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.
When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.
1hr 31min
Daily
1 - 2 x trains per hour
Is the journey from Rome to Florence direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is the journey scenic?
Not particularly, but this route is comparatively scenic for a high-speed line.
See the videos in the Journey Information.
What other tourist locations are along the route from Rome to Florence?
These trains are non-stop to Florence / Firenze
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Firenze S.M.Novella from Roma Termini on this journey option?
How easy is it to travel on from the station in Firenze / Florence?
The station has a very convenient location, the Duomo / cathedral in the heart of the city is within a 15 min walk.
See the Station Guide for more info, plus a choice of accommodation convenient for the station.
When is the usual approximate latest departure from Roma Termini to Firenze S.M.Novella on this journey option
Before 21:50 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to get to the station in Rome?
Roma Termini is served by two lines of the Metro - see the Station Guide for more info, plus a choice of accommodation convenient for the station.
Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Rome to Florence trains?
Yes, and they can be purchased from a choice of booking agents - see below.
Click on the 'Good to know info' to access a guide to how rail tickets are managed in Italy, plus step-by-step guides on how to make a booking with Trenitalia
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Rome to Florence trains?
It can be up to 6 months ahead of the travel date; though the booking period will be typically be shorter when looking up journeys for travel after the second Sunday in December; and when looking up summer travel in March to May.
What are the child ticket terms for these Rome to Florence trains?
Children aged 4 -14 receive a 50% discount, though these 50% child rates are calculated against the full 'Base' ticket price.
But adult 'Super Economy' tickets can be discounted by more than 50%; so if these tickets are still available for your journey, it can be worth paying the adult rate for a child aged 4 - 14.
Does the ticket for these Rome to Florence trains include assigned seats?
Yes - See the Train Guide in the Journey Information for insights on how to board the train.
Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Rome to Florence trains?
Yes - See the rail pass guide for Italy for info on the multiple booking options.
Is catering available on the Rome to Florence trains on this journey option?
Yes, there is a bar/bistro car.
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information.
What else is good to know about Italian rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in Italy.
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Exclusive for New Customers: Receive a 10% discount by using the code 24NOV on any purchase with a maximum total price of £100, until 28 November 2024 (11:59 pm CET). Limit one coupon per qualifying booking. Cannot be combined, transferred or exchanged.
Omio is an online ticket agency which offers tickets for rail journeys in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.
The three key advantages of using Omio are
The disadvantage of booking with Omio is that it often adds a booking fee to the final price; therefore when it does so without offering a price advantage, SMTJ doesn't tend to offer Omio as a booking option.
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Rail Europe ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option when booking international journeys with connections and for travellers who don't reside in western Europe. Use the easy options on its home page if you will be booking tickets with a railcard: Or purchasing rail pass reservations.
Italiarail lives up to its name by selling tickets for rail journeys within Italy and the core feature of its service is that it is primarily designed to be used by international visitors to Italy.
So the English translations of place names are used when looking up journeys and the terms and conditions for using each type of ticket are clearly explained.
It also clearly points out the additional costs of upgrading to other classes and types of tickets while spelling out the additional benefits of doing so.
Though Italiarail will charge a booking fee, typically of around €3.
The Early Bird service
Italiarail has launched an 'early bird' pre-booking service for journeys by Frecce trains.
Tickets can be booked up to a year ahead of travel at a flat-rate price per route, before the tickets have been released for sale by Trenitalia.
If when they are placed on sale, the price is cheaper than what you have already paid to Italiarail, it will automatically refund the price difference.
Conversely, if the price is more expensive, you won't be charged the price difference.
You can also have the peace of mind of securing your seat(s) on the Frecce train(s) when you are first planning a trip.
If before the tickets are placed on sale, you decide to change your plans, you can request a refund; but once the tickets are released for sale, you will then be bound by the terms and conditions of the ticket(s) you have booked.
Trenitlalia is the national rail operator in Italy and in addition to its cheaper types of ticket; it also typically offers other discounts available to non-Italians, which include:
The Frecce trains from Milano to Firenze/Florence head on to a swathe of other cities including Milano, Venezia, Torino, Verona, Bolzano and Bergamo
Most of these trains also call at: Roma Tiburtina
Note that a variety of trains are used on this route.
