Rail travel in Italy Voyage Tips and guide

Rail travelling in Italy is generally a great and convenient way to visit the country. The main cities tourists commonly visit like Milan, Rome and Naples, are not enjoyable by car due to the large population and therefore, traffic. During summertime, especially in August, highways get completely clogged by Italians taking a weekend break and going to the beach. Public transit helps you avoid this hassle.

Trains and rail infrastructures are operated by separated companies but all of them are subjected to extreme regulatory safety by the Italian transport government authority ANSFISA. National infrastructure is owned by RFI (Rete Ferroviaria Italiana), they handle railway track maintenance, all train traffic. Rail lines are commonly divided in two types:

• High-Speed line - Only high-speed trains are allowed, for speeds up to 300 km/h.
• Standard line - All trains are allowed, for speeds up to 200 km/h.

Most train delays happen after unexpected accidents (people crossing the railway tracks or getting run over, level crossing damage by vehicles) and need investigation by the company and authorities.

Infrastructure fail is also a common issue even though modernization plans are underway all year long, especially in the summer.

• Biglietto: Ticket
• Treno: Train
• Stazione: Train station
• Binario: Platform
• Capotreno: Train manager
• Ferrovia: Railway track
• Alta velocità: High-speed
• Regionale: Regional
• Ritardo: Delay

Railway operators differ by location and region, but in many cases you will be able to purchase rail tickets from a single operator. The main two companies you'll hear of are:

• Trenitalia, ☏ +39 892 021. The main, state owned operator in the country. They offer travelling on high-speed (Freccia), Intercity and Regional trains. (updated Sep 2025)

• Italo - Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori, ☏ +39 892 020. Born in 2012, this private company only offers high speed rail travel among the main lines. (updated Sep 2025)

When vising cities in the Campania region, rail travelling is also handled by EAV.  (Ente Autonomo Volturno) among the Circumvesuviana railway which provides transport on the following lines:

• Napoli - Nola - Baiano
• Napoli - Centro Direzionale - San Giorgio
• Napoli - Ottaviano - Sarno
• Napoli - Scafati - Poggiomarino
• Napoli - Pompei - Sorrento

Two lines in the Tuscany region are handled by TFT.  (Trasporto Ferroviario Toscano):

• Arezzo - Stia
• Arezzo - Sinalunga

Part of Emilia-Romagna railway infrastructure is owned by FER (Ferrovie Emilia-Romagna). In particolar the following lines:

• Suzzara - Ferrara
• Parma - Suzzara
• Casalecchio - Vignola
• Modena - Sassuolo
• Sassuolo - Reggio Emilia
• Reggio Emilia - Guastalla
• Reggio Emilia - Ciano d'Enza
• Ferrara - Codignoro
• Bologna - Portomaggiore

and only trains owned by Trenitalia Tper.   are allowed to travel on these lines. Tickets for Trenitalia Tper are also available from Trenitalia.

Train types differ in Italy by comfort, pricing and speed.

Trenitalia offers three main types of train categories (categorie commerciali):

Freccia Trains are the only high-speed trains offered by Trenitalia and, depending on the route and service quality, have different naming.

• Frecciarossa is the most common, offers four service levels: Standard, Premium, Business and Executive. Wi-Fi service is provided for free along with enternainment content (FRECCIAPlay). All trains have a dedicated cafe coach and on Premium, Business and Executive classes, a complimentary snack and drink is offered.
• Frecciabianca is slowly being replaced by Frecciarossa and Intercity level
• Frecciargento is being offered only on selected routes. It offers 1st class and 2nd class service level.

Freccia trains can travel up to 300 km/h.

Intercity trains allow for a fast travel at a lower price than Freccia trains but might do more stops. It offers 1st class (Plus) and 2nd class (Easy) service.

Intercity Notte is a sub-category of Intercity trains. They usually departure in the evening and travel all night in order to arrive to the other side of Italy in the morning (for example Milano-Lecce or Bolzano-Roma are the main routes). Sleeping coaches are comfortable and are provided with hotel-like welcome bags.

Intercity trains can travel up to 200 km/h.

Regional trains have long been the preferred way to travel for cheap in Italy. Prices are fixed and coaches don't have service levels.

