Trains in Italy
Latest page update: 3 November 2024
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By Dion Protani
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The trains in Italy provide an effective alternative to other transport options in the country such as driving a car or using other forms of public transport like buses and trams.
Italy's rail network allows you to visit the major cities and most of the larger towns but does start to become more limited away from the largest metropolitan areas. Journeys between the major cities such as Rome, Milan, Florence and Venice are usually undertaken with little fuss and are more often than not the fastest method of travel. |
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Most important Italian train stations
The busiest train stations in Italy are those in the major cities. Some cities such as Rome, Milan and Venice, each contain two of the busiest ten train stations in Italy. Busiest of all the Italian stations is Rome Termini which sees around 150 million entries and exits through its doors per year, just edging Milano Centrale by around 5 million using this measure.
In terms of tourism, the cities that see the greatest numbers of visitors each year are Rome, Venice and Florence with their train stations an integral part of the infrastructure. The ease of travelling between these three cities by train makes them a popular choice for multi-location trips to Italy.
Top Ten Busiest Train Stations in Italy
1. Rome Termini
2. Milano Centrale
3. Turin Porta Nuova
4. Florence Santa Maria Novella
5. Bologna Centrale
6. Rome Tiburtina
7. Naples Stazione Centrale
8. Milano Cadorna
9. Venice Mestre
10. Venice Santa Lucia
The busiest train stations in Italy are those in the major cities. Some cities such as Rome, Milan and Venice, each contain two of the busiest ten train stations in Italy. Busiest of all the Italian stations is Rome Termini which sees around 150 million entries and exits through its doors per year, just edging Milano Centrale by around 5 million using this measure.
In terms of tourism, the cities that see the greatest numbers of visitors each year are Rome, Venice and Florence with their train stations an integral part of the infrastructure. The ease of travelling between these three cities by train makes them a popular choice for multi-location trips to Italy.
Top Ten Busiest Train Stations in Italy
1. Rome Termini
2. Milano Centrale
3. Turin Porta Nuova
4. Florence Santa Maria Novella
5. Bologna Centrale
6. Rome Tiburtina
7. Naples Stazione Centrale
8. Milano Cadorna
9. Venice Mestre
10. Venice Santa Lucia
Trenitalia and Italotreno
The two main train companies in Italy are Trenitalia and Italotreno. These two companies provide most of the longer distance journeys between cities and offer a variety of train types for those journeys. Both companies have sophisticated websites in English where it's easy to purchase tickets, consult timetables and check prices.
Prices and times for typical journeys
Rome to Naples:
Fastest: 1 hour 13 minutes
Cheapest price for that journey time: €24.90 (Italotreno)
Rome to Florence:
Fastest: 1 hour 32 minutes
Cheapest price for that journey time: €27.90 (Italotreno)
Rome to Venice:
Fastest: 4 hours
Cheapest price for that journey time: €54.90 (Italotreno)
Fastest: 1 hour 13 minutes
Cheapest price for that journey time: €24.90 (Italotreno)
Rome to Florence:
Fastest: 1 hour 32 minutes
Cheapest price for that journey time: €27.90 (Italotreno)
Rome to Venice:
Fastest: 4 hours
Cheapest price for that journey time: €54.90 (Italotreno)
Savings on pre-booking
Booking as far in advance as possible usually provides cheaper prices. Generally-speaking, the later you leave it, the more you will pay. That said, there are a number of ticket types available which offer various types of refund options so it's always worth studying these as much as possible before deciding which is the right tariff type for your particular circumstances.
Booking as far in advance as possible usually provides cheaper prices. Generally-speaking, the later you leave it, the more you will pay. That said, there are a number of ticket types available which offer various types of refund options so it's always worth studying these as much as possible before deciding which is the right tariff type for your particular circumstances.
Ticket/train types
There are numerous types of train available for travelling around Italy. The most popular trains for longer journeys are the Freccia trains provided by Trenitalia; there are three types, each ending with a colour such as Freccia Rossa (Red Arrow), Freccia Bianca (White Arrow) and Freccia Argento (Silver Arrow).
For journeys between smaller, provincial towns you're more likely to use a Regionale train.
Regionale
Frecciabianca
Frecciargento
Frecciarossa
There are numerous types of train available for travelling around Italy. The most popular trains for longer journeys are the Freccia trains provided by Trenitalia; there are three types, each ending with a colour such as Freccia Rossa (Red Arrow), Freccia Bianca (White Arrow) and Freccia Argento (Silver Arrow).
For journeys between smaller, provincial towns you're more likely to use a Regionale train.
Regionale
Frecciabianca
Frecciargento
Frecciarossa
Comfort/safety/reliability
A general rule of thumb is the longer the journey, the better the quality of train. The aforementioned Freccia trains provided by Trenitalia and the high-speed equivalents that Italotreno offer come with the highest levels of comfort. You can choose between First and Second Class on many train types with various features available or not, depending on price.
Away from the long-distance/high-speed links, there are certain parts of the country which have dedicated tourist trains available. One of the most notable of these is the Campania Express service which runs between Naples and Sorrento; it's designed to provide a faster option for tourists visiting Pompeii and Herculaneum without having to stop at all of the stations along the normal Circumvesuviana line.
A general rule of thumb is the longer the journey, the better the quality of train. The aforementioned Freccia trains provided by Trenitalia and the high-speed equivalents that Italotreno offer come with the highest levels of comfort. You can choose between First and Second Class on many train types with various features available or not, depending on price.
Away from the long-distance/high-speed links, there are certain parts of the country which have dedicated tourist trains available. One of the most notable of these is the Campania Express service which runs between Naples and Sorrento; it's designed to provide a faster option for tourists visiting Pompeii and Herculaneum without having to stop at all of the stations along the normal Circumvesuviana line.
Pros and cons of taking the train compared to driving
Pros
Main city stations in city centres
No need to find parking
Reduced journey times
Cons
Price (in some cases)
Independence/privacy
Ability to reach remote locations
Pros
Main city stations in city centres
No need to find parking
Reduced journey times
Cons
Price (in some cases)
Independence/privacy
Ability to reach remote locations
Underground Metro systems in Italy
A small number of Italian cities have underground Metro rail networks that provide some of the fastest modes of transport.
Each of Rome, Milan, Naples and Turin can boast these facilities although in some cases they are of limited use to tourists. The Metro systems of Rome and Milan are essential means of getting around those two cities while the Naples and Turin networks are still quite small by comparison. However, Naples can boast something quite unique with its collection of art stations such as the beautiful Toledo or Università. |