LUNGOCOSTA TRAIN GUIDE
A guide to the Italian railway system
Everything you always wanted to know about Italian trains — and dared to ask
Using Italian trains is fairly simple, once you know what to look at and when.
The train number matters more than the colour of the train. The departure board may not assign the platform until a few minutes before departure. A Regionale has no reserved seat, an Intercity does. A paper ticket may need validating, a digital one doesn’t. And a ten-minute connection feels very different when there’s an underpass, a suitcase and a lift out of order between the two trains.
This guide brings together the two things you actually need: the official rules of Trenitalia and the other operators running on the Italian rail network, and what normally happens at the station and on board.
So you’ll find tickets and fares, train numbers, apps and departure boards, luggage, stations, connections, strikes, replacement buses, assistance and refunds. Where a rule matters, you’ll find the source. Where experience matters, I try to tell you what to expect before you find out on the platform.
The guide is checked again at every timetable change, in June and December.
How to use this guide. The guide is divided into three sections that follow your journey: before you go, even a few days ahead; during your journey, at the station and on board; other topics. If you are doing LungoCosta 0, you only need a few chapters on the platform: Regionale tickets and validation, train numbers and departure boards, luggage and, if something goes wrong, delays and connections.
How this guide was built. Before publication, every chapter was checked against more than 500 real questions asked by international travellers in forums and online communities. The official sources say what the rules are; those questions help show where a traveller can trip up. If the same doubt kept coming up — a ticket that needed validating, a platform announced late, a missed connection — there had to be an answer here.
Published on October 2026 · Last updated 13 October 2026
BEFORE YOU GO
DURING YOUR JOURNEY
00 - How it works, at a glance
- Two ways of selling a journey. On a Regionale you buy a journey between two stations, at a fixed price and without a seat. On Intercity, Frecce and Italo you buy a seat on a specific train, at a variable price. [→ 02]
- Not everything is Trenitalia. Trenitalia sells most national and regional trains, but Italo, EAV and several local networks have their own tickets and sales channels. [→02]
- A paper Regionale ticket must be validated before you board. A digital one activates by itself when the train you chose departs; Intercity and Frecce tickets are not validated. [→ 03]
- The train number is your reference: together with the date, it identifies your train across the whole network, and you need it for the departure board, the app and the staff. The same service may run under a different number on another day. [→ 04]
- Search on the actual date of travel: not all trains run every day. [→ 05]
- The departure board shows the train’s final destination, not your stop: look for it and confirm with the number. In large stations the platform often appears only a few minutes before departure. [→ 07]
- Only bring luggage you can carry up a flight of stairs on your own: many stations have no lifts, or the lifts are out of order. [→ 08]
- The next train does not wait for a late one. If a train delay makes you miss a Regionale, continue on the next available Regionale allowed by your ticket’s conditions; on a train with an assigned seat, speak to the staff. [→ 13]
- If a delay or cancellation stops you from continuing your journey, speak to the staff: Trenitalia must offer you an alternative, and if you cannot continue on the same day, other transport and an overnight stay may be provided. [→ 13]
- During a strike, the train number is what counts: check whether your train is on the list of guaranteed trains, not just whether it departs within a guaranteed time band. [→ 13]
Why this guide starts with Regionale and Intercity trains
These are the trains that reach most of the country: the high-speed network is concentrated mainly on the Turin–Milan–Bologna–Florence–Rome–Naples axis, with extensions to Brescia and Salerno. High-speed trains also continue on the conventional network to Venice and many other cities. The Frecce and Italo have a page of their own.
01 - Types of train and levels of service
Always follow the train number. The train type is shown by the code immediately to the left of the number.
- Regionale (R) — the train with the widest reach: it links cities, towns and minor stations. It makes many stops, though not always all of them.
- Regionale Veloce (RV) — a Regionale with fewer stops. Same ticket, same rules.
- Intercity (IC) — long distance, few stops. At night the Intercity Notte (ICN) runs. → 19
- High-speed (AV) — Frecce and Italo — Frecciarossa, Frecciargento and Frecciabianca are Trenitalia’s fast trains;
Italo is a different company. → High-speed trains: Frecce and Italo
On international trains you will also see EC (Eurocity) and EN (Euronight). In large cities, suburban Regionale trains carry a line code, such as S in Milan or FL in Rome: they are still Regionale trains.
On Regionale and Regionale Veloce trains you cannot reserve a seat; on Intercity and Frecce trains the seat is included in the ticket. → 02 Italo, a different company, also runs on the same routes as the Frecce. → 02
Classes and levels of service
- Regionale trains: almost always second class only; first class, where there is one, is marked with a 1 by the door.
- Intercity: Plus (first) and Easy (second).
- Frecciargento and Frecciabianca: first and second class.
- Frecciarossa: Standard, Premium, Business, Executive.
- Italo: Smart, Prima Business, Club Executive.
- Intercity Notte: seat, couchette, sleeper or cabin. → 19
The level tells you where you sit, not how flexible your ticket is. → 02
More punctual than you might think According to Trenitalia’s 2025 service quality report, 93.8% of Regionale trains depart within 5 minutes of the scheduled time, with an average arrival delay of 2.0 minutes; for medium- and long-distance trains the average delay is 8.7 minutes. These are national averages, not figures for individual routes.
