<p>My D is going to be spending 6 weeks in Pisa in a study abroad program and I have a few questions I hope people can help me with as we have never travelled outside the U.S.
1. We are planning on buying D an unlocked phone before she leaves and then my understanding is that she can buy a Sim card when she arrives in Italy, does this seem correct?
2. My D will be traveling around Italy during her 3 day weekends and she is planning on buying a youth Eurailpass. Is this the best/cheapest way of getting around italy? It seems as if the youth pass is for 2nd class travel, does this means she can only travel on certain trains or at certain times?
She will be flying into Rome and then taking the train to Pisa and we are assuming that the Eurailpass will be accepted on the Eurostar.
3. Do you usually have to make train reservations ahead of time or can you walk up and get ressies that same day?</p>
<p>As you can tell I am somewhat clueless and would appreciate any help.</p>
<p>By Eurostar do you mean the train to London under the channel? That is called “Eurostar”. If so I’d be surprised if they accept any rail passes. They don’t usually They are an independent company, not run my any national rail company of any country, and are hence pretty expensive. Sometimes there are good deals on their web-site.</p>
<p>In Italy I think Eurail does mean you you can only use certain trains at certain times. In most European countries discount cards are often not valid at peak times (basically during the morning and sometimes evening ‘rush hour’ of people going to work) or not valid on express trains (the faster ones that don’t stop so often). I have used the train in Italy but did not have any kind of pass so I don’t know.</p>
<p>Have her buy the phone when she gets to Italy. Its cheaper and easier to set up service there. Do not bother with the Eurail pass. The only time you need to make reservations ahead of time in Italy is during or just before a national holiday. Make sure she gets a schedule of these holidays. She may also just want to make a reserve for any trips on the Eurostar if it is part of her incoming and outgoing travel plans (to and from the airport). These reserves can be made on the Italian railway <a href=“http://www.trenitalia.it%5B/url%5D”>www.trenitalia.it</a> )website. ALSO—make sure she pays attention to
Scioperi (strikes) there are always one or two every summer and they effectively shut down the transportation system. They are announced in the Italian media well in advance. This way she can avoid being periodically stranded.</p>
<p>Thank you both for replying.
Musicamusica, you don’t think it’s worth it to get the Eurail pass? I wasn’t sure myself, because she really hasn’t made firm plans about where she might like to travel, so i’s hard to figure out if the Eurail pass is worth it.</p>
<p>I’ve heard of a lot of people just buying a SIM card to use in their unlocked GSM phone after they get to Europe. It’s supposed to be cost-effective but I’ve also heard of people just buying the phone once they get there - maybe used phones. </p>
<p>For my last trip to Europe and my D’s studyabroad we just used our phones as is (Cingular - now AT&T). They’ll work there under the normal phone number but it can get expensive quickly due to a high per minute rate but we really didn’t use them that much because we were cognizant of the costs.</p>
<p>If she’ll have a Windows laptop with her and an internet connection, she could use Windows Messenger to talk to you (assuming you also have a Windows PC) for free. Some people have also used Skype but I haven’t checked into the costs for that.</p>
<p>Since she’ll be in Pisa, make sure she spends some time in the Cinque Terra area just to the northwest of Pisa along the coast. It’s a beautiful area of 5 tiny towns clinging to the coastal hillside with a walking path between the towns hanging on the cliff edge (it’s safe). I hope she also gets a chance to head north to the mountains and maybe even into Switzerland. Zermatt is a nice town in Switzerland (where the Matterhorn is). I assume she’ll also visit Venice, Rome, and Florence. Another nice town is Siena.</p>
<p>Ucsd<em>ucla</em>dad, unfortunately we have Verizon and cannot get service in Italy.
I decided to buy a cell phone cell phone before D left so she could become a bit familiar with it.<br>
The Professor who organized this program advised against bringing laptops so D will not be able to use Skype, she’ll be dependent on internet cafe’s and cell phone for communication.
I’m emailing your touring suggestions to my D, She is very excited about this trip!</p>
<p>Eurail passes are very varied. They can be for a certain period of time - such as the whole time she is there (more expensive) or a certain number of days in that period of time. Can cover one country or several. For instance when we went on a girl scout trip a couple of years ago we had 5 days covering 5 countries. We were not limited to what day of the week we could travel and it covered most train services including the express trains. It did not cover Eurostar between London and France or Belgium but did cover nearly every other train. The passes are expensive but worth it if she is planning several long journeys. (We were going from Brussels to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Cochem germany, Cochem to Frutigen in Switzerland, Frutigen to Venice, Venice to Paris - long journeys). </p>
<p>If she is just planning to travel within Italy and just on weekends there may be cheaper options of tickets and student tickets she can buy locally.</p>
<p>If she is in Pisa she must take a trip to Lucca which is not that far away. There is an old walled city. It is a really unique place. There is a colliseum like the one in Rome that was converted to apartments that are still lived in. We just had a morning there but I would love to return. In Pisa her first view of the Square of Miracles will be a ‘wow moment’ - I went along thinking ok leaning tower of Pisa - not that excited - and I was really ‘wowed’.</p>
<p>Accomodation wise there are convents in many cities that are much cheaper than hotels which are very expensive - especially in Rome. Tell her to make sure she prebooks accommodation as she is there in the summer. My daughter’s friend showed up in Rome and could not find Hostel space so slept in a park and got robbed - not a good plan!!</p>
<p>Musica is right. Most likely the trips your daughter would take on a long weekend would be within the region and the tickets for those trips are relatively cheap. Besides, you cant use the student Eurail pass on Eurostar
(at least you didnt use to). You can check the typical local fares on the Italian website and decide if its worthwhile. Usually the Eurail is only worthwile if you are traveling intensively all over Europe.
