Italy by train

There are two routes used by trains from Bologna to Firenze/Florence

1. The newer high speed line on which high speed Frecce and Italo trains rush between the two cities at more than 250 km/h.
2. The older improved 'classic' route through the Apennine Tunnel taken by the therefore slower, but typically much cheaper, InterCity trains.

Connect in Innsbruck for multiple other beautiful destinations including Garmisch, Linz, Salzburg, Seefeld and St Anton.

There is a two choice of two express services when taking a train from Bologna to Bari:
1 - The more frequent Frecce services are also faster, despite the lack of a high speed line; but that speed tends to come at a higher price.
2 - There also InterCity services, which are slower because they make more station calls.

Most of the trains from Bologna to Milano race down Italy's fastest high speed line, which has been constructed between the two cities.

Though some trains still take the older 'classic' route through Parma and Piacenza, but because they are slower, they are also typically cheaper.

Connections are available in Milano Centrale station for locations with no direct trains from Bologna including towns in northern Italy such as Arona and Stresa; and for Swiss destinations including Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne and Luzern.

Modena is the closest major city to Bologna, so there' s no need to plan a journey in advance, simply turn up at the station, buy a ticket and off you go.

Step on board the only direct trains from Bologna to Germany.
Connect in Bologna when travelling to Germany by daytime trains from the likes of Firenze, Napoli and Roma.
Connect in München/Munich for ICE trains to a swathe of German cities without rail connections with Italy including Berlin, Koln, Nurnberg and Stuttgart

A sequence of three connected high speed railways enables high speed trains to rush from Bologna to Napoli.
This high speed route is shared by 'Frecce' services operated by the national rail operator, Trenitalia, and competing Italo services.

For those who favor cheapest price over journey time, there is also the opportunity to save money by taking the much slower Intercity trains which still snake their way along the older 'classic' railway lines.

Despite Padova being comparative close to Bologna, there are multiple options to consider when taking the train on this route; despite the fact all of the trains travel along the same 'classic' railway line between these two cities.
The variances in speed are due to the number of intermediate station calls made by each group of services.

1. If you're going to be booking tickets last minute at the station, the the typically best option is to hop on board the Regionale Veloce (RGV) trains.
   They'll be (much) cheaper and the lack of the availability of seat reservations won't be a problem, as they commence their journeys in Bologna.

2. If you can book ahead and won't being committed to a specific departure, you can travel in style on the Frecce or Italo trains despite the lack of a high speed line on this route.
   The cheapest advance tickets can be good value for money, though the Italo trains tend to be cheaper than Frecce trains.

Despite Parma being a relatively short distance from Bologna, there is a choice of train service options when taking a journey between these two cities.
If you can book ahead and the departure times suit, you may as well travel in the comparative comfort of the Frecce or IC trains, they're a few euros more expensive, but you will have assigned seats.
Though if you want to buy walk-up tickets at the station for a last-minute journey those express trains become a much more expensive option, so you can save money by taking the more frequent Regioanale trains.

Despite Prato being a relatively short distance from Bologna, there is a choice of train service options when taking a journey between these two cities.
If you can book ahead and the departure times suit, you may as well travel in the comparative comfort of the IC trains, they're a few euros more expensive, but you will have assigned seats.
Though if you want to buy walk-up tickets at the station for a last-minute journey those IC trains become a more expensive option, so you can save money by taking the more frequent Regioanale trains.

Despite Rimini being a relatively short distance from Bologna, there is a choice of train service options when taking a journey between these two cities.
If you can book ahead and the departure times suit, you may as well travel in the comparative comfort of the Frecce or IC trains, they're a few euros more expensive, but you will have assigned seats.
Though if you want to buy walk-up tickets at the station for a last-minute journey those express trains become a much more expensive option, so you can save money by taking the more frequent Regioanale trains.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed route between Bologna and Rome, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, the Intercity (IC) trains still take the older 'classic' route, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users, but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

A sequence of three high speed railways enables high speed trains to rush from Rome/Roma to Turin/Torino.
This high speed route is shared by 'Frecce' services operated by the national rail operator, Trenitalia, and competing Italo services.

There isn't a high speed railway between Bologna and Venice/Venezia, but high speed Frecce and Italo trains which have travelled from destinations further south, provide the fastest express train services on this route.
Though as is typical, the faster a train, the more expensive it is likely to be; but the difference between journey times isn't particularly extreme on this route.

Two of the daily departures are the Frecciabianca trains, which will have travelled up from Lecce; and if you can book ahead; and the timings suit, these trains can be cheapest option of all.

However, if you will be booking tickets last minute at the station, taking the slowest Regionale Veloce trains will be a money saver.

There isn't a high speed railway between Bologna and Verona, but the various types of express trains which use the route are faster because they travel non-stop between these two cities.
Though as is typical, the faster a train, the more expensive it is likely to be; but the difference between journey times isn't particularly extreme on this route.

However, if you will be booking tickets last minute at the station, then taking the slower Regionale Veloce (RV) trains will be a money saver.
Though this is a route on which it can pay off to look up the journey in advance.
The departure times of the RV trains tend to be irregular and the price difference with the express trains can be comparatively minor.

This recently introduced service is the only direct train from a string of beautiful Italian cities; Piacenza, Parma, Reggio d'Emilia, Modena and Bologna to Switzerland.

The Frecciarossa 1000 trains and most of the Frecciarossa services operated by Trenitalia on this route share Italy's fastest railway, the high-speed line between Milano and Bologna, with Italo trains.
On the high speed line, these trains have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some Frecce trains from Milano to Bologna still take the older route via Parma and Modena, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls.
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains, but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

The direct train(s) from Munich to Bologna, which provide a highly useful connection when travelling from southern Germany to northern Italy, also happen to take a beautiful route through the Alps and Dolomites.

Bologna is the main hub of the Italian rail network, so connect there for a swathe of fabulous destinations, which have no direct trains from Germany, including Bari, Ravenna, Modena, Parma, Naples and Lecce
(In the summer months this train has its journey extended to Rimini).

Also if you'd rather travel by day to Florence and Rome than take the direct night train from Munchen, you can also connect in Bologna for those cities.

The Frecce 1000 trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed route between Roma and Bologna, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some trains from Roma to Bologna still take the older 'classic' route, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users, but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia compete with Italo trains on Italy's fastest high speed route.

There isn't a high speed railway between Venice/Venezia and Bologna, but high speed Frecce and Italo trains heading to Rome and beyond, provide the fastest express train services on this route.
Though as is typical, the faster a train, the more expensive it is likely to be; but the difference between journey times isn't particularly extreme on this route.

However, if you will be booking tickets last minute at the station, then taking the slowest Regionale Veloce trains will be a money saver.

There isn't a high speed railway between Verona and Bologna, but the various types of express trains which use the route are faster because they travel non-stop between these two cities.
Though as is typical, the faster a train, the more expensive it is likely to be; but the difference between journey times isn't particularly extreme on this route.

However, if you will be booking tickets last minute at the station, then taking the slower Regionale Veloce (RV) trains will be a money saver.
Though is a route on which it can pay off to look up the journey in advance.
The departure times of the RV trains tend to be irregular and the price difference with the express trains can be comparatively minor.

This recently introduced service is the only direct train from Switzerland to a string of beautiful Italian cities; Piacenza, Parma, Reggio d'Emilia, Modena and Bologna.

Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia share the high speed route, which is mainly in tunnels, from Firenze/Florence with competing Italo trains.
As the journey time is comparatively short, the differences in the on board experience will matter less than the price; see the ticketing notes below on how the Trenitalia and Italo prices can be compared.

Though regardless of which high speed (AV) service you take, you'll in effect be paying a premium to travel by it, the more than 60 km of tunnels through which the trains rush at more than 280 km/h, cost billions of euros to build.
However, the Frecce and Italo trains are the only services which provide a direct link from Firenze S.M.Novella, the city's central station, to Bologna Centrale.
The Intercity (IC) trains, which are typically cheaper, depart from Firenze Rifredi station.

There are two options for taking a train from Florence/Firenze to Genoa/Genova:
1: Taking the direct trains, though they depart early in the morning and late in the evening, and don't leave from the main city centre station.
2. Taking a train to Pisa and making a connection there for Genova, is more frequent and usually cheaper too.

Visiting the renowned Cinque Terre villages is easily done a on day trip by train from Florence/Firenze.
Though you can simplify things by taking one of the direct trains from Firenze S.M.Novella station to La Spezia, as you will be connecting in La Spezia for the trains on to the five coastal villages.
When you look up the journey most of the options you will see involve making connections in Pisa, but this isn't necessary,

The Frecciarossa and Frecciarossa 1000 trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed route between Firenze and Milano, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, the Intercity trains from Firenze to Milano still take the older 'classic' route, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users; but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

Connections are available in Milano Centrale station for locations with no direct trains from Firenze/Florence including towns in northern Italy such as Como and Stresa; and for Swiss destinations including Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lugano, Luzern and Zurich.

