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What typically happens to those who don’t pay extra to select a seat on a Rome Termini to Florence S.M.N. Frecciarossa 1000?

  • December 22, 2023
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Is there any real point paying for seat selection. I know it’s only 2Euro but I’ve read that even if you don’t select a seat, they will still sit those in the same group together. What typically happens to those who don’t pay extra to select a seat on a Rome Termini to Florence S.M.N. Frecciarossa 1000?

Best answer by thibcabe

If you don't or can't select a seat the system will do its best to sit you together. It works 99% of the time. You'll get assigned seat numbers right before or right after paying, depending on the website/train.

If you don't have a reservation at all you'll get thrown off the train* and/or get a big fine.

*complicated between Rome and Florence as there's no intermediate stop...

There are 3-4 hourly trains between Rome and Florence so you've got plenty of choices. Those trains never sell out.

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  • December 22, 2023

If you don't or can't select a seat the system will do its best to sit you together. It works 99% of the time. You'll get assigned seat numbers right before or right after paying, depending on the website/train.

If you don't have a reservation at all you'll get thrown off the train* and/or get a big fine.

*complicated between Rome and Florence as there's no intermediate stop...

There are 3-4 hourly trains between Rome and Florence so you've got plenty of choices. Those trains never sell out.


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  • December 22, 2023

Thanks. I definitely want to reserve a seat, I was just wondering if it was worth paying extra for seat selection. Often the Extras are just extra revenue for the seller, arguably with no benefit to the buyer. Being my first trip to Europe, I won’t take the risk and just pay the extra.


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  • April 12, 2024

I need to travel Rome to Florence this coming Saturday but don’t really know what time I can get to the station yet. With my 1st class Eurail pass, how close to the departure time do I need to reserve my seat?


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  • April 12, 2024

There are many trains on that route, so you should always find something.


ralderton
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  • April 12, 2024

Unless you very strongly want a particular seat, there’s no need to pay for seat selection. The system will allocate you seats together where possible.

I do it on an airline, to avoid getting stuck in a middle seat, but there are no middle seats here!

As for when to reserve - no need to do it far in advance in Italy, unless you’re travelling on a holiday weekend or something. You can reserve up to 5 minutes before departure, I believe. So just do it on your phone on the way to the station.

There’s always seats. You can check by looking up availability for your route as if you were leaving right now, and you’ll see plenty of availability.


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  • April 12, 2024

Not sure I understand the process. The Eurail app says seat reservation required but you said "there’s no need to pay for seat selection". Is the 13 Euro for a reservation or seat selection? It sounds like the 13bEuro covers the reservation and I can choose to pay extra to select a seat. 


Angelo
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  • April 12, 2024

No 13 Euro is the Reservation cost. To choose a specific seat you pay 2 Euro on top.


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  • April 12, 2024

Got it. Thanks.


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