There are so many places to visit within an inexpensive 1-3 hour trip from Pisa. Lucca,Arezzo,Bologna,Ferrara, Orvieto, Assisi,Verona,Piacenza, Vicenza,Mantova, Lago di Como,Firenze,Siena,Genova, Bassano da Grappa, on and on and on…</p>
<p>Pietrasanta and swimcatsmom, thanks for taking the time to respond. I have copied your suggestions and sent them to my D.
Pietrasanta, thanks for letting me know Eurostar does not accept the youth pass. I double checked and that info is still correct.<br>
Using the youth pass on Eurostar was a big reason for considering buying the Eurail pass so I have suggested she rethink it.
D is just planning on traveling in Italy so i am suggesting she try to price out some of the rips she know she wants to take to help her decide if it is worth it to buy the pass.</p>
<p>Can anyone tell me the easiest way to get from the Rome airport to the center of town?</p>
<p>There is a train from the Rome airport that reachs the Termini Central in Rome. I think it leaves every 10-20 minutes. You do not need to buy tickets in advance. Generally when I go to Rome, when I am a little jet lagged, I spend an extra 20 EU to take a taxi directly to my hotel. I tend to do this wherever I travel. There are several services that you can book ahead online and a driver will be waiting for your daughter when she gets off the plane. Go
to Tripadvisor.com under Rome and you might get a recommendation (I will look thru my files if thats what you think your daughter might need) The service does not cost any more than a regular taxi.–in fact may be a few EU
less.
Is she flying into Rome instead of Pisa. There is an airport in Pisa–maybe she
could get a cheap connecting flight instead?</p>
<p>My D is going to meet up with classmates at the Rome airport. They are going to stay overnight in Rome and do a little sightseeing before taking the train to Pisa.
Musicamusica, that’s a great idea; I will look into a car service/taxi. The girls might be aable to ride together and split the cost if they can fit all their luggage into one car :-)</p>
<p>If she can split the expense, then most definately us the pre-arranged car. I
will do a little research and get my guys website address to you. We used him
last year on the recommendation of someone else. When you make arrangements you can advise him as to how many people and bags. Rome can
be a bit disorienting for young new travelers. I speak fluent Italian, have been
in and out of Rome more times than I can count, —but after a loooong flight
from Los Angeles Im a quivering mass of jelly and there is nothing nicer and more comforting than getting out of customs and finding a smiling driver holding a card with your name on it.</p>
<p>found it!!! The guys name is Stefano and you can make a reserve on
[Rome</a> Cabs - welcome](<a href=“http://www.romecabs.com%5DRome”>http://www.romecabs.com) —nice guy and very dependable.
He has additional drivers if your daughters friends need an extra cab.</p>
<p>Thanks so much Musicamusica ! I feel much more comfortable contacting a company that someone has personal experience with.</p>
<p>I am a bit anxious about this trip because we have never traveled abroad and D has never traveled alone. I am trying to cover every base I can think of so that her trip will go smoothly.
