Ultimate Guide to Italian Railway
Italian railways are of high quality and low price in Europe, especially between cities and towns. The Italian railway system began to develop in 1800 and had an explosive development during the Nazi Mussolini era, and Mussolini was famous for propagating "to keep trains on time" during World War II. Since the 1970s, Italy has developed high-speed railways. And continue to modernize the railway system.
Trains are usually the best choice for direct travel in large and medium-sized Italian cities, because there are many problems with road traffic and parking fees are often expensive. If you want to travel to the Italian countryside or remote mountain towns, trains are usually the best choice.
(TREN ITALIA) is operated by Ferrovie dello Stato (FS). The network is dense and spread all over the country, and there are frequent flights between medium and large cities. The Latin term tren means train. Its official website is www.trenitalia.com, Trenitalia is the largest train operating company in Italy. As for the areas not covered by the national railway, such as the Vesuvius area and parts of Puglia, private railways will make up for it.
The color of the Italian iron is usually the color of the Italian flag.
Reservations and changes
Most Italian trains do not require reservations, and the number of Italian trains is intensive. Therefore, as long as you have an Italian train pass, you really want to sit and sit, but night trains and high-speed trains must be reserved. However, if you encounter peak seasons or carnivals, it is best to book a seat first.
Whether you use www.G2Rail.com, automatic ticket vending machines, or at the counter window, you can make reservations when you buy tickets. Even if you have a train pass, you still have to pay an additional reservation fee when you make a reservation. If you need to change the itinerary, you can go to the service window of the station to get a free change. If you buy tickets online, you can change it online.
Hitchhiking
Find the right station
Many major cities in Italy have more than one railway station, and sometimes the central station may not be the only gate of the city. For example, the main station in Rome is called Termini, the main station in Florence is called Firenze SMN (Firenze SMN), and the main station in Venice is Santa Lucia Railway Station (VE SL). clear.
View timetable
There are two main types of timetables. One is that there is a timetable in the lobby of each train station, which shows the train schedules that are about to enter and depart. The most important thing is that you can see the train's entry platform number. However, the electronic timetable will only list the train schedule information in the last few hours. If you want to check more train schedules a day, the easiest way is to find the timetable posted on the bulletin board, one side is departure and the other side is arrival. However, the paper timetable cannot display real-time information and can only be used as a reference. In the event of a shift (delayed or even cancelled), the electronic timetable shall prevail. In addition, you can also pick up the railway timetable at the i-desk in the train station.
To be safe, it is best to go to the automatic ticket vending machine on the platform, click on the block in the lower left corner of the touch screen, and enter the name of the station, date and time, and various settings. Check the time again before taking a ride to avoid changes
- Find the platform and confirm the published car and carriage
There is an electronic billboard in front of each platform, which shows the departure time and destination of the trains on both sides of the platform. Please confirm again before entering the platform.
On the body of the train and the door connecting each car, there will be signs 1 and 2, indicating that the car is first-class or ordinary class. If you buy a first-class ticket, you can freely choose to sit in all levels of carriages, but if you buy ordinary class You should be careful not to take first-class seats. In addition to marking the class of the car on the car door, there will also be some other signs that indicate the attributes of this car, such as non-smoking, soft voice, mobile phone use, or disabled seats.
If you buy a ticket for a local train (R, RV) and other unspecified schedules and hours, remember to print the date and time on the yellow automatic printer (ObbliteratrlCe) before getting on the train to avoid penalty.
The so-called "ticketing" is to print the activation date on the ticket in time. Since the Italian transportation system does not have a ticket gate, anyone can enter the platform at will. If there is no ticketing system, even if you use a ticket for several days, the ticket inspector will not know it, so you must use it The time is marked before, so that the validity period judgment has a basis. However, except for the local trains (R) that do not need to be allocated for trains in Italy, most ticket types have the date, time and frequency marked on the train, so there is no need to ticket. Therefore, if the date and seat are not marked on the ticket you bought, before boarding the train, remember to insert the ticket in the Obbliteratrice and stamp it, otherwise you will be fined.
