast way to get from Point A to Point B: Most of the time, the train or plane is faster.<\/p>\n<p>Even so, there are some situations when you just can&#8217;t beat driving to get a real sense of Italy. So don&#8217;t discount renting a car&#8230; and keep in mind the following price-saving tips.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Renting a car might be the cheapest and best option for you if<\/strong><strong>:<\/strong> You&#8217;re a family or a small group; you plan on visiting many different towns and cities; you want to explore the countryside or stay in off-road <em>agriturismi;<\/em> you&#8217;re a comfortable driver; you have more luggage than you&#8217;d want to carry with you<\/p>\n<p><strong>Renting a car might be one of the more expensive and difficult options for you if: <\/strong>You&#8217;re an individual or a couple; you&#8217;re going from one well-connected city or town directly to another; you can&#8217;t drive stick; you&#8217;re not super-comfortable driving in different situations; you expect a large, American-sized car (without specifying one!); you&#8217;re easily frustrated by getting lost<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Italy_on_a_budget_How_to_save_on_renting_a_car_in_Italy\"><\/span><strong>Italy on a budget: How to save on renting a car in Italy<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>The best way to save on renting a car in Italy: Don&#8217;t wait until you get here!<\/strong> Book in advance, on the web, always. By reserving in advance, you can get 20 to 60% off what the price would be if you waited. Some sites to check out include <a href=\"http:\/\/www.autoeurope.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Autoeurope<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.maggiore.it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Maggiore Rent<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.europcar.it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">EuropCar<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.it\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sixt<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sicilybycar.it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sicily by Car<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.targarent.it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Targarent<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1228\" style=\"width: 1334px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/DSC_0221.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1228\" class=\"wp-image-1228 size-full\" title=\"Narrow roads in Italy can make it important to purchase insurance when renting a car!\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/DSC_0221.jpg\" alt=\"old town in Italy\" width=\"1324\" height=\"1994\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/DSC_0221.jpg 1324w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/DSC_0221-768x1157.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/DSC_0221-1020x1536.jpg 1020w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1324px) 100vw, 1324px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1228\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">If driving down this looks a little scary, then consider buying extra insurance&#8230; or avoiding town centers, or not renting a car at all!<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>If you\u2019re not a very experienced driver with stick or with a smaller, European-model car, purchase insurance for\u00a0<\/strong><strong><em>\u201cdani e furti.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> Although this will cost you a little more out of pocket in the short run, in the case of an accident, it can definitely save you money. While insurance is part of the package when you rent a car, it\u2019s limited-liability insurance\u2014so if you accidentally scrape the side of a wall while driving down one of those extraordinarily-narrow medieval streets and scratch up the car, for example, you\u2019ll have to pay for the damage. Ouch.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Consider car pick-up points other than where you\u2019re starting your Italy trip. <\/strong>In fact, that\u2019s often the most expensive way to do it! Often, it\u2019s cheaper (and faster) to combine the train with the car. If you\u2019re leaving from Rome and want to explore the Tuscan countryside, for example, the smarter thing to do is usually to take the train from Rome to Florence and rent a car there. Even if the best launching-point for your car trip isn\u2019t a big city, consider renting a car there: You\u2019d be surprised at how many of Italy\u2019s off-the-beaten-path towns have rental car agencies.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1235\" style=\"width: 346px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/1308823731rome-car-transfers.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1235\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1235 \" title=\"Renting a car can be a great transport option in Italy\" src=\"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/1308823731rome-car-transfers.jpg\" alt=\"It can be cheap to drive around Italy\" width=\"336\" height=\"235\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1235\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">There&#8217;s nothing quite like the open road&#8230; but it can cost you!<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Don\u2019t always drop the car off where you picked it up. <\/strong>It depends on your particular itinerary, but if it would be more convenient for you to drop the car off in another city than where you first hired it, then book it in advance. When you pre-reserve this option, it can cost you as little as \u20ac50 in extra fees\u2014sometimes cheaper than the cost of gas back to your starting point, and often cheaper than the train would be to your next destination, if you\u2019re continuing your travels in Italy. (We recently picked up a car in Piacenza, drove around northern Italy, and ended in Venice. Being able to drop the car off in Venice cost \u20ac60, while the cost to take a train from Piacenza to Venice after finishing our driving would have cost \u20ac27 to \u20ac50\u2026 per person).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Know the rules of the road. <\/strong>Nothing can be more costly than a nasty accident, and yes, Italian street signs and road etiquette are different from back home. But also make sure you know the rules when it comes to where you&#8217;re allowed to drive: In city centers like Florence, for example, you need a special permit to enter, and not having one can get you a fine. Make sure you know exactly where non-resident access is allowed <em>before<\/em> you get off the highway.<\/p>\n<p><strong>When getting gas, do it yourself. <\/strong>Many Italian gas stations have the option for full service, so when you pull in, you\u2019ll see one sign for \u201c<em>servito\u201d <\/em>and the other for \u201c<em>fai da te.