Trains in Italy | PolishTrains

At a glance

• Italo is Italy's first private high-speed rail operator, competing with Trenitalia on Alta Velocita lines since 2012
• Italo trains can reach speeds of up to 300 km/h and offer three ticket classes: Smart, Prima Business and Club Executive
• Free Wi-Fi is available in all classes on Italo trains, along with electrical sockets and air conditioning
• Italo's Smart class includes vending machines for Italian snacks and drinks at the dedicated area
• The Club Executive class includes access to Italo Club lounges and a dedicated Salotto business meeting compartment
• Tickets for Italo trains can be purchased up to 6 months in advance, with the earliest departure on the Milan-Rome route at 5:40 a.m.

Italo is Italy's high-speed railway. It is a private company that has been in business since 2012 and is the first direct competitor to the state-owned carrier Trenitalia on the Alta Velocità lines. Trains on these routes can reach up to 300 km/h. Travelling by Italo is ideal for anyone wanting to travel quickly by train in Italy, including tourists wishing to visit the country's major cities.

Class types on Italo trains

Italo's fleet of trains is modern and tickets can be purchased in three classes.

Smart

This is the most economical class, in which:

• there are comfortable reclining seats with footrests, side tables and electrical sockets;
• there is a separate area with vending machines for Italian snacks and drinks;
• there is a limitation of the luggage carried to a maximum size of 75x53x30 cm; however, you can take more than one at no extra charge;
• free Wi-Fi is available.

Prima business

Upper class, which includes the amenities indicated above and:

• snacks and beverages provided by the traincrew directly to the seat occupied;
• unlimited luggage.

Club executive

This is the most luxurious class, which includes all the options of Prima business, Smart and in addition:

• free access to the Italo Club lounges at train stations;
• Salotto compartment - a dedicated space for business meetings that seats up to 4 people.

Connections operated by Italo

Italo's connections link the major cities, allowing you to cross Italy comfortably by train without spending a lot of time travelling between points. The most popular routes are:

🚆 Milan-Rome - 33 trains of the Italo company run on this route during the day. The earliest leaves at 5:40 a.m., the latest at 8:40 p.m. The journey time varies from 3 hours 5 minutes to 3 hours 39 minutes, and the train covers a distance of 567 km. Along the way it stops in cities such as Reggio Emilia, Bologna and Florence. It is a very high-frequency service, popular with travellers.

🚆Turin-Rome - there are 13 trains a day on this route. The first leaves Turin Porta Nuova station at 6:00 a.m., the last at 7:25 p.m. The 716 km route is covered by the train in an average of 5 hours. The fastest route is 4 hours 25 minutes. The route includes stations in Milan, Reggio Emilia, Bologna and Florence. This route is the core of Italo's route network, offering travel from the north of Italy to the south.

🚆 Milan-Naples - there are 19 trains per day from the Italian fashion capital to Naples. The route is as long as 790 km and takes an average of 5 hours. The earliest train leaves Milan Centrale station at 6:15 a.m. and the last train leaves at 6:40 p.m. Along the way, it stops at towns on the Milan-Rome route and then again at Afragola, which directly borders Naples. This service is popular with tourists and business travellers alike.

🚆Rome-Venice - the 514 km route is covered daily by 11 Italo trains. Along the way, they stop in Florence, Bologna, Rovigo, Padua and Venice's inland district of Mestre. The route takes an equal four hours, regardless of the course chosen. The earliest train from Rome leaves at 5:55 a.m., with the last train leaving at 5:55 p.m. Venice is a frequent destination for a city break.

🚆 Milan-Venice - the 268km route is covered by train in 2 hours 28 minutes. There is a choice of seven connections per day from 7:35am to 7:35pm, with stops at Brescia, Peschiera Del Garda, Verona, Vincenza, Padua and Mestre along the way.

Another component of the Italian railway's rolling stock is the private company Arenaways. It has a 10-year contract to operate two regional rail lines in Piedmont from 2025. Among the facilities are:

• The ability to transport bulky luggage,
• Free Wi-Fi access,
• Electrical sockets,
• Air conditioning,
• An infotainment system available to passengers.

It is currently possible to take the Cuneo-Savigliano line. The journey takes about an hour and along the way there are stations such as Busca, Costigliole, Verzuolo, Manta and Saluzzo. Interestingly, the journey is made on a non-electrified single-track line. It currently runs seven trains a day, from 6am to 7.55pm.

The second Ceva-Ormea line is temporarily inaccessible due to infrastructure works. Once these are completed and the service is reactivated, up to 10 trains a day will run there.

The advantage of travelling with Arenaways is the attractive ticket prices, which are around PLN 27 for the Cuneo-Savigliano route. So if anyone is travelling to Piedmont, it is worth considering this option, ideal for short routes and transfers to other train or bus services.