Official sources for this chapter
- Trenitalia — Services available: trains and services for national travel
- Trenitalia — 2025 service quality report
- Italo — Travel ambiences
LungoCosta tip
- LungoCosta runs on Regionali by design: they stop in every town and hug the coastline. The Frecce do a different job — getting you fast between big cities. → The Itinerary
02 - Buying tickets: where, when and whether you need to book
A train journey is sold in two ways. On a Regionale you buy a journey between two stations, not a seat: the price is fixed, and if the train is full, you stand. On Intercity, Frecce and Italo trains you buy a seat on a specific train, at a variable price.
You do not need an account: your first name, surname and an email address are enough. If the app is not available in your country, use the website in your browser.
Where to buy
- From Trenitalia, almost everything: its own trains and the Regionale trains of Trenord (including the Malpensa Express), Trenitalia Tper and other regional companies (FSE, SAD, Trentino Trasporti, TUA); international Eurocity and Euronight trains; combined train + flight tickets with ITA Airways.
- Only from the company itself: Italo, EAV (the Circumvesuviana, around Naples) and some local and tourist railways. → 18
A simple test. If the Trenitalia website offers you the train and lets you pay for it, that ticket is valid on that train. If the train does not appear, look for it on the website of the company that runs it.
The official channels are the website and app, ticket offices (*Biglietteria*), ticket machines (with an English menu) and, for Regionale trains, authorised retailers: often a *tabaccheria* (tobacconist) near the station, which in small towns is the only place to buy a ticket. You cannot buy on board long-distance trains; on a Regionale, board with a ticket that is already valid. → 03
Resellers such as Trainline, Omio or ItaliaRail sell valid tickets, sometimes with a fee, but changes and refunds go through them: the official channel is better.
Where you need a separate ticket
Some local and tourist railways have their own tickets, such as the Circumvesuviana to Pompeii and Sorrento or the railway to Matera, and the Cinque Terre have a special fare. → 18
An Italo ticket is not valid on a Frecciarossa, even at the same time on the same route. And buying from Trenitalia does not mean Trenitalia’s rules apply: changes, refunds and passes follow the company that runs the train. Italia in Tour, for example, is not valid on Trenord and FSE. → 15
Two tickets from different companies are two separate journeys: if the first train is late, the second will not wait for you. → 13
Paying
On the website and in the app you can pay with the main international cards; the price is in euros and your bank applies the exchange rate. At the station some machines accept cash, others only cards.
When you buy, you receive a recovery code: keep it, because with your first name, surname and that code you can find your journey even without the email. If the payment seems to have failed but you see a charge, do not buy again straight away: check the confirmation email, including your spam folder, and search for the journey with the code. Often the charge is only a pre-authorisation.
How far ahead to buy
- Regionale and Regionale Veloce: the price does not change and buying early does not get you a seat. Buy ahead only if you are leaving from a small station, where there may be no ticket office or ticket machine.
- Intercity, Frecce and Italo: availability is limited, they can sell out, and buying early increases your chance of finding better fares; Intercity trains go on sale up to six months ahead. Buying early matters most in high-demand periods and on night trains, where couchettes and cabins are few.
- If a train far in the future does not appear, it is often not sold out: after the June and December timetable changes, trains sometimes appear later. → 05
Fare and seat
On Trenitalia Intercity and Frecce trains the main fares are Base, Economy and Super Economy: Base is the most expensive and the most flexible, while Economy and Super Economy cost less but have more restrictions on changes and refunds.
Italo has its own fares — Flex, Economy and Low Cost — with different conditions for changes and refunds.
If the train comes straight after a flight or another part of the journey that may be delayed, a more flexible fare can be worth the difference in price.
On Intercity, Frecce and Italo the seat is included in the ticket; on Regionale and Regionale Veloce trains you cannot reserve a seat, which is why a Regionale never “sells out”. On trains with assigned seats you can often choose your seat from the coach (carriage) map, sometimes for a small supplement. The map does not guarantee the direction of travel, though, which can change along the way, nor which side the sea is on.
Advice. If your journey involves a change between two trains with assigned seats, buy it as a single booking (*unica soluzione*) from the same company and leave a generous margin, not the minimum the system suggests. → 13
Official sources for this chapter
- Trenitalia — General conditions of carriage, Part II - National transport (IT)
- Trenitalia — General conditions of carriage, Part III - Sales channels and payment (IT)
- Trenitalia — How to buy a ticket online (IT)
- Trenitalia — Other international connections (IT)
- FS Italiane — Integrated train + flight ticket with ITA Airways (IT)
- Trenord — trenord.it
- Trenitalia Tper — trenitaliatper.it (IT)
- Italo — italotreno.com
- EAV — eavsrl.it (IT)
- Ferrotramviaria — ferrotramviaria.it (IT)
LungoCosta tip
- You can book the whole of LungoCosta 0 through Trenitalia alone — no Italo, no EAV. It runs almost entirely on Regionale trains, with just two exceptions: the Intercity Bovalino–Taranto and the Apulia Express Lecce–Bari Centrale.
- On almost every day you don’t need to buy ahead: it’s only worth locking in the few Intercity legs early. → The Itinerary
03 - The Regionale ticket: formats, validation and inspection
The phrase “Regionale ticket” can now mean three different tickets, and they are not all validated in the same way.
