It is common knowledge that the best thing to know while traveling abroad is the native language. To help you with navigating the railways, we've listed the top ten most important Italian phrases to use at the train station or on the train. We recommend memorizing these phrases as a good starting point towards making your travel experience easier and more enjoyable.
train - treno (/ˈtrɛno/)
What…
Travel Day versus Travel Month
A rail day is considered any travel between midnight of one day to midnight of the following day, in other words, a 24 hour period. During this period, you may take as many train trips as you like and it will only count as one day. A good tip to know is the 7pm rule: if you board a direct, overnight train after 7pm, only the following day of travel is counted…
Discounted train tickets for Italy will be in the form of promotional fares that are released throughout the year and based on availability. Travelers who sign up for our newsletter are notified in advance of upcoming promotions so they can book early when there is greater availability.
Eurail passes will have promotional offers, typically during the early Spring and late Fall. Otherwise, pricing is standardized…
A consecutive-day pass provides unlimited rail travel for the duration of the pass, once it has been validated. For example, if you buy a month long pass you can travel at any time during that month.
Flexible travel days give the pass-holder a 2 month period from the validation date to utilize the number of days they have purchased for their pass. If you buy a 2-month flexipass with 10 days of…
Italy's rail network is extensive, reaching nearly every corner of the country. A comprehensive map of Italy's train routes, then, would be prohibitively large, which is why a useful paper map of every single Italian rail line doesn't exist.
The map on this page shows Trenitalia's high-speed rail lines in Italy*, which are the trains most visitors use. There are a few cities not included on this map in…
Traveling by train in Italy is easy, efficient, fast, and—for most travelers and residents alike—the best way to get around much of the country.
The rail network in Italy is robust in most areas, though in some regions only major cities have train stations. High-speed trains serve all the main tourist cities (also the most populated), and are comfortable and convenient.
…Some travelers rent bikes for a few hours of riding in the Chianti countryside, or book a spot on a bike tour of a city as a different way to explore. If you're one of the more die-hard cyclists who is traveling throughout the country with your own two wheels, you should know that there are some trains that allow you to bring your bike on board with you.
What form the bike has to be in and what you have to pay for it, however, vary…
The general rule for traveling by train is that no more than three "easy-to-handle" pieces of luggage are premitted per passenger, though there are rarely officials checking the number of bags people are carrying. When it comes to large items like skis or snowboards, however, there are stricter regulations.
Skis, snowboards, and other large items are only allowed on board the train if there is "suitable space" in which to stow them…
Bringing the kids along on a trip through Italy is both an exciting and rewarding adventure and, at times, challenging. We have covered some of the things that help make traveling with children by train in Europe easier in another article. Here, we want to make sure you know all about the various train ticket and rail pass options for your kids when you take the train around Italy.
Train Tickets for Children in Italy
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Yes, you can access the internet with a laptop, tablet, smartphone, or any other portable device with an embedded wifi card when you're on either the Frecciarossa or Frecciargento high-speed trains. A partnership between Trenitalia and Telecom Italia makes this possible.…
There are 20 regions in Italy, including two islands, and every single one is served by Italian trains. The degree of service in each region, however, differs quite a bit.
Travel by train in Tuscany, Lazio, Lombardy, Veneto, Piedmont, and other heavily-touristed and more densely populated regions is easy. Cities of all sizes and many small towns have train stations, and the popular routes between regions have frequent train service.…
In nearly every train station there are places where you can buy snacks or portable meals to bring on board, but if you don't get something ahead of time there are also some trains on which you can get food during the trip.
Some trains have restaurant or cafe cars, and others have the train equivalent of flight attendants who roll through the aisles with beverages and snacks for sale. Options include pre-made sandwiches, bags of chips…
Your furry friends are welcome to join you on train trips through Italy, so long as they—and you—meet certain requirements.
Required Documentation
All dogs on Trenitalia trains except for guide dogs for the blind must be accompanied by a registration certificate and a health card. Both of these requirements are met by a "pet passport" for non-Italian travelers. These documents must be presented when buying the necessary…
What you need to do before boarding your train in Italy depends on whether you have a train ticket or a rail pass.