There are three options for taking a train from Florence/Firenze to Modena.

1. Despite the comparatively short distance, the most frequent option involves taking a high speed train to Bologna and connecting there for a journey on to Modena
2. There is a daily Frecce train from the main city centre station in Florence/Firenze to Modena, but it doesn't depart until late into the evening.
3. There are also a few Intercity trains, but if you want to set off from the main city centre station, S.M.Novella, you'll need to make a connection into these trains.

The only international rail service from Florence/Firenze is the Nightjet train which serves both Munich/München and Vienna on routes which travel through the night.

The Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed route between Firenze and Napoli, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, the Intercity trains from Firenze to Napoli still take the older 'classic' route, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users; but they are not as frequent as the high speed services

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the route, which is high speed between Firenze and Bologna, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

There are three options for taking a train from Florence/Firenze to Parma:

1. Despite the comparatively short distance, the most frequent option involves taking a high speed train to Bologna and connecting there for a journey on to Parma.
2. There is a daily Frecce train from the main city centre station in Florence/Firenze to Modena, but it doesn't depart until late into the evening.
3. There are also a few direct Intercity trains, but if you want to set off from the main city centre station, S.M.Novella, you'll need to make a connection into these trains.

Perugia is located off the main north to south railway route in Italy, so the town is served by comparatively few trains.
Hence it's a good idea to look up the departure times on the Trenitalia website, even if you will be buying tickets last minute at the station.
You won't need to book in advance to save money, so if you will be spending an extended period of time in beautiful Florence/Firenze and want to head off to Perugia on a day trip by train, you can choose a day when the weather will be fine, look up the timings of the train that evening and then head off to S.M.Novella station the next morning.

Taking the train from Florence/Firenze to Pisa is blissfully simple as this is a route with one of the most frequent rail services in all of Italy.
There's also no need to book tickets in advance to save money, so you can just turn up at the station and book tickets at the last minute.

Though there are four things in particular which are worth being aware of:
1: The timetable isn't regular, meaning that there are between one and four departures per hour, and one of these hours with only one departure is between 10:00 and 11:00.
2. The 'RV/RGV' trains can be around 25 mins faster than a 'R' train because they call at fewer stations, so if you want to target a faster train, look up the journey times on the Trenitalia website before heading to the station.
3. Before 13:00 there are some trains which take a route via Lucca which is an hour longer, and they can depart at similar times to trains taking the direct route via Empoli.
So take care not to board a train which will be taking the route via Lucca.
4. Pisa S. Rossore station is much closer to the leaning tower than Pisa Centrale station and there are a few direct trains Florence/Firenze to this station.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed route between Firenze/Florence and Rome, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some trains from Firenze/Florence to Roma, the IC and RV trains, still take the older 'classic' route, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users, but they are not as frequent as the high speed services

A sequence of three high speed railways enables high speed trains to rush from Florence/Firenze to Turin/Torino.
This high speed route is shared by 'Frecce' services operated by the national rail operator, Trenitalia, and competing Italo services
These two high speed (AV) services are the only direct trains from Florence to Turin.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the route, which is high speed between Firenze and Bologna, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

There are no longer any direct Intercity trains from Firenze/Florence to the heart of historical Venice/Venezia

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the route, which is high speed between Firenze and Bologna, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

The Frecce and Italo services are the only direct trains from Firenze/Florence to Verona

The only international rail service from Florence/Firenze is the Nightjet train which serves both Vienna and Munich/München on routes which travel through the night.

The Frecciarossa and Frecciarossa 1000 trains operated by Trenitalia share Italy's fastest railway, the high-speed line between Milano and Firenze, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below. and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

In addition to those trains which rush down the high speed line, there are handful of InterCity trains which still travel along the older 'classic' route from Milano to Firenze.
So they're much slower and most of them also don't arrive at the main station in Florence; the fabulously located Firenze S.M. Novella, instead they call at a more distant station - Firenze Rifredi.

But if you want to save when booking tickets, particularly at the last minute, they'll be much cheaper; and Eurail and InterRail pass users can use them and avoid the rail pass reservation fees payable on the Frecce trains.

The only direct train service between München / Munich and Firenze / Florence is provided by the overnight Nightjet train, but it's also a straightforward and stunningly beautiful journey by day.

Take one of the daily EC trains through the mountains to Bologna and connect there for a high speed train on to Firenze/Florence

How you travel from Paris to Firenze / Florence by train depends on whether you set off from the French capital in the morning, or depart in the early afternoon.

Depart from Paris before 07:00 and one one of the two options available for the end-to-end journey involves taking the Italian Frecce train, which has been newly introduced to this route to Italy from Paris; and making a connection on to another Frecce train on to Roma in Milano Centrale station.

The early morning alternative route involves taking TGV train to Torino Porta Susa station and connecting there into a Frecce train on to Firenze / Florence, and this option is also available when setting off from Paris in the early afternoon.

Travelling overnight is no longer an option due to the termination of the sleeper train services between Paris and Milano.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed route between Roma and Firenze/Florence, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some trains from Roma to Firenze/Florence, the IC and RV trains, still take the older 'classic' route, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users, but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia compete with Italo trains on the fastest high speed rail route in Italy

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share this route with Italo trains
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

The Frecce and Italo trains are now the only option for taking a direct train from Venice to Florence.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the route, which is high speed between Bologna and Firenze with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

The Frecce and Italo services are the only direct trains from Verona to Firenze/Florence.

The only direct train from the Austrian capital to Florence/Firenze is the Nightjet service, but it is usually scheduled to arrive in Tuscany before 06:30.
To travel by day involves taking the early morning train from Vienna/Wien to Venice, with a connection at Venezia Mestre station.

Step on board for one of Europe's most epic journeys by train, travel through the night to south of Salerno and then wake up to stunning coastal views before riding the train in a boat across the waves, to arrive in Sicily in the early afternoon.

Step on board for one of Europe's most epic journeys by train which has four distinct phases:

1. travel through the night to south of Salerno and then,
2. wake up to stunning coastal views before,
3. riding the train in a boat across the waves, to arrive in Sicily in the early afternoon,
4. before winding up the trip with a journey along Sicily's northern shore.

Arona on the shores of Lake Maggiore is close enough to Milano to be part of the city's regional train network, which is operated by Trenord and not by Treniatlia.
The only options for taking a train from Milano to Arona are therefore the Regionale (R) services operated by Trenord.

Though a complication is that most of the trains depart from Milano's secondary station, Porta Garibaldi, with fewer departures also available from the city's main rail station, Milano Centrale.
So if you will be buying tickets last minute at the station (you can't save by booking in advance) it's best to look up the train times on the Trenord website before setting off for the station
There are gaps of more than an hour between departures from both Porta Garibaldi and Centrale stations

Travelling by day has two ticks in the box over taking the overnight trains:
(1) the night trains are usually scheduled to arrive in Bari before 08:00
(2) South of Rimini, this is one of Europe's most lovely coastal rail journeys.

Travelling between Milan and north-west Switzerland by train is not only straightforward thanks to the direct rail services, it's also a lovely journey.

Connect in Basel for trains to destinations without direct services from Milan including Cologne/Koln, Mainz, Koblenz and Strasbourg.

Until recently when travelling from Milano to Bellinzona by train there was a choice of two direct services, but the Regionale trains have now been diverted so that they arrive in Locarno instead.
Therefore the only direct rail link from Milano to Bellinzona is by taking the express EC trains, which will be heading on to other destinations in Switzerland.

Though if you will be travelling with a Eurail or InterRail pass, you can avoid paying a rail pass reservation fee in excess of €10 to travel by these EC trains, by taking those Regionale trains to Lugano and connecting there for Bellinzona.

Travelling between Milan and the Swiss capital by train is not only straightforward thanks to the direct rail services, it's also a lovely journey.

Connect in Bern for trains to destinations without direct services from Milan including Biel, Neuchatel and La Chaux de Fonds

The Frecciarossa 1000 trains and most of the Frecciarossa services operated by Trenitalia on this route share Italy's fastest railway, the high-speed line between Milano and Bologna, with Italo trains.
On the high speed line, these trains have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some Frecce trains from Milano to Bologna still take the older route via Parma and Modena, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls.
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains, but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

The first stage of the high speed line between Milano and Venezia opened a few years ago, so the high speed Frecce and Italo services rush to Brescia in under 40 minutes.
However, that speed comes at a price, so if you will be booking tickets last minute at the station, the Regionale trains are a cheaper, but slower option

Taking the rail journey from Milano to Brig is a delight, smart and comfortable trains take a lovely route along the shore of Lake Maggiore.

