Trenitalia Train System

Trenitalia (the Italian rail company) is an excellent way to get around Italy.  

Note that italiarail.com is an agency (see reviews) who offer more than 80,000 high-speed and regional train routes including: Eurostar, Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, Frecciabianca InterCity & Eurocity, French TGV, German InterCity Express, Elipsos, Lyria and Eurail & Interrail Passes.

Fares can be cheap too, but to get the best prices you need to book your tickets far in advance. If you try to reserve on the day, then you might be left with a rather high price tag.

Italo Train System

The Italo fleet consists of modern, high-speed trains that can reach speeds of up to 360 km/h as they travel on Italy's major intercity routes. Currently, Italo operates three services: Turin-Salerno, Brescia-Naples and Venice-Salerno, with intermediate stops at Milan, Bologna, Florence and Rome among others.

Trenitalia Train System

Trenitalia (the Italian rail company) is an excellent way to get around Italy.  

Note that italiarail.com is an agency (see reviews) who offer more than 80,000 high-speed and regional train routes including: Eurostar, Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, Frecciabianca InterCity & Eurocity, French TGV, German InterCity Express, Elipsos, Lyria and Eurail & Interrail Passes.

It connects virtually every major city and has tons of options (see [24] for more options), including: 

• Frecciarossa (means "Red Arrow")

  • Maximum speed 400 km/h (250 mph)

• Frecciargento (means "Silver Arrow")

  • Maximum speed 250 km/h (155 mph)

• Frecciabianca  (means "White Arrow")

  • Maximum speed 200 km/h (124 mph)

Google Maps

No doubt already installed on your phone, Google Maps will help you navigate around most cities easily. You can check walking distances and transit times by public transportation and car.[23]

Using the train route from Venice to Salerno for the illustration (see Figure 2), Schedule Explorer (see Figure 3) is extremely useful for your trip planning.  For example, if you decide to choose the first choice

• If you leave Venice at 7:40 am, you will arrive Salerno at 15:12.  This trip option consists of 3 train rides:

which consists of 3 segments of train rides:

1. RV 3965

   • RV stands for Regionale Veloce and operated by Trenitalia

2. Torino Porta Nuova - Bari Central

   • Operated by Italo Treno

3. REG 4863 Battipaglia

   • REG stands for Regionale and operated by Trenitalia 

First Class vs Second Class

You can buy either first class or second class tickets. 

While Trenitalia provides two classes (First and Second Class) on most of their services, they actually offer four different classes on board their Frecciarossa high-speed services – Standard, Premium, Business and Frecciarossa Executive.

The amenities and features of trains vary quite a bit depending on the type of train you're taking. Some important differences are listed below:[22]

• Second class cars are more crowded

  • Second class seats are narrower than first class, and may even be bench-like seating on older or slower trains. 

  • Second class cars are generally occupied by the majority of European travelers as well as backpacking tourists.

• Sometimes second class seats recline, but not always

• Less room for luggage storage on second class cars

  • Not all second-class cars have end-of-car luggage racks, and many don't have any other in-car storage beside the overhead racks.

• Some trains only have second class seating

  • Even if you are holding a first-class rail pass you'll be riding second class on those trains

• Not the same difference as the seating classes (1st vs 2nd) on an airplane

  • Most high-speed trains in Italy, for instance, are air-conditioned, have wi-fi and have electrical outlets at each seat in all seating classes.

  • However, the difference between the seating classes on trains in Europe is not as great as the difference between classes on an airplane. 

• Some rail companies have chosen names other than simply "first" or "second"

  • You can typically figure out which of their unique names is "second" class by looking at the least expensive tickets, but when in doubt, ask.

References

1. 7 Most romantic hotels in Venice, Italy, for all budgets

2. Tips for a First-Time Visitor to Italy

3. Trento: The Loveliest Italian City You’ve Never Heard Of

4. 55 THINGS TO DO IN FLORENCE ITALY, BUCKET LIST EXPERIENCES

5. Where to Go in Italy in Winter

6. Where to Stay in Venice on A Budget

7. THE BEST CITIES IN THE WORLD (OUR 20 FAVORITE CITIES RANKED)

8. 3 Florence, 13 Cortona, 19 Venice

9. Bergamo, Italy: 6 Reasons to Visit Milan’s Lesser-Known Neighbour

10. The ultimate guide of what to eat in Naples, Italy

11. Rome to Amalfi Coast Day Trip by Boat, Train or Car

12. Boat-Hopping On The Amalfi Coast: Day Trip from Rome

13. Amalfi Coast boat tour from Rome by high speed train

14. Positano Travel Guide (good)

15. The ultimate Amalfi Coast guide (good)

16. The best towns on the Amalfi Coast

17. Italy Transportation – Taxi, Train, Bus & Airport Tips

18. The Best Way to Travel in Italy: Tips and Tricks from the Experts (good)

19. Transportation in Italy: What to Know

20. Italy Train Map

21. Train categories in Europe (good)

22. Train classes - Where do I sit on the train?

23. Best Travel Apps for Italy (good)

24. Categories and Types of Trains in Italy

25. 15 Europe winter city breaks

26. The 11 prettiest small towns in Italy