The Campania Express are tourist trains in Italy that run all year round. The journeys are more frequent in high season. Among their offerings is a connection from Naples, allowing us to see three of the region's most interesting places:

Sorrento - this picturesque town is a frequent tourist destination. It offers extraordinary views of the Gulf of Naples and Vesuvius. The journey takes 1 hour 9 minutes.

Pompei Scavi - The archaeological site of Pompeii is a very popular excursion point when visiting Campania. The train from Naples Piazza Garibaldi station gets there in 34 minutes.

Ercolano Scavi - the ruins of the ancient city of Herculaneum are also a must-see on a trip to this area of Italy. From Naples, the journey is just 14 minutes.

All services run four times a day - departures are every three hours, from 8:26am to 5:26pm.

European Sleeper is a Dutch-Belgian startup that is bringing nostalgia back to European tracks. The company's rolling stock is vintage night trains. It currently offers direct services from Brussels via Amsterdam and Berlin to Prague, while the company is trying to expand its offerings. Among the plans is the creation of a direct service from Brussels to Milan.

Tickets can be purchased directly from the carriers' websites, while a much more convenient option is to use the PolishTrains portal, which offers:

• purchase in PLN,
• service in Polish.

This will allow you to conveniently select the destination and date of travel. It is advisable to buy tickets in advance - this allows you to obtain lower prices and to plan your entire trip carefully.

Buying a ticket on PolishTrains is very easy. All you need to do is select your start station, end station and preferred travel date in the search engine on the homepage. You can also select an option with overnight possibilities. Then, next to the selected connection at a convenient time, click "select". The next step is to complete the details such as seat reservation or carriage class.

How do I buy a train ticket in Italy for my dog or when travelling with my bike? Contact our customer service:

• e-mail: kontakt@polishtrains.eu
• by phone: +48 123 451 661 with payment according to the operator's tariff or by priority line: +48 703 402 010 payable at 2.58 PLN VAT per minute of connection.

Customer Service is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Discounts on trains in Italy are offered to different groups. Each carrier has its own criteria. As far as Arenaways is concerned:

• Children under 4 years of age ride free. Up to 12 years of age, there is a 50% discount.
• There is a 10% discountfor groups of more than 10 people.
• School/student groups, etc. - 20% discount + 2 free tickets for every 10 people.
• Carriage of pets, assistance dogs and bicycles is free.

Italo discounts are as follows:

• In the Italo Family fare in Smart class, children under 14 travel 50% cheaper. To get the family group discount, 2 to 4 people can travel, but at least one of them must be an adult.
• Children under 36 months travel free.
• In the Italo Friends fare in Smart and Prima Business classes, you can receive up to 60% off when travelling in a group of 3 to 5 passengers.
• The Italo Young fare dedicated to passengers aged 14-29 allows you to get a discount of up to 70% in Smart class.
• For seniors, the Italo Senior fare offers a discount of up to 60% in Smart and Prima Business classes above the age of 60.

As for Campania Express, it is a tourist-oriented carrier. The itinerary is short and the fares are fixed. They amount to PLN 72 per journey. There is also no differentiation by class.

Carriers also sometimes organise seasonal promotions so that you can buy a ticket at a lower price, but these should be checked on a regular basis. Concessionary tickets in Italy, as you can see, are common and are enjoyed by many groups. It is also possible to purchase a Trenitalia weekly ticket, more specifically a 3 or 5 day option at a promotional price. This allows unlimited travel on Regionale and Trenitalia Tper trains in second class for a selected period, priced at €35 and €59 respectively.

Travelling by rail in Italy offers many opportunities to travel comfortably and quickly between major urban centres due to the dense network of high-speed connections. There is also a good regional rail service, which can be used to visit smaller towns as well as popular tourist destinations such as Sorrento, Pompeii or Herculaneum, or on the opposite side of the country, Piedmont. There are several operators on the market at the same time, so you can choose from a wide variety of offers.

Do trains in Italy have Wi-Fi?

The vast majority of Italy's trains have free Wi-Fi available. All Italo and Arenaways trainsets are equipped with routers giving access to the internet. Campania Express trains also have most of their rolling stock connected to the wireless network.

How far in advance can I buy train tickets in Italy?

This depends on the carrier. Italo and Arenaways sell tickets from six months before departure. For Campania Express, there is no clear information, but the period is definitely shorter.

Are trains in Italy adapted to people with disabilities?

Yes, Italo and Arenaways trains are fully adapted to travellers with disabilities. The exception is the Campania Express - there are often old trainsets on the route that are not equipped with lifts or hoists and specially designated spaces for wheelchairs.