Train travel in Italy is a most popular form of transportation between cities. There are many regional trains, long-distance services, high-speed trains between major cities and international trains. Ticket prices are affordable, most of the most important railway stations are located in city centers. You can travel by train in Italy and explore the country at a leisurely pace or use high-speed trains like the Frecciarossa for journey between major cities. Railway network in Italy is extensive and well-maintained. From time to time, traffic is disrupted due to strikes or natural disasters.
Last updated: 25.03.2024
Train travel in Italy – regional trains
Regional trains in Italy are slower than long-distance trains but if you want to visit minor cities and small towns – it is the best to travel by regional train. Most of the trains are operated by Trenitalia but there are several regional train operators in various parts of the country. The most famous regional carrier is Trenord which operates trains in Lombardia. Sometimes regional trains in Italy are old and not equipped in air-conditioning. Regional trains usually have only second- class carriages. Reservation is no required.
There are two main categories of Italian regional trains:
Regionale (R or REG) – the slowest train. Usually it stops at every station.
Regionale Veloce (RV) – semi-fast train usually run between two or three regions. RV trains stops at designated stations only.
Tickets can be purchased at the ticket counter or ticket machines. You need to validate your paper ticket before boarding in the machines on the way to the platforms.
There is no need to validate online regional tickets printed at home.
Most important regional operators in Italia:
Trenitalia – search engine, online shop, additional information
Trenord – official website
Ferrovie Emilia Romagna – regional operator in the Bologne area
Ferrovie del Sud Est (FSE) – regional operator in the Bari area
Transporto Unico Abruzesse (TUA) – regional operator in the Pescara area
Malpensa Express – trains from Milano to International Airport
Regional trains have fixed prices, so you don’t need to book tickets in advance.
Train travel in Italy – long-distance trains
Italy has a very extensive network of long-distance railway connections. There are Intercity trains, high-speed trains and overnight trains.
Intercity – long-distance trains somewhere in between regional trains and high-speed trains. Suitable for short and long distances. Cheaper and slower than high-speed trains. They run up to 200 km/h. Usually Intercity trains in Italy are comprised of air-conditioned 1st and 2nd class carriages. Passengers can choice between carriages with compartments or coaches without compartments. Trains have a refreshment area with vending machines for hot or cold drinks and snacks.
Frecciarossa – high-speed trains operated by Trenitalia. They run up to 300 km/h and have four classes: Standard, Premium, Business and Executive. Frecciarossa trains are air-conditioned, plug sockets are available for each seat and passengers can use Wi-Fi with FRECCE Portal. There is a toilet with baby changing table
Frecciargento – express trains operated by Trenitalia. These trains run on both the high-speed and the traditional lines, travelling at up to 250 km/h between major Italian cities. Trains are comprised of 9 carriages with a total of 489 seats. There are two classes: 1st class and 2nd class both with reclining seats. Bistro car is available. Trains are air-conditioned, plug sockets are available for each seat.
Currently, Frecciargento trains run on the following routes:
Rome – Caserta – Benevento – Puglia (via Foggia or Bari)
Rome – Naples Afragola – Salerno – Paola – Lamezia – Rosarno – Villa S. G. – Reggio Calabria.
Rome – Florence – Pisa – La Spezia – Genoa.
Rome – Lecce
Rome – Brindisi
Frecciabianca – express trains run rains on traditional lines outside the High-Speed network between medium and large cities. The brand Frecciabianca was introduced in 2011. In the past these trains were known as “Eurostar” trains. They run up to 200 km/h. Trains are air-conditioned with spacious seats, folding tables and plug sockets are available for each seat. There are two classes and bistro car.
Trenitalia – search engine, online shop, additional information
Italo – high-speed trains operated by privately-owned NTV (Nuovo Transporto Viaggiatori). The Italo services were introduced in 2012. NTV is the first private carrier in the European Union competing with state railways on high-speed lines. Trains are comfortable, travelling at up to 360 km/h. There are three classes: Smart, Prima Business and Club. Air trains are air-conditioned. Check-in before boarding is required.
Italo – official website
Reservation is compulsory on all long-distance trains in Italy. Booking train tickets in advance is a highly recommended, especially if you are traveling to popular places or during peak season. Tickets bought in advance are usually much cheaper than based-price tickets.
Train travel in Italy – night trains
Trenitalia is launching night trains that allow comfortable travel from one end of the country to the other. Intercity Notthe trains are comprised of seating carriages, couchettes, sleeper cars, and Excelsior cars.
Traveling in a seating carriages is not recommended for safety reasons, but it is significantly cheaper than traveling in sleeper cars and Excelsior cars.
Couchettes consists 4-berth compartments. A light breakfast and sealed bed linen set with fleece blanket, bed sheet, pillow and pillowcase are included in price.
There is a 12 compartments in each sleeping carriages. Passengers can choose between three-bed compartments (T3), two-bed compartments (D), and single compartments (S). The facilities are standard as in sleeper cars throughout Europe – washbasin, sockets for razors, toiletries. Upon request, two adjacent compartments can be connected – this is a perfect solution for families of 5-6 people.
Compartments are equipped with an intercom for direct contact with the attendant.
Compartments can be locked from the inside.
Sleeper cars are divided into two classes: Vettura Letti Classica and Vettura Comfort. Comfort class offers larger beds, air conditioning, better locks, a call button for service, better compartment soundproofing. Passengers receive hygiene products and bottle of mineral water, as well as juice and morning newspapers.