\u201d <\/em>Go for <em>fai da te, <\/em>which means \u201cdo it yourself.\u201d The full service includes extras like washing the windshield, and costs more per gallon.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Flying_in_Italy\"><\/span>Flying in Italy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_you_take_planes_within_Italy\"><\/span>Should you take planes within Italy?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>With so many budget airlines, one of the cheapest ways to get from point A to point B in Italy can be by flying. The caveat, of course, is that both destinations have to be big enough to have airports. And you also have to calculate in how you&#8217;re going to get <em>out <\/em>to the airport.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1234\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/1308825881.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1234\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1234 \" title=\"How to save on flying in Italy\" src=\"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/1308825881.jpg\" alt=\"Taking the plane can be the cheapest transport option\" width=\"400\" height=\"280\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1234\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sometimes, flying can be the cheapest way to get between cities in Italy<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Even so, it&#8217;s worth doing a comparison, even of the non-budget airlines. Right now, for example, you can fly round-trip from Rome to Florence for \u20ac115 with Alitalia in August. Go in November, and the price falls to \u20ac100.\u00a0Then there are the budget airlines: You can fly round-trip from Milan-Bergamo to Rome airport for \u20ac46 round-trip on RyanAir, or Naples to Venice round-trip for \u20ac99\u00a0 on EasyJet. That&#8217;s not to mention the many other cheap airlines that have cropped up lately.<\/p>\n<p>Just remember to always read the fine print when booking a flight. You can only take a certain amount of baggage, and even to check anything at all costs on lines like Ryanair. There are also hefty fines you have to pay at the airport if you don&#8217;t comply.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Flying might be the cheapest and best option for you if<\/strong><strong>: <\/strong>You pack light; your destinations have airports that are economic to reach from the city center; you read the fine print; you&#8217;re traveling off-season<\/p>\n<p><strong>Flying might be one of the most expensive and difficult options for you if: <\/strong>You get stung by oversized baggage fees or by having to check bags at all; the airport is far away from your actual destination, and there aren&#8217;t cheap transport options running when you&#8217;ll need them (for example, late at night); you have a number of destinations on your list<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_save_on_flying_in_Italy\"><\/span>How to save on flying in Italy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Look at a variety of websites, including consolidators, budget, and non-budget airlines. <\/strong>Don&#8217;t just look at Expedia. Check out other consolidator sites, like <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kayak.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">KAYAK<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.skyscanner.it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">SkyScanner<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Since these websites generally search non-budget airlines, make sure you look at specific cheap airlines&#8217; sites, too. Although you get what you pay for, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ryanair.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ryanair<\/a> often has some of the cheapest flights around; you can get a little more comfort, sometimes at the same prices, at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.easyjet.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">EasyJet<\/a>. And don&#8217;t miss the Italian carriers: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.blu-express.com\/it\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Blu-Express<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/flyairone.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">AirOne<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.alitalia.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alitalia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Make sure you read the fine print.<\/strong> Ryanair&#8217;s notorious extra fees, for example, include \u20ac12 round-trip in &#8220;administration fees&#8221; and \u20ac50 round-trip to check a bag in peak season, plus \u20ac20 per kilo the bag is overweight. If you&#8217;re planning on checking a bag, it&#8217;s often cheaper to book with a non-budget airline that actually lets you do so for free! And Ryanair&#8217;s not alone. Always, always make sure you know what you&#8217;re allowed to check or carry on, and what you have to do to avoid penalties at the airport.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Plan how to get from the airport to your final destination&#8230; <\/strong><em><strong>before <\/strong><\/em><strong>you book your flight<\/strong>. Nothing blows the benefit of that cheap airfare ticket (other than getting dinged \u20ac60 euros for a slightly-overweight bag) more than shelling out \u20ac45 for a last-minute cab ride. Make sure there are other, cheaper transport options, and that they&#8217;ll still be running when you land.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pack your lunch<\/strong>. Some of the budget airlines get you when you&#8217;re actually on board, charging high amounts for a bottle of water or a sandwich. Pick up a <em>panino <\/em>before you even get to the airport, grab that water bottle before you board, and you&#8217;ll save even more.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Taking_the_train_in_Italy\"><\/span>Taking the train in Italy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_you_take_the_train_in_Italy\"><\/span>Should you take the train in Italy?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In many ways, using Italy&#8217;s vast rail system is the happy medium between renting a car and taking a plane. It gives you the freedom to explore more than if you were tied to airports (but not as much as if you had a car) and it&#8217;s usually faster than driving (and sometimes, if you include transportation to airports and check-in time, faster than flying). Plus, since so many people in Italy depend on the train system, it&#8217;s fairly reliable &#8212; and, depending on where you&#8217;re going and there&#8217;s a deal running, can be cheap.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1230\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Panoramic-view-of-Assisi.