The three main formats are:
| Type | Where you meet it | What you need to do |
|---|---|---|
| Paper ticket | ticket office, ticket machine, retailers | must be validated before you board |
| Digital Regional Ticket – BDR | website/app and enabled channels | choose your train; it activates automatically at the scheduled departure time |
| Electronic Regional Ticket – BER | mainly groups, bikes, Link, day tickets and some channels | already validated; no stamping required |
BDR: flexible right up to departure
- until 23:59 the day before, you can change the date and time;
- on the day of travel you can change the time up to the scheduled departure of the train you chose;
- at the scheduled departure it activates by itself and is valid until you arrive at your destination.
If you are the one running late and you have not changed the time beforehand, the ticket still activates for the train you originally chose and does not switch automatically to the next one. If you can, change the time before the scheduled departure. If the BDR is already active, speak to staff before boarding or, if that is not possible, as soon as you are on board.
If instead the train shown on your ticket is late or cancelled, you can continue at no extra cost on the next available train on the same route, category and class. → 13
BER: already validated
It is issued in your name and does not need to be stamped. You will come across it with groups, bike supplements, day tickets, some Link services and at authorised retailers, often a tobacconist near the station: in small towns this is the only place to buy one. It is normally valid for four hours from the time of the train you chose, with some regional fare exceptions.
Paper: must be validated
You validate it at the validation machine in the station before boarding, and after validation the journey must normally be completed within four hours.
If the validation machine is missing or broken, or if you boarded without managing to validate it, find the conductor as soon as you board, before the ticket check starts: they can validate or regularise the ticket. Do not wait for them to find you.
If you are not sure, look at the ticket
If you are not sure which of the three tickets you are holding, open it and read what it says, or ask the staff at the station or the conductor as soon as you board. Do not apply the paper rule to a digital ticket, or the other way round.
Buying on board
You normally can’t buy a ticket on board: board with a ticket that is already valid. Regularising it without a surcharge is allowed only when there was genuinely no way to buy one at the station: ticket office closed or missing, ticket machines missing or broken, no retailer within reach. In that case, find the conductor as soon as you board, before the ticket check starts.
Children
- up to 4 years old (not yet turned 4): free, if accompanied and not occupying a seat;
- from 4 up to 12 years old (not yet turned 12): half price;
- over 12: full price.
Some regions have their own rules, including Campania, Abruzzo, Sardinia, Puglia and the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano: if you are travelling with children, check the fare for that region. Family offers are a separate matter and change over time.
Official sources for this chapter
- Trenitalia — Travelling on Regional trains
- Trenitalia — Digital Regional Ticket
- Trenitalia — Regional online ticket and passes (BER, children's fares by region)
- Trenitalia — General conditions of carriage, Part III, 4. Types of ticket, use, validation and validity (IT)
- Trenitalia — Services available: trains and services for national travel (IT)
LungoCosta tip
- LungoCosta 0 runs almost entirely on Regionale tickets bought through the app — just remember the BDR is locked to the train you picked, and you can only change it before departure. → The Itinerary
04 - Train number + date
The reference for finding your train is the train number together with the date: it identifies a single service across the whole network. You find it in the details of your journey option, in the app, on the departure board and on ViaggiaTreno.
Why you also need the date
Many trains run every day under the same number, but not always: the same service may change number on certain days, for example on Sundays and public holidays. Save the number for the day you are travelling, not the one you found when searching another date.
What to note down
For every train: date · number · departure station and time · arrival station and time · final destination, that is, the station where the train’s run ends, which is often not yours. The final destination does not appear in the list of journey options: you see it by opening “Details” and then “Train info”, or by looking up the number on ViaggiaTreno, in the form origin >> final destination. A screenshot helps.
An example
Say you’re going from Firenze Campo di Marte to Pontassieve and you buy Regionale 18961 at 16:01. “Train info” shows Firenze Santa Maria Novella >> Borgo S. Lorenzo: on the Campo di Marte board you will not look for “Pontassieve”, but for R 18961 for Borgo S. Lorenzo at 16:01. The time shown is the departure time from your station, and you read the actual platform on the board on the day itself. → 07
To ask the staff, the number and your destination are enough: “Scusi, treno 18961, devo andare a Pontassieve” (Excuse me, train 18961, I need to go to Pontassieve), or in English, “Excuse me, train number 18961, my destination is Pontassieve”.
Follow the number, not the carriages
A train that reaches the end of its run may stay at the platform and leave again shortly afterwards with another number and another destination. Do not board because “it is the train I saw arriving”: check the number of the departure you need.
In short: if you know where you want to go and what time you want to arrive, search for the journey and note the train number. From then on, that is all you need: departure board, platform, staff.
Official sources for this chapter
- FS News — Train numbers
- Segnali FS — Train numbering: introduction (a technical deep-dive on Italian railway regulations)
- WikiRail — Train numbering (railway glossary)
- Trenitalia — ViaggiaTreno
05 — Timetables, calendars and searching: search the route
If you use the journey planner, meaning the search you find as soon as you open trenitalia.com or the app — and I recommend it — always search for your journey on the exact day you plan to travel: enter the actual date of the journey and the exact stations. If you want a route other than the fastest one, search for the intermediate sections, not just the destination.
