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Travel On Train Frecce trains: A summary (Italy)
A Frecciabianca train on the left, a Frecciarossa in the center and a Frecciargento on the right

Frecce trains: A summary (Italy)

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At a Glance

Travel Pass Supplement

Rail Pass Reservation Fees
Reservations

Compulsory
Time of Day

Day
Catering

Food services available

Bar (sandwiches, snacks, salads)
Accessibility

Accessing the train

Wheelchair Spaces
Train Specification

Attributes of the train

Has a Conductor
High Speed (partial journey)
Country

Which country these trains operate in.

Italy
Travel Passes
Eurail
InterRail

On Board

First Class

Perks
WiFi

A complimentary WiFi portal is available throughout this train.

Power Socket

The power sockets on this train are compatible with standard E.U. two point plugs.

Welcome drinks:

Complimentary drinks and snacks will be served, choices will include coffee, orange juice and prosecco.

At Seat Catering

According to the time of day of travel, passengers will be able to choose from a menu of catering options, which will then be served at their seats.

Second Class

Perks
WiFi

A complimentary WiFi portal is available throughout this train.

Power Socket

The power sockets on this train are compatible with standard E.U. two point plugs.

A Frecciarossa 1000 train on the left and a Frecciarossa 500 on the right A Frecciarossa 1000 train on the left and a Frecciarossa 500 on the right
A Frecciarossa 500 train on the right and Fecciabianca train on the left A Frecciarossa 500 train on the right and Fecciabianca train on the left
A Frecciarossa 1000 train A Frecciarossa 1000 train
One of the multiple types of train used on Frecciargento services One of the multiple types of train used on Frecciargento services

Italy's national rail company Trenitalia uses Frecce branding for its fastest express trains, the English translation of 'Frecce' is 'arrow'.

The 5 types of Frecce service:

(1) Frecciarossa 1000

(2) Frecciarossa 500

(3) Frecciarossa 700

(3) Frecciargento

(4) Frecciabianca

Specific trains are used for both theFrecciarossa services, but multiple types of train are used for the Frecciargento and Frecciabianca services, so the on board experience can differ when travelling by those two services.

On the Frecciarossa trains 'Quiet Coaches' are now available in Standard Class, they had previously only been an option when travelling Business Class.
If travelling in these coaches would be your preference, look out for 'Standard Area Silenzio' when booking tickets.

Using the train numbers:

Trenitalia uses a system of train numbers to designate each specific departure, these numbers are different to the departure times.

The train numbers for all Frecce departures begin with AV, short for 'Alta Velocita', the English translation of which is 'high speed' - though the Frecciabianca services don't use the high speed lines.

Route Summary:

The routes on which the Frecciarossa 1000 and Frecciarossa 500 train services operate are all or mostly on the high speed line, while Frecciarossa 700 and Frecciargento services use the high speed lines for at least some of the journey.

A choice of trains:

As will be seen below, different types of Frecce train share some routes and when that is the case it makes little difference to the journey time.

However, if the departure/arrival times suit, our preference is to avoid the Frecciargento services as they're not as fabulous as the Frecciarossa 500 or Frecciarossa 1000 trains.

Also there are 4 x classes of service available on Frecciarossa and Frecciarossa 1000 trains, but only two are available on Frecciargento trains.
When Frecciarossa 500 and Frecciarossa 1000 trains share a route, our preference is to choose the Frecciarossa 1000 when travelling 1st class and the Frecciarossa 500 when travelling 2nd class, particularly if we have luggage.

If you look up journeys on Trenitalia, you can see which type of Frecce trains will be used on each departure.

  1. Click on the info link which will be available on each departure.
    Checking which type of Frecce train will be used for a specific departure
  2. And the info is included in the box which will then appear
    Confirming which specific type of Frecce train will be used on a departure

The typical trains per route:

(1) Torino/Turin - Milano - Bologna - Florence/Firenze - Roma - Napoli - Salerno = Frecciarossa 1000 and Frecciarossa 500 trains.
The Frecciarossa 500 trains are used mainly on the services that call in Florence/Firenze.

(2) Torino/Turin - Milano - Bologna - Florence/Firenze - Roma - Napoli - Salerno - Paola - Lamezia Terme - Villa San Giovanni - Reggio di Calabria = **Frecciarossa 500 ** trains.

(3) Venezia/Venice - Padova/Padua - Bologna - Florence/Firenze - Roma - Napoli = Frecciarossa 1000 and Frecciarossa 500 and a few Frecciargento trains.

(4) Venezia/Venice S.L. - Padova/Padua - Verona - Brescia - Milano Centrale = Frecciarossa 700 trains.

(5) Venezia/Venice S.L. - Padova/Padua - Verona - Brescia - Milano - Torino/Turin = Frecciarossa 1000 trains

(6) Trieste/Udine - Venezia/Venice Mestre - Padova/Padua - Verona - Brescia - Milano Centrale = Frecciarossa 500 trains.

(7) Milano - Torino - Chambery - Lyon - Paris = Frecciarossa 1000 trains

(8) Bolzano - Trento - Verona - Bologna - Florence/Firenze - Roma = Frecciargento trains

(9) Bolzano - Trento - Verona - Bologna - Florence/Firenze - Roma - Napoli - Salerno - Paola = Frecciarossa 500 trains.

(10) Roma - Bari - Lecce = Frecciargento trains

(11) Roma - Napoli - Salerno - Lamezia Terme - Villa San Giovanni - Reggio di Calabria = Frecciargento trains

(12) Roma - Rimini = Frecciabianca trains

(13) Torino/Turin - Genova - La Spezia - Pisa - Livorno - Roma = Frecciabianca trains

(14) Torino/Turin - Milano - Bologna - Ancona - Pescara - Foggia - Bari - Lecce = Frecciarossa 500 trains

(15) Milano - Parma - Modena - Bologna - Ancona - Pescara - Bari - Lecce = Frecciarossa 500 trains

(16) Venezia/Venice - Padova/Padua - Bologna - Bologna - Ancona - Pescara - Bari - Lecce = Frecciarossa 700 trains.

(17) Torino - Milano - Bologna - Firenze - Arezzo - Perugia = Frecciarossa 500 trains

(18) Messina - Palermo and Messina - Siracusa = Frecciabianca trains

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