When looking up the journey on Trenitalia, it will indicate if a Frecciarossa 1000 train is due to be used on a specific departure.
The Frecciarossa 600 trains are only used on a few departures, the other trains are more common.
The high speed line between Rome and Florence is more scenic than most high speed routes, it's not a beautiful journey, but there is a wow factor of travelling across the rolling landscape at more than 240 km/h.
The direttissima between Rome and Florence was the first high speed railway line to be built in Italy, so it has a slower maximum speed than the other Italian high speed lines.
This video, taken from a train travelling in the opposite direction, gives an idea of the journey experience.
Save by booking in advance: Yes, for more details on how to obtain the cheapest prices for Frecce trains see the guide to Italian rail tickets.
Online bookings usually open: Up to 6 months ahead of the travel date; Though the booking periods will be typically be shorter when looking up journeys for travel after the second Sundays in December and June.
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.
The choice of train services - and tickets / prices
The high speed (AV) train service between Roma Termini and Florence is provided by:
(1) these Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia, and
(2) alternative Italo trains
Tickets for the Trenitalia Frecce trains can be placed on sale up to 6 months in advance, but the tickets for travel by Italo trains are typically made available around 3 to 4 months ahead.
Trenitalia does not sell tickets for the Italo trains - and Italo does not sell tickets for the Trenitalia trains.
If you're booking no more than 4 months ahead and have no particular preference for the train that you will be taking - the price and departure times of the Frecce and Italo trains can be directly compared on Trainline or Omio or Rail Europe. Though look out for the fact that these ticketing services will charge a booking fee.
The types of ticket:
Up to four core types of ticket will be available for advance booking:
(1) Long-term promotional tickets, such as 'Frecce Special' tickets, give discounts of up to 70% on the 'Base' ticket price.
Though they are made available in limited numbers, so can sell out on popular departures more than a month ahead of the travel date.
Regardless of how popular a departure / train is, they are only available up until 14 days ahead of departure.
They also can't be refunded or transferred to another departure.
(2) Super-Economy tickets are the cheapest option for journeys when a long-term promotion is either not available, or sold out.
They need to be booked more than five days ahead of a travel date.
They also can't be refunded or transferred to another departure.
(3) 'Economy' tickets are mid-priced, but they can be transferred to another departure, up to two hours before the train you were originally booked on, is due to leave.
However, you will need to pay the price difference, if tickets for the train you have swapped to are more expensive (they likely will be).
They also can't be refunded.
(4) Base tickets are the most expensive, but they are more flexible.
They can be refunded if the price per person is more than €10 - And they can also be transferred to another departure up until the time of the of your original departure - Meaning that you can go to the ticket counter and swap them to an earlier or later train.
You will have to pay any price difference, but the advance prices of Base tickets aren't heavily discounted.
You can also transfer them to another departure online, but this needs to be done at least two hours before the original departure time - When there is less than two hours to go, you'll need to use a ticket counter at the station.
Additional information, including what to look out for in general when booking, is available on the general guide to booking Italian rail tickets.
Alternative money saving options:
You can usually save money by avoiding the high speed trains when travelling from Rome to Florence/Firenze.
When the cheapest 'Super Economy' tickets are still available on the alternative Intercity (IC) trains those trains are usually the cheapest option of all.
However, those IC trains don't arrive at Santa Maria Novella station in Florence/Firenze city centre.
Though if you want to compare the price of the Intercity trains with both these Frecce trains AND the Italo trains, you will need to look up the journey on Omio or Trainline.
When the cheapest discounted tickets for the Intercity trains have sold out, the even slower Regionale Veloce (RV) become the cheaper option for a journey by train from Rome to Florence/Firenze.
If you will be buying tickets last minute at the station, you'll save by taking those RV trains.
Child tickets:
Rail Pass Users:
If you will be travelling with a valid Eurail or InterRail pass, you will need to 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.
