my husband has bad knees and steps and walking are a problem
we need to get from rome to florence
he is concerned the train station will be down long stairs like the lirr in nyc
i picture the train station at street level without many flights of stairs and porters to help with luggage
what is the situation
thank s again to everyone for all their help and patience
sydney

Roma Termini and Florence will be no problem: there are no steps and carts for your luggage.

The Happy Week and other special offers
at Casina di Rosa - Holiday home in Tuscany

Florence is quite on the flat.

The station at the the airport in Rome does have 2 sets of stairs, but in each case an elevator or an alternative.

• (1) To get to the station from the arrival area, you have a choice of an underground passage, and just walking across the street. The underground passage is a set of steps down, a brief flat, a set of stairs up: the steps are flanked with escalators.
• (2) once you get to the actual train station on the other side of the street, the one flight of stairs can be bypassed with an elevator.

Bill

Gazetteer of Italy

[This message was edited by Bill Thayer on 05 January 2004 at 05:32 AM.]

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Originally posted by sydney:
porters to help with luggage

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No porters anymore at any Italian station. Yet, there are carts available at all stations for free to be used by travellers. The carts of the stations that are built on several levels (such as the Milano Centrale station) are built so that they work on the escalators too. Buy tickets for Eurostar trains (first or second class, as you prefer: there is not much difference between the two, but fist class has more leg space, so that it might be more suitable for your husband), that grant you a seat reservation. In case you can't find a seat for a Eurostar train, you might use an Intercity train, but in this case make sure to ask explicitely for "prenotazione" (seat reservation) or you may end up travelling standing in the corridor. Eurostar trains are also easier to climb (the three steps to climb the train are lower).

Alice Twain
--
I don’t want to take what you can’t give / I would rather starve than eat your bread
I would rather run but I can’t walk / Guess I’ll lie alone just like before
                Pearl Jam, Corduroy

quote:

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Originally posted by Casina di Rosa:
Roma Termini and Florence will be no problem: there are no steps and carts for your luggage.

Thehttp://www.casinadirosa.it/en/offerte.html
at Casina di Rosa - Holiday home in Tuscany

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thank you so much for your response
sydney

Leaving yourselves plenty of time (a half hour) before departures can be helpful also. The Eurostar trains are long, and the first class cars are usually nearest the front of the train (the longest walk when you are boarding and disembarking). The cars are clearly marked with a "1" or "2" to denote which class they are. It is not uncommon for there to be a change of track shortly before the train pulls in, so stay aware that there may be another need to move yourselves and your bags before you embark. Don't give up your luggage cart until you climb on the train. You can also use it as a perch to wait. Often there will be someone getting on the train who will help you hoist your suitcases up the three steps into the train, but it never hurts to travel light

I would travel lightly!
In Florence it is not always easy to find the carts. they are usually at the entrance of the station.
When you get off the trains, people are nice about helping get luggage off. there are no porters anymore.

Put your luggage with your husband and then go get the cart... and come back and get him.
When you get to the exit, there is a line for cabs outside.

Getting on and off the trains have sort of high stairs.
I have a ankle that I shattered years ago, and I need to take my time getting on and off.

It is a short 1 1/2 train ride to Florence from Rome, get reservations and all is well.
DO NOT FORGET TO PUT YOUT TICKET INTO THE YELLOW BOX AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRACKS TO STAMP IT TO VALIDATE THE TICKET OR YOU WILL BE FINED.

Cooking in Florence
www.divinacucina.com

Do Eurostar tickets need to be validated? I bought mine at a ticket agent (both in Rome and in Florence), and they didn't fit into the validation box, so I asked the train attendant when we were boarding, and he gave me to understand it's not necessary for these trains, or not to worry, or some such reply. Since the seats are reserved for that particular train, and can't be used any other time anyway, is that the reason it wasn't necessary? The conductor came by to collect everyone's tickets after we got underway, and he gave no indication that there was anything unusal about my non-validated ticket.

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It is not uncommon for there to be a change of track shortly before the train pulls in

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In our experience, we rarely find that there is a change of tracks.

At nearly every train station, you will find a "drawing" of all the trains that arrive/depart a certain track each day. It is usually right at the front of the departure track of the train you will be riding. Look at the drawings for the train you will be on and you will be able to see how the train is configured (1st or 2nd). Along with the drawing will be an indication of where on the track these cars will stop - in Rome TE, it is indicated by a letter (A,B,C,etc).

It really makes it quite easy. For example, if you are traveling 1st class, and the drawing indicates the first class cars will stop under the "A" area, then simply walk to the "A" area which is clearly marked above the waiting areas along side the track.

Saying all that, yes Carol, the train will probably change tracks - but it is unusual.

Bill & Patty Sutherland
Tuscan Women Cook
Montefollonico, Italy