FIP coupon ITALY

[AdamL]

Hi, I have two questions but I have posted them seperately to avoid confusion.

The second one is...

What is the best way of travelling from Palermo to Naples (day and / or night) trains using a FIP coupon for Italy.

I have travelled in Italy before using the FIP coupon and cannot remember having problems using IC services without a reservation but reading online, everything seems to sugest that FIP coupons are not valid on IC / ES service and a global fare will apply - may be I didn't use IC services?! I will be continuing to Rome, Florence, San Marino and Verona but these can be done on slower local trains if required as the journey time is much shorter, however Palermo to Naples on local trains takes just a little bit too long.

If anyone has done this route I would very much appreciate feedback and costs.

Thank you very much for any help!!!

 

[QJ]

I caught the morning Rome to Palermo / Catania IC service with the missus using FIP coupons last year in order to get the shunt on and off the train ferry that crosses the Stretto di Messina.

I sorted the journey in advance through DB at Surbiton and don't recall a global price ticket being required for the journey; just a seat reservation to go with the coupon. However I do stand to be corrected as things might have changed in the intervening time.

As for the journey itself it is a long drag from Naples by IC train let alone Rome. The train was packed between Naples and Palermo with luggage of kitchen sink proportions filling the corridors as well as every available luggage rack in the compartment my wife and I found ourselves allocated. My wife even had a bambino dropped in her lap whilst the mother attended to the rest of her tribe. It was very difficult to move around the train. If you did you ran the risk of your seat occupied and luggage space taken. There was no restaurant / cafe car in the formation just a trolley service for a short time till the train became wedged. However, there was an opportunity to buy refreshments on the ferry during the crossing.

I returned to Naples by overnight ferry then on to Rome by IC service for which again I only required seat reservations.

 

[AdamL]

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I shall call DB next week to see what reservation fee they quote me.