Connect in Brig for the trains on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn railway towards Zermatt or Andermatt, and the Glacier Express.

The town of Como is only 50km to the north of Milano, so it's served by trains on the city's suburban rail network, which is managed by Trenord.

The town centre in Como is served by multiple stations, with the main railway station being San Giovanni, as it's located on the main railway route on to Switzerland.
Como S. Giovanni is served by both Regionale and express trains, the latter are non-stop from Milano, but if you'll be taking a day trip from Milan, the express trains will be a much more expensive option.

For a day trip from Milan, the best option is to take trains to an alternative station, Como Lago.
It lives up to its name with a lake shore location and is also conveniently located in the town centre.

When heading to this beautiful town on the shore of Lake Garda travellers have a choice between taking:

1: the Regional trains, they're more frequent and generally cheaper (they will be when booking last minute at the station)
However, they're also the slowest option and seats can't be reserved; though modern, smart double-decked trains are now used on most departures.

2: the express trains, which are faster and seats assigned when booking, but the speed comes at a price because they tend to be more expensive.
Fastest of all are the Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia and the rival Italo trains, as they whizz down the high speed line between Milano and Brescia.

Domodossola is located along one of the two main railway routes between Italy and Switzerland, hence the express train service from Milan being provided by international EuroCity (EC) trains.

Though if you will be booking tickets last minute at the station, perhaps due to a spontaneous decision to take a ride on the beautiful Centovali Railway, then the slightly slower Regionale (RV) trains, will be money savers.

Whether you take the EC or RV trains a delightful journey along the shores of Lake Maggiore awaits you.

The Frecciarossa and Frecciarossa 1000 trains operated by Trenitalia share Italy's fastest railway, the high-speed line between Milano and Firenze, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below. and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

In addition to those trains which rush down the high speed line, there are handful of InterCity trains which still travel along the older 'classic' route from Milano to Firenze.
So they're much slower and most of them also don't arrive at the main station in Florence; the fabulously located Firenze S.M. Novella, instead they call at a more distant station - Firenze Rifredi.

But if you want to save when booking tickets, particularly at the last minute, they'll be much cheaper; and Eurail and InterRail pass users can use them and avoid the rail pass reservation fees payable on the Frecce trains.

One of the most welcome additions to the European rail timetables of recent years was the re-introduction of the direct train from northern Italy to central Germany.

The train is usually scheduled to depart daily from Milano Centrale at 11:20, at a time convenient for connections from:
Bologna - departs 09:26
Firenze S.M. Novella - depart 08:55
Genova Piazza Principe - depart 09:18
Napoli Centrale - depart 05:45
Pisa Centrale - depart 06:42
Roma Termini - depart 07:10
Torino Porta Susa - depart 09:05
Verona Porta Nuova - depart 09:02

The usual scheduled arrival time in Frankfurt (Main) hbf is 18:44 convenient for connections on to:
Berlin - depart 19:02 and 19:14
Dresden and Leipzig - depart 19:20
Dusseldorf via Koblenz, Bonn and Koln/Cologne - depart 19:44
Hamburg via Hannover - depart 18:58 and 19:58

Both Milano Centrale and Frankfurt (Main) Hbf are among the easiest European large stations in which to make connections, you'll simply have to walk from one train to the other.

And the first third of the journey by Lake Maggiore and through Switzerland is also wonderful!

Making the rail journey from northern Italy to western Switzerland is straightforward thanks to a direct service of comparatively comfortable trains, and it's also fantastically beautiful.
A wonderful showcase for the best of European rail travel!

In common with many of the rail routes between Italian cities, when taking the train from Milan/Milano to Genoa/Genova, there is a choice between
(1) travelling by the express trains, which if booked ahead, are a little more expensive than taking the Regionale trains.
(2) travelling by slower Regionale trains, which tend to be cheaper, with more substantial savings to be made if you book last minute at the station.

Making the rail journey from northern Italy to western Switzerland is straightforward thanks to a direct service of comparatively comfortable trains, and it's also fantastically beautiful.
A wonderful showcase for the best of European rail travel!

Despite the reduced Eurostar timetable in response to the pandemic, it is still not only possible, but entirely feasible to make a journey by train during the day from Milano to London
The timings allow plenty of time to cross Paris, so you won't be rushing from the onward connection against the clock.

What isn't now an option is taking an overnight train from Milano and then a Eurostar on from Paris, as the night train between Italy and Paris has now been withdrawn.

Despite its location over the Swiss border, beautiful Lugano is close enough to Milan to be a commuter destination for the city.
As a consequence the most frequent trains on this route are the Regional services, which have been significantly improved in recent years.
They're also generally a cheaper option, particularly if you will buying tickets at the last minute, and if you'll be traveling with an InterRail or Eurail pass, you can take these trains and avoid the comparatively expensive rail pass reservation fees on the EC trains; connecting in Lugano for the other destinations in Switzerland served by those trains.

The other rail travel option is to take the EC (EuroCity) trains, but despite being 'express' trains, they are not any faster on this route.
The plus of taking them is that seat reservations are complimentary when booking tickets, so not only are the seats more comfortable, they will also be assigned.
The Regionale trains can be busy, particularly in the late afternoon and early evening.

The easiest option for a rail journey from Milan to Luzern/Lucerne is to take the daily direct train.

Frecciarossa 1000 trains operated by Trenitalia have been recently introduced to this route, they have in effect replaced the TGV trains in this direction when travelling from Italy to France (the TGVs from Milano to Paris now pass through the Lyon area without making any station calls).
The morning departure from Milano connects in Lyon with TGV trains on to Marseille and Strasbourg.

The beautiful Cinque Terre coastal villages have become one of the most popular Italian tourist destinations and they can be accessed from Milan/Milano by direct train.
South of Genova the journey along the coast by train is also wonderful!

Monterosso is the village with station served by the express trains, and if you will be heading to the other four villages further to the south; Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, you can connect in Monterosso into local trains

A sequence of three connected high speed railways enables high speed trains to rush from Milano to Napoli.
This high speed route is shared by 'Frecce' services operated by the national rail operator, Trenitalia, and competing Italo services.

For those who favor cheapest price over journey time, there is also the opportunity to save money by taking the much slower Intercity trains which still snake their way along the older 'classic' railway lines.

There's also an overnight service available.

Now that the first stage of the Milano to Venezia high speed line has opened to Brescia, the rail service between Milan/Milano and Padua/Padova is provided by

1. high speed 'Frecce' trains operated by the national rail company, Trenitalia
2. high speed Italo trains
3. EuroCity (EC) trains which have travelled from Switzerland (these trains don't use the high speed line).

Trenitalia has introduced its ultra smart Frecciarossa 1000 trains to this route.
So along with the existing and continuing TGV services, an unprecedented five daily trains are now available from the Milan to the French capital.

Though when looking up this journey on the ticket agents, you'll also likely see other daytime options with connections between trains in Basel, Geneva, Lausanne or Zurich.
If you'll be happy to change trains and the connections are easily timed (more than 30 mins ideally) and the price is competitive then these other options are definitely worth considering.
The journey from Milan to any of those Swiss cities will also be more scenic than this route.

The overnight train service from Milano to Paris has been withdrawn.

There is a choice of three train services on the Milano to Parma route:

1. Fastest of all are the Frecce trains, they don't use the high speed line, but on these route they make fewer station calls.
2. There are Intercity (IC) trains
3. The slowest option are the Regionale Veloce (RGV) trains, they'll be the cheapest option when booking tickets at the station; you'll need to book in advance to save money when taking the Frecce and IC trains.
   Seat reservations are complimentary when booking tickets for the Frecce and IC trains, but seat reservations aren't available on the RGV trains.

Departure and arrival times and the comparative comfort of the trains will play a part in which type of train you choose to travel by, but the ticket prices and options will also be a factor; see the 'Ticketing Information' below.

The only direct train from Milano to Perugia is the daily Intercity train, but it doesn't arrive in Perugia until around 23:15.

If you want to take a direct train from Milano to Pisa there is a choice between taking the daily Frecciabianca train, or the more frequent, slower and usually cheaper Intercity trains.

Though when looking up this journey, most of the journey options will involve taking a high speed train from Milano to Firenze and then connecting there for a train on to Pisa.

Though another tick in the box for taking these direct trains, is that south of Genoa, they travel along one of Europe's most beautiful coastal railways.

When travelling from Milano to Rimini by train, travellers have a choice of three different train services:
1: the fastest and typically most expensive option is to take the Frecciarossa trains which spend most of the journey rushing down the high speed line from Milano to Bologna.
2: Other 'Frecce' trains, which are slower because they don't take the high speed line.
3. The Intercity trains which also take the non high-speed 'classic route', but are slowest of all, because they make more station calls.

