Getting to Cinque Terre and then to Riomaggiore or Manarola by train is definitely the most practical solution and this also applies to visiting other towns on the Riviera.
Compared to cars or even boats, the train to Cinque Terre is cheap, fast and frequent, especially during the high season.
Tickets
The train ticket, both for the Cinque Terre Express and for regular regional trains running in low season, can be purchased directly at the train station, but in order to avoid queues we recommend downloading the Trenitalia app to your smartphone, creating your profile in advance on the official website, perhaps from a more practical desktop, so you can then manage purchases in a few clicks.
In the high season tickets on the La Spezia-Levanto train line cost € 4 per person for adults and € 2 for children from 4 to 12 years and are free for children up to 4 years. From November 2nd a regular regional ticket is enough (€ 2.40 per person per way). Ditto every day after 8 p.m. and always for Ligurian residents.
If you plan to take more than four trains in the same day, but also to hike on the SVA path, to use the bus service connecting the villages and their shrines or simply to feel free, the best option is the Cinque Terre Card.
Whichever option you choose, remember that, unless otherwise indicated by the ticket clerk, paper tickets must always be validated before boarding the train. The stamping machines are found in the waiting rooms, in the subways and in some stations also on the platform. An unvalidated ticket is equivalent to a € 50 fine.
If you travel by train with your bike, we advise you check the official information provided and updated by Trenitalia.
Timetables
Train timetables changes several times a year and you can always consult it on the Trenitalia website or on the app. Cinque Terre’s train schedule also vary according to the period, but on this page you will always find the updated version of the local timetable.
