Trenitalia is Italy's main train operator. It is government owned and was created in 2000. Its long distance trains are FRECCE (or arrows) and Intercity trains. Trenitalia's high-speed trains, the Frecciargento and Frecciarossa can travel up to 250 km/h and 300 km/h respectively Intercity and night trains are slower, but cheaper. Trenitalia offers a first and second-class service on its long distance trains. Trenitalia also runs services to and from Rome Fiumicino International Airport, served by Leonardo Express, as well as journeys within the Cinque Terre, served by the Cinque Terre Express.
Trenitalia trains
Trenitalia has four main train types, differentiated by speed, amenities and routes covered. Trenitalia trains are generally split into long-distance trains – Frecciarossa and Frecciargento (both high-speed trains), Frecciabianca and Intercity trains – and Regional trains. Covering long-distance routes across the nation, Frecciarossa and Frecciargento trains have significantly reduced travel time between major cities, making train travel in Italy a more viable option.
Frecciarossa
Frecciarossa trains, known as the 'Red Arrow', are the crown jewel of the high-speed train network in Italy and can reach speeds of up to 300 km/h. Taking the new Frecciarossa 1000 trains, journey times between cities like Rome and Milan have fallen to under 3 hours. Frecciarossa trains travel to cities such as Naples, Florence and Bologna on a daily basis. This makes train travel in Italy much easier, especially if you’re using an Interrail or Eurail Pass.
You can choose between four classes when you travel on Frecciarossa – Executive, Business, Premium and Standard. No matter the class you're in, you're provided with free WiFi, power sockets at every seat, a food carriage, air-conditioning, special luggage zone and onsite cleaning service to ensure you get the best customer experience on board.
Frecciargento
While not quite hitting Frecciarossa speeds, Frecciargento trains travel similar long-distance routes, connecting cities like Rome, Venice, Verona, Trieste, Genoa, Naples and Salerno in just as much comfort and at speeds of up to 250 km/h.
Frecciargento trains have mainly two classes – First and Second Class. On the new Frecciargento ETR 700, however, you can find three classes – Business, Premium and Standard. Much like all the high-speed Trenitalia trains, all carriages are equipped with WiFi, air-conditioning, special luggage zone and onsite cleaning service. There's also a food carriage for passengers to buy food and drinks, particularly convenient for long-distance journeys.
Frecciabianca
Frecciabianca, or the 'White Arrow', belongs to the long-distance trains group. Running at speeds of up to 200 km/h, these trains connect big and medium-sized cities on one high-speed line, while guaranteeing great comfort and high-quality onboard services. For example, cities such Bari and Lecce are easily connected to Naples, making travel into the main cities much more accessible for both tourists and commuters.
Frecciabianca trains offer spacious chairs, air-conditioning and food carriages, making your journey a cheaper but still pleasant experience.
Intercity and regional trains
Intercity trains are slower than high-speed trains, but are still faster than local transport trains.
- Trenitalia's Intercity trains connect approximately 200 cities throughout Italy.
- Intercity Night trains travel overnight and serve the greater distances.
- Intercity trains are equipped with air conditioning, washrooms, and disabled seating.
- You can also take the regional trains which connect all of Italy's smaller areas, often frequented by commuters and students. Regional trains are operated by local companies.
Fast-regional trains are also included in this category – namely, the Leonardo Express service, which connects Roma Termini to Rome Fiumicino International Airport.
Trenitalia timetables
Trenitalia have increased the number of their services to 6,162 per day to reach over 600 summer destinations and have introduced new regional trains so it's easier to reach the Italian seaside, mountains, art cities and villages. Train timetables>>>
Most Popular train journeys with Trenitalia
Trenitalia tickets
All Trenitalia tickets are offered as singles or return. Pre-purchasing Trenitalia tickets online and in advance often saves you money and allows you to take advantage of further discounts and promotions. Check out the different ticket types below:
- Base Tickets: These tickets are great if you're looking for flexibility; a ticket of this type can be changed as many times as you need.
- Economy Tickets: These tickets can be purchased up to two days before departure and allow you to change the time and date of travel once.
- Super Economy: These tickets are the least expensive, although the date and time of travel cannot be changed.
