September 2016 - 360 Travel Blog

I decided to take the hi speed train from Venice to Rome for the experience. The process of getting on the train was frustrating. The kiosk wouldn’t take a credit card without a PIN number so I had this stand in a long line to wait for a customer service rep. The employees seemed frustrated and impatient. Once I purchased my ticket it was slightly confusing to know which train I was supposed to get on because the person speaking on the intercom only spoke French. The guys waiting around to help only spoke French as well but was able to look at my ticket and point me towards the right train.

I made it on the train and got as cozy as possible. I have to be honest I slept most of the way but the times I was awake had a mixture of pretty mountains and what looked like the hood of Italy. They had a bar that served food. Which is good because I’m always hungry.

Finally I arrived and was ready to start my Roman adventure. The first person that asked me if I needed a taxi seemed a little suspicious. I told him where I was going and he said 25-28€. I asked him where his taxi was, he said on the corner. Basically it wasn’t in the row of taxis so I didn’t feel comfortable with that situation. I chose a taxi that was in the line of taxis. When I arrived at my destination the meter read only 6€. That guy was going to charge me 25€ for a 6€ trip. That was pretty disappointing. Then to make matters worst the cab driver for the 6€ trip charged me 9€ because he claimed there is a 1€ fee per heavy bag. I had one large bag and one small carry on. You do the math. We exchanged some unfriendly words and a small part of me wished I stayed in Venice for the remainder of my trip.

Once I arrived at my bed and breakfast I explained to my host what happened and he informed me the taxi drivers are crooks and always prepare transportation in advance to ensure you’re not being ripped off. He was very nice and the place was gorgeous. I was back to my high vibrations and ready to continue my trip. I want to dedicate a whole post to my accommodations so check back for that.

A few tips on traveling to Rome, be aware that it’s a little rougher around the edges, in my opinion. Try to prepare a taxi or transportation through your accommodations if possible to avoid being ripped off. I probably would opt for the plane over the train if possible. I took the train for the experience but if I ever travel from Venice to Rome again I would fly. Air France is pretty inexpensive. Rome is definitely worth traveling to, it’s just getting there that was a slight headache.

I couldn’t visit Rome without doing a tour of the Colosseum, which is the biggest tourist attraction. It was thousands of people crowded around this amazing piece of history.

Archives for September 2016