I’m travelling to Italy in October this year, staying for a month in Florence at Residenza il Carmine (thanks to all your wonderful reviews). I’m flying Emirates to Rome (never used Emirates before but had no choice, Singapore Airlines (my favourite) was totally booked out) and now I am beginning to get seriously worried about them. I supposedly arrive in Rome (from Dubai) on Friday 3 October at 11.35am. I have been tracking their departure and arrivals since I booked, and last Friday they arrived an hour late. For reasons best known to my subconscious, my plan is to go straight from the airport to Florence but am now a little concerned. Obviously, coming from Perth it will be a long, long day and I am worried about my energy levels by the time I arrive and also arriving in Florence around 5.30-6.00pm, presumably it is getting dark by then. Should I have a back-up plan to stay overnight in Rome or should I soldier on to Florence? If I head straight to Florence, should I / could I asked the lovely people at Residenza il Carmine make a reservation at a nearby restaurant for me so that I don’t have to worry about shopping straightaway?

At Rome Termini, now that the Leonardo Express arrives at binario 24, is it still a long walk to wherever my ES to Florence will depart? And, although my suitcase is quite small, I would find it quite difficult to lift it above my head to store in the bins above the seats. Will travelling first class give me more room to store it next to my seat?

Moving away from transport - I know the topic of cell phones has been thoroughly canvassed but…as my current mobile phone has global roaming (I have used it successfully in Greece), do I need an Italian phone/ SIM? If I do need an Italian phone, does it make sense to get it in Florence or should I try to buy one before I go?

Apologies for the long-winded multi-question post.

I eagerly await your learned responses.

Dorothy

quote:

Will travelling first class give me more room to store it next to my seat?

The answer is no, not really. I can't lift my roller suitcase to the overhead bins either. I leave my suitcase in the bin at the end of the car when you get on. I have heard that some people chain them with bicycle chains onto the rail at the edge of the bin, but I have not observed this.

quote:

as my current mobile phone has global roaming (I have used it successfully in Greece), do I need an Italian phone/ SIM?

I have a global SIM with a United Kingdom phone number. The web site, operators and instructions are all in english. it cost $0.49/min to use in Italy on roaming. it worked fine the whole time I was in Italy and I did not call that many Italian numbers so it wasn't worth it to me to get a cheaper per rate mintue with an Italian SIM. it depends on how much you use your phone and how often you visit Italy whether you want to get an Italian SIM.

If you stay for one night in Rome, all your potential concerns over the matter of arrival are covered: it doesn't matter at/from what binario you arrive/depart, your tiredness is addressed, so is dinner, and breakfast next morning. Slow and easy.

On the mobile, it all depends on how much you plan to you use your own, and the costs of roaming. It may be advantageous to use an Italian SIM card; at least this is true when comparing using my locked global cell phone or an Italian one; no contest on the roaming costs to Canada, with the Italian a winner hands down.

There are lots of hotels by termini if you decide to stay in Rome one night. Venere.com will help you find one. You can search for hotels by termini
http://en.venere.com/hotels_rome/?ref=784710#o=price&r=...000100000000c20&sb=1
this is what I have done in the past when I arrived by train and needced to stay one night in Rome before moving on.

I second the idea of staying in Rome for one night. You have a very long flight into Rome, and I think that a quiet hotel not far from Termini would be a perfect choice. What I would do is arrive in Rome, check into the hotel, rest a bit or have a walk to reactivate circulation and stuff, have dinner, and collapse. You may book a train for the next morning as you arrive at the airport, I'd suggest late morning: if you are sleepy you may sleep on, if you are not you may take another walk in Rome before the shortish tain travel to Florence.

Hi Dorothy, as a fellow traveller from Perth let me give my opinion.

We usually also fly with Singapore Airlines and have never used Emirates. If your flight leaves midnight to 1am, then have an afternoon sleep. We pretty much run on adrenalin when arriving in Rome and stay awake until evening and then crash. So going to Florence may be okay.

My phone has roaming and I never buy an overseas Sim card. Mainly use SMS or internet when contacting home and only answer incoming calls from numbers I recognise. I use my phone overseas to check onforwarding reservations etc.

Last time in Rome, hubby had his wallet stolen (on metro) and we needed to contact Visa. No operable public phone in sight, so I used my own mobile. The call lasted approx 1/2 hour and it was still worth it. Spent 14 weeks overseas and the total cost of my phone bill was in the vicinity of $300 about the same as if I had used it constantly at home.

With regard to suitcases, we used the compartments provided and never locked them. If your suitcase is small and there aren't too many people on the train, then you could probably keep it with you. I have seen other people do this.

Good luck and have fun.

Elly

Dragonpat, Doru, Alice and Elly - thank you very much for your suggestions.