Italo trains don't operate on this route.

A sequence of two high speed railways enables high speed trains to rush from Milano to Rome/Roma.
This high speed route is shared by 'Frecce' services operated by the national rail operator, Trenitalia, and competing Italo services.

For those who favor cheapest price over journey time, there is also the opportunity to save money by taking the much slower Intercity trains which still snake their way along the older 'classic' railway lines.

The railway which follows the coast of the Italian Riviera has been improved in recent years, but it's remote from the Italian high speed network, hence it being served by fewer trains than you might expect.

If the timings of these direct trains don't suit, then an option is to take Regionale trains and make a connection in Genoa/Genova.

Though if you make the journey by daylight, your efforts will be rewarded by one of Europe's most lovely coastal rail journeys.

Stresa is located along one of the two main railway routes between Italy and Switzerland, hence the express train service from Milan being provided by international EuroCity (EC) trains.

Though if you will be booking tickets last minute at the station, perhaps due to a spontaneous decision to make a day trip to Lake Maggiore, then the slightly slower Regionale (RV) trains, will be money savers.

Whether you take the EC or RV trains a delightful journey along the shores of Lake Maggiore awaits you.

Tirano is where an easy transfer is available to the trains of the Rhaetian Railway, which take the most spectacular of all Swiss railway journeys through the Bernina Pass.

If you have time available, a day trip from Milan to St Moritz via Tirano is a must!
And the route to Tirano along the eastern shore of Lake Como is one of Italy's most spectacular railway journeys.

Frecciarossa and Frecciarossa 1000 trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed line between Milano and Torino/Turin, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below. and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

In addition to those trains which rush down the high speed line, there are Regionale (RV) trains which still travel along the older 'classic' route
So they're much slower, but if you want to save when booking tickets, particularly at the last minute, they'll be much cheaper
Eurail and InterRail pass users can also use them and avoid the rail pass reservation fees payable on the 'Frecce' trains.

Now that the first stage of the Milano to Venezia high speed line has opened to Brescia, the rail service between Milan/Milano and Venice/Venezia is provided by

1. high speed 'Frecce' trains operated by the national rail company, Trenitalia
2. high speed Italo trains
3. EuroCity (EC) trains which have travelled from Switzerland (these trains don't use the high speed line).

When heading to beautiful Verona from Milan by train, there is a choice between:

1: the Regional trains, they're more frequent and generally cheaper (they will be when booking last minute at the station)
However, they're also the slowest option and seats can't be reserved - though modern, smart double-decked trains are now used on most departures.

2: the express trains, which are faster and seats assigned when booking, but the speed comes at a price because they tend to be more expensive.
Fastest of all are the Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia and the rival Italo trains, as they whizz down the high speed line between Milano and Brescia.

Now that the first stage of the Milano to Venezia high speed line has opened to Brescia, the rail service between Milan/Milano and Vicenza is provided by

1. high speed 'Frecce' trains operated by the national rail company, Trenitalia
2. high speed Italo trains
3. EuroCity (EC) trains which have travelled from Switzerland (these trains don't use the high speed line).

An expanded service of trains between Milan and Zurich is in place on new timetable, which exploits both the new trains which have been introduced to the route and the recently opened Ceneri Base Tunnel, which has enabled the fastest ever journey time between the two cities.

Though this remains a journey which showcases the best of European rail travel.
The smart new trains have restaurant cars, the engineering achievements to enable the journey time are phenomenal and despite the epic, recently opened rail tunnels, most of the journey is still fantastically beautiful!

Two of the longest railway tunnels in Europe enable travellers to speed through the Alps on a thrilling journey to northern Italy

Most of the trains from Bologna to Milano race down Italy's fastest high speed line, which has been constructed between the two cities.

Though some trains still take the older 'classic' route through Parma and Piacenza, but because they are slower, they are also typically cheaper.

Connections are available in Milano Centrale station for locations with no direct trains from Bologna including towns in northern Italy such as Arona and Stresa; and for Swiss destinations including Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne and Luzern.

The Frecciarossa and Frecciarossa 1000 trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed route between Firenze and Milano, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, the Intercity trains from Firenze to Milano still take the older 'classic' route, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users; but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

Connections are available in Milano Centrale station for locations with no direct trains from Firenze/Florence including towns in northern Italy such as Como and Stresa; and for Swiss destinations including Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lugano, Luzern and Zurich.

This fascinating journey on the only direct train from central Germany to Italy includes rushing down a German high-speed line, a passage across Switzerland with views over five lakes and a travelling through the world's longest railway tunnel.

Taking the train from Cologne/Köln to Milano is typically a fabulous experience, with only one easy transfer required between two of Europe's smartest trains.
When looking up this journey you will see other options which require additional conditions, but there is no need to make more than one transfer.

Travelling overnight is a tad more awkward, despite a sleeper train now being available for the first part of the journey between Koln and Basel.
However, it is typically due to arrive in Basel SBB station only 8mins prior to the departure of an EC express train on to Milano; so a better option is to remain make the connection there.
There aren't any overnight trains available from Switzerland to Milano

It is entirely feasible to make a journey by train during the day from London to Milan.
The timings allow plenty of time to cross Paris, so you won't be rushing from the onward connection against the clock.

Also the Italian rail operator is now operating its top-tier Frecciarossa 1000 trains on the Paris to Milano route, which has not only increased the number of journey options, this train also arrives in Milano Centrale station, the main railway terminal in the city.

What isn't now an option is taking the Eurostar to Paris and then the overnight train to Milano, as the night train between Paris and Italy were withdrawn a few years ago.

Taking the train from Lyon to Milano has been transformed by the better thanks to the launch of a new service of the ultra-smart Italian Frecciariossa 1000 trains, the top-tier trains operated by Trenitalia.

If you want to travel direct from München/Munich to Milano/Milan/Mailand by train you will need to travel overnight by Nightjet.

By day a connection between trains is required in Verona Porta Nuova station, but the end-to-end journey will be faster; and it's also a stunning train ride.

The overnight train service between Paris and Milano has been sadly withdrawn so travelling by the day on a through the Alps is now the only option for a direct Paris to Milan rail journey.

However, some positive news for this route is that Italy's national rail company, Trenitalia has introduced its ultra smart Frecciarossa 1000 trains to this route.
So along with the existing and continuing TGV services, an unprecedented five daily trains are now available from the French capital to northern Italy

Though when looking up this journey on the ticket agents, you'll also likely see other daytime options with connections between trains in Basel, Geneva, Lausanne or Zurich.
If you'll be happy to change trains and the connections are easily timed (more than 30 mins ideally) and the price is competitive then these other options are definitely worth considering.

The journey from any of those Swiss cities to Milan will also be more scenic than this route.

A sequence of two high speed railways enables high speed trains to rush from Rome/Roma to Milan/Milano
This high speed route is shared by 'Frecce' services operated by the national rail operator, Trenitalia, and competing Italo services.

For those who favor cheapest price over journey time, there is also the opportunity to save money by taking the much slower Intercity trains which still snake their way along the older 'classic' railway line.

Connections are available in Milano Centrale station for locations with no direct trains from Roma including towns in northern Italy such as Como and Stresa; and for Swiss destinations including Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lugano, Luzern and Zurich.

Frecciarossa and Frecciarossa 1000 trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed line between Torino/Turin and Milano, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below. and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

In addition to those trains which rush down the high speed line, there area also Regionale (RV) trains which still travel along the older 'classic' route
So they're much slower, but if you want to save when booking tickets, particularly at the last minute, they'll be much cheaper
Eurail and InterRail pass users can also use them to avoid the rail pass reservation fees payable on the 'Frecce' trains.

Now that the first stage of the Venezia to Milano high speed line has opened west of Brescia, the rail service between Venice/Venezia and Milan/Milano is provided by

1. high speed 'Frecce' trains operated by the national rail company, Trenitalia
2. high speed Italo trains
3. EuroCity (EC) trains which be travelling on to Switzerland (these trains don't use the high speed line).

When heading to Milan from Verona by train, there is a choice between taking:

1: the Regional trains, they're more frequent and generally cheaper (they will be when booking last minute at the station)
However, they're also the slowest option and seats can't be reserved; though modern, smart double-decked trains are now used on most departures.

2: the express trains, which are faster and seats are assigned when booking, but the speed comes at a price because they tend to be more expensive.
Fastest of all are the Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia and the rival Italo trains; because these two services whizz down the high speed line between Brescia and Milano.

A long planned expanded service of trains between Milan and Zurich makes the most of the brand new trains that have been introduced to the route and the relatively new Ceneri Base Tunnel.