The doors of Italian trains are opened semi-automatically. If the train stops on the tracks but the doors are closed, don’t think that the train is going to leave. As long as the button light on the door is still on, you can open the door by pressing the button; get off the train. Sometimes, after the train stops, you can press the door button. Some old trains require the handle on the revolving door to open. Italian trains also have special services for the disabled and the elderly, and there will be someone who will help to lay the plank or assist in getting on and off the train.
Except for local trains (R, RV), Italian trains are almost all seated. However, if you hold an Italian pass and take IC or EC without a reserved seat, you can usually sit down when you see an empty seat. "Reserve" is displayed on the top of the box-style car, indicating that someone has been located. The Le Frecce high-speed train and night train sleepers must be numbered, and you need to enter the seats according to the number you reserved.
There are racks above the seats to place carry-on luggage, and there is also a large space for large luggage at the front and rear ends of each middle compartment. However, the law and order in Italy is not good. It’s an Oriental), so it’s best to keep your luggage within sight, so that it’s not easy to become a target.
- Check the ticket on the car
There are no ticket gates on the Italian train platforms. Any left can enter and exit at will. However, you will definitely encounter ticket inspectors on the train. Therefore, you must never take a chance to take the overlord car. If caught, the consequences will be very serious, except To pay high fines, you may also be arrested and leave a bad record.
Basically, Italian trains can be called punctual. You can judge when to get off according to the time marked on the timetable. However, it is commonplace to get late. It is recommended to check whether the station name is the same as the station name on the ticket when getting off the train.
Italian Railway Models
G2Rail can search the results of several major Italian railway companies in one stop, giving travelers more choices. It can be seen from the Logo that the first train is Flixbus, the second train is Trenitalia's Red Arrow train (Frecciarossa), the third train is Trenitalia's EuroCity (EC), and the fourth train is Trenitalia's area. Train (Regionale), the fifth train is the Italo train of Ferrari Railway Company (NTV).
The price and speed of different models are not small. Take the journey from Rome to Naples as an example (one way). Leaving at noon on weekdays, the Red Arrow train (Frecciarossa) only takes 1 hour and 10 minutes. 25 euros for second class, or 58 euros for first class. Then there is the InterCity (IC, InterCity) train, which takes 2 hours and 13 minutes and costs 22 Euros (second class) or 29 Euros (first class). Finally, there are regional (Regionale, R; Regionale Veloce, RV) trains, which take 2 hours and 34 minutes and cost only 10.50 euros (only one class).
Because the Frecce series trains are not only faster, but also more comfortable and cleaner, if we have a budget, they will be the first choice for passengers. It is obviously the best choice when there are discounts on these trains. And the earlier you book the ticket, the lower the ticket price (Trenitalia can check and book six months in advance). You can check G2Rail, or download xmove App.
Arrow Series Train (Frecce)
The Arrow series train is the fastest choice among major Italian cities. Also known as high-speed rail. Arrow series trains are divided into three types: Red Arrow (Frecciarossa, FR), Silver Arrow (Frecciargento, FA) and White Arrow (Frecciabianca, FB). The Arrow series high-speed rail must be reserved. The reservation fee is already included in the fare when purchasing the ticket, and no additional charge is required.
Red Arrow train tickets are only valid for selected trains on selected dates. They are all equipped with air-conditioning and a restaurant bar for all travelers to enjoy. The restaurant offers three courses for 33 euros and a half bottle of wine for 10 euros. Credit cards can be used. All seats have sockets, which can be used to charge tablets and mobile phones (two ports, 220v). Passengers holding Eurail Pass must make a reservation, and each trip needs to pay a reservation fee of 10 euros (a first-class pass is equivalent to business class, and a second-class pass is equivalent to a standard seat), and the reservation fee This makes the Eurail pass less attractive in Italy, because the train ticket from Rome to Florence actually only costs 45 euros.
Red Arrow (Frecciarossa)
The Frecciarossa (Frecciarossa) train traverses the whole of Italy with a top speed of 300 km/h, entering the center of major cities and shortening the distance. Choosing the Frecciarossa train means that you can rely on frequent connections to depart and arrive in the city center and geographical coverage of major cities, and you can choose the most convenient station to meet your needs.
