Italo train
Europe, Italy, Places to Visit in Italy, Read About Can't Miss Places, Travel Tips

Italy By Train—Do’s and Don’ts

Amy French the Roaming Historian

A great way to traverse the Italian countryside is by train. It’s a pleasure to stare out the windows and watch medieval hilltop towns, olive groves, vineyards, and Roman ruins fly past (and fly they do—Italo trains operate at speeds up to 220 mph). In general, traveling by train is cheaper, more efficient, and more comfortable than intra-country air travel. As many Americans go their whole life without buying a U.S. train ticket, the foreign process may seem a bit overwhelming at first so here are some tips to help you have an enjoyable experience.

Don’t stand in line for a ticket. When you get to the train station you will notice long, slow-moving lines which you will smartly avoid by buying your ticket online (see guide below) in advance or by using the kiosks at the train station (see guide below). There are two train companies in Italy that I like: Italo (a private company) and Trenitalia (the state-run system).

Do check out Italo trains. These trains are super swanky and very fast. They have several different seating classes that they call “ambiences.” If you choose the top of the line one—club executive—you get a private area for luggage, spacious seating, a designated attendant for your car, beverage and snack service, and considerably fewer passengers than in the other classes. Also, at certain train stations you have access to the very nice Club Italo lounge.  Although Italo only serves major hubs right now, for many travelers its trains go to the cities one wishes to visit.

Don’t turn up too early to train stations (unless they have good restaurants). Train travel is not like air, you don’t need to be there well in advance of departure if you already have purchased your tickets and reserved your seat. The train won’t be listed on the master departure board until about 20 minutes before it leaves. Check to make sure that there is no security screening, but even with it thirty minutes should be sufficient. If you’re early though, some stations are really upping their game in the food arena!

Do weigh the price/time savings between fast trains (Freccia) and slower trains. This is only for Trenitalia as all Italo trains are high-speed trains. Generally, the faster the train the more expensive it is. On a shorter distance where the faster train may get you there only 15 minutes earlier then the more costly expenditure for a fast train may not be worth it. It is true that time is money, but on vacation you may wish to spend a little more time and save more money.

Don’t assume that a rail pass in the best option. Rail passes are only used on Trenitalia trains. It may be more cost effective to do a combination of Trenitalia and Italo.

Do book in advance when possible. I find that by buying in advance that I can purchase first-class seats for just slightly more than lower class options.

Buying a train ticket online with Italo

  • I generally price compare between Trenitalia and Italo before purchasing, but always end up buying from Italo. Buying from Italo when in the States is quite easy, but you should call your credit card company and let them know that purchases will be coming from Italy and not to decline them.
  • Go to the “buy ticket” tab and insert the following information:
    • From/to (note that “tutte” means all train stations for a city, i.e. Roma tutte)
    • Roundtrip/one way
    • Dates/times
    • Amount of passengers
  • Pull down the arrow for the various times and you will see four classes (smart, comfort, prima, and club executive) and three fare possibilities (low cost, economy, fully flexible).
  • Select the class and grade of ticket you want—note that low cost is generally the cheapest, but also has a fee for changing and no refund.
  • Fill out your personal information and proceed to checkout.
  • The computer will have selected a seat for you. You can change this by clicking on the “change assigned seats” box at lower middle of page.
  • Check that all the information including the times and dates are correct and proceed to the payment page. Remember that Europeans use the following dating format: day, month, year.
  • Enter your payment information and wait. The computer will provide you with a code that they will also email to you (but I always send one and print a confirmation page just to be safe, plus I print one to pdf so I can keep a copy on my phone). You will need this code at time of travel.

Buying a train ticket at a kiosk

  • Select English (denoted by the United Kingdom flag).
  • Select your destination. Make sure you’re looking under the Italian name (Firenze, Venezia, Napoli, Roma, etc.—those stand for Florence, Venice, Naples, Rome) and picking the station nearest where you want to go like Roma Termini for downtown instead of Roma Tiburtina. I use Google Maps to find the name of the stop I want.
  • Select the date of your proposed trip. A list of options will pop up.
  • Pick your trip and follow the directions from there. They will be slightly different depending on whether you are reserving a seat or not.