I would prefer to keep on moving if possible - I did this when I went to Crete but then I flew to Chania from Athens and it wasn't so "complicated".

I don't know Rome at all apart from a "blink-and-you-miss-it" trip in the early '80s. I have looked at some hotels near Termini and couldn't make a decision. I know the Hotel Parlamento is not near Termini, but it is smallish and has had some good reviews, so I am thinking about that one. Any recommendations for clean, comfortable, cheap near Termini for one night - noticed that lots of them require two night-stay? Also, what area? There seem to be at least three Termini areas. Is Repubblica the one to go for?

Thanks again

Dorothy

I have stayed in this hotel and found it clean, and OK. It was easy to walk to. Breakfast was included and it was good. Even eggs.
http://en.venere.com/hotels_rome/repubblica_termini/hot...lene.html?ref=784710
I am staying at this place near termini at the end of May. it is on the Marsala side of termini. Individual air conditioning in the room.
http://en.venere.com/hotels_rome/marsala_termini/hotel_...idge.html?ref=784710

We stayed at the Hotel Kennedy for one night each of the last two trips to Rome and left the following morning. The hotel has been renovated in recent years, has a great shower and is like one short block from termini.

On our last trip in late Feb, the charge for a twin room was 100 euros I believe. I'd stay there again.

I believe I wrote a review of the hotel on slow travel which you might want to access.

I back that recommendation for Hotel Kennedy. Comfortable, QUIET and convenient. Also not expensive (about 90 EUR for a double 4 years ago).

I was just going to say: Hotel Kennedy!!!
We stayed there too,; it's clean and quiet and safe, and is only one block from the side door exit of Termini Station.
I think you would be better having a sleep after your long trip; then you will have your wits about for the train, the station, and getting to the hotel in Florence.
I vote for sleep!!!

Dibi, when we went to Italy last year we flew Emirates because we wanted to stop over in Dubai plus the marketing they did in Australia was very tempting, and also they arrive in Europe about lunch time instead of the dawn patrol of most other airlines.

Certainly from Melbourne, and as far as I know from other AU cities they do not fly direct to Europe but stop over in Dubai. You will then have to change planes in Dubai with a 2 - 3 hour stop over. Despite the marketing, Dubai airport is difficult because the flight waiting areas are too small for the number of people waiting to board and you may have to sit on the floor. It is quite good for duty free, but be prepared to queue to go to the toilet.

On most flights they use 777 planes with 10 seats across instead of 9 used by most other airlines so it is quite cramped. Onboard service is very good.

We did not have a problem with schedules and all our flights were on time.

Coming back from Rome I had a problem with a broken seat and thought they would fix it in Dubai or as we had to totally disembark we would be on another plane, but no, same plane same broken seat. When I wrote to them and complained the answer was basically - better luck next time. There won't be a next time.

Pity about Singapore, they are very good.

Also be carefull coming back as you may not be able to take duty free alcohol
on the plane, so buy it when you land.

I presume you are not flying from Rome to Florence. You can get from Rome airport into the city by train, taxi, shuttle or limo. Up to an hours ride.

Trains to Florence go every hour and I think about 2-3 hrs trip. You will be very tired and it is a big ask but possible. Termimi is the main Rome station so a hotel near there may not be a bad idea.

You will love Florence, one of the best Italian cities.

Dragonpat, Potenza Ron and Lew - thanks for your advice. I have checked out the hotels you recommended Dragonpag and I've looked at the Hotel Kennedy. It seems quite reasonable. Online they offered E85 for the night, which isn't too bad. Being a procrastinor, this is my "advice collection" stage, but I guess I will need to make a decision soonish.

Monty, thanks. Glad to hear from someone who's flown Emirates. I actually prefer flights that get to my destination at the crack-of-dawn, but it wasn't to be this time - SIA gets booked out early.

I have 1.5 hours transfer in Dubai and arrive in Rome around 11.35 - but they don't have a good record for being on time. Last Friday they were an hour late arriving in Rome, which is the reason for my slight panic. The return trip gives me only about 1 hour transfer time to make the connection. Travel agent swears that is enough - so fingers crossed.

From Perth to Dubai and return it's an Airbus, which should be comfortable. But, you are right, it's a 777 from Dubai to Rome - so sounds like a rather cramped/uncomfortable 6 hours.

If at all possible, I would prefer to keep going, ie, head straight to Florence, so am amassing advice now and will decide later.

I'm not taking duty free but will order it in Perth to collect when I get back.

Thanks

Dorothy

SJ, thanks. Good to hear from people who've stayed at Hotel Kennedy. I'm still weighing up my options - but at least it's good to have a hotel recommendation if I decide to overnight in Rome.

Dorothy