Italy’s Train System
Video 1. How to use the Train in Sicily - Trenitalia App and Physical Ticket for Italy (YouTube link)
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.
Figure 1. Main Italy train routes
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.
Video 2. Riding Trenitalia train from Rome to Florence to Venice and booking from italiarail.com (YouTube link)
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)
Figure 2. A train route from Venice to Salerno
Figure 3. Schedule Explorer shows the route from Venice to Salerno (Google Maps)
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:
RV 3965
RV stands for Regionale Veloce and operated by Trenitalia
Torino Porta Nuova - Bari Central
Operated by Italo Treno
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.
Video 3. Riding Frecciarossa from Venice to Rome (YouTube link)