Though this remains a journey which showcases the best of European rail travel.
The smart new trains have restaurant cars, the engineering achievements to enable the journey time are phenomenal and despite the epic, recently opened rail tunnels, most of the journey is still fantastically beautiful!

Another recent innovation was the very welcome extension to the routes taken by some departures, so that Zurich now has daily direct trains to Genova/Genoa and Bologna; though these two services don't call at Milan's primary rail station, Milano Centrale.

In common with many Italian rail routes there is a choice of services when making a journey by train from Rome/Roma to Ancona:

1. If the timings suit and you want the peace of mind of a reserved seat, take the Intercity (IC) trains.
   Also because limited numbers of the cheaper 'Super Economy' tickets will be made available for the IC trains, if you book ahead, they can be money savers.

2. The RV trains are more frequent and you can book last minute at the station with the peace of mind that you won't have saved by booking in advance.
   So if you buy tickets on the travel date, these RV trains become the cheapest option.

Though this isn't a high speed route, so the Intercity trains are only marginally faster.

In common with many Italian rail routes there is a choice of services when making a journey by train from Rome/Roma to Assisi:

1. If the timing suit sand you want the peace of mind of a reserved seat, take the Intercity (IC) train.
   Also because limited numbers of the cheaper 'Super Economy' tickets will be made available for the IC train, if you book ahead, it can be a money saver.

2. The RV trains are more frequent and you can book last minute at the station with the peace of mind that you won't have saved by booking in advance.
   So if you buy tickets on the travel date, these trains become the cheapest option.

Though this isn't a high speed route, so the Intercity trains are only marginally faster.

When travelling from Milano to Bari by train during the day, travellers have a choice of three different train services:
(1) There are the Frecce services operated by Trenitalia and (2) the competing service operated by Italo, which both spend the first part of their journeys rushing down the high speed line between Roma and Caserta.

(3) There is also the slower Intercity train which takes the non high-speed 'classic route' and also makes more station calls.

On Mondays to Saturdays this Intercity train and the second Frecce and Italo departures of the day, will all arrive in Bari in time to connect for the ferry departure to Patras; from where onward connections are available to Athens/Athina; but the ferry typically departs too early on Sundays for connections to be available.

On Fridays only, another option is to take the overnight train.

The Frecce 1000 trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed route between Roma and Bologna, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some trains from Roma to Bologna still take the older 'classic' route, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users, but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

When heading to wonderful Sicily from the Italian capital by train, travellers can choose to make the beautiful coastal journey by day, or travel through the night

Europe's last remaining train ferry service is used by both the day and night trains, as they cross from the Italian mainland to the island of Sicily, so taking this route is an unforgettable experience.

The Frecciarossa and Frecciarossa 1000 trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed route between Roma and Bologna used by these trains to Ferrara, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some trains from Roma to Ferrara still take the older 'classic' route, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users, but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed route between Roma and Firenze/Florence, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some trains from Roma to Firenze/Florence, the IC and RV trains, still take the older 'classic' route, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users, but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

Due to its coastal location Genova is some distance away from Italy's high speed rail network, therefore the city is served by comparatively few express trains.
Though that location on the shores of the Mediterranean ensures that journeys from the south into Genova by train are spectacular!

There is now a choice of four different rail services when taking a train from Rome/Roma to Genoa/Genova by day.

1: An early morning Frecciargento train races up the high speed line to Firenze and then joins the 'classic' coastal route near Pisa, also on every evening except Saturdays, another Frecciargento train begins its journey at the station at Fiumicino airport, so it doesn't depart from Roma Termini.
2. The Frecciabianca trains don't take the high speed line, but they tilt so they can travel faster on that classic coastal route.
3. The Intercity trains take the same route as the Frecciabianca trains, but they don't tilt and they make more station calls, so they're the slowest option; therefore they're typically the cheapest option too.
4. A new evening Italo service uses the high speed line from Roma to Milano and then travels on from Milano to Genova (uniquely for this route, this train calls at Pizza Principe station in the city first and then terminates at Brignole station).

The overnight train option is best avoided, as it departs from Ostiense station in Roma after midnight and arrives in Genova before 06:00.

Something else that's good to know is that the Trenitalia trains from Rome call at two stations in Genoa; they call first at Genova Brignole station, before going on to call at Genova Pizza Principe station.
So it can be worth checking which station is more convenient for your ultimate destination.
Though if you'll be heading to the city centre, the quickest option will be to leave the train at Genova Brignole and transfer there to the Metro.

There is a choice of three different rail services when taking a train from Rome/Roma to La Spezia.
1: The early morning Frecciargento train races up the high speed line to Firenze and then joins the 'classic' route near Pisa.
2. The Frecciabianca trains don't take the high speed line, but they tilt, so they can travel faster on the 'classic' coastal route.
3. The Intercity trains take the same coastal route as the Frecciabianca trains, but they don't tilt and they make more station calls, so they're the slowest option; therefore they're typically the cheapest option too.

There are no Italo trains between Rome and Genoa.

On any day of the week except Fridays, the only option for taking a direct train from Roma/Rome to Lecce is to board one of the daily 'Frecce' services, but on Fridays there is also the option of taking a train through the night.

Europe's last remaining train ferry service is used by the direct trains as they cross from the Italian mainland to the island of Sicily.
Also once the train is south of Salerno, this becomes Europe's most stunningly beautiful coastal railway journey!

Though an alternative to taking the direct trains is to use a combination of a train and a fast ferry, and taking this option has become easier recently, thanks to an increase in the number of rail + sea connections.

A sequence of two high speed railways enables high speed trains to rush from Rome/Roma to Milan/Milano
This high speed route is shared by 'Frecce' services operated by the national rail operator, Trenitalia, and competing Italo services.

For those who favor cheapest price over journey time, there is also the opportunity to save money by taking the much slower Intercity trains which still snake their way along the older 'classic' railway line.

Connections are available in Milano Centrale station for locations with no direct trains from Roma including towns in northern Italy such as Como and Stresa; and for Swiss destinations including Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lugano, Luzern and Zurich.

Modena was by-passed when the Bologna to Milano high speed line was constructed, so all but two of the Frecce trains between Roma and Milano inevitably take that line, so don't call in Modena.

Hence when looking up a Roma to Modena journey on the ticket booking websites, nearly all of the options you will see, involve connecting between two trains in Bologna.
However, if the timings suit there are two daily direct Frecce trains, plus two slower Intercity trains, which avoid the need to make connections.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed route between Roma and Napoli, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some trains from Roma to Napoli still take the older 'classic' route, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users, but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

From Rome to the Pompeii ruins or Sorrento by train:

It's a straightforward journey from Rome to Pompeii or Sorrento by train and you can avoid the Neapolitan traffic.
The first step is to take a train from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale and it's worth taking the high speed trains; as they will save you more than two hours of travel time.

Napoli Centrale station is linked by a passage way to Napoli Garibaldi station, which has departures to both Pompei Scavi (the nearest station to the ruins) and Sorrento by Circumvesuviana trains.
It's not a particularly complicated interchange, but you will need to purchase tickets for the Circumvesuviana trains on arrival in Napoli.

The journey time from Napoli to Sorrento is around 1hr 5 mins, and to Pompeii S. Villa Misteri by Circumvesuviana trains takes only around 35 mins.
Check the Napoli Centrale station guide for more info.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the route, which is high speed between Roma and Bologna, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some trains from Roma to Padova/Padua still take the older 'classic' route, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users, but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

It's a long journey by train from Rome/Roma to Palermo hence both day and night trains being an option on this route.
A tick in the box for taking the day train is the hour after hour of fabulous coastal scenery, which can be enjoyed for the majority of the train ride; though the night train also travels along the northern coast of Sicily after dawn.

The night train becomes the journey to take if you need or want to be in Palermo before evening; the first train of the day isn't due into the city before around 19:30.

Both the day and night trains are loaded on special ferries so that they can be transported from the Italian mainland to the island of Sicily.

Parma was by-passed when the Bologna to Milano high speed line was constructed, so all but one of the Frecce trains between Roma and Milano inevitably take that line, so don't call in Parma.

Hence when looking up a Roma to Parma journey on the ticket booking websites, nearly all of the options you will see, involve connecting between two trains in Bologna.
However, if the timings suit there is a daily direct Frecce train, plus two slower Intercity trains, which avoid the need to make connections.

In common with many Italian rail routes there is a choice of services when making a journey by train from Rome/Roma to Perugia:

1. If the timing suit sand you want the peace of mind of a reserved seat, take the Intercity (IC) train.
   Also because limited numbers of the most 'Super Economy' tickets will be made available for the IC train, if you book ahead, it can be a money saver.

