Traveling by train in Italy is economical, easy and reliable. The train system is far superior to those found in the United States and Canada. The purpose of this article is to give you sufficient information to make you feel comfortable about traveling by train in Italy. Save your money for more important items, such as souvenirs, entry fees or snacks.

Types of Italian trains

Understanding Train Schedules

Advance purchase of tickets

Purchasing your ticket

Ticket Validation

Understanding the departure board

Waiting for the train

Traveling with baggage

Preparing to get off the train

The sottopassagio (underground)

Types of Italian Trains

Eurostar Italia Alta Velocità, Eurostar, and Eurostar City Italia are the fastest, quietest,most modern and the very best of the Trenitalia fleet. These trains are used between major cities and will be rarely used by the typical cruise ship passengers. They have both 1^st and 2^nd class seating, dining cars and facilities for the disabled. Advance reservations are required.

Intercity and Intercity Plus trains are a close second to the Eurostar. Most of the fleet has been upgraded. Both 1^st and 2^nd class are available. Dining car is located between the 1^st and 2^nd class sections of the train. Travel time on these trains is very close to the Eurostar trains. Reserved seats are required and are generally available close to travel time. Many have facilities for the diaabled.

Regional, Local and Commuter trains make up the bulk of the Trenitalia fleet. They are frequent and are the most common trains for shorter distances (1½ hour or less.) In a majority of cases these are 2^nd class only. They do not have dining cars. The newer cars being used in the busier areas feature cars with lower carriages making boarding (particularily with luggage) much easier. Reserved seats are not available on these trains.

Understanding Train Schedules

The first step to understanding the train schedules is to to learn how to quickly and easily use the vast resources available at Trenitalia Online. I have created a useful resource thhat may be found here.

Once you are in Italy (and at a train station), knowing how to get schedule information can be a big help. Click on the image at the right to learn how to use schedules located within every train station.

Advance purchase of tickets

In most cases the advance purchase of tickets (online or by other means) is not necessary and is not recommended. The only possible exception would be where you are arriving at one airport and taking the Eurostar to another city immediately following your arrival.

Not to confuse the issue, but one form of advance purchase is suggested. If you are taking the train from FCO to Rome, and on to Civitavecchia; and plan to do the reverse upon disembarking your cruise, purchase tickets for both trips at the onset. You want 'andata é riturno'. You will get one ticket for each direction. There is no savings for a round trip! Just remember not to validate the second ticket(s) until just before its use. A ticket purchased in advance in this manner is valid for two months as long as it has not been validated.

Purchasing your ticket

Purchasing tickets may done at the ticket window or in a machine. Machines are 'touch screen' and have several languages from which to choose. The machines accept Euros, and credit cards. (They say debit cards, but that is for European bank cards only.) The machine will walk you through the whole process. If at any point you are not comfortable, simply cancel and go to the ticket window. In some small stations, tickets for short trips may be purchased at the newstand in the station. Local inquiry is advised.

Be certain to read, Understanding the Train Ticket

Ticket Validation

It is absolutely, positively necessary that you validate your tickets prior to boarding the train. This is done by inserting the narrow end of your ticket into one of the yellow machines located next to, or at the end of the platform. You will hear its internal printer put at date/time stamp on the ticket. If a machine does not appear to work, simply go to another machine. The penalty for not having a ticket, or a validated ticket, is €25 plus the cost of the ticket. This is true of all buses in Italy also! A ticket, once validated, is good until midnight the date that it was validated on.

The conductors on trains and buses are being much more vigilant in checking tickets. In Oct '08, tickets were checked on almost every train we were on. On a bus in Siena, three conductors boarded the bus (one through each door) and checked tickets. They caught a local gal without a ticket - €44 fine/ticket on the spot!

Understanding the departure board

Once you have your tickets, the departure board (labeled 'Partenza') is what you must locate and study. Clicking on the image at the right will take you to a page with the old style (analog) board on top, the new style (digital) board on the bottom. All major fields are annotated.

For both boards you must know your train number. The destination shown on the board will not (in many, many cases) be the same as your destination. Yours will be someplace in between the station that you are in and the trains final destination. In many cases the trains track number (binario) is not shown until a few minutes before the train arrives (or is due to depart.) Watch this board frequently.

Waiting for the train

No. You cannot go to your platform and just wait. There are more signs/boards to watch. The link on the right takes you to a page that shows one of three platform signs in use today. Keep you eye on your sign - it may change!

While waiting in Firenze for our train to Roma, one of the most frequently heard announcements was: "Train number 2nnnn, scheduled to depart on binario 4 will now depart on track 21." When you hear this, and if you are between either platform - stand back!

Traveling with baggage

Traveling on trains with baggage can be a challenge. It can be difficult (left image) or it can be relatively easy (right image.) On the page linked by the images on the right is more information about traveling with baggage, including some recent photographs.

Preparing to get off the train

To some, this paragraph might seem odd. When you understand that you could very well be traveling on a train that will continue on beyond your destination it will make sense. Train stops in stations are very short (generally 2 minutes, sometimes 3). About 5-6 minutes before your scheduled arrival time, start staging your luggage near the door (don’t block the corridor.) When the train arrives, one person hops off and starts catching the bags as they are handed (tossed) down. It is important that you keep an eye on the bags at all times as this is a time that bags could suddenly develop ‘legs’. Be alert and aware and you should have no problems.

The sottopassagio (underground)

You've heard about it and you've read about it. Chances are, you will experience it. It exists in most train stations throughout Italy. It is, in a majority of the stations, the only way to get from one platform to another. Down the stairs, through the hall, and up the stairs. Going down is relatively easy - roll your larger suitcase forward, slowly, ease it over the step and down to the next. Repeat until you are at the bottom. Take your time. Don't attempt to carry the big one(s) down the stairs.

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Relief is on the way! Several stations we visited had recently installed elevators in one sottopassagio (not necessarily the most convenient.) I was told by 'an official' that they would be in all stations soon!

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