Want to use coaches? go COTRAL!

Do you want to venture in the heart of Italy by coach? Or even combine trains and coaches? Make sure you bookmark the following websites:
COTRAL (coaches in the Region of Lazio): http://www.cotralspa.it/ENG/linee_orari.asp
FERROVIE DELLO STATO (Italian railways): http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/

Italy: Train tickets: reservation and payments

The official website of Italian railways can be found at: http://www.ferroviedellostato.it. There you can browse route options and timetable as well as purchase your train ticket! However, payments by credit card are not always successful! You may find yourself struggling with registration, credit card processing and eventually failure.

A new payment option has been recently added to the site: now you can make your train ticket reservation without registering or using your credit card as you will be given the option (once in Italy) to make the payment cash at one of the many shops in Italy that are connected with the SISAL network! (most Tobacco shops)

You can also pay directly at train stations (cash or credit card), or at any ATM of UniCredit bank network (using your credit card)

To complete the payment (at the latest 24h prior time of departure of your train) you will only need the PNR code that is associated with your on-line reservation! At the moment this seems to be the easiest way to go!

A technology that would improve this system would be 2D barcodes that would be read by portable barcode-readers. After purchasing your ticket on-line you would receive the 2D bar-code as image on your cell phone. It would be enough to hand the cell phone to the employee on the train and have your payment verified. Check NeoMedia Technologies company (http://www.neom.com) as they are working on developing this technology that could be applyed to anything! From tickets for concerts, to bus tickets, to shopping and gift certificates... and anything else you can think of! In case you loose your cell phone it would be enough to call the operator to have all of your purchases and money blocked from being spent! The system would transfer your purchases and credit to another SIM card! No more woollett or cash! No more risk of carrying cash as you would be able organize your e-Woollett from a PC or from your smart phone!

MARCH 22ND 2009: THE MARATHON OF ROME

The Maratona di Roma (Marathon of Rome) is not only a race for athletes with a capital “A”. In fact, as is tradition, the party will be complete with the more than 60,000 protagonists of the Roma Fun Run, the non-competitive 4k (also known as "Stracittadina", as it was called until 2008). More than a race, it is a leisurely walk to which anyone can participate. Classmates, grandparents and grandchildren, parents and children, together with their favourite domestic animal, on skates… well, as every year, the emotion of being there is the main reason for which thousands of people won’t want to miss out. The Stracittadina Fun Run, one of the many races of its kind with one of the highest participation rates in the world, awaits all in the centre of Rome on March, 22nd 2009 (Colosseo, meeting point: 8:00am - start: 9:15am), immediately following the start of the 42,195k Marathon.

FREE transportation (buses, trams, underground) is provided to athletes on March the 22nd. Just wear your bib number! Underground for free from 6am to 8.30 am ("Colosseo" and "Cavour" stations can be used gratis also from 10am to 6pm).

Text from the official site of the Marathon of Rome (Maratona di Roma)

Italian Genius Now!

This is a great exhibit on Italian creativity that presents 50 years of Italian production in art and design and sees how this has changed in some cases the way of life worldwide (a classic example the Vespa GS 150 created by Corradino d'Ascanio in 1955 for Piaggio)


Italian Genius Now. Back to Rome
Open until April 13th 2009
Macro Future. Piazza Orazio Giustiniani 4, Roma
Tuesday-Sunday 4PM-Midnight. Closed on Monday
Admission FREE
SEE ABOUT OUR "VESPA TOURS OF ROME!"

Giotto Exhibit at Victor Emmanuel Monument in Rome

''Giotto e il Trecento. Il più Sovrano Maestro stato in dipintura'' - Giotto and the 14th Century. The Sovraign Master of Painting
This exhibit is dedicated to the Italian painter Giotto who is considered the first of Italian artists. Over 150 works on show witness the influence of Giotto in Italian art of his time. There are 20 masterpieces from Giotto himself - which make this exhibit even more special as these works are seldom moved from their official location due to their delicacy.
Until June 29th
Open Monday to Thursday 9.30AM – 7.30PM
Friday and Saturday 9.30AM – 11.30PM
Sunday 9.30AM – 8.30PM
Admission: Euro 10.00
FOR PRIVATE TOURS OF THE EXHIBIT EMAIL US at nerone.cc@gmail.com