2. The RV trains are more frequent and you can book last minute at the station with the peace of mind that you won't have saved by booking in advance.
   So if you buy tickets on the travel date, these trains become the cheapest option.

Though this isn't a high speed route, so the Intercity trains are only marginally faster.

There is a choice of three different rail services when taking a train from Rome/Roma to Pisa.

1. The Frecciabianca trains don't take the high speed line, but they tilt, so they can travel faster on the 'classic' route.
2. The Intercity trains take the same route as the Frecciabianca trains, but they don't tilt and they make more station calls, but they're typically the cheapest option when booking head.
3. Slowest of all are the Regionale Veloce (RV) trains, but when booking tickets last minute at the station, they become the cheapest option.

There are no Italo trains between Rome and Genoa.

When looking up this journey on the ticket booking websites there will be dozens of journey options available

All but four of which involve taking a Frecce high speed train from Rome to Bologna and then connecting into a Bologna to Rimini train.

The journeys with the shortest connections win Bologna, are quicker than taking the daily direct Frecce train operated by Trenitalia and much faster than the IC trains.

However, Italo has recently introduced a direct train which takes the route via Bologna, where it reverses direction.
It also provides a direct option for travelling from Rome to Rimini in the mornings.

Look at the railway map of Europe and there is a railway which tantalizingly is either close to or right by Italy's Mediterranean Coast, but there is only direct train per day, which makes its way along the northern half of this route, all the way from Rome to the Italian Riviera.

When heading to wonderful Sicily from the Italian capital by train, travellers can choose to make the beautiful coastal journey by day, or travel through the night

Europe's last remaining train ferry service is used by both the day and night trains, as they cross from the Italian mainland to the island of Sicily, so taking this route is an unforgettable experience.

A sequence of three high speed railways enables high speed trains to rush from Rome/Roma to Turin/Torino.
This high speed route is shared by 'Frecce' services operated by the national rail operator, Trenitalia, and competing Italo services.

For those who favor spectacular scenery over journey time, there is also the option to travel along a spectacular coastal route, though these non-high speed trains are inevitably much slower.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed section of the route between Roma and Bologna, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some trains from Roma to Venice/Venezia take an entirely different and much longer cross-country route.
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users; but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed section of the route between Roma and Bologna, with Italo trains.

They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance

There are two options for taking a 'train' from Rome to Sicily.
(1) Taking the IC and ICN trains which get loaded on a train ferry, so that they continue their journeys on from Messina to Palermo and Siracusa.
(2) Taking a train to the port town of Villa San Giovanni and connecting there for a fast ferry to Messina.

The day and night trains which take the ferry call at Villa S. Giovanni, but trains heading to Reggio di Calabria also call there.
It is these trains heading to Reggio di Calabria, which all have good advertised connections, at Villa S. Giovanni into the fast ferries on to Messina.

However, as will be seen from the options below, there is a wide choice of train services which operate on the route to Reggio di Calabria.
So when looking up a trip on the booking websites factor in the journey time as well as the ticket price.
The longer the rail travel journey time, the cheaper the tickets are likely to be.

The journey times below are for the rail journey from Rome to Villa S. Giovanni, but the end-to-end journey times to Messina are also dependent on the ferry connections, which can range from 10 mins to around an hour.
So look out for the end-to-end journey times, using a combination of the train and ferry timetable (see the links below).
Paying a more expensive price to travel on a faster train, won't be such good value for money if you then have to spend 45mins or more, awaiting the departure of the ferry.

The only international rail service from Rome is the Nightjet train which serves both Munich/München and Vienna on routes which travel through the night.

Trieste is the most distant city in northern Italy from Rome/Roma which explains the comparative lack of daily departures.
Though despite that there is a wide choice of options for making this journey from Roma/Rome to Trieste by train, however when travelling by day, it isn't possible to be in the city on The Adriatic until after 18:30.

1. The daily 'Frecce' train operated by Trenitalia is the fastest option.
2. The daily Italo service shares the high speed route as far as Bologna with the 'Frecce' train.
3. The two daily IC services are a slower, but typically cheaper option.
4. There is also an overnight train, which is typically due to arrive in Trieste at around 09:00.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed route between Firenze/Florence and Rome, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some trains from Firenze/Florence to Roma, the IC and RV trains, still take the older 'classic' route, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users, but they are not as frequent as the high speed services

A sequence of two high speed railways enables high speed trains to rush from Milano to Rome/Roma.
This high speed route is shared by 'Frecce' services operated by the national rail operator, Trenitalia, and competing Italo services.

For those who favor cheapest price over journey time, there is also the opportunity to save money by taking the much slower Intercity trains which still snake their way along the older 'classic' railway lines.

The only direct train service between München/Munich and Roma/Rome is provided by the overnight Nightjet train, but it's also a straightforward and stunningly beautiful journey by day.

Take one of the daily EC trains through the mountains to Bologna and connect there for a high speed train on to Roma

How you travel from Paris to Roma by train depends on whether you set off from the French capital in the morning, or depart in the early afternoon.

Depart from Paris before 07:00 and one one of the two options available for the end-to-end journey involves taking the Italian Frecce train, which has been newly introduced to this route to Italy from Paris; and making a connection on to another Frecce train on to Roma in Milano Centrale station.

The early morning alternative route involves taking TGV train to Torino Porta Susa station and connecting there into a Frecce train on to Roma, and this option is also available when setting off from Paris in the early afternoon.

Travelling overnight isn't an option worth considering on this route, it's possible to depart Paris on the TGV train to Torino, which typically departs Paris at 14:43 and connecting into an InterCity Notte train on to Roma, but the transfer time is only 18 mins.
Therefore as it's a connection that can't be guaranteed, separate bookings for each train are required, so it's quite a gamble!

Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia compete with Italo trains on the north to south high speed rail route in Italy.
The two services take the same route so have similar journey times, so the key differences are; the ticket prices, the agents which sell them and the on-board facilities on the trains - hence it's worth taking a look at the 'Train guides'.

For those that favor scenery over speed, there is also a daily Frecciabianca service which takes the non high-speed 'classic' route by the Mediterranean coast.
An Intercity train also takes this coastal route and it provides a cheaper option for both ticket purchasers and rail pass users.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed section of the route between Bologna and Roma, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some trains from Venice/Venezia to Rome/Roma take an entirely different and much longer cross-country route.
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users; but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia compete with Italo trains on the north to south high speed rail route in Italy.
The two services take the same route so have similar journey times, so the key differences are; the ticket prices, the agents which sell them and the on-board facilities on the trains - hence it's worth taking a look at the 'Train guides'.

The only direct train from the Austrian capital to the Italian capital is the overnight Nightjet service.
To travel by day involves taking the early morning train from Vienna/Wien to Venice, with a connection at Venezia Mestre station

The length of the journey by train from Turin / Torino to Bari results in both day and night trains being an option.
Though the distance also results in a sparse, but useful, service of direct trains.

Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia compete with Italo trains on Italy's fastest high speed route.

Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia compete with Italo trains on the fastest high speed rail route in Italy

In common with many of the rail routes between Italian cities, when taking the train from Turin/Torino to Genoa/Genova, there is a choice between
(1) travelling by the express trains, which if booked ahead, are a little more expensive than taking the Regionale trains.
(2) travelling by those slower Regionale trains, which tend to be cheaper; with more substantial savings to be made if you book last minute at the station.

All of the trains take the same route, departing from Torino Porta Nuova station, as there isn't a high speed line between Turin and Genoa.
The trains on this route don't call at Torino Porta Susa station.

Thanks to the length of the journey from the knee to the heel of Italy, there is a choice between travelling by day; and making the most of the coastal scenery, or travelling on a overnight train.

A casual glance at the European Rail Map would lead to a correct assumption that Torino/Turin is the Italian city with the easiest access to London by train.
So if you'll be making a rail journey to the UK from the south of Italy, an overnight stay in Torino can be a good option.

Take the fabulous rail journey from north-west Italy to central France, which involves a passage through the Alps.

Trenitalia has now introduced its ultra smart Frecciarossa 1000 trains to this route and they have in effect replaced the TGV trains when travelling city centre to city centre.

Frecciarossa and Frecciarossa 1000 trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed line between Torino/Turin and Milano, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below. and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

In addition to those trains which rush down the high speed line, there area also Regionale (RV) trains which still travel along the older 'classic' route
So they're much slower, but if you want to save when booking tickets, particularly at the last minute, they'll be much cheaper
Eurail and InterRail pass users can also use them to avoid the rail pass reservation fees payable on the 'Frecce' trains.

Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia compete with Italo trains on the north to south high speed rail route in Italy.
The two services take the same route so have similar journey times, so the key differences are; the ticket prices, the agents which sell them and the on-board facilities on the trains - hence it's worth taking a look at the 'Train guides'.