Though rail pass users can save money by taking the Intercity trains or Regionale Veloce trains.
Rail passes aren't valid on the Italo trains.
1hr 32min
Daily
1 - 2 x trains per hour
Is the journey from Rome to Florence direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is the journey scenic?
Not particularly, but this route is comparatively scenic for a high-speed line.
See the videos in the Journey Information.
What other tourist locations are along the route from Rome to Florence?
These trains are non-stop to Florence / Firenze.
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Firenze S.M.Novella from Roma Termini on this journey option?
How easy is it to travel on from the station in Firenze / Florence?
The station has a very convenient location, the Duomo / cathedral in the heart of the city is within a 15 min walk.
See the Station Guide for more info, plus a choice of accommodation convenient for the station.
When is the usual approximate latest departure from Roma Termini to Firenze S.M.Novella on this journey option
Around 20:40 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to get to the station in Rome?
Roma Termini is served by two lines of the Metro - see the Station Guide for more info, plus a choice of accommodation convenient for the station.
--
Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Rome to Florence trains?
Yes, and they can be purchased from a choice of booking agents - see below.
Click on the 'Good to know info' to access a guide to how rail tickets are managed in Italy.
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Rome to Florence trains?
It can be up to 4 months ahead of the travel date; though the booking period will be typically be shorter when looking up journeys for travel after the second Sunday in December; and when looking up summer travel in March to May.
What are the child ticket terms for these Rome to Florence trains?
Children aged 3 and under travel free of charge, but they cannot occupy their own seats.
Children aged 4 to 13 also travel for free, if they are accompanied by at least one adult on the 'Family Offer'.
Though otherwise there is no discount on tickets for children aged 4 to 13 - see the Ticket Information
Does the ticket for these Rome to Florence trains include assigned seats?
Yes - See the Train Guide in the Journey Information for insights on how to board the train.
Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Rome to Florence trains?
Rail passes are not valid on these trains.
Is catering available on the Rome to Florence trains on this journey option?
There is no bistro/bar car, snacks and drinks can be purchased from vending machines.
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information.
What else is good to know about Italian rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in Italy.
Exclusive for New Customers: Receive a 10% discount by using the code 24NOV on any purchase with a maximum total price of £100, until 28 November 2024 (11:59 pm CET). Limit one coupon per qualifying booking. Cannot be combined, transferred or exchanged.
Omio is an online ticket agency which offers tickets for rail journeys in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.
The three key advantages of using Omio are
The disadvantage of booking with Omio is that it often adds a booking fee to the final price; therefore when it does so without offering a price advantage, SMTJ doesn't tend to offer Omio as a booking option.
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Rail Europe ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option when booking international journeys with connections and for travellers who don't reside in western Europe. Use the easy options on its home page if you will be booking tickets with a railcard: Or purchasing rail pass reservations.
Italo trains compete with the Frecce services, provided by the national rail operator, Trenitalia, on the high speed routes which link major cities in Italy.
The Italo booking site only sells tickets for journeys by its trains.
Happy Rail is a Netherlands rail ticket agency which sells tickets for both national and international journeys within a range of countries including Belgium France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland.
HappyRail doesn't charge booking fees in the conventional sense, but if you're not Dutch you can expect to pay additional transaction fees, which will be added to the total cost.
That's because the most common form of online payment used in The Netherlands is 'iDEAL' and HappyRail doesn't charge a transaction fee for 'iDEAL' payments, but only Dutch residents can sign up to 'iDEAL'.
Other forms of payment include Visa debit cards will incur a fee.
Final Destination: Milano or Torino or Venezia or Bolzano (and others)
Some trains also call at: Roma Tiburtina
The Italo trains take the same route as the Frecce trains.
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: Around 3 - 4 months ahead of the travel date
The choice of train services - and tickets / prices
The faster (AV) train service between Rome and Florence is provided by:
(1) these Italo trains
(2) alternative Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia
Tickets for the Trenitalia Frecce trains are placed on sale around 6 months in advance, but the Italo train tickets are made available around 3 to 4 months ahead.