Not all trains run every day
Every train has its own calendar: daily, weekdays only, Saturdays only, Sundays and holidays, seasonal. Do not automatically translate “feriale” as Monday–Friday and “festivo” as weekend: always check the running days against the actual date of your journey.
Timetables change
The main timetable changes are in June and December, but engineering works and events also change trains in between. If you are planning months ahead, build the route first and confirm the trains as the date gets closer.
Some Regionale trains leave as early as around 04:00 and others arrive after 01:00, but none run through the night: if you are leaving very early or arriving very late, check the first and last trains on the planner. → 19
Stations in the same city
Many cities have more than one station: Napoli Centrale is not Napoli Afragola, Roma Termini is not Roma Tiburtina, Venezia Santa Lucia is not Venezia Mestre. Choose the exact station from the list the system offers you.
Search the route, not just the destination
The planner looks for the fastest option from A to B. If you want to follow a coast, use only Regionale trains or stop where the fast route does not go, you have to guide the search yourself.
If you search Napoli → Catanzaro, for example, the planner prefers to go via Lamezia Terme. To follow the Calabrian coast down to Reggio and back up along the Ionian coast, search one section at a time along the routes you want to travel, choose sensible stations to change at, then put the journey back together. The planner is not wrong: it is optimising a different journey from yours.
If the train does not appear, it may be that:
Official sources for this chapter
- Trenitalia — Journey planner and booking (trenitalia.com)
LungoCosta tip
- LungoCosta 0 was planned leg by leg: the Itinerary lists every stretch that hugs the coast from Ventimiglia to Trieste.
Search for them again on your actual travel date before you go. → The Itinerary
06 - Stations: what you will actually find
Not all stations offer the same services. This is a practical classification, not RFI’s official one: it tells you what to expect when you get off the train.
| Station | What you usually find |
|---|---|
| Large (Roma Termini, Napoli Centrale) | staff, ticket offices, ticket machines, cafés, toilets, city transport links; often ticket gates to the platforms |
| Medium | ticket machines, a waiting room, sometimes a café and staff, with varying hours |
| Small, staffed | railway staff, but no passenger services: café, toilets and ticket office are not guaranteed |
| Small, unstaffed | a platform, a platform edge, displays and announcements, perhaps an underpass. Nothing else |
The absence of staff does not mean an absence of information: even at unstaffed stations, displays and announcements, where present, are run remotely by RFI’s systems and by the control post or the reference station for that line.
For small unstaffed stations I recommend a strict rule: assume there is no toilet, and if there is one on the train, use it before you get off. At all small stations buy your ticket beforehand and carry water with you: a café nearby is a bonus, not a station service.
Ticket gates to the platforms
At some large stations, including Milano Centrale, Roma Termini and Firenze Santa Maria Novella, there are electronic gates before the platforms that open when you scan your ticket code. This is not validation: keep your ticket to hand to get through as well.
Changing trains is a physical act
Eight minutes to change trains is not long or short in itself: it depends on platforms, stairs, underpasses, luggage and crowds. Lifts and escalators can be out of order even at large stations: do not plan a tight change that relies on them. → 08, 09
Some hubs have stations on different levels of the same complex: in Naples, Napoli Centrale and Napoli Piazza Garibaldi. And some local railways have their own stations, separate from those of the main network: the Circumvesuviana in Naples, Ferrotramviaria in Bari and Ferrovienord trains in Milan, which leave from Milano Cadorna, not Milano Centrale. → 18
Useful things to carry
- the train number, which is what you read on the display, and a charged phone; → 04
- a few 50-cent, 1-euro and 2-euro coins for toilets and vending machines;
- water, especially in summer.
Who to ask
About your journey: station staff or the conductor. In an emergency: 112, or the Railway Police (*Polizia Ferroviaria*) where present. At main stations many announcements are also in English; at minor stops, do not count on it. When you need to ask, the train number and the station name get you past almost any language barrier.
At night
A station is not a night shelter: waiting rooms and buildings may be closed even when trains are running. If you have a long wait, check beforehand where you will be able to stay.
At large stations, the same care as at any large European hub is enough: luggage close to you, phone and wallet in secure pockets. There is no need to be alarmed, only to pay attention.
Official sources for this chapter
07 - Timetables, departure boards and announcements: what to do when you reach the station
Look for the Partenze / Departures board, not Arrivals. It shows the trains of all companies, each with its category and number, final destination (not your stop), time, delay and platform.
On the departure board, in three steps
- Scan for your train’s final destination, the one you noted down: it is the word in large letters. → 04
- Confirm with the number. In front of the number is the category, R or RV; in the app and on ViaggiaTreno the same category may appear as “Regionale” or “REG”: what counts is the number.
- Read the delay and platform on the same line.
Your train is not on the board yet
The board only shows the next departures. If you are early, look at the timetable posters in the station: the yellow sheets are departures, the white ones arrivals, with the number, time, stops and running days of each train.
Deciding your journey at the station
From Florence to Empoli, for example, “Empoli” is probably not on the board: the trains that stop there go further. Search Firenze → Empoli in the app, note the train number, find it on the board and, when you buy the ticket, check that the number is the same. Alternatively, look for “Empoli” among the stops on the timetable poster.
The platform
- The platform you saw hours earlier in the app may change: check it again at the station until departure.
- At large stations the platform often appears only 10–15 minutes before departure. It is not a delay or a mistake: stay near the boards and move when it appears.
