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.
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.
4hr 25 min - 4hr 50min (approx)
Daily
Monday to Saturday 15 x trains per day
Sunday* 16 x trains
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.
First time bookers using the Omio mobile apps (Find them at www.omio.com/apps) can save 10% on purchasers of up to €100 by using the promo code SEP24 Valid for bookings by September 30th, 2024 (11:59 pm CET).
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.
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: Napoli or Salerno or Reggio di Calabria
Some trains also call at: Roma Tiburtina
Departing from Turin/Torino:
The trains on this route commence their journeys at Torino Porta Nuova station.
They depart from there around 10 mins before they depart from Torino Porta Susa.
If you will be commencing your journey on the Torino Metro, it can make sense to head to Porta Susa in order to take these trains.
As all seats are reserved, including yours, you won't have to worry about no spare seats being available if you board at Torino Porta Susa.
The city centre Metro stations are Re:Umberto and Vinzaglio.
Though if you will be travelling with luggage, it can be a better idea to board these trains at Porta Nuova, you'll increase your chances of being able to find an optimum space in which to store your bags.
Though whether you travel from Porta Susa or Porta Nuova stations makes no difference to the ticket price.
Most departures reverse direction twice when making this journey, when they call at both Milano Centrale and Firenze S.M.N.
Though the trains which typically depart Torino Porta Susa* at 06:00; 07:00; 14:00 and 15:00 are faster because don't divert off the direct route to call at Firenze / Florence, so they also reverse direction only once in Milano.
*= 10 minutes earlier from Torino Porta Nuova.
The daily Frecciabianca train:
A Frecciabianca service departs from Torino Porta Nuova station daily at 15:20 and it is best avoided as it's journey time is more than two hours slower than the high-speed trains and it isn't necessarily much cheaper.
Though it travels on a dramatic coastal route between Genova and Grosetto, but if you'll want to experience this journey by this train, you'll need to travel at the height of summer when the days are longer.
This is a journey of four distinct phases.
(1) The trains speed past the cars on the parallel autostrada for most of the journey between Torino and Milano.
(2) Between Milano and Bologna the trains are at their fastest on this stretch of high speed line, which is fortunate as there's nothing much to see.
(3) Between Bologna and Firenze 99% of the journey is in tunnels.
(4) The high speed line between Firenze and Roma isn't quite as fast as that between Milano and Bologna, but pleasing distant views of hills can be seen from either side of the train.
This is the most scenic part of the train journey*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 period will be typically be shorter when looking up journeys for travel after the second Sunday in December.
The train service between and Torino/Turin and Roma/Rome is provided by:
(1) these Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia and
(2) alternative Italo trains
Tickets for the Trenitalia Frecce trains are placed up to 6 months in advance, but the Italo train tickets 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.
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.
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 with Trainline or Omio, though look out for the fact that both of these services will charge a booking fee.
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.
4hr 15 min - 4hr 35min (approx)
Daily
Monday to Saturday 13 x trains per day
Sunday* 11 x trains
First time bookers using the Omio mobile apps (Find them at www.omio.com/apps) can save 10% on purchasers of up to €100 by using the promo code SEP24 Valid for bookings by September 30th, 2024 (11:59 pm CET).
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.
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: Napoli or Salerno or Reggio di Calabria or Bari
The trains on this route from Torino to Firenze/Florence commence their journeys at Torino Porta Nuova station.
They depart from there around 10 mins before they depart from Torino Porta Susa.
If you will be commencing your journey on the Torino Metro, it can make sense to head to Porta Susa in order to take these trains.
As all seats are reserved, including yours, you won't have to worry about no spare seats being available if you board at Torino Porta Susa.
The first departure of the day is fastest because it is non-stop between Milano and Roma, so it doesn't divert off the direct route to call at Firenze / Florence; so it reverse direction only once, in Milano.
The other departures reverse direction twice when making this journey, when they call at Milano Centrale and Firenze S.M.N.
These Italo trains take the same route as the Frecce trains.
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open:: around 3 months ahead of the travel date
The train service between Torino and Roma 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, though look out for the fact that both of these services will charge a booking fee.
Eurail and InterRail passes can't be used on Italo trains.
7hr 23min
Daily
1 x train per day
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.
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: Salerno
This train also calls at: Roma Ostiense
This train usually departs daily at 10:40 note that it departs from Torino Porta Nuova station and does not call at Torino Porta Susa station.
This train is more than three hours slower than the high speed trains, but it is typically much cheaper; and it takes a more scenic route.
The sea views can be seen on the right south of Genova, when facing the direction of travel; and then again (fleetingly) south of Livorno.
The highlight of the journey is the stretch between Genova and Sestri Levante.
The railway line also passes through the Cinque Terre towns after Monterroso; where there are fleeting glimpses of the coast between the frequent tunnels.
Those tunnels made it tricky to film this journey when ShowMeTheJourney spent an afternoon travelling back and forth by train between Genova and La Spezia, hence the attempt at a video montage.
Also as can be seen the weather wasn't the best either, but the video does showcase that it can be worth taking in these sea views, even on a grey day!
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 4 months ahead of the travel date
This daily InterCity train usually departs from Torino Porta Nuova at 10:40, so if you want to travel by it, target that departure time when looking up this journey.
Rail Pass Users: If you will be travelling in Italy with a valid Eurail or InterRail pass - and have time on your side, you can save around €10 by taking this IC train and not the Frecce trains from Torino/Turin to Roma/Rome.
Though if you'll want the peace of mind of being able to remain in the same seat for the entire journey, paying the optional €3 reservation fee is virtually essential.
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