However, Trenitalia does not sell tickets for the Italo trains - and Italo does not sell tickets for the Trenitalia trains.
If you're booking no more than 4 months ahead and have no particular preference for the train that you will be taking - the price and departure times of the Frecce and Italo trains can be directly compared on Trainline or Omio or Rail Europe. Though look out for the fact that these ticketing services will charge a booking fee.
Additional information, including what to look out for in general when booking, is available on the general guide to booking Italian rail tickets.
The types of ticket
Up to four types of tickets are available for journeys by Italo trains - regardless of the type of ambience / travel class you wish to travel by.
The three types of ticket which are always available are:
(1) Low Cost tickets = You can change the class, date and time of your trip, as many times as you like, up to 72 hours before scheduled departure - Subject to availability
But will be charged 20% of the price initially paid + plus any price difference with the original price
You can purchase a Refund Option for an additional cost - and if you then want to cancel you will receive 80% of the price paid; Without it this type of ticket is not refundable
(2) Economy = You can change the class, date and time of your trip, as many times as you like, up to 3 minutes before scheduled departure - Subject to availability
But will be charged 20% of the price initially paid + plus any price difference with the original price
If you want to cancel you will receive 60% of the price paid.
(3) Flex = You can change the class, date and time of your trip, as many times as you like up to 3 minutes before scheduled departure - without paying any price difference from the offer available at the time of booking.
If you want to cancel you will receive 80% of the price paid
Plus if you miss your train, you will have an hour to re-book by the next available departure - but this can only be arranged at an Italo booking desk at a station, or by telephone.
When long term promotions such as the Extra Summer Offer are available, they will be the cheapest type of ticket, but they cannot be re-booked or refunded.
Child tickets:
Worth knowing is that this offer has terms, which are atypical of Flex tickets, including
When not booking under the Family Offer, children aged 4 to 13 will be charged Adult rates.
Rail passes
Eurail and InterRail passes can't be used on Italo trains.
2hr 50min
Daily
2 x trains per day
Trenitlalia is the national rail operator in Italy and in addition to its cheaper types of ticket; it also typically offers other discounts available to non-Italians, which include:
Italiarail lives up to its name by selling tickets for rail journeys within Italy and the core feature of its service is that it is primarily designed to be used by international visitors to Italy.
So the English translations of place names are used when looking up journeys and the terms and conditions for using each type of ticket are clearly explained.
It also clearly points out the additional costs of upgrading to other classes and types of tickets while spelling out the additional benefits of doing so.
Though Italiarail will charge a booking fee, typically of around €3.
The Early Bird service
Italiarail has launched an 'early bird' pre-booking service for journeys by Frecce trains.
Tickets can be booked up to a year ahead of travel at a flat-rate price per route, before the tickets have been released for sale by Trenitalia.
If when they are placed on sale, the price is cheaper than what you have already paid to Italiarail, it will automatically refund the price difference.
Conversely, if the price is more expensive, you won't be charged the price difference.
You can also have the peace of mind of securing your seat(s) on the Frecce train(s) when you are first planning a trip.
If before the tickets are placed on sale, you decide to change your plans, you can request a refund; but once the tickets are released for sale, you will then be bound by the terms and conditions of the ticket(s) you have booked.
Final Destination: Milano
These trains are more than an hour slower than the high speed Frecce and Italo trains between Roma and Firenze because they don't use the high speed lines between the two cities.
But they can be much cheaper, particularly when the cheapest 'Super Economy' tickets have sold out on the Frecce trains.
If you will be a using a rail pass, you can avoid the €10 rail pass reservation fee payable on the Frecce trains.
Departing from Rome
Note that there aren't any Intercity trains from Roma Termini, the main railway station in the city, to Florence/Firenze
These trains have travelled north from Napoli, so they call at Roma Tiburtina station, which is some distance from the north of the city centre.
Accessing Tiburtina is particularly straightforward if the starting point of your journey is located along line B of the Roma Metro, take trains heading to Rebibbia.
This metro line also serves Termini, but it will typically be a time saver to make the transfer at Tiburtina, though the connection isn't step-free.