The routes most frequently selected by travelers include
- Florence Santa Maria Novella Railway Station (Main Station)-Venice Santa Lucia (Main Station)
- Venice Saint Lucia (Main Station)-Milan Central Station
- Rome Termini (Terminal Station)-Florence Santa Maria Novella Railway Station (Main Station)
- Rome Termini (Terminal Station)-Venice Saint Lucia (Main Station)
- La Spezia Central Terminal (near Cinque Terre)-Manarola (Cinque Terre)
- Venice Saint Lucia (Main Station)-Bologna (Main Station)
- Rome Termini (Terminal Station)-Venice Mestre Station
- Naples Central Terminal-Rome Termini (Terminal)
- Naples Central Terminal-Florence Santa Maria Novella Railway Station (Main Station)
- Florence Santa Maria Novella Railway Station (Main Station)-La Spezia Central Terminal (near Cinque Terre)
- Milan Central Terminal-La Spezia Central Terminal (near Cinque Terre)
- Pisa Central Terminal-La Spezia Central Terminal (near Cinque Terre)
- Milan Central Station-Porta Nuova
Facilities in the car
The Red Arrow train is Trenitalia's flagship product, providing you with maximum comfort. They are ETR 500 and ETR 1000 trains. All are equipped with:
- air conditioning
- Socket for each seat
- LED lighting
- Ample luggage space
- Travel information and news constantly updated in the seat display.
- FRECCE Portal can be accessed via Wi-Fi network, providing entertainment services, Internet access and travel information
- In Car 3, there are two places for the disabled to take wheelchairs, and there are two seats for nursing staff
- Toilets for each vehicle type and a car 3 for the disabled
- Baby changing table
Class
The Red Arrow train has four classes
- First Class (Executive)
- First class (Business) and first class quiet seats (Business Silento)
- Super Second Class (Premium)
- Second Class (Standard)
Red Arrow first class
Silver Arrow (Frecciargento)
The Silver Arrow high-speed rail (FA) runs on high-speed and traditional routes at speeds of up to 250 km/h. The connection shortens the distance between Rome and some metropolitan areas in northern and southern Italy. The model is ETR 450/460/485, or the most advanced pointed ETR 600.
White Arrow (Frecciabianca)
The White Arrow High Speed Rail (FB) is the slowest train in the Arrow series. Most FB trains are retired IC trains that have undergone modernization and refurbishment, with a speed of 125 kilometers per hour, and their heads are generally locomotives or the first-generation ETR500 Power Car. FB trains have air-conditioning and dining cars. Some trains have bars but no dining cars. It runs on traditional lines outside the high-speed network to ensure comfort and high-quality services. 42 classes per day, connecting medium and large cities, from 05:00 to 21:00, ensuring wide coverage
Intercity train (InterCity, IC), European intercity train (EuroCity, EC)
Below the Arrow series high-speed trains are intercity trains (IC, EC), which are driven by locomotives at a speed of 100-120 kilometers per hour. Like arrow trains, IC trains also require forced seating. You must reserve a seat before boarding, otherwise you are not allowed to board. You can book tickets directly on www.italy-rail.com. Some IC cars use open seats with corridors in the middle, and some IC cars are classic six-seat boxes. EC train is the international version of IC.
European Intercity Train (EuroCity, EC)
InterCity (IC)
Main route
- Rome (Rome)-Naples (Naples)-Sicily (Sicily)
- Rome-Pisa-Cinque Terre-Genoa-Milan
- Milan-Genoa-Ventimiglia (to Nice)
Regional Express (Regionale Veloce, RV)&Regionale (Regionale, R)
Regional trains do not require seat reservations, but they need to be validated on a small device (green, white or yellow) on the platform before boarding. You can choose your seat. Luggage can be placed in the luggage rack above the seats or on the floor. Be sure to check the ticket before boarding. After the check, the ticket is valid for the next 4-6 hours. Pass passengers do not need to make additional reservations, only show the pass when boarding. There are many models of RV and R series cars, covering the whole of Italy. Tickets are very cheap, and there will never be no tickets.