- Platforms marked Est, Ovest or Piazzale (Pz) (East, West, Forecourt) are far from the main building: follow the signs straight away. From platform 24 Est to platform 1 Ovest you are still in the same station, but it is a long walk.
Words to recognise
| On the board | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Partenze · Arrivi | Departures · Arrivals |
| Binario | Platform |
| Ritardo | Delay |
| Soppresso | Cancelled → 13 |
| Limitato a… | The train terminates early, at that station: if you are going further, look for an alternative → 13 |
| In transito | Not stopping: stay behind the yellow line |
The yellow line is the safety strip along the edge of the platform, and every station has one. Every announcement of an arriving or passing train ends with “allontanarsi dalla linea gialla” (stand back from the yellow line): stay behind it until the train has stopped.
ViaggiaTreno
Enter the train number, without the category code, and you see that day’s run: from origin to final destination (REG 18961 — Firenze Santa Maria Novella >> Borgo S. Lorenzo), the last point where the train was tracked and its delay, the scheduled and actual times stop by stop, and the “expected” or “actual” platform. The tracking point can be an installation along the line, such as “Pm Rovezzano”, rather than a station. It opens in the browser, with no account needed; it does not sell tickets.
If the app, the displays and the announcements seem to contradict each other, ask staff
Official sources for this chapter
- RFI — Live arrivals and departures monitor (all trains arriving and departing at RFI stations in real time; the online version can lag up to 3 minutes behind the information shown in the station)
- RFI — Open the live Arrivals & Departures monitor (direct tool, search by station)
- RFI — Online timetable posters (the scheduled timetable station by station, the same one shown on the boards in the station)
- RFI — Passenger information (an overview of the information systems in stations and online)
- Trenitalia — ViaggiaTreno (real-time status of a single train)
- Trenitalia — Information and assistance (real-time search in the app by train number or station, notifications and Infomobilità)
- Italo — Italo in Viaggio (real-time status of Italo trains and departure boards for the stations it serves)
LungoCosta tip
- In the LungoCosta 0 Journey, every connection has been walked through the station in person, not just timed on paper. → The Journey
08 - Luggage
On a Regionale there is no luggage allowance to be weighed: you can bring luggage that is easy to carry, stowed in the spaces provided without blocking doors and aisles, and keeping an eye on it is your responsibility. The real measure is a different one: can you carry it up a flight of stairs by yourself in under a minute?
Why the stairs matter
Many stations have underpasses and stairs, and lifts may be missing or out of order. An eight-minute change with a light suitcase is one thing; with two hard-shell wheeled suitcases it is quite another. → 06
Where to put it on board
On new Regionale trains the overhead racks are shallow: a day pack fits, a suitcase does not. For wheeled cases and suitcases, look straight away for floor space: at the end of the coach, between the seats or in the multi-purpose areas.
Keep it where you can see it and reach it. If you think you might fall asleep, wedge it between your feet or loop a strap round your leg: all that matters is that nobody can move it without waking you.
Left luggage
Assume the station does not have any. At large stations you are more likely to find a left-luggage office or lockers, sometimes privately run and outside the station; at small stations there is usually nothing. If you want to leave your case during a stopover, check beforehand where, until what time and how far from the platforms.
Official sources for this chapter
09 - Travelling with a disability or reduced mobility
At stations, assistance for people with disabilities or reduced mobility is provided by RFI through its Sala Blu service (RFI’s assistance service), whichever company runs the train. Only the channel you use to book it changes. Book as early as possible, and check that both the station where you board and the one where you get off are covered.
How to book
| Train | Channel |
|---|---|
| Trenitalia | Sala Blu: phone, email, desk, SalaBlu+ app, Sala Blu Online portal |
| Italo | Pronto Italo, 060708, every day 07:00–23:00 |
If your journey combines trains from different companies, book through each train’s channel; the person waiting for you on the platform is RFI staff in any case.
How far in advance
- “Fast” stations, the main ones: up to 1 hour before, for services between 07:45 and 22:30;
- all other stations: at least 12 working hours before, not counting Sundays and public holidays;
- international journeys: at least 48 hours before.
These are the minimums the service guarantees, not the time you should allow yourself: I recommend booking as soon as your journey is decided.
What it includes
A welcome at the agreed meeting point, an escort to the train or to the exit, boarding and getting off with a platform lift or ramp, a wheelchair provided by the service on request, and help buying your ticket.
Small stations
The Sala Blu does not operate at every station. If a stage of your journey goes through a small station, check assistance there before building the rest of the itinerary around that stage. → 06
Documents
- Carta Blu (Trenitalia): free, valid for 5 years, for residents of Italy; a companion travels free on the same ticket. You collect it at a ticket office, not at the Sala Blu.
- Disability Card, the European disability card, also in digital form: with the letter “A” it gives the same benefit for a companion. For travellers from another EU country it is the most natural option.
For travellers from outside the EU, there is no free travel for a companion on national trains.
On board
The newest Regionale trains, Rock and Pop, have wheelchair spaces near the doors, often next to an accessible toilet. The fleet is mixed, though: do not assume every train is like the last one you saw. For wheelchair spaces on Italo → High-speed trains: Frecce and Italo.
