Pick a departure city in Italy.
Pick an arrival city in Greece.
Choose first class, business class or second class service from Italy. Book day, night or sleeping-car travel.
Choose when you want to travel and whether you want to book a visit anywhere in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Yugoslavia or Albania. You'll pass through these areas on the way to Greece, and you will need to know ahead of time how many stops to allow for in your itinerary.
Find the schedule at the Trenitalia Web site (see Resources) and note the total travel time.
Do it yourself in advance from your computer, using the Trenitalia Web site (see Resources).
Do it through a travel agent while in Italy at no extra booking cost. Most train station clerks are familiar with English-speaking travelers.
Do it on your day of travel at the train station booking counter or automated kiosk.
Book your meals with your ticket for a discount.
Buy an Italy-Greece Eurail pass from the Eurail Web site (see Resources) that will let you stop over along your route, good for up to 3 months.
Bring extra cash to buy snacks and meals, available on the train.
Validate your ticket at a trackside kiosk before boarding in Italy.
Pay close attention to stations and stops while traveling through other countries. Sometimes trains stop for as few as 15 minutes, and you need to know exactly where you're headed (train number, track and final destination) to avoid getting left behind.
