by train
An alternative way of travelling to and around Italy is by train. There are good international connections from mainland Europe to most of the major Italian cities, as well as an extensive network of local trains serving the smaller towns and villages.
Tickets are generally not too expensive, and you can use your Credit/Debit Cards for payment.
Omio
Omio is a great website easily allowing you to search for various transport options all on one page. You can also book Trenitalia tickets directly on their website and app as well, making search and booking a breeze.
www.omio.com
For motorail
A good site for motorail service in Europe is
www.railchoice.co.uk
For the Italian State Railway, including international trains to and from Italy.
www.trenitalia.it
Another excellent website that provides information about travelling to Italy by train is Seat61, this website provides information about fares and timetables based on travel from the UK
Trainseurope
Trainseurope have over 10 years experience in booking European rail tickets for individuals as well as tour operator groups, and they will be happy to discuss any requirements you may have. In addition to arranging tickets from the UK to most destinations in Europe, they can also arrange tickets for travel between many European cities, making twin-centre city breaks a real possibility. For all point to point tickets as well as Eurostar connections, contact them and an experienced consultant will be happy to help you.
Using the trains to travel around Italy is an excellent way of taking a day trip to visit the many historical towns and cities. The rail network in Italy is quite extensive and travelling between cities and towns by rail is an ideal way to travel. Once on board you can sit back and relax and take in the ever changing view from the window. Forget the hassle of driving…take the train and enjoy the journey.
There are a number of ways to purchase tickets; at the station, certain local travel agents and it is now possible to prebook tickets via the internet before you leave home. Visit the Italian State Railway website www.trenitalia.com for up to date information on how to purchase tickets and consult timetables.
There are various different types of train that run on the Italian rail network. The types of train and their symbols are listed below.
Eurocity (EC) and EuroNight (EN). These trains offer fast intercontinental journey times throughout Europe both day and overnight to Switzerland, Austria, France, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Prague and Budapest.
Eurostar (ES) and Intercity (IC). These are fast trains operating between the major Italian cities. Eurostar trains are all high speed trains, very comfortable but more expensive, you do not need to book a seat as this is automatically done when you buy your ticket. Seat reservation on Intercity trains is optional and costs €3; however during peak periods it is advisable to prebook seats.
Rapido (R) - a long distance express train, stops at many of the stations.
Espresso (E) - stops at all the major stations, so it is slower than the Rapido!
Inter-Regionale (IR) - travels between regions and sometimes is in service only on weekends and holiday periods.
Regionale Diretto (D) - travels at faster speeds than the Locale and stops at fewer stations; this train travels within a region and bordering regions e.g. In Tuscany or between Tuscany and Umbria
Regionale Locale (L) - slow train which stops at every station within a region e.g. from Florence to Siena, it stops at all stations in between, even the tiniest towns.
You may find the following terms useful when at the train station.
treni in arrivo - arrivals
treni in partenza - departures
binario - platform
in orario - on time
in ritardo - delayed
Before boarding a train make sure you validate your ticket at one of the machines (“obliteratrici”)on the platform. Please note that it is no longer possible to purchase or validate tickets on board trains. Failure to validate your ticket before travel or travelling without a valid ticket could result in a fine. In the larger cities, e.g. Rome and Milan, bus, metro and tram tickets are valid for a certain period of time normally 75 minutes, so you can get on and off as many times as you wish within the period indicated on the ticket. The same ticket will allow you to use all public transport within the one city, however only one metro ride is allowed. When in Rome and Milan, you can buy a special 24hour ticket which offers a full day’s travel on buses, metro and trams.
Below is an alphabetical list of all the stations in Tuscany with their addresses and province. To check routes, timetables and ticket prices go to www.trenitalia.com website
