Taking a group vacation is a great way to share one of life’s great adventures with your friends or family. Are you planning group travel in Italy? We’ll cover some of the basics — from group train ticket booking to some of the advantages of small group travel by train.
Sit together, eat together, play together
Train travel in Italy is very group friendly. You can bring your own food, water and wine on the train. And if you book the right seats in advance, you’ll be able to share tables between group members for eating, reading and playing games.
If you book your tickets or reserve seats at the same time, seats will be grouped together whenever possible. However, if you’re traveling on a train that does not have reserved seating, members of your group will need to find or arrange seating when they board. Because of the numbering system on many Italian trains, it may not seem like your group is sitting together, but it’s very likely that you will be.
If it turns out that members of your group do not have reserved seating together, note that ItaliaRail will not be able to change these seats — they are assigned by Trenitalia. Instead, speak with the ticket agent at the station you are departing from. If seats are available, the agent may be able to reorganize your seats so everyone in your group can sit together.
Take advantage of group booking discounts
ItaliaRail is an excellent place to book group train tickets for your upcoming Italian vacation.
Traveling in a group of two or more
ItaliaRail allows you to find different price levels and include them all within the same booking. If only two fares remain at the lowest price level, you can combine them with the next tier in a family booking, resulting in lower prices for all.
Discounts for groups of 15 or more
If you’re traveling in a group of 15 or more people, ItaliaRail offers different types of group travel discounts. Whether you’re travelling for a family wedding in Sicily or a business conference in Turin, fill in the group travel form to begin the process of acquiring cheap group train tickets.
Communicate and make decisions as a group
When you’re travelling as a group, it’s essential to keep the lines of communication open. Both food and money can be tricky issues — planning ahead and having open discussions can help mitigate potential group conflict. You can also help keep costs down by sharing essentials such as food, water and accommodation.
Stop to explore along the way
Stopping to explore during your group train journey is an excellent way for groups to take a break and see things that might interest different people. We’d recommend stops in cities with train stations that offer luggage storage. Leave your bags behind and explore a city at your leisure. You’ll find luggage storage at Rome Termini, Venice Santa Lucia, Turin Porta Nuova, Milan Central, Naples Centrale, Verona, and Florence SMN train stations. Some of these facilities provide lockers, while others offer staffed luggage storage during the day.
It’s the journey, not the destination
While you may be enjoying a group journey from city to city, remember that it’s sometimes the times in between that create unique memories. Find ways to enhance the group experience; pack a picnic (with wine) and bring games and activities that the group can enjoy en route. Learn about and share information about the villages and scenery along the way. These shared activities will cultivate stronger relationships between travelers, making each train trip simply the next the next scenic phase in a grand adventure.
