# Public Transport



## Heinz57 (Sep 10, 2018)

I want to visit Italy next year and make at least 3, maybe 4 stops where we rent an apartment and spend several nights trying living like a local. That means, go to grocery stores, bakeries, butcher, etc, and just hang out. Sure, there might be a little sight-seeing but not for the purpose of hitting touristy places, mainly to get a feel for the daily life.

The Venice metro is on the list (i.e Treviso), as well as other undecided options like a lake community (i.e. Samico on Lago d'Iseo), and a Ligurian coastal community (i.e. Varazze). Is local, public transport typically available in the smaller towns? I mean, I'd anticipate bus services to metro communities surrounding larger cities, but do smaller towns with less than 20,000 inhabitants have nothing more than a train station and taxis? I'd really rather not rent a car, unless it is for a single day use. I appreciate any recommendations and insight. Thanks.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Almost every town has something. The question is will you find it useful? Or even need it.

If you're renting an apartment in town you can usually walk to the shops. The whole point of living in the city is to be near things.


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## Troz (Jan 29, 2018)

If you are going to Treviso and will not have a car, aim for something inside, or just outside, the town walls. Everything you would want will be in walking distance.


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## Heinz57 (Sep 10, 2018)

Thanks for the tip on Treviso. I will, indeed, do Google map searches on any prospective lodging to ensure we're well within walking vicinity of all the amenities we'll need. My biggest concern was being able to get from point "A" to "B", as in how will it look to arrive at the airport in Milan and get to Sarnico, or some other small town with no train station. So, I did something I never had and used Google Directions to give me options. I was surprised and hope it's fairly accurate.


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## GeordieBorn (Jul 15, 2016)

Google is good, so is Rome2Rio here, I use both to check things our. Your arrival airport site is also a very good place to start.


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## Heinz57 (Sep 10, 2018)

Cheers, thank you very kindly for that!


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## Troz (Jan 29, 2018)

Heinz57 said:


> Thanks for the tip on Treviso. I will, indeed, do Google map searches on any prospective lodging to ensure we're well within walking vicinity of all the amenities we'll need. My biggest concern was being able to get from point "A" to "B", as in how will it look to arrive at the airport in Milan and get to Sarnico, or some other small town with no train station. So, I did something I never had and used Google Directions to give me options. I was surprised and hope it's fairly accurate.


Sorry about the misunderstanding.

One tip about bus services: in our experience what actually happens can bear little relation to the published timetable, but you still end up getting where you are going. So for example you board a bus from big city A to small town B, which the timetable claims is a direct route. Unexpectedly you are dropped at a service station somewhere on a motorway, where eventually a minibus appears and takes you to B by a circuitous and possibly scenic route, arriving an hour later than the timetable said. The drivers will generally be helpful and explain what is going on, provided you have enough Italian to ask questions and understand the answers.


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## Heinz57 (Sep 10, 2018)

Troz said:


> Sorry about the misunderstanding.
> 
> One tip about bus services: in our experience what actually happens can bear little relation to the published timetable, but you still end up getting where you are going. So for example you board a bus from big city A to small town B, which the timetable claims is a direct route. Unexpectedly you are dropped at a service station somewhere on a motorway, where eventually a minibus appears and takes you to B by a circuitous and possibly scenic route, arriving an hour later than the timetable said. The drivers will generally be helpful and explain what is going on, provided you have enough Italian to ask questions and understand the answers.


That's some good, red meat advice. What about mini-cab services, or Uber in the small towns?


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## Troz (Jan 29, 2018)

Heinz57 said:


> That's some good, red meat advice. What about mini-cab services, or Uber in the small towns?


Any town of at least moderate size will have a minicab or minivan. The prices I've seen quoted for trips between towns look pretty high, but start to look reasonable if there are two or three of you (or more if it is a minivan). The usual caveats apply about agreeing a fare beforehand.

While I am a regular Uber user in Australia I've never used them in Italy. They don't operate where we live. I've seen something where Uber says it is available in larger Italian cities but last time I was in Rome (about a month ago) I saw a sign in English at a taxi rank saying that Uber was illegal in Rome and quoted fines for both drivers and passengers. I was curious about this and googled it later, and found articles suggesting this was a misinformation campaign by taxi drivers!

Anyway, I find that in Rome taxis are ubiquitous, even at peak times, and cheap by Australian standards. The driving techniques are... memorable.

edit: here is the article I found: https://anamericaninrome.com/wp/2017/09/uber-illegal-italy/


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## Heinz57 (Sep 10, 2018)

Thank you very much for the terrific advice. This discussion is most useful and it's helping me shape a prospective itinerary.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Be careful with Rome2Rio. There are gaps in their knowledge base that can make things interesting. 

For example here they don't know about the local bus or the regional bus that heads north. That means if I ask Rome2Rio how to get to Rome it tells me to head an hour south and take the train. 

Google tends to be better but has the same risks.

Usually if you go to the town website they'll have a how to reach us webpage. If not look for a hotel webpage they'll have directions.


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## Heinz57 (Sep 10, 2018)

NickZ said:


> Be careful with Rome2Rio. There are gaps in their knowledge base that can make things interesting.
> 
> For example here they don't know about the local bus or the regional bus that heads north. That means if I ask Rome2Rio how to get to Rome it tells me to head an hour south and take the train.
> 
> ...


Thanks, Nick. have you heard that your former Expos just won the World Series? It was very interesting in as much as the visiting team won every game. When Houston was in Wash DC, they won all three games, yet the Nationals won all four games in Houston. Pretty crazy...


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## Maryy (Oct 31, 2019)

We rented a car last summer to travel through small town (with no particular plan, just a map in my hands not to get lost), cabs were even more expensive!


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