Seats might not be very comfortable for long trips and carriages can get full pretty quickly as there is no reservation. When travelling on regional train, please take into account that you might have to stand.

Regional trains can travel up to 160 km/h.

Since Italo trains only offer High-speed travel, there is a single train category. Service levels are: Smart, Prima Business and Prima Executive. All trains are equipped with on-board vending machines for snacks and hot/cold drink, and on Prima-type service level, a complimentary snack/drink is offered.

For High speed (both Trenitalia and Italo) and Intercity trains, it is recommended to buy tickets in advance in order to take advantage of special offers and cheap seats. Since all train tickets include a reserved seat, if the train gets full, no more tickets will be sold. For regional trains, you can buy tickets at any time.

Tickets are sold at:

• Counters in the station
• Self-service vending machines
• Online, through the respective companies websites or app
• Many tobacco shops (tabaccherie or ricevitorie)

Travelling on high speed or Intercity trains do not require a validated ticket. Depending on the offer you chose, you might be able to change time and date of departure.

Trenitalia sells Digital Regional Tickets (Biglietto digitale regionale) that allow you to change the travel date and time if you bought it via online channels.

Travel date can be changed for a different date up until 23:59 of the previous day before the current departure time via the website or the Trenitalia app.

Travel time can be changed for a different time, of the same day, up until 1 minute before the train scheduled departured time via the website or the Trenitalia app.

Please take care of the scheduled departure time definition. For example: if a train is scheduled to arrive at 09:00 but is 30 minutes late, you are able to change your ticket's departure time up until 08:59 and not 09:29.

If you prefer a paper ticket, please note that you need to validate it at the green machines you find at the train station and platforms. Insert the ticket in the thin gap all the way through and then slide it to the left in order for the machine to correctly validate it.

When you arrive at the station please take note of your train's arriving platform via the app or the digital timetables, then follow the signage to reach your destination. In order to get to your platform, use the underpasses and elevators. The only exception is when the station is not equipped with them, but it is a very small percentage. Crossing the railways is forbidden and dangerous. You will receive a fine and get scolded by the train police.

In some rare cases your train's platform might suddenly change. The digital timetables and the app are always updated, also the P.A. system will notify of every train's delay, disruption or platform change.

Main train stations like Milano Centrale, Roma Termini or Bologna Centrale have beggars and pickpockets. Take care of all of your belonings at all times. If you get pickpocketed, immediately report it to a staff member or the train police (look for the terms Polizia, POLFER, or Polizia Ferroviaria).

Trains have been modernised over the years, with increased comfort and safety.

On board of all trains, smoking is strictly forbidden. Almost all trains are equipped with smoke detectors and sprinklers. This extends to also vapes and hairdryers.

You are allowed to bring on board all luggages you need, as long as it is not dangerous or impeding other passengers or staff members.

On all trains you're allowed to carry one foldable bike for free as long as it is contained in a bag and its size does not exceed 80 x 110 x 45 cm.

On Intercity and Regional trains, if there's a dedicated bike coach, you can travel with your bike for a €3.50 fee (there is a dedicated ticket you can buy).

Regional trains are slowly being equipped with dedicated bike parking zones and free charging stations on board.

Almost all trains have an on-board P.A. system that announces delays, the next stop and commercial information in Italian and English.

For trains going to and from Germany, Austria or Bolzano province, German is also used.

Almost all trains have power and USB plugs for charging your devices, if they don't work, ask a staff member as sometimes the power breaker might have tripped.

All trains have air conditioning and heating. If you're on a regional train and the temperature is uncomfortable, you can move to a different coach or ask the train staff.

Except for the silence area in the Business area silenzio service level, you are allowed to use mobile phones on all trains. People often abuse this permission to play loud music or talk loudly on their phone. Be respectful.

Train staff is available at all times for any request you might have. They are in charge of checking the validity of your ticket, therefore keep the ticket near you the whole time.

If you're unable to provide a valid ticket, you will receive a fine as low as €50 plus the price of the ticket. You can also be asked to leave the train at the next station.

Train staff are public officers. Any verbal or physical aggression towards them can be punished with the arrest.