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Milano / Milan / Mailand to Parma by train
How to travel from Milan to Parma by train
There is a choice of three train services on the Milano to Parma route:
- Fastest of all are the Frecce trains, they don't use the high speed line, but on these route they make fewer station calls.
- There are Intercity (IC) trains
- 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.
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Routes
Option 1: taking the Frecce trains
Journey Summary
1hr 9min (approx)
Daily
Travel Information
7 x trains per day
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date
These Frecce trains trains and the alternative Intercity (IC) trains tend to have similar prices on this route, but tickets for the Frecce trains can be placed on sale around two months in advance of the tickets for the IC trains.
The popularity of a particular departure has more of an impact on the availability of the cheapest tickets, rather than the type of train used for a specific departure
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
Though when the discounted tickets for the express trains are no longer available, the slower Regionale Veloce trains will be the cheapest option; so if you'll be booking last minute at the station, you're likely to save if you target those trains instead.
Rail Pass Users:
If you will be travelling with a valid Eurail or InterRail pass, you can avoid the €10 rail pass reservation fee required to take these trains aby taking the Intercity trains, which aren't much slower, or the RGV trains.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Italia rail | from €9.90 | |
| Trenitalia | from €9.90 | |
| Save A Train | from €9.90 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
The high speed line from Milano to the south by-passes Parma, so high speed trains aren't an option on this route.
Option 2: taking the InterCity trains
Journey Summary
1hr 24 min (approx)
Daily
Travel Information
Monday to Friday: = 5 x trains per day
Saturday: = 7 x trains per day
Sunday: = 5 x trains
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: up to 4 months ahead of the travel date
These IC trains are around 15 mins slower than the Frecce trains, but tickets tend to cost similar prices.
But as the difference in journey time is fairly marginal, book for which ever departure time suits you; and don't concern yourself with the specific type of train you will be travelling by.
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
However, when the cheapest tickets have sold out for these IC trains the slower Regionale Veloce (RGV) trains become the cheapest option
If you'll be booking on the the day of travel, you can usually save around €10 by taking those alternative Regionale Veloce trains.
Rail pass users:
If you will be travelling with a valid Eurail or InterRail pass, take care when choosing which train to travel by on this route.
You can avoid paying any rail pass reservation fees at all, if you take these trains, but particularly during the summer, choosing to pay the optional €3 rail pass reservation fee, can ensure you can remain in the same seat when making this journey
You can reserve prior to boarding these trains, either at the station (using a Trenitalia ticket machine or ticket desk) OR by booking them online.
How to book the rail pass reservations online is included on our guide to using rail passes in Italy.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Italia rail | from €9.90 | |
| Trenitalia | from €9.90 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Option 3: taking the Regionale Veloce trains
Journey Summary
1hr 34 min (approx)
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Bologna (or Parma)
All trains also call at: Piacenza and Modena
The alternative Frecce and Intercity trains are faster and more comfortable, so why would you choose to travel by these slower trains?
The answer is price, particularly if you'll be booking tickets last minute at the station, you can save more than €10 by taking these Regionale Veloce trains.
During the day these trains usually depart from Milano every other hour; in the hours with odd numbers.
7 x trains per day
Tickets
Book early and save: No (on these trains)
Tickets will cost the same price if purchased at the station immediately before departure.
When the discounted (Super Economy) tickets have sold out for the Frecce and IC trains, these Regionale Veloce (RGV) trains become the cheapest option.
If you'll be booking at station on the the day of travel, you can usually save around €10 by taking these trains.
Rail pass users should target these trains, you can avoid the €10 rail pass reservation fees that are charged on the Frecce trains.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Trenitalia | * |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
A spontaneous day trip from Milan to gorgeous Parma by train is easily done, but ideally look up the departure times on Trenitalia before heading to the station.
When booking tickets last minute at the station, you can save money by taking these RGV trains, but there will be gaps of two hours between departures.
So look up the departure time of the train you want to take and then be at Milano Centrale thirty minutes before the train is due to leave.
Give yourself time to buy a ticket, there is always a long queue at the booking office in Milano Centrale, so give the ticket machines a try.
Also these RGV trains typically, but not always, depart from binari (platforms/tracks) 22-24, which are further back from the main departure concourse.
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