Official sources for this chapter
- RFI — Sala Blu assistance information at a glance
- Trenitalia — Passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility
- Trenitalia — Carta Blu and other discounts
- Italo — Assistance for people with reduced mobility
- FS Italiane — Rock train technical sheet
10 - On board a Regionale
The regional fleet is varied: new, refurbished and older trains all run on the same route. Do not turn what you saw on one train into a promise for the next. The conductor works for the company that runs the train: for anything to do with your ticket or a problem during the journey, speak to them.
Seats
There are no assigned seats: you sit wherever you find a free one, and at rush hour, during events or in summer on coastal routes you may have to stand for part of the way. New Regionale trains are often very spacious; older rolling stock is more cramped.
Regionale trains are almost all second class. On some there is still a first-class carriage, marked with the number 1 by the doors: if you have a second-class ticket, do not sit there.
Air conditioning
Recent trains have it, and in summer it can be genuinely cold: bring something to cover up, even when it is 35 °C outside. In my experience there is one rule: the emptier the train, the colder it is. The first train of the morning is often the coldest, while in a full coach the system struggles.
Toilets
On newer Regionale trains there are usually two for the whole train, both accessible, in the first and last carriage; on older trains there used to be one per carriage. If one is closed for a fault, the newer train is left with just one. So: if you find one open, use it when you need it, and always use it before getting off at a small station. → 06
Food, water, power
- There is no café on board Regionale trains: you can eat whatever you bring.
- Always carry a bottle of water, even for short journeys: cafés and vending machines may be missing, and a connection can take longer than planned.
- Power sockets and USB ports are on many modern trains, but not on all of them, and they do not always work: bring a power bank.
- Wi-Fi: do not count on it. Use your own data, knowing that the signal may drop in tunnels and in the mountains.
Doors
They open with the button next to the door, when the train has stopped and the system unlocks them. Do not force them: if a door is out of order, a notice on the door itself will say so.
Smoking
Smoking is banned on board, including in the spaces between carriages, and the ban also covers e-cigarettes. At the station, smoke only in the outdoor areas marked as smoking areas.
Official sources for this chapter
- Trenitalia — General conditions of carriage, Part I, 8. Passenger obligations and responsibilities (the smoking ban, including e-cigarettes; the rest of the chapter is first-hand experience)
11 - Bikes
On a Regionale a bike can travel in two ways: folded or dismantled, free of charge as luggage; assembled, with a supplement, only on trains marked with the bicycle symbol. The size limits differ between Regionale and national trains: there is no single size that applies to all of them.
Folded or dismantled
It travels free as luggage if it fits within the size limits: 80 × 120 × 45 cm on a Regionale; on national trains, Frecce and Intercity, 80 × 110 × 45 cm, for a bike dismantled in a bag or folded.
Assembled, on a Regionale
It is allowed on trains marked with the bicycle symbol, as long as there is space:
- one bike per passenger, no longer than 2 metres;
- a daily supplement of €3.50, or a second ticket in second class for the same route;
- some regions have their own fares.
The symbol tells you the service is provided, not that you will get a space: the conductor may refuse the bike if the train is too crowded or if it creates a safety problem.
Intercity and Frecce
Some Intercity trains have a coach with six bike spaces, which must be booked, and some trains have e-bike charging: check the specific train. On the Frecce an assembled bike is not a normal option: it travels folded or dismantled.
Before you travel with an assembled bike
Check the service on the train: when searching, open “Details” (*Dettagli*) on the website or in the app, and the train’s services will show whether bikes are carried; at the station, look for the symbol on the coach. Check the regional fare, avoid rush hour and, if in doubt, ask the conductor before you settle in.
Official sources for this chapter
- Trenitalia — Bikes on board
- Trenitalia — Bikes and electric vehicles on Regionale trains
- Trenitalia — Carrying bikes on Intercity trains
12 - Pets on board
On a Regionale a small animal in a carrier travels free; a dog of any size outside a carrier pays half fare and must be on a lead and muzzled. An assistance dog always travels free.
Small animals
Small dogs, cats and other small pets travel free in a carrier of up to 70 × 30 × 50 cm, one per passenger.
Dogs outside a carrier
- a lead and a muzzle, used properly;
- on a Regionale, a second-class ticket for the same journey, reduced by 50%; in Lombardy it is free;
- on long-distance trains, commercial fares apply: check the current conditions when you buy.
The old rule that kept dogs off Regionale trains between 07:00 and 09:00 no longer applies: today they are excluded only from the trains listed in the Official Timetable (*Orario Ufficiale*). Check the specific train.
Documents
The certificate of registration with the dog registry (*anagrafe canina*) and the health booklet; if you are coming from abroad, the pet passport is enough.
Guide and assistance dogs
An assistance dog always travels free, on all trains. Guide dogs for people with visual impairments need no certification; for other assistance dogs, check what training documentation is required.
Official sources for this chapter
- Trenitalia — General conditions of carriage, Part III, 9. Luggage and carriage of animals
- Trenitalia — Travelling with pets
- Trenitalia — If you travel with your pet
13 - Connections, delays, cancellations, replacement buses and strikes
When something goes wrong, the first question is not “am I entitled to a refund?” but “how do I continue my journey?”.
