Trenitalia connections

[HS2isgood]

How reliable are short connections in Trenitalia? I see many trains from Pisa to Siena with 2-5 minute connections at Empoli. Are those scheduled connections? Do they wait?

Also, is the Italia in Tour promo valid in the buses between Grosseto and Siena ran by Trenitalia, or just in the trains?

 

[30907]

How reliable are short connections in Trenitalia? I see many trains from Pisa to Siena with 2-5 minute connections at Empoli. Are those scheduled connections? Do they wait?

I've only changed going Siena-Florence and the TI regional trains I used were punctual.

5-7 min seems standard and should be fine provided you are ready to alight coming from Pisa as those can be busy, and you will need to use the subway. I cant quickly find a 2min connection, but it might be cross-platform comingvfrom Siena.

Also, is the Italia in Tour promo valid in the buses between Grosseto and Siena ran by Trenitalia, or just in the trains?

Pass, but if it is a TI route it should be OK, and having to pay won't break the bank anyway.

 

[nwales58]

Also, is the Italia in Tour promo valid in the buses between Grosseto and Siena ran by Trenitalia, or just in the trains?

I have the same question, though for further south.

TI web site says:

su tutti i treni regionali, regionali veloci e metropolitani di Trenitalia e Trenitalia Tper, compreso il Leonardo express

which does not mention buses.

I was hoping it was valid on services that are obviously rail replacement buses such as the few Benevento-Foggia local services which trenitalia/lefrecce web site/app show as 'autoservizi sostitutivi'. You have to dig down into the detail information to see that as other bus services also are shown with similar numbering and some run by busitalia.

Does anyone have official information either way or experience on the ground?

 

[D6130]

5-7 min seems standard and should be fine provided you are ready to alight coming from Pisa as those can be busy, and you will need to use the subway. I cant quickly find a 2min connection, but it might be cross-platform comingvfrom Siena.

The Firenze-Siena and Siena-Firenze through semi-fast trains use platform 3 at Empoli in both directions, so you will have to go under the subway on the outward journey, but should have cross-platform interchange on the way back. Be aware though, that most of the Empoli-Siena and Siena-Empoli local stopping trains use platform 4 or 5, so you have to allow about an extra minute to connect into and out of them.

 

[nwales58]

is the Italia in Tour promo valid in the buses between Grosseto and Siena ran by Trenitalia

Which date and service?

The Grosseto-Buonconvento buses I can see do not mention 'sostitutivo' nor who operates. If busitalia, although they operate rail replacement they also operate many other services so that does not help. Trenitalia show XX999 numbers for non-sostitutivo services such as Sibari-Taranto.

As well as whether the Dettagli show 'autoservizi sostitutivi' there may be another clue. Some buses show that the fare gives X-GO points implying it is a regional service. The Potenza-Taranto buses do as well as Benevento-Foggia.

Grosseto-Buonconvento buses show X-GO: yes (if you select Ordinaria).

 

[HS2isgood]

FI120, Grosseto to Siena. Departs 1954 on Saturdays.

 

[nwales58]

shows Programma X-GO ticked, so TI get the revenue so looks likely, be good if you confirm it was accepted when you go.

 

[HS2isgood]

shows Programma X-GO ticked, so TI get the revenue so looks likely, be good if you confirm it was accepted when you go.

Can I buy a ticket onboard if not? I don't want to get stranded

 

[nwales58]

No idea, sorry. I have only used trains so far, not train-buses. I will be hitting the long-term substitutions in the south later this year.

The Trenitalia app or web site will sell you a ticket although sale has to be complete 5 minutes before scheduled departure time. Although online Ordinaria tickets are changeable they now have to be checked-in to validate for a specific train. I haven't bought from a machine recently (I buy Italia in Tour through the app).

Probably not possible on the bus is my guess because the odd time I have used an interurban bus in Italy I had to go to a nearby tobacconist to buy a ticket.

Anyone else know about these bus services? Ideally Italia in Tour is valid but it would be good to be certain.