-Umbria..jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1230\" class=\"wp-image-1230 size-full\" title=\"The train isn't the easiest way to get to Assisi\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Panoramic-view-of-Assisi.-Umbria..jpg\" alt=\"Visit Assisi Italy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"664\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Panoramic-view-of-Assisi.-Umbria..jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Panoramic-view-of-Assisi.-Umbria.-768x510.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1230\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Want to visit Assisi? Then know that, as for many Italian hill towns, the train station is way outside of the town&#8230; at the bottom of the hill<\/p><\/div>\n<p>That said, strikes always represent a possibility that can foul up the most best-laid plans. While they&#8217;re not <em>quite <\/em>as common with the trains as some would have you believe (we encounter a strike perhaps every 40 or 50 times we take the train), they can still be frustrating, canceling many or all routes at the last minute.<\/p>\n<p>Also be aware that train stations are rarely smack in the center of Italy&#8217;s cities: It might take a 10- to 15-minute walk, or a couple of metro stops, to get from the main station to the tourist sites or historic center. And in hill towns like those in Umbria or Tuscany, stations are usually at the base of the hill, and buses might not run very often &#8212; meaning a little bit of a hike! If you have lots of luggage or limited mobility, plan ahead.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The train might be the cheapest and best option for you if<\/strong><strong>: <\/strong>You don&#8217;t have tons of luggage; you have only a few cities or towns on your itinerary<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-style: normal;\">The train might be one of the most expensive and difficult options for you if:<\/span><\/strong> <\/em>You&#8217;re exploring many cities or towns and have to make a number of stops; you want to explore the countryside; you have a lot of luggage, and no easy way to get from the station to your final destination<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_save_on_taking_the_train_in_Italy\"><\/span>How to save on taking the train in Italy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Don&#8217;t forget to look at\u00a0<a title=\"How to get around Italy by train \" href=\"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/how-to\/trains-in-italy-rail-schedule-tickets-rome-florence\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">step-by-step guide to how to travel Italy by train<\/a>. The important things to remember when it comes to how to save money:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Look for promotional fares and discounts in advance. <\/strong>Trenitalia&#8217;s usually running a few great <a title=\"How to save with Trenitalia deals on trains in Italy\" href=\"http:\/\/www.trenitalia.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">train ticket deals and promotions<\/a>, and no, you don&#8217;t have to be an Italy resident or citizen to take advantage! Currently, one fantastic promotion is the <a title=\"MINI offer to save money on trains\" href=\"http:\/\/www.trenitalia.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MINI offer<\/a>, where you can get up\u00a0to 60% off of normal fares, including Milan to Venice for \u20ac9 and Rome to Verona for \u20ac29. Another is the Sabato Italiano offer, where two people traveling on a Saturday pay the cost of just one ticket. Children under 12, traveling with an adult, travel free until August 31. And if you&#8217;re day-tripping, the Same-Day Return offer\u00a0lets\u00a0you save on a round-trip ticket (with return on the same day as departure).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Found a discount? Read the fine print &#8212; and book ahead of time. <\/strong>The MINI fare, for example, has to be booked at least two days in advance&#8230; and on popular routes, all the MINI fares often have run out even before that.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you&#8217;re not traveling with a promotional fare, only get<\/strong><strong>\u00a0your ticket once you&#8217;re pretty sure what your exact travel plans are. <\/strong>That&#8217;s because, while a &#8220;Flexible&#8221; ticket lets you change your reservation an unlimited number of times, it costs you 25% more than &#8220;Base&#8221; fare tickets. But with &#8220;Base&#8221; tickets, you can change your reservation only once &#8212; and it can be a hassle to do so. It&#8217;s often better to get your ticket that morning, or when you arrive at the station, particularly if you think you might be cutting it close and there&#8217;s a possibility you might not make your train.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trying to save money on transportation in Italy? Don&#8217;t worry &#8212; it is possible get around Italy on a Budget! What your cheapest transportation option is depends completely, of course, on what your specific plans are &#8212; and what deals you can find. That said, there are some general things to keep in mind when [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1232,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[63],"ppma_author":[155],"class_list":["post-1208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel-tips","tag-trip-planning"],"authors":[{"term_id":155,"user_id":3,"is_guest":0,"slug":"walksofitaly","display_name":"Walks of Italy","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9f4cd4dd0c5ab4b4bae57f3500298e23?s=96&d=mm&r=g","user_url":"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog","last_name":"of Italy","first_name":"Walks","job_title":"","description":"Walks began life as the passion project of two guys with one simple mission: To share their love for, and knowledge of, the city of Rome. Since then, Walks has grown into a team of over 100 ground staff and at any time up to 600 guides, operating across 13 of the world\u2019s most exciting cities (and counting!)\r\n\r\nToday we provide some of the most exclusive and beautifully designed small group tours in the industry through Italy-based Walks of Italy and around the world at Walks, where we offer special access to some of the world\u2019s most iconic landmarks and attractions as well as unique cultural experiences."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1208"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1208"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1208\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22191,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1208\/revisions\/22191"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1232"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1208"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=1208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}