If a delay or cancellation makes you miss a connection that is part of the same booking (a through ticket), you are entitled to continue or to be re-routed under the conditions of your ticket. With separate tickets or different operators, however, do not assume your onward journey is covered. For refunds and compensation → 14
If your connection is at risk
Follow the actual delay in the app or on ViaggiaTreno, and check whether the second train is also late. If the change is at risk, speak to the conductor before you reach the station where you change. When you get off, check the platform again straight away.
If you miss your connection
- Regionale: if you miss the connection because the previous train was late or cancelled, continue on the next available Regionale allowed by your ticket’s conditions.
- Train with an assigned seat: if the two trains were part of the same booking, speak to the staff to continue on another train, depending on availability and the applicable conditions.
- Separate tickets or different operators: do not assume the second ticket will be covered automatically. Before buying another one, ask the staff what options you have. → 02
If you cannot reach your destination
If a delay, a cancellation or a missed connection covered by your journey stops you from continuing, speak to the staff: Trenitalia must offer you onward travel or an alternative route where the conditions of carriage provide for it.
If you cannot continue on the same day, alternative transport and, where necessary, overnight accommodation and assistance may be provided. → 14
In practice, the point that matters is the end of the day: if there is no longer a train that can get you to your destination by midnight, speak to the staff straight away and ask about a replacement service or overnight accommodation. Keep your ticket and receipts.
Cancelled trains and “Limitato a”
Look for the next train or an alternative route in the app, on Infomobilità (Trenitalia’s live service updates) or by asking the staff. If the train is “limitato a” (terminating at) a station, that station is now the final destination for that service: get off and look straight away for a way to continue. → 07
At a small, empty station
If your train does not turn up at a stop with no staff, the Trenitalia app and ViaggiaTreno are your source of information: do not stay on the platform waiting. And if you know that a stage of your journey goes through an isolated stop, check the situation before you get off, while you still have a signal and a train under your feet: the most isolated stops often have the weakest signal.
Replacement bus
When a route is interrupted, the journey may continue by bus. The stop is not always in front of the station: look for signs saying Bus sostitutivo or Autoservizio sostitutivo (replacement bus) and, if you cannot see them, ask. Seats on the bus are limited, and bikes, bulky luggage, animals and accessibility can be a problem: if you need any of these, check beforehand.
Strikes
For Regionale trains the guaranteed time bands are, on working days (Monday to Saturday), 06:00–09:00 and 18:00–21:00; on Sundays and public holidays, 07:00–10:00 and 18:00–21:00. The guarantee, however, applies by train number, not by time: the right question is “is my train on the list of guaranteed trains?”. Each company publishes its own list, and the effects of a strike can begin before and end after the official hours.
Official sources for this chapter
- Trenitalia — General conditions of carriage, Part I, 10. Trenitalia's obligations and responsibilities
- Trenitalia — General conditions of carriage, Part II - National transport
- Trenitalia — In case of strike
- Strike Guarantee Commission — cgsse.it
LungoCosta tip
- For LungoCosta 0, wherever a connection is tight, the Journey page also has a fallback option lined up. See → The Journey
14 - Refunds, compensation and fines
These are three different situations, with different rules: you cancel the journey yourself, the train is cancelled or arrives late, you get a fine. In every case, keep your ticket, receipts and any messages. This area changes over time: before making a claim, check the current conditions. The rules below are those for Trenitalia Regionale trains.
If you cancel
- BDR (digital regional ticket) paid electronically, for a journey entirely on Trenitalia:** full refund with no deduction until 23:59 the day before, through the “Manage” (*Gestisci*) function.
- Paper tickets and BER: until 23:59 the day before, at a ticket office or travel agency, with a 20% deduction; if the amount to be refunded is €8 or less, there is no refund.
For Intercity, Frecce and Italo it depends on the fare. → 02
If the train is cancelled or more than an hour late
If the train is cancelled, or departs or arrives more than 60 minutes late, and you choose not to travel, you are entitled to a full refund of the ticket. You can claim it within one year using Trenitalia’s online refund form. If instead you want to continue your journey → 13
Compensation for delays
If you reach your destination, but late:
- 25% of the price for a delay of 60–119 minutes, for tickets of at least €16;
- 50% for a delay of 120 minutes or more, for tickets of at least €8;
- amounts under €4 are not paid out.
You claim it within one year of travel, with the same online refund form. For eligible BDR tickets, paid electronically and for a journey entirely on Trenitalia, compensation may be paid automatically to your payment method.
Strikes
If your train is not on the list of guaranteed trains, you can claim a refund from the moment the strike is announced until 23:59 the day before. If you bought from a reseller, this refund must also be claimed from them. → 13
Tickets bought from a reseller
Changes and refunds go through the reseller you bought from, not through Trenitalia. → 02
Fines
On a Regionale, without a ticket or with a ticket that has not been validated:
| When you pay | How much |
|---|---|
| on the spot, to the conductor | €50 plus the ticket price |
| within 15 days of the penalty notice (*verbale*) | €100 |
| after 15 days | €200 |
Some regions have their own amounts. There is only one way to avoid a fine: if you could not buy or validate your ticket, find the conductor as soon as you board, before the ticket check. → 03
Pay on the spot or appeal
If you pay the conductor on the spot, the case is closed and you can no longer appeal. If you think you are in the right, for example because the validation machine was broken, the app froze or there was no way to buy a ticket at the station, ask for the penalty notice and appeal against it.