If you will be travelling with a Eurail or InterRail pass, you can hop on a Regionale train from Termini to Tiburtina station.
Arriving in Florence
Note that these IC trains arrive at Firenze Rifredi station and NOT the main city centre station - Firenze S.M. Novella.
If you take these IC trains then on arrival in Firenze/Florence the best option for reaching the city centre, is to take one of the frequent Regionale trains from Firenze Rifredi to Firenze S.M. Novella station.
However, it's possible to save money on Rome to Florence train journey and still arrive at S.M. Novella station.
The alternative Regionale Veloce (RV) trains will also be much cheaper than the high speed trains and in common with them, they also provide a city centre to city centre service.
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 3 months ahead of the travel date
Take these Intercity trains from Roma to Firenze/Florence and you can usually save at least €15 in comparison to taking the faster Frecce or Italo trains.
Though if you want to easily compare prices with both of these services, you will need to look up this journey on the Trainline or Omio websites.
There are two options for booking tickets for these Intercity (IC) trains; but on both specifically select Firenze S.M.Novella as the 'to' station, if you will be heading to the city centre.
The ticket will then also be valid on the Regionale train on from Rifredi station to S.M.Novella station.
(1) If you will be travelling to Roma Tiburtina on the metro, search for 'Roma Tiburtina' as the departure station on the ticket booking websites - it will make these IC trains easier to find.
These trains are typically scheduled to depart from Roma Tiburtina at around 12:40 and 16:31.
(2) Or book from Roma Termini as your departure station, your tickets(s) will then include both the train from Roma Termini to Roma Tiburtina AND the train on to Fireze Rifredi station
Using Eurail or InterRail Passes:
If you will be travelling in Italy with a rail pass, you have three options when taking the train from Rome to Florence/Firenze.
(1) Pay the €10 rail pass reservation fee which is charged to travel on those Frecce trains.
(2) Avoid those fees by taking these IC trains; and then take a Regionale/Regional Veloce train from Firenze Riferedi station to Firenze S.M. Novella station.
Though if you'll want the peace of mind of remaining in the same seat for journey to Firenze Rifredi, you can pay the optional €3 rail pass reservation fee.
(3) Avoid paying any additional rail pass reservation fees and arrive at the main city centre station by taking the Regionale Veloce (RV) trains
Rail passes aren't valid on the Italo trains.
3hr 48min
Daily
7 x trains per day
Trenitlalia is the national rail operator in Italy and in addition to its cheaper types of ticket; it also typically offers other discounts available to non-Italians, which include:
Final Destination: Firenze S.M.Novella
If you want to travel direct from the city centre in Rome to the city centre in Florence by train, these trains are a much cheaper alternative to taking the high speed trains between the two cities.
Because in common with those trains they arrive at main station in Florence; Firenze S.M. Novella.
The alternative Intercity (IC) trains are faster on the 'classic' railway line, but they arrive at Firenze Rifredi station.
Therefore much of that time saving of around 50 mins by taking the IC trains, is swallowed up by having to change trains at Firenze Rifredi station; and then taking another train to Firenze S.M.Novella.
As seats can't be reserved on these trains, aim to be waiting on the concourse at Roma Termini, ticket(s) in hand, when the binari (track/platform) that the train will be departing from is confirmed.
If you want to buy tickets at Roma Termini. then it's a good idea to be at the station a minimum of 40 mins before the train departs.
Buying tickets from a Trenitalia ticket machine is usually quicker than purchasing at the ticket office, but at busy times there can be lengthy queues for the machines.
Also these trains tend to depart from tracks/platforms, which are more distant from the main concourse.
On particularly busy trains, finding a spare seat at Roma Tiburtina can be a lottery, so this is a journey on which boarding at Roma Termini is recommended.
Don't forget to stamp your ticket before boarding these trains.
Book early and save: No (not on these trains)
Tickets will cost the same price if purchased at the station immediately before departure.
If you will buying at the station on the day of travel then it's likely that you will save around €25 by taking these trains and not the high speed trains.
And unlike the Intercity trains these trains are city centre to city centre.
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