D is blissfully unaware of my anxieties and is looking forward to her adventure.</p>
<p>Do make your D aware of pickpocketers and thieves in Italy - primarily the tourist areas in the big cities. They do exist and can easily spot tourists and from what I’ve heard, can be quite clever at picking pockets and snatching purses, etc. A friend of mine’s D went to Italy with her friend and right when they got there her friend set her suitcase down while waiting for a traffic light and it got snatched. Another friend had his group hit by pickpocketers.</p>
<p>Your D should make copies of her passport, airline ticket, reservations numbers, etc. and keep the copy in a separate place from the actual articles. She should also wear a money belt of some kind that allows her to keep her money under her clothing. It’s inconvenient and hot but at least it’s there. Finally, she should be reasonably cautious of those around her and not leave her backpack/purse/suitcase unattended while out even for a minute. If she gets ‘bumped into’ or ‘suddenly crowded’, she should consider that it might have been a pickpocket group. Also, let her know that Italy has its share of beggers - especially in places like Florence.</p>
<p>I’m not trying to be alarmist - just practical. I’ve been to Italy a couple of times, I really like Italy and its people, and will likely go again but the high number of pickpocketers/purse snatchers in tourist areas is real. If she exercises due caution she should be fine. And finally, I don’t think this is something to really worry about since it’s generally not actually dangerous - just annoying and potentially costly but as long as she’s aware up front she should be okay.</p>
<p>Make sure she has a well developed since of paranoia for pickpockets and crimes of opportunity- my sister’s luggage was stolen from the hotel lobby. The robbers work in teams with one person on a cell phone ready to tell the snatcher when it is safe to pounce in and grab the bag. She should check out all the advice at the Rick Steves site. If she will be taking trains and be likely to run down to the cafe car, she might want to secure her luggage to the luggage racks. I like to take either a bike lock or those thin plastic straps that are commonly used to contain power cords. I keep a supply of them in the outside pocket of my suitcase and keep a small scissors with it. Yes a thief could cut it, but it would slow them down and make it less attractive as an article to steal. Or two friends could link their suitcases/backpacks together making it cumbersome to run off with.</p>
<p>Check that her atm card won’t charge her lots of money with each withdrawal. My daughter is heading to Japan and the woman at Wells Fargo said they would charge $5 per withdrawal plus a percentage! She is going to need to make take out relatively large amounts to not get killed by fees. Generally pretty good advice on this at Frommers and Fodors websites and their discussion boards. If she is carrying money for a day or weekend trip, put it in several pockets so not all of it would ever be taken and she is never displaying more than $25 dollars or so at one time.</p>
<p>For money belts - yes they can get hot or bulky, even the around the neck style. If she doesn’t wear skin tight jeans/shorts, the style of passport/money protector that I like best hangs from a loop through which your pant’s belt runs through. It can also be pinned to the inside of a skirt. For more ideas look at TravelSmith or Magellan’s (sp?). You can also sew in velcro strips to your jeans, cargo pants, and day pack. The tugging or noise of it opening would be a deterrent.</p>
<p>My husband had new appreciation of my carefulness after watching the pickpockets work the crowd in Barcelona. Yes, there is a lot of overkill,but the time and hassle it would take to replace a passport or purchase new clothes (I am 5’12") makes it worthwhile to me.</p>
<p>Despite all this, she going to have a super time. Is she staying in dorms or with a family? Is her focus on language or art history or something else?</p>
<p>Re Lucca: I’m pretty sure thats where my sister had the best time of her trip. She and her friends rented bikes and rode around up on the city walls carrying their picnic supplies.</p>
<p>My family and I rented bikes in a large park in Rome. Was a nice way to do something fun that even the teenager enjoyed. My husband and I were on a bike for two. We laughed so hard!</p>
<p>You know that Italy to London is a hell of a long way by train. You can probably fly there for $100-$200 if you book in advance with a cheap airline, it will only take 2 hours and probably be cheaper than Eurostar.</p>
<p>Baby budget airlines are definitely the way to go. But beware airport taxes and note also they sometimes arrive at smaller airports and additional travelling is required to reach your destination (London Stansted is fine. It is a small place near Cambridge. It’s just a really long way from the other London airports. The other one you might encounter is Luton. Never been there but both are connected by bus to Victoria in central London, about 1 hour away).</p>
<p>Eurostar itself has just been re-homed to London St Pancras. It used to arrive at Waterloo (which is under the London Eye) but now it’s in north London (the new station is an experience in itself. All glitz and champagne bars. It’s an old building that looks like a church from the outside). As far as I know it’s still at Paris Gare du Nord and Brussels Midi at the other end.</p>
<p>Don’t stress too much. Little kids in Europe use public transport on their own when they’re about 5 years old. It’s really not that scary and if things go wrong there is always another train or bus and usually a friendly information desk where people can speak English and can help. Once your daughter has been on a couple of trains it will feel like she has been doing this all her life.</p>
<p>Ucsd<em>ucla</em>dada and twomules, thanks for your safety reminders. I’ve made copies of all her documents, credit cards, passport etc. I also purchased a money belt for her to wear but she is so far refusing to consider wearing it, apparently it "looks dorky’.
She is used to getting herself around NYC so she is very street smart in that respect but pickpockets in Italy seem like something outside her experience.</p>
<p>Cupcake, my D isn’t going to London, she’ll just travel in Italy. I think talking about the Eurostar may have given you that impression. D is planning on taking the Eurostar between Rome and Pisa.
Thanks for taking the time to post. I’m going to forward your post to a friend who is going to London this summer.</p>
<p>Sarha–as I said, I have lived (2 yrs)and traveled in Italy frequently. My D
had come along on several trips. But when she went last summer to a program
in Florence, since on her previous trip she was only 12 yrs old, I felt desire to
accompany her for a few weeks before, help her set up her apartment, show
her the ropes, and generally help her get her barings. I did go along for 2 weeks and had a blast myself. My most important task (I felt)as the mother of a particularly cute blonde American girl was to point out emphatically that these charming,gourgeous Italian men are in point of fact NOT IN LOVE WITH YOU. I was tempted to take along a ten foot pole
as a distance gauge, but was unable to bring it on the plane. Everything did
work out for the best, she had a great time and learned plenty.</p>