If you have a penalty notice
- Paying, including from abroad: online, on the website of the company named on the notice (in Emilia-Romagna it is Trenitalia Tper), or by bank transfer to the IBAN shown on the notice, quoting the notice number as the payment reference.
- Appealing: within 30 days of notification, using Trenitalia’s online complaints form, which is also available in English, or through the channels shown on the notice. Attach a photo of the notice, the ticket and a clear explanation of what happened.
- An appeal does not suspend the deadline for the reduced payment: if it is rejected, you may have to pay the full amount. The last resort is the *Giudice di Pace* (justice of the peace).
On Trenord trains, payment and appeals go through Trenord.
Complaints
For a problem that is not a fine, you can submit a complaint within three months, in Italian or English, using Trenitalia’s online form.
Official sources for this chapter
- Trenitalia — General conditions of carriage, Part III, 8. Refunds and compensation (in force from 06/11/2025)
- Trenitalia — General conditions of carriage, Part III, 7. Irregularities and abuses (in force from 05/08/2023)
- Trenitalia — How to file a complaint
- Trenitalia — Online refund form
- Trenitalia — Online complaints form (also in English)
- Trenitalia Tper — Online payment of penalties
- Trenord — Penalties: appeals, payments and deadlines
- Trenitalia — Delay compensation
- Trenitalia — Automatic compensation for Digital Regional Tickets
- Trenitalia — General conditions of carriage, Part I, 10. Trenitalia's obligations and responsibilities
- Unione Europea — Regulation (EU) 2021/782 on rail passengers' rights
- Normattiva — Law no. 689 of 24 November 1981, art. 16: reduced payment of penalties (immediate payment closes the case)
15 - Interrail and Italia in Tour
These are different passes and should not be confused. Interrail is the European pass, valid with several companies and on several types of train. Italia in Tour is a Trenitalia offer for regional trains only, for 3 or 5 consecutive days.
Interrail
From 9 September 2026 the Eurail brand has been merged into Interrail, including for people who live outside Europe. Eurail passes bought before the change remain valid under their own conditions.
| Train | Interrail pass | Seat reservation |
|---|---|---|
| Regionale and Regionale Veloce | valid | not needed |
| Intercity | valid | compulsory, €3 |
| Intercity Notte | valid | compulsory, price depends on seat, couchette or cabin |
| Frecciarossa and Frecciargento | valid | compulsory, €13 |
| Frecciabianca | valid | compulsory, €10 |
| Italo | not valid | you need an Italo ticket → 02 |
| Circumvesuviana (EAV), FSE and other local railways | not valid | you need a separate ticket, even if you buy it from Trenitalia → 02 |
Where to book your seat
- at the station, at a Trenitalia ticket office or ticket machine: choose the “Global Pass / Interrail” discount and enter your pass number;
- online on the Austrian railways (ÖBB) website, tickets.oebb.at, adding the “Interrail / Eurail – Globalpass” discount: you pay only for the reservation;
- on the Interrail reservations portal, with a service fee of €2 per train.
Before boarding, add the journey to your pass using the Interrail procedure: this is a step required by the pass, not the validation of a regional ticket. The pass app, Rail Planner, does not show all stations and routes: if a train or station does not appear, look for it on Trenitalia’s journey planner, because it often exists anyway. → 05
An urban or regional pass, such as a city tourist card, is not automatically valid on Trenitalia trains: check which companies your pass covers.
Italia in Tour
Unlimited second-class travel for 3 or 5 consecutive days on the Regionale, Regionale Veloce and metropolitan trains of Trenitalia and Trenitalia Tper, including the Leonardo Express.
- Italia in Tour 3: €35; Italia in Tour 5: €59 (adult prices, at the guide’s last check);
- it must be bought by 24:00 on the day before it starts;
- it is issued in your name and you do not validate it for each journey.
Where Italia in Tour is not valid
- on Intercity trains, not even with a supplement: you need a normal ticket;
- on the Cinque Terre stations — separate ticket required if you stop at: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore;
- in Lombardy and on trains run by other companies, including Trenord and FSE;
- on routes to or from the Province of Bolzano, on the Trento–Bassano route and to or from Bassano del Grappa;
- on the Apulia Express and on the Micotra Trieste–Tarvisio.
Conditions change: check them for your date of travel.
Official sources for this chapter
- Interrail — Italy Pass (companies covered by the pass; Italo not included)
- Interrail — Le Frecce high-speed trains: reservations
- Interrail — Domestic train reservation fees
- ÖBB — Tickets and reservations online
- Rail.cc — Interrail in Italy (independent guide: trains not covered, including Italo)
- Trenitalia — Italia in Tour
- Trenitalia — Italia in Tour, conditions and exclusions (PDF)
LungoCosta tip
- An Interrail pass pairs well with LungoCosta: just check, leg by leg, which companies it actually covers.
- Italia in Tour pays off on days with lots of Regionale trains: the Italia in Tour page maps the LungoCosta 0 route against the exclusions and flags where you’ll need a separate ticket. See → Italia in Tour
16 - Contacts and tools
You do not need to learn the numbers: you only need to know which tool to use for which problem.
| You need to | Use |
|---|---|
| Know where your train is and how late it is | ViaggiaTreno, with the train number → 07 |
| Search for, buy or change a ticket | Trenitalia app and website |
| Check live service updates, engineering works, strikes | Infomobilità on the Trenitalia website; freