4 Steps on How to Travel Italy by Train

These are my top 4 steps on how to travel to Italy by Train. Finding the hotel and where to go was fairly easy, but as far as transportation was concerned, it became a bit challenging. I spent countless nights researching how to get from point A to B while making it affordable and painless. Renting a car, you would think, would be ideal since you can get off your plane and happily walk over to the rental car counter at the airport. Unfortunately, there are other variables involved in this process. For starters, renting a car means driving it to your hotel and paying for the valet service. Hotel parking isn’t free in Italy. Second, the drive from the airport to your hotel can be a little nerve-racking since the rules of the road do not matter in Italy. I’m not trying to scare you, but driving around Italy in our taxi was chaotic, stressful, crazy, and dangerous. Cars were zipping in and out of traffic, and we made some pretty close calls of actually getting hit. Last, with the cost of car rental and gas prices, it’s often cheaper to travel by train.

Don’t be intimidated by traveling around a train station or trying to figure out which train to take. The people are amicable and will gladly answer any questions you have. If all else fails, I hope my guide helps you in your expeditions.

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1. How to find an Italian train schedule

The best thing I could have possibly done was download the GoEuro app on my phone. The app gives you access to the train, bus, and flight schedules. Booking your train ticket is as easy as a click of a button. The different trains, schedules, lengths of travel, and ticket prices are available on this app.

Now, if you want to go the less ideal route, you can always book your ticket online at Trenitalia or Italo Treno. There is an English option at the top of the Trenitalia site and the bottom of the Italo Treno site.

Now that you are on your way to booking your travels, I’ve included some of the major cities that I visited.

Rome – Rome Termini – ROMA TE
Florence – Florence Santa Maria Novella – FIRENZE SMN
Milan – Milan Centrale (central station) – MI C.L.E
Venice – Venice Mestre (on the mainland) – MESTRE

2. Choosing your Train

There are mainly two trains to choose from, but whether you want a speed train or to enjoy the scenic route some more, these are the ones to choose from.

Trenitalia—This Company, which is also state-owned, operates most of the country’s trains. The trains are a bit outdated but still comfortable.

Italo Trano is a privately owned company that operates speed trains on certain routes. This option is my favorite since it’s a bit more modernized, comfortable, and clean to travel in.

On a side note, depending on your travel distance, you’ll have a seat reservation. If you want to sit next to your traveling companion, it’s best to see an agent.

3. Buying your ticket

Talking with a teller. Talking to a teller will be the easiest option if you are unfamiliar with when the trains run. You can explain where you are going and how you want to travel (class of service). However, there might be a language barrier involved. The tellers speak English, but the explanation process can be a bit timely, especially if you are in line with many others.

Using the Automatic Machines. You can find these machines everywhere in the train station. Before starting the purchasing process, make sure to select English as your preferred language. When selecting your destination, remember that the cities will be Italian (e.g., Florence will be FIZENZE SMN). I’ve listed a few of the cities above as a guideline.

Class of Service. When purchasing your ticket, you also have a choice of the class of service you wish to use. The price obviously reflects how well you want to travel to your destination.

Trenitalia Class of Service:

Standard
Premium
Business Salottino
Business Area Silenzio
Business
Excecutive

Italo Trano:

Smart
Comfort
Prima
Club Executive

4. Boarding your Train

Yes! You have your ticket in hand now. So what’s next?

The first thing we want to do is check the departure times on the boards. Imagine yourself at an airport looking for your departure gates. The difference with train stations is that these boards are huge and can’t be missed.

Reading the boards can be a bit tricky now. The first thing listed in the column is your train type, whether it’s Italo Treno or Trenitalia. The symbol will be displayed on the board. Next will be your train number, which is most important. After this, it gets a bit confusing since the destination listed on the board might not be your final destination but the train itself’s last stop. Try not to get bent out of shape on that. If it’s your train number, more than likely, it’s your train. Last is the platform number. As the trains arrive, the platform number appears on the board. Another good tip is that the trains are always late. If you don’t see your platform number anywhere on the board, more than likely, it’s running a tad bit late.

Now your train has arrived! The wait is finally over. There is a small security checkpoint you must go through before walking to the platform. It’s nothing compared to going through TSA in the States. Don’t worry, folks; your shoes and belts can stay on. Just flash your train ticket to security and be on your merry way.

Before stepping onto the train, a train attendant will be standing outside checking your tickets before you get on. Try not to misplace your ticket yet; they’ll check tickets again inside the train.

This information has been helpful enough for you to find your way around a train station. Sit back, relax, and enjoy your train adventure to your final destination!

5. Train Tour Suggestions

I’ve included a few tours below that you can easily do on a train!

High-Speed train Rome to Venice: Day trip & Happy Hour

Rome to Pompeii Tour with Wine and Lunch by High-Speed Train