If You Have a Train Ticket
As of August 2016, Trenitalia high speed tickets ("Freccia..." type) and regional trains that are purchased online no longer need to be validated before you board the train. This is because tickets now have a specific date and four-hour window of time in which they're…
When you should get to the train station in order to catch your train varies depending on a couple factors. As a general rule, it's a good idea to arrive 20-30 minutes before your train's scheduled departure time so you can get familiar with the station, find the information monitors as well as find your platform without being in a rush.
Note that for any of the following situations, you'll need to allot additional…
The configuration and type of seating you'll find when you get on a train in Europe can vary quite dramatically from one country (or one train) to the next. You may encounter an arrangement that differs from the examples below, but we hope that this information will help you find your seat more quickly.
Seat Numbering
To find your seat number, first find the correct car number indicated on the outside of the…
In case of a travel emergency, please call our direct local number in Italy: (+39) 06 9763 2451.
ItaliaRail customer service phone lines are open are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Eurail and InterRail are both rail passes, and while they are similar there is one critical difference - who can buy them. Eurail Passes are only for non-European citizens or residents. InterRail Passes are only for European citizens or residents.
Eurail Pass features include:
- Unlimited rail travel in one or more…
You need to determine what countries you plan to travel through and how many days you will spend in each country to determine the best pass for your needs. Fill in your trip information on RailPass.com, and you'll get a pass comparison chart on the results page with more detailed information. We'll help you find the best pass for your trip.
Rail passes act…
Validation of Rail Passes
Your rail pass will be validated twice. The pass will arrive with the first validation, printed automatically at our office in the top right corner of the pass. This indicates the start date of the pass, which you must begin to use within 6 months of that date.
You must get the second validation in-country on the first travel day when you're using the pass. This is also called …
Taking the train through Europe is an excellent way to get around, and having a rail pass makes doing that easy. There are some trips for which point-to-point tickets might be the better option, but for many trips a rail pass is the way to go.
Rail passes are the ideal choice for travelers who don't have a set itinerary and…
You must be in possession of a valid rail pass that covers the routing of the train in order to make a reservation. It is helpful to research the train schedules before making a request.
Reservations are required for: Sleeping accommodations on all overnight trains; most high-speed trains (e.g. Eurostar, TGV, TAV, Thalys); Long Distance and Express Trains in Spain, Portugal, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe; and Long Distance and…
A travel day is a 24-hour period during which you can travel on trains with your rail pass. It lasts from 12 a.m. (midnight) to 11:59 p.m. on the same calendar day—though, for overnight trains departing after 7 p.m., you need only enter the following day's date on your pass.
Within one travel day, you can take as many trains as you like and still be using only one travel day on the pass.
When you activate your pass, that's…
First-class seating is more spacious, with fewer seats per compartment, and usually more quiet. There is more room for luggage and it will generally be less crowded as most passengers typically travel in second class. First-class amenities usually include laptop connection plugs, power outlets, complimentary soft drinks, free newspapers, leather seats, and/or meals.
There are benefits on overnight trains as well; first-class…
Depending on the mistake that has been made, and if your pass has not yet been activated, we can issue you a new rail pass. You will need to send the incorrect pass back to us via a traceable shipping method and pay a new shipping fee.
Rail pass exchanges must be made via the address listed below. Once your request is received in our office, we will exchange the pass. If there is a rate increase, you will just pay the…
A Eurail pass must be activated before it can be used. Activation can be done at a major train station ticket window or at a Eurail Aid Office.
An activated pass will show the first and last day of validity of the pass. Activation must take place within 11 months of the issuing date stamp in the upper right corner of your pass.
Activation on board by the train inspector is allowed only if the passholder is entering the valid…
Rail passes are shipped via USPS within the United States and internationally using DHL. Please note that we cannot deliver to PO boxes when shipping with DHL.
Delivery time for most standard US orders is 2-3 business days, unless otherwise requested. International orders can take between 3-7 days. A signature is required for delivery of the package. You can place a rush order if you need to. Please email us for assistance, and be…
It's possible to buy certain rail passes at some train stations in Europe, but you'll pay roughly 15-20% more than if you purchased it online at www.railpass.com before your trip.