Pay for your ticket (the machine may not accept your credit card so be prepared with cash; if you buy online all major credit cards are accepted) and the kiosk will spit out your ticket. Note: if you need to validate your ticket, make sure you do this before you board. There are machines by the trains where you insert your ticket and get it stamped. You can just follow other passengers or ask a conductor. Conductors will also let you know if validation is needed and where your car (carrozza) and seat (posti) are located.

How Can Travelers Easily Book Italian Train Tickets?

Travelers can purchase Italian rail tickets directly through Trenitalia or Italo, but navigating foreign booking portals, translating station names, and international payment setups can cause frustration, particularly when an international payment system causes problems. An easier alternative is Omio, an official 3rd party booking partner for major European rail networks.

Key benefits for international travelers:

  • pay in your home currency (USD, CAD, etc.)
  • simpler way to search schedules and fares, like searching by English city names while matching official stations (e.g., Florence to Firenze S.M.N.).
  • live journey updates: receive mobile notifications regarding platform changes, delays, or regional strikes
  • manage your transportation bookings through one platform.

For travelers seeking a stress-free booking experience, Omio provides an easy way to secure tickets across Italy and neighboring European countries. Search Italian train schedules and fares on Omio: https://omio.sjv.io/PzgOVY

Amy French, Ph.D., is the voice behind Roaming Historian. A professional historian and seasoned traveler, she shares stories that blend history and travel to give readers a deeper understanding of the places they explore.

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The Tour Guy

The Tour Guy has been offering amazing small group tours in Italy and the rest of Europe for quite some time; in fact, we’ve been taking their tours for so long that they were just The Roman Guy when we started with them. They find the best local experiences and offer them in private or small groups (about 15 people or fewer). They are known for providing unique, behind-the-scenes access to major landmarks like the Vatican and Louvre, often including all entry fees, taxes, and expert guides, making them a reliable choice for curated, stress-free sightseeing.

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Affiliate Disclosure Roaming Historian may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support the research and storytelling that go into every article. All opinions are always our own.

12 thoughts on “Italy By Train—Do’s and Don’ts”

    1. There are overhead racks and then many cars (if not all) have space for bigger bags. The issue is that those aren’t secured and are by the door, except for the one in the Club class car–that one is private and if someone tried to steal your bag they would have to walk by you to get it out the door. I’m not sure if one would be able to secure a bag to a metal bar in the other car’s luggage areas, as the one time I tried the space wasn’t conducive to that (I brought a thin bike lock and it was still too thick to wrap around). The overhead racks can hold a pretty good-sized bag though. Happy travels!

      Reply

  2. Hi! I was wondering what is the situation with Italo trains luggage storage? Is there some type of “rack” where I could secure my luggage with lock?

    Reply

    1. There are overhead racks and then many cars (if not all) have space for bigger bags. The issue is that those aren’t secured and are by the door, except for the one in the Club class car–that one is private and if someone tried to steal your bag they would have to walk by you to get it out the door. I’m not sure if one would be able to secure a bag to a metal bar in the other car’s luggage areas, as the one time I tried the space wasn’t conducive to that (I brought a thin bike lock and it was still too thick to wrap around). The overhead racks can hold a pretty good-sized bag though. Happy travels!

      Reply

  3. If my flight from the US to Rome lands at 1:30, what time should I buy a train ticket to Venice from the Termini Station. Not sure how much time I should allow to get through customs and take the train to the main station.

    Reply

    1. I gave myself a full four hours from my landing time last month. Depending on how many planes land, customs can take a little bit. For us, it took 45 minutes to clear and then our luggage took another 25 minutes. To get the train tickets, we stood in line at a kiosk for about 15 minutes. The next train came in about 15 minutes. It took about 30 minutes to get to Termini. We were early for our train, but that was okay by me because flights can be delayed, lines longer, etc. and I didn’t want to be too rushed. Plus, the Mercato Centrale at Termini has a lot of good eateries to try 🙂

      Reply

      1. Thank you! Wonder if flying would be any better. I have heard not much quicker then you would think.

      2. When I’ve looked, flying hasn’t been the quicker option, or if it has it didn’t make enough of a difference for me to give up the comfort and scenery that the fast trains provide. On Italo, the Venezia-Roma train was a little under a four hour ride and took us from city center to city center.

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