Trenitalia has recently introduced its ultra smart Frecciarossa 1000 trains to this route.
So along with the existing and continuing TGV services, an unprecedented five daily trains are now available from the capital of Piedmont to the French capital.

Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia compete with Italo trains on the north to south high speed rail route in Italy.
The two services take the same route so have similar journey times, so the key differences are; the ticket prices, the agents which sell them and the on-board facilities on the trains - hence it's worth taking a look at the 'Train guides'.

For those that favor scenery over speed, there is also a daily Frecciabianca service which takes the non high-speed 'classic' route by the Mediterranean coast.
An Intercity train also takes this coastal route and it provides a cheaper option for both ticket purchasers and rail pass users.

A sequence of three high speed railways enables high speed trains to rush from Florence/Firenze to Turin/Torino.
This high speed route is shared by 'Frecce' services operated by the national rail operator, Trenitalia, and competing Italo services
These two high speed (AV) services are the only direct trains from Florence to Turin.

It is entirely feasible to make a journey by train during the day from London to Torino/Turin.
The timings allow plenty of time to cross Paris, so you won't be rushing from the onward connection against the clock.

Take the fabulous rail journey from Lyon to beautiful Torino/Turin, which involves a passage through the Alps.

Trenitalia has introduced its ultra smart Frecciarossa 1000 trains to this route and they have in effect replaced the TGV trains when travelling city centre to city centre.

Frecciarossa and Frecciarossa 1000 trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed line between Milano and Torino/Turin, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below. and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

In addition to those trains which rush down the high speed line, there are Regionale (RV) trains which still travel along the older 'classic' route
So they're much slower, but if you want to save when booking tickets, particularly at the last minute, they'll be much cheaper
Eurail and InterRail pass users can also use them and avoid the rail pass reservation fees payable on the 'Frecce' trains.

Take the fabulous rail journey from Paris to beautiful Torino/Turin, which combines more than two hours of travelling in excess of 280 km/h and then a passage through the Alps.

However, some positive news for this route is that Italy's national rail company, Trenitalia has introduced its ultra smart Frecciarossa 1000 trains to this route.
As a result Paris and Torino are now connected by an unprecedented five trains per day.

A sequence of three high speed railways enables high speed trains to rush from Rome/Roma to Turin/Torino.
This high speed route is shared by 'Frecce' services operated by the national rail operator, Trenitalia, and competing Italo services.

For those who favor spectacular scenery over journey time, there is also the option to travel along a spectacular coastal route, though these non-high speed trains are inevitably much slower.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia are currently the only direct trains available when making a rail journey from Venezia/Venice to Torino/Turin.

Pre-pandemic Italo trains were available and they were also many more departures by Frecce trains, so hopefully the current level of service is a temporary reduction.

There isn't a high speed railway between Venice/Venezia and Bologna, but high speed Frecce and Italo trains heading to Rome and beyond, provide the fastest express train services on this route.
Though as is typical, the faster a train, the more expensive it is likely to be; but the difference between journey times isn't particularly extreme on this route.

However, if you will be booking tickets last minute at the station, then taking the slowest Regionale Veloce trains will be a money saver.

There isn't a high speed railway between Venice/Venezia and Desenzano, but high speed Frecce and Italo trains heading to Milano and beyond, provide the only direct train services on this route.

There isn't a high speed railway between Venice/Venezia and Ferrara but Frecce trains provide the fastest express services on this route.

Those faster Frecce trains are typically the best option if you can book in advance, you may not have to pay much more for the speed and comparative comfort and tickets also include complimentary seat reservations.
Though you'll need to commit to taking a specific departure when booking the cheapest type of tickets.

In contrast, if you'll be booking last minute tickets at the station, the slower and more frequent Regionale Veloce (RV) trains will be the cheaper option - so they become the best option for a spontaneous day trip to beautiful Ferrara by train.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share this route with Italo trains
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

The Frecce and Italo trains are now the only option for taking a direct train from Venice to Florence.

Making the rail journey from Venice to western Switzerland is straightforward thanks to the locations being linked by comparatively comfortable trains.
Though the daily direct train isn't scheduled to arrive in Geneve until after 23:00.

However, the direct train is by the most convenient option on this route.
The trains from Milano to Geneve which typically depart at 13:23 and 17:23 don't have convenient connections with trains from Venezia/Venice.

If you will be planning a travel itinerary which includes both Geneva and Venice, if you travel by direct train in the opposite direction you'll get to experience the fabulous views, which can be seen during the daytime.

All that’s good to know about taking the direct train from Venice to Genoa with easy access to ticket, train and station info.

Step on board for one of Europe's most glorious railway journeys which gets better and better the nearer the train gets to Innsbruck.
So at weekends, when two departures are available, taking the first train of the day from Venice/Venezia to Innsbruck is recommended.

Look up a journey by train from Venice/Venezia to Lugano on the rail ticket booking services and most of the journey options you will see involve taking a Frecce train to Milano Centrale station and connecting there for an EC express train to Lugano.

However, there is usually a direct train available, though it isn't due to arrive into Lugano until around 19:30.
If you want to arrive in the Swiss lake resort town (Lake Lugano is cited an Italian lake, but Lugano is in Switzerland) sooner, particularly good connections are usually available when departing from Venezia S. Lucia at 07:18 and 11:48.

When booking tickets for journeys by the direct train or the connecting between Frecce and EC trains in Milano, complimentary seat reservations for both trains will be included.
Though users of Eurail of InterRail passes will have to pay for those seat reservations, so if you will be travelling with a rail pass, a money saving option is to hop between Venice and Lugano on three regional trains, making connections in Verona and Milano.

Now that the first stage of the Venezia to Milano high speed line has opened west of Brescia, the rail service between Venice/Venezia and Milan/Milano is provided by

1. high speed 'Frecce' trains operated by the national rail company, Trenitalia
2. high speed Italo trains
3. EuroCity (EC) trains which be travelling on to Switzerland (these trains don't use the high speed line).

When taking the train from Venezia/Venice
to München/Munich you can either opt to take the fantastically scenic daytime journey, or travel overnight on a sleeper train

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share this route with Italo trains
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

The Frecce and Italo trains are now the only option for taking a direct train from the historical heart of Venice (Venezia S. Lucia station) to Naples/Napoli.

Beautiful Padova/Padua is the closest city to Venezia/Venice so it's an easy and short journey by train.
Though when making a spontaneous day trip, the Regionale/Regionale Veloce trains are the best option, you won't lose out financially by not booking in advance, so you can book at the station and hop on the next train to depart.

If you book ahead for the express trains, you'll have to commit to a specific departure in order to save money on the ticket price, but there is little point in doing so, when there are so many departures per day.

There isn't a high speed railway between Venice/Venezia and Peschiera, but high speed Frecce and Italo trains heading to Milano and beyond, provide the only direct train services on this route.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed section of the route between Bologna and Roma, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some trains from Venice/Venezia to Rome/Roma take an entirely different and much longer cross-country route.
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users; but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia are currently the only direct trains available when making a rail journey from Venezia/Venice to Torino/Turin.

Pre-pandemic Italo trains were available and they were also many more departures by Frecce trains, so hopefully the current level of service is a temporary reduction.

Despite the distance between Venice/Venezia and Trieste, the only direct train sevices which connect the historical heart of Venice with its fellow city on The Adriatic are the Regionale Veloce (RV) trains.
Express trains, on which seats can be reserved, aren't available when travelling from Venezia S. Lucia station.

That's because the relatively small number of express trains which head to Trieste from other Italian cities would have to divert off their direct routes to call at S. Lucia station, so they only call at Venezia Mestre station on the mainland.

There isn't a high speed railway between Venice/Venezia and Verona, but high speed Frecce and Italo trains heading to Milano and beyond, plus EC trains heading to Switzerland provide the fastest express train services on this route.
Though as is typical, the faster a train, the more expensive it is likely to be; but the difference in journey times between the express trains and the regional trains isn't particularly extreme on this route.

So if you will be booking tickets last minute at the station, for a spontaneous day trip from Venice to Verona, then taking the slower Regionale Veloce trains will be a money saver.

There isn't a high speed line (yet) between Venice and Vicenza, so all of the trains take the same route, but due to the comparatively short distance, the express trains (Frecce, Italo, EC) are less than 10 mins faster than the Regionale trains, despite being more expensive.

Hence SMTJ's advice is to ignore those express trains and only take the Regionale Veloce (RV) trains when taking the train from Venice to beautiful Vicenza.

This journey by train from to Venice/Venezia to Vienna/Wien is near the top of Europe's must do journeys by train lists.
The two beautiful cities are connected by top tier day and night trains and the route between them is stunning!

Making the rail journey from Venice to northern Switzerland has been improved for the better on the new timetable, as the departure time has been moved forward by four hours to 13:18.
Aside from arriving in Switzerland in time for an evening meal, the two particular positives are:

• connections are available to destinations across Switzerland (Brig, Geneve, Lausanne and Sion have a daily direct train from Venice)
• for all by the shortest winter days, the entire journey will be daylight; and many of its highlights will be towards its conclusion.

Though if the timings of this direct train don't suit, the other option is to take a train to Milano Centrale and connect there for a train on to Zurich.
Taking an overnight journey isn't a feasible option on this route.

There isn't a high speed railway between Bologna and Venice/Venezia, but high speed Frecce and Italo trains which have travelled from destinations further south, provide the fastest express train services on this route.
Though as is typical, the faster a train, the more expensive it is likely to be; but the difference between journey times isn't particularly extreme on this route.

Two of the daily departures are the Frecciabianca trains, which will have travelled up from Lecce; and if you can book ahead; and the timings suit, these trains can be cheapest option of all.

However, if you will be booking tickets last minute at the station, taking the slowest Regionale Veloce trains will be a money saver.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the route, which is high speed between Firenze and Bologna, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

There are no longer any direct Intercity trains from Firenze/Florence to the heart of historical Venice/Venezia

Step on board for one of Europe's most fabulous journeys by train.

Now that the first stage of the Milano to Venezia high speed line has opened to Brescia, the rail service between Milan/Milano and Venice/Venezia is provided by

1. high speed 'Frecce' trains operated by the national rail company, Trenitalia
2. high speed Italo trains
3. EuroCity (EC) trains which have travelled from Switzerland (these trains don't use the high speed line).

When taking the train from München/Munich to Venezia/Venice you can either opt to take the fantastically scenic daytime journey, or travel overnight on a sleeper train

How you travel from Paris to Venezia / Venice by train depends on whether you set off from the French capital in the morning, or depart in the early afternoon.

Depart from Paris before 07:00 and the end-to-end journey involves taking the Italian Frecce train, which has been newly introduced to this route to Italy; and making a connection on to another Frecce train on to Venezia / Venice in Milano Centrale station.

Alternatively if you depart before 13:00 you will be taking a TGV train to Torino Porta Susa station and connecting there into a Frecce train on to Venezia / Venice; though that train from Torino arrives at Venezia Mestre and not at Venezia S. Lucia, which is the station on the Grand Canal.
So to reach the historical heart of Venezia, when departing Paris in the afternoon, a second connection into a local train from Mestre to S.Lucia is required.

Travelling overnight is no longer an option due to the termination of the sleeper train services between Paris and Venezia / Venice

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed section of the route between Roma and Bologna, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

However, some trains from Roma to Venice/Venezia take an entirely different and much longer cross-country route.
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users; but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.

When heading to Venezia/Venice from Verona by train, there is a choice between taking:

1: The Regional trains, they're more frequent and are generally cheaper than the express trains (they will be when booking last minute at the station).
However, they're also the slower option and seats can't be reserved; though modern, smart double-decked trains are now used on most departures.

2: The express trains, which are faster and seats are assigned when booking, but the speed comes at a price because they tend to be more expensive; though if you can book far enough ahead to snap up the cheapest ticket prices, and won't mind committing in advance to a specific departure, they become the logical choice.

This journey by train from Vienna/Wien to Venice/Venezia is near the top of Europe's must do journeys by train lists.
The two beautiful cities are connected by top tier day and night trains and the route between them is stunning!

Doesn't taking a train from Switzerland to gorgeous Venice/Venezia seem like a fabulously romantic notion?
Well the reality doesn't disappoint and the icing on the cake is that wonderful brand new trains, complete with restaurant cars, are now being used on this route.

There isn't a high speed railway between Verona and Bolzona, but the various types of express trains which use the route are inevitably faster because they make fewer station calls
Though as is typical, the faster a train, the more expensive it is likely to be; but the difference between journey times isn't particularly extreme on this route.

However, if you will be booking tickets last minute at the station, then taking the slower Regionale Veloce (RV) trains will be a money saver.
Though is a route on which it can pay off to look up the journey in advance.
The departure times of the RV trains tend to be irregular and the price difference with the express trains can be comparatively minor.

For users of InterRail and Eurail passes looking to avoid the comparatively expensive rail pass reservation fees (not charged to ticket purchasers) to travel on the international EC trains, connecting in Brennero for Austria is the way to go.
Though if you want to experience the journey and can book tickets ahead, taking the EC trains will be a money saver

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the route, which is high speed between Bologna and Firenze with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

The Frecce and Italo services are the only direct trains from Verona to Firenze/Florence.

For those ticking off the best of Europe on a travel itinerary, this fabulously useful train service provides a direct link from northern Italy to western Switzerland.

When heading to Milan from Verona by train, there is a choice between taking:

1: the Regional trains, they're more frequent and generally cheaper (they will be when booking last minute at the station)
However, they're also the slowest option and seats can't be reserved; though modern, smart double-decked trains are now used on most departures.

2: the express trains, which are faster and seats are assigned when booking, but the speed comes at a price because they tend to be more expensive.
Fastest of all are the Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia and the rival Italo trains; because these two services whizz down the high speed line between Brescia and Milano.

This wonderfully useful service of direct trains from northern Italy to Bavaria in southern Germany also involves travelling on one of the most spectacular European railway routes.
But if the timings of the daytime journey don' suit there is also the option of taking the night train.

Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia compete with Italo trains on the north to south high speed rail route in Italy.
The two services take the same route so have similar journey times, so the key differences are; the ticket prices, the agents which sell them and the on-board facilities on the trains - hence it's worth taking a look at the 'Train guides'.

When heading to Venezia/Venice from Verona by train, there is a choice between taking:

1: The Regional trains, they're more frequent and are generally cheaper than the express trains (they will be when booking last minute at the station).
However, they're also the slower option and seats can't be reserved; though modern, smart double-decked trains are now used on most departures.

2: The express trains, which are faster and seats are assigned when booking, but the speed comes at a price because they tend to be more expensive; though if you can book far enough ahead to snap up the cheapest ticket prices, and won't mind committing in advance to a specific departure, they become the logical choice.

Making the rail journey from Verona to northern Switzerland has been improved for the better on the new timetable, as the departure time has been moved forward by four hours to just after 14:30.
Aside from arriving in Switzerland in time for an evening meal, the two particular positives are:

• connections are available to destinations across Switzerland (Brig, Geneve, Lausanne and Sion have a daily direct train from Venice)
• for all by the shortest winter days, the entire journey will be daylight; and many of its highlights will be towards its conclusion.

Though if the timings of this direct train don't suit, the other option is to take a train to Milano Centrale and connect there for a train on to Zurich.
Taking an overnight journey isn't a feasible option on this route.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the route, which is high speed between Firenze and Bologna, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.

The Frecce and Italo services are the only direct trains from Firenze/Florence to Verona

Step on board for one of Europe's most fabulous railway journeys. the scenery from the windows is rather fabulous for pretty much every minute of this trip!

When heading to beautiful Verona from Milan by train, there is a choice between:

1: the Regional trains, they're more frequent and generally cheaper (they will be when booking last minute at the station)
However, they're also the slowest option and seats can't be reserved - though modern, smart double-decked trains are now used on most departures.

2: the express trains, which are faster and seats assigned when booking, but the speed comes at a price because they tend to be more expensive.
Fastest of all are the Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia and the rival Italo trains, as they whizz down the high speed line between Milano and Brescia.

When travelling from München/Munich to Verona by train, you can choose between making the stunning daytime journey, or to travel on the overnight train.

The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed section of the route between Roma and Bologna, with Italo trains.

They have similar speeds, so the differences between the two services are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance

There isn't a high speed railway between Venice/Venezia and Verona, but high speed Frecce and Italo trains heading to Milano and beyond, plus EC trains heading to Switzerland provide the fastest express train services on this route.
Though as is typical, the faster a train, the more expensive it is likely to be; but the difference in journey times between the express trains and the regional trains isn't particularly extreme on this route.

So if you will be booking tickets last minute at the station, for a spontaneous day trip from Venice to Verona, then taking the slower Regionale Veloce trains will be a money saver.

There are no direct daytime trains from Wien/Vienna to Verona, but the need to make a connection is mitigated by the fantastic scenery.
There is a choice of daytime options:
1: Take the first Railjet train of the day to Venezia Mestre and connect there.
2: Take a Railjet to Innsbruck and connect there into an EC train.

Doesn't taking a train from Switzerland to gorgeous Verona seem like a fabulously romantic notion?
Well the reality doesn't disappoint and the icing on the cake is that wonderful brand new trains, complete with restaurant cars, are now being used on this route.