Traveling by train in Italy is easy and the best way to travel between cities. Efficient services will drop you quickly in the heart of major cities, ensuring you have plenty of time to explore and enjoy them without having to deal with Italy’s famous traffic and driving challenges. However, booking your trips can be confusing.
About Italian Railway Companies
Trenitalia, the Italian government-owned rail operator , is the largest. Trenitalia operates high-speed intercity services as well as regional trains. The Frecciarossa or Red Arrow trains are the fastest on the network and passengers of all travel classes benefit from free WiFi, power outlets at each seat, a food cart and air conditioning.
Prices are set by class of travel and level of flexibility. The cheapest train tickets are Super Economy offered in advance – no refunds or exchanges are offered on these tickets. Prices increase depending on the level of flexibility required and the class of travel. cheapest places to visit in Spain You can book direct with Trenitalia on your Italy trip , but it can be frustrating with difficult translations and sometimes international credit cards aren’t accepted.
Italo is a private company that operates high-speed trains on popular intercity routes. They offer a very similar service to Trenitalia at equivalent prices, so the choice to travel with either company usually comes down to planning and availability.
Do I have to buy tickets in advance?
Advance reservations are recommended. You can make substantial savings by buying your train tickets to Italy in advance, but note that when doing this you should be specific about the dates and times you wish to travel and assume that you will not receive reimbursement if you cannot travel at these times.
On the fastest intercity routes, you will be able to buy a ticket on the day of travel, but you may not be able to travel at your desired time if you buy your ticket on the day. During holiday periods and peak times, we recommend purchasing tickets in advance if possible to guarantee your spot.
Peak hours are 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. weekdays and Easter, Christmas and summer holidays in mid-August.
When to buy train tickets?
Ticket release periods vary from 3 to 6 months in advance depending on the operator. Unfortunately, there is no set schedule when companies open reservations for advance reservations.
Buy your intercity train tickets in advance before your trip and keep the ticket details in your app. Your payment information is saved and ready to use when you want to buy regional train tickets.