In some trains, new sleeper cars marked as T3S are in service. Some of new carriages have 6 three-bed compartments with two toilets in the corridor, while others have 4 four-bed sleeper compartments equipped with a bathroom and shower – they are designated as Excelsior class. The new cars are known for their greater comfort, modern equipment, and onboard surveillance.
Breakfast is included in price in all sleeping carriages.
For travelers using high-speed trains for part of the journey and night trains for the rest, Italian railways have prepared the Notte&AV offer.
Night trains in Italy run on the following routes:
Turin – Salerno
Turin – Reggio Calabria
Turin – Lecce
Milan – Lecce
Rome – Messina, Syracuse, Palermo;
Rome – Trieste;
Rome – Lecce (weekends)
Rome – Bolzano, S. Candido (weekends)
Train travel in Italy – the best offers
Traveling by train in Italy can be inexpensive, and it’s not always necessary to buy tickets in advance. Trenitalia and regional railways offers many promotional tickets, which for obvious reasons I am unable to describe here. I was particularly interested in the following offers:
Italia in Tour – a network ticket for regional and suburban trains, including the Leonardo Express, operated by Trenitalia and Trenitalia Tper. At the time of writing the article, it was available in two variants: for 3 consecutive days for 29 euros and for 5 consecutive days for 49 euros, with children aged 4 to 12 eligible for a discounted ticket. The ticket allows travel on regional trains over a large area of Italy but is not valid on trains in the Cinque Terre area (between Levanto and La Spezia stations) or on trains operated by other carriers, including Trenord.
Italia in Tour – official website; more information
Trenitalia Pass – a pass for journeys on Frecciarossa, Frecciabianca and Frecciargento trains operated by Italian railways. Well known to football fans from advertisements visible on boards during Serie A matches. There are many variants of the pass available, differing in the number of journeys, class, and passenger age. The most popular passes are for 3 or 4 journeys within 7 consecutive days, 7 journeys within 15 consecutive days, and 10 journeys within 30 consecutive days. You can choose from Easy, Comfort, and Executive classes. Prices start from 129 euros for 3 journeys within 7 days. A journey with a change is treated as one journey during booking. By purchasing promotional tickets well in advance, you can travel cheaper. On the other hand, with a pass, you don’t need to buy tickets in advance, and you can use 3-4 journeys for travel, for example, from north to south Italy, and on other days travel on regional trains with the aforementioned network ticket.
Trenitalia Pass – official website; more information
IO Viaggio – a network ticket for the entire Lombardy region, entitling you to travel on public transport in regional communication throughout Lombardy. It includes R, RE, RV trains, urban and suburban buses, trams, ferries on Lake Iseo, cable cars, and mountain railways. The ticket is available for 1, 2, 3, and 7 days, and the prices are very reasonable. The ticket is not valid on higher-category Trenitalia trains, Tper trains, selected Malpensa Express trains, and selected buses, including some buses to Malpensa International Airport.
IO Viaggio – official website.
Trenitalia and local authorities in some regions offer a variety of other promotional tickets. Some offers are time-limited, so it’s better to check them independently – I don’t list these offers because I wouldn’t be able to keep them updated.
Discount cards, special discounts for groups, and schools are also available.
Train travel in Italy – international trains
There are many international trains between Italy and adjacent countries. An only exception is San Marino – the railway line from Rimini to San Marino was badly damaged during World War II. There are plans to rebuild this line.
Austria
Direct daytime trains operate between Vienna and Venice. There are overnight trains between Vienna and Venice, Vienna and Rome (in summer it will operate in a changed relation to Ancona via Rimini), Vienna and Genoa – La Spezia, and a daytime train between Vienna and Bolzano. Trains also pass through Austria from Germany to Italy.
Passengers can use also a regional train service from Villach to Udine. Regional trains are operated by Ferrovia Udine Cividale.
Austrian Railways – online shop
Ferrovie Udine Cividale – more information about Villach – Udine train.
France
There are direct daily trains Milan – Paris, as well as regional trains Ventimiglia – Nice and Cuneo – Tende. Thello sleeper trains no longer run.
Germany
There are international trains from Munich to Bolzano (daytime train) and an overnight train from Munich to La Spezia.
Slovenia
There are two direct trains from Ljubljana to Trieste in each direction of MV category (one train extended to Udine) and international Eurocity train from Vienna to Trieste passes through Slovenia. Ticket from Ljubljana to Trieste in international regional train costs 8 EUR, ticket for EC train is more expensive (9,90-11,90 EUR).
You can also travel by train from Ljubljana to Nova Gorica and cross the border by foot to Gorizia. Border crossing is about 100 meters from Nova Gorica station.
The new train from Milano to Ljubljana will be introduce in December 2024.
Switzerland
There are direct high-speed trains between Milan, Zurich and Basel. Some connections are served by the modern Giruno trains of the Swiss railways, while others are operated by Italian trains designed for Frecciabianca, Frecciarossa, and Frecciargenta trains.
From Milan, you can also reach Geneva by Eurocity train.
Some trains from Zurich also continue to Bologna, Genoa, and Venice.
Trenitalia – search engine, online shop, additional information
The narrow-gauge railway, 52 kilometers long, connects the Italian Domodossola with the Swiss Locarno. One of the most beautiful European railway lines is partially located in Italy and partially in Switzerland.
Domodossola – Locarno trains – official website
The famous Bernina Express trains of the Rhaetian Railway start their journey from the Italian town of Tirano. To reach Tirano from the heart of Italy, you need to take Trenord trains.
Related articles:
Heritage trains in Italy
Narrow-gauge railways in Italy
Rack railways in Italy
Railways in Europe by country
