|
Turin has three stations, Porta Nuova, T 011 5613333, the grandiose terminus station in the heart of the city serving all destinations; Porta Susa, T 011 538513, to the west for the Aosta valley and destinations northwest of the city, and the small station of Dora, T 011 221 7835, the terminus of the airport rail link. Grand old Porta Nuova will in time be sidelined and Porta Susa will become the principal station in Turin with the advent of the Eurostar link. This is still some way off – the work should be completed for the 2006 Winter Olympics – and at the time of going to press Porta Nuova was still Turin main rail nexus, but times and destinations will increasingly vary. Either way, Turin is a major junction on Italy’s much hugely efficient and good value rail network. By train the city is connected to Paris (4 hrs) and Milan (1hr 40 mins) and by extension to many European destinations. Fares are charged by the kilometre so there are no intricate fare systems for apex super-saver returns and the like. Tickets must be date-stamped by one of the machines on the station platform before travel. There are various types of train, each basically an indicator of speed with the diretto, espresso and inter-regionale stopping more frequently and the IC (Intercity) trains whisking you direct and requiring a supplement. For comprehensive fares and timetable information contact TrenItalia T 011 892 021/199 166177 (from within Italy) http://www.trenitalia.com.
|