Rail transport companies in Italy do not have an explicit peak and off-peak pricing, but they do have a continuous dynamic pricing based on real time offer and demand. ItaliaRail is an agent of Rail Transport companies in Italy and we cannot modify pricing, so we show the pricing we receive when we send our customers search requests.
ItaliaRail has a special search algorithm that searches and combines lowest possible pricing classes…
The default currency displayed for purchases on ItaliaRail is the US dollar. If you need to change the currency, you can do that in the upper right-hand corner of the main page of the website. The abbreviation "USD" appears next to a small drop-down arrow. Click the arrow to select one of the following currencies:
- Euro
- British pound
- Canadian dollar
- …
We accept PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover credit cards using Braintree and Paymentech Payment Gateways. Personal and account information is secure on this site. We employ the latest 128-bit encryption SSL technology in all parts of our site that require any personal information, and we do not keep or hold confidential card information. It is all under the control of the card payment processors. We will not bill the…
The ItaliaPass Lounge at Rome's Termini Station is an oasis of calm in the hectic world of Italy's busiest train station.
Located at the start of Track 25, the Lounge is open to all ItaliaPass members, as well as day pass holders ($25/day). Inside, travelers can use…
Most European train stations used to have luggage lockers, but these have been removed almost across the board because of security concerns. Today, major stations typically have a staffed luggage storage office (often called "left luggage") with both hourly and daily fees.
Costs vary, but luggage storage offices are more expensive than luggage lockers once were. You can leave items for more than 24 hours, just note the hourly and…
Trenitalia offers assistance for travelers with disabilities through Sala Blu (which means Blue Room or Blue Hall in Italian). There are Sala Blu facilities at 14 train stations, and these manage a circuit of 270 stations throughout the country for increased access through coordinated services.
Travelers with reduced mobility for any reason can take advantage of Sala Blu services. This includes pregnant women, elderly travelers, blind…
Both Rome's Fiumicino Airport and Milan's Malpensa Airport have train stations right inside the airport terminal that make it easy to reach the city center or, in some cases, other cities altogether. Malpensa Airport has 2 train stations, one at Terminal 1 and one at Terminal 2. You will need to know which terminal you are…
The ItaliaPass Lounge is located at the start of Track 25 in Rome's Termini Station.
To reach the lounge from the main hall on the Piazza dei Cinqucento, walk all the way along the tracks to the right until you see the start of Track 25. The lounge is to the right, opposite Track 25 and near Tracks 26-29.
…
Some train stations in Italy now have free wifi. At last count, 14 stations in major Italian cities offered free wifi through a collaboration with Fastweb, including Roma Termini, Italy's (and Europe's) largest train station.
The fastest and most reliable wifi in Termini, however, is at the ItaliaPass Lounge,…
Traveling by train in Italy means always traveling with carry-on luggage - you'll carry on board everything you have with you. It's your responsibility to bring your bags on board and stow them properly, which is a great incentive to pack light.
There's no fee to bring luggage on the train, nor do you need a special ticket to carry luggage on board. The limit on bags each passenger may carry on board is technically three pieces of…
To improve security and ensure the safety of train passengers in Italy, "access gates" have been installed at Roma Termini (Rome), Firenze Santa Maria Novella (Florence), and Milano Centrale (Milan).
At each location, most of the station is accessible to anyone, with only the area around the tracks restricted by guards to those with valid train tickets or passes.
To get through the checkpoint and onto your platform, you'll…
Until 2012, there was really only one big dog in the Italian rail travel game. Now, with the introduction of Italo train service by the private company called Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori.
NTV began operation in April of 2012, and offers only high-speed train service – Italo's trains run at speeds up to 190 MPH (300 km/h). Italo trains have three classes of service, called Smart (roughly akin to second class), Prima (first class), and…
A night train, or overnight train, is just that - a train that departs Point A in the late evening and arrives at Point B in the early morning.
Given the rise of budget airlines and high-speed trains in Europe, traveling by overnight train might seem a bit antiquated. For some destinations, however, taking an overnight train can be a cost-effective way to travel—especially since it includes what you would normally be spending on a…
Trenord is the company that resulted from a merger between the state-run Trenitalia and a rail company in the Lombardy region. Trenord trains serve primarily destinations in Lombardy – including Milan's Malpensa Airport.
Most of Trenord's train routes are regional lines, connecting cities and towns throughout Lombardy, but the company also manages a dozen suburban lines of…
InterCity (IC) trains travel at speeds of up to 100-125 MPH (160-200 km/h), and there are first and second class cars. While reservations for IC trains are required, if you purchase a ticket online or at the train station the reservation is included automatically. Rail passholders, however, are not required to have a seat reservation before boarding IC trains, though seat reservations can be purchased in advance.…
EuroCity (EC) trains only operate across international borders. Those are similar to Italy's InterCity trains, but while InterCity trains only operate within Italy, EuroCity trains connect city to city at international level.
All EC trains must meet a certain level of service, including air conditioning in all cars and a dining car on every train. There are first and second class cars, and some amenities are…
While high-speed trains are usually the best choice for getting around Italy, not every city is served by the high-speed network. Most cities and towns in Italy are served by what are called “regional” trains, which are slower and often older trains.
There are a few different names for regional trains in Italy, including…
The word "frecce" means "arrow" in Italian, and Trenitalia's Frecce trains are its fastest line of high-speed trains.
Today's high-speed trains may not sound like they've got the same romance as what we imagine 19th century European train travel had, but there's no denying the benefits of modern technology on the Italian rail infrastructure. The country's high-speed trains connect Italy's major cities, with even more routes under…
There are several types of trains in Italy, from high-speed and luxury trains to the so-called "milk run" trains that connect small towns. The type of train you take in Italy can depend on where you're going, how much time you have, and what your budget is.
Trenitalia, Italy's state-run rail network, operates most of Italy's high-speed trains. They are sleek and efficient, with relatively…
The largest train operator in Italy is Trenitalia, which is a division of the Italian government. The company has been in existence since 1905, and the train network throughout Italy has been steadily growing and improving – it's by far the easiest and most cost-effective way to get around the country.
The fastest trains operated by Trenitalia are the Alta Velocità (AV) series, called – in descending order of speed –…
Train strikes in Italy can be a major inconvenience for travelers, especially if you're caught off-guard. These strikes are scheduled in advance, however, and the dates and times are announced and posted. This means you can find out about them, in some cases, before you even leave home.
Have your travels been affected by a train strike in Italy? Re-book your train tickets…
Strikes on Italian trains are infrequent enough that you might travel through the country many times and never have to deal with one. It only takes one instance of having travel plans thwarted by an unexpected strike, however, to ruin a trip.
Note that the word in Italian for strike is "sciopero" - be on the lookout for it in newspapers and at train stations!
Learning About Strikes in Advance…
If your train is providing local transport during essential services for the peak times (from 06:00 to 09:00 and from 18:00 to 21:00 Mon-Sat) these will be guaranteed, even during a train strike. Some long-distance trains are also guaranteed on all days, including holidays.
No ticket changes are allowed with this fare. This fare is 80% refundable up to 72 hours prior to train’s departure.
The fare rules are as follows:
No ticket changes are allowed with this fare. This fare is 50% refundable up to 72 hours prior to train’s departure.
Executive is the name of the top class of service on Trenitalia's Frecciarossa high-speed trains. The color scheme on the Executive cars is brown, and there is typically only one Executive car per train.
Each Executive car has only 10 seats, giving passengers a great deal of personal space and making sure everyone has a window seat.
The seats are wide and comfortable, with a leg rest extension and the ability to…
Family Discount is a type of fare. In order to find it the family must be traveling with child less than 15 years old, and the rail company must have availability in that fare class.
This fare is 80% refundable up to 24 hours prior to train’s departure. Only one departure date or time change is permitted up until 24 hours prior to train’s departure. Custom Seat selection is not available, Once changed, the fare becomes non-refundable…
Trenitalia's train schedules and fares are typically only released between 90-120 days in advance*, so it's not a good idea to solidify travel plans before that point—the timetable can change seasonally.
You can buy your train tickets roughly 2 months ahead of when you'll need them, and can even book them the day before your train trip. Once you're in Italy, you can buy tickets just before you get on a train.
Buying tickets…
If you realize after your purchase that you typed the wrong email address into the system, please contact customer service so they can help you remedy the purchase records and get the right information sent to you.
Customer Service contact information:
- Toll-free U.S. phone number: (833) 482-5421
- Local phone number in Italy: (+39) 06 9763 2451
- Email: info@…
With ItaliaPass, you’ll get instant discounts on train travel, guided tours, and hotels, plus free entry to top attractions like the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Pantheon, relax in the members-only lounge at Termini Station, and unlock even more travel perks throughout Italy.
All of this is backed by our 24/7 English-speaking support team and a no-questions-asked money-back guarantee.
Please…
With our exclusive e-tickets, you will receive a minimum of two emails, more depending on the number of trains trips reserved. The first email is the order invoice confirmation showing the amounts paid, and the second shows the e-ticket booking "PNR" confirmation. Both emails will be sent immediately upon completion of your booking. Download the e-ticket at the paragraph HOW DOES MY TICKET WORK? Type: E-Ticket Click here for your Ticket(…
Any e-ticket could be re-printed in plain paper to be shown to the train conductor, or shown in electronic format like in a smartphone, so it could not be lost unless the printed paper or phone and laptop is lost. We recommend the printing of e-tickets in plain paper in case phones are out of battery of have any electrical issue. You can contact customer service to request a copy of your ticket to be sent to a…
Validating a Train Ticket
As of 5th August 2023, Trenitalia tickets for regional trains that are purchased online need to be validated. This validation must be done before your train departs and you'll incur a fine if your ticket isn't validated. Please click here for instructions on how to validate your regional tickets.
Note that tickets for Trenitalia's high-speed…
Tickets or e-tickets and seat reservations are not the same thing in Italy, and you won't always need both. A ticket or e-ticket is what you need to travel from one city to another on any train in Italy, and it shows a seat reserved for the type of class and fare purchased. A seat reservation is what grants you a specific seat on that train and it must be issued for travellng in conjunction with a Rail Pass. All high speed…
If you don't receive an order confirmation after your purchase, contact Customer Service so we can re-send the information or — if necessary — correct a mistake in the email address. Please allow a couple of minutes for the system to generate the email information and check your spam folder. If you have not received your e-tickets please contact us at any time. We provide…
We apologize that our existing FAQs don't answer your question. Customer satisfaction is our top priority. Please email us or contact us at one of the numbers or email listed below, and include all details we might need—including order number if you've already made a purchase—and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.
ItaliaRail Customer Satisfaction Team:
- Toll-Free: (+1) 833 482-5421
- …
Please email us at info@italiarail.com or call us toll-free at (+1) 833-482-5421 to speak with a member of our customer satisfaction team.
ItaliaRail customer satisfaction phone lines are open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
…
ItaliaRail customer satisfaction provides 24-hour email coverage although our phone lines are opened 12 hours a day on weekdays Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET (Eastern Time Zone - US/CA), and 8 hours on weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. If you urgently need to contact us after phone hours, please send us an email with the word URGENT in the title and the reason of your emergency.
You can contact us…
If you arrive at the train station only to find your train has been canceled (because of a strike or otherwise), be prepared with lots of patience. Trenitalia staff should do their best to get you booked on the next available train. If there are no other trains available, you can request a cancellation and strike refund directly at the train station.*
ItaliaRail as agent of the rail company in Italy…
The ItaliaPass has a no questions asked guarantee and 100% refund policy - we encourage you to activate it and use it, and if you don't feel you will be able to get value out of your ItaliaPass Membership we are happy to issue you a full refund. Just please send us an email at any time to info@italiarail.com with the request and we will issue the refund for you.
Alternatively you can use and…
Changing Reservations
An exchange of date and time is allowed on some fare rules. You only can change your ticket, if the rules of the fare you purchased allow you to change the ticket. Usually the cheaper the ticket the more restrictive it is. Therefore super-economy fares do not allow tickets to be changed or rebooked. Economy tickets allow one change and must be upgraded to a normal or base…
You only can cancel your ticket, if the rules of the fare you purchased allow you to cancel the ticket. Usually the cheaper the ticket the more restrictive it is. Therefore super-economy fares do not allow tickets to be cancelled. Economy tickets allow one change, but it cannot be cancelled, and normal or base fares allow tickets to be cancelled with a 20% penalty.
To cancel a ticket, contact …