Regional Express (Regionale Veloce)
Ticket gate
InterCity Notte (ICN)
Night train is the best choice for long-distance travel. For example, from Milan or Rome to Sicily, or from Venice or Milan to Naples. Compared with airplanes, sleeper night trains are more economical and more convenient, and will save a lot of hotel expenses. There are hard sleepers (Couchette) and soft sleepers (Sleeper) in the night trains of Italian Railways. Some night trains also have seat tickets, but they are not recommended. Both soft and hard sleepers are in locked compartments, which are very safe.
Train Types
Italian Railway Ticket
Point to point ticket
Italian Railways adopts a floating fare system with basically three types of discounts. Tickets can generally be purchased six months in advance, the sooner the cheaper. How big is the difference? Taking Rome to Milan as an example, the full price of the Red Arrow train is 89 Euros, and the minimum price of limited-time special tickets is 19.9 Euros, saving 70 Euros! So if possible, book special tickets in advance.
- Full price ticket (Base)
- Special ticket (Economy)
- Limited Time Special Ticket (Super Economy)
- Mini Group Ticket (Mini Group)
The point-to-point tickets of the Italian National Railway are all electronic tickets, an A4 pdf, which needs to be printed out. If you take the Arrow train, you will check the ticket on the train. If you take the IC, RV, etc., you need to check the ticket at the station.
Eurail Italy Rail Pass and reservations
Free reservations are provided for the purchase of tickets for the Italian Railway Arrow series and IC trains, and reservations are not required for shuttle RVs. Passengers of the Eurail pass need to reserve seats at the station at 10 Euros per segment, so the pass is often not a competitive choice in Italy.
On the train
Find a seat
Except for local trains (R, RV), Italian trains are almost all seated. However, if you hold an Italian pass and take IC or EC without a reserved seat, you can usually sit down when you see an empty seat. "Reserve" is displayed on the top of the box-style car, indicating that someone has been located. The Le Frecce high-speed train and night train sleepers must be numbered, and you need to enter the seats according to the number you reserved.
There are racks above the seats to place carry-on luggage, and there is also a large space for large luggage at the front and rear ends of each middle compartment. However, the law and order in Italy is not good. It’s an Oriental), so it’s best to keep your luggage within sight, so that it’s not easy to become a target.
Check the ticket on the car
There are no ticket gates on the Italian train platforms. Any left can enter and exit at will. However, you will definitely encounter ticket inspectors on the train. Therefore, you must never take a chance to take the overlord car. If caught, the consequences will be very serious, except To pay high fines, you may also be arrested and leave a bad record.
Get off at the station
Basically, Italian trains can be called punctual. You can judge when to get off according to the time marked on the timetable. However, it is commonplace to get late. It is recommended to check whether the station name is the same as the station name on the ticket when getting off the train.
The train station is a bustling place, especially in big cities. Be careful with your luggage and wallet. Once you get off the train or provide you with transportation, please do not let anyone offer to help you carry your luggage. If you are looking for a taxi, please go to the taxi stand or bus stop outside the station. In cities with a subway system (subway), there is usually a subway station inside the train station.
Transfer
If you need to transfer, it is very likely that you have multiple tickets. In fact, changing trains is not as difficult as you think-you just need to prompt (if the interval is short) and follow these simple steps:
- Get off the car and find the monitor to check the situation of the next departure. Each platform and underpass has smaller displays, while ticket offices and waiting rooms have larger displays.
- Your ticket contains a lot of information about your journey, but to quickly find your next train on the display, you only need to look up 3 numbers: the train number (below and to the left of "treno" on your ticket The first number on the display), the departure platform (the first number on the right of the display) and the departure time (the "ora" on your ticket and the second number on the right of the display).
- After arriving at the departure platform of the next train, you need to check the display above the platform, or just ask the staff or other passengers to confirm that the next train is stopping at this platform.
- You need to verify your ticket only when you take Trenitalia's shuttle bus (RV, R), otherwise please look up your seat number (posto) and wagon (carrozza) on the ticket, and then board the train .
Of course, on the xmove App, you can monitor the stops and delay information and platform information of the train you are taking, and you can also monitor the real-time station timetable in the App.
It can also monitor the real-time delay, cancellation, and platform change information of a train, such as the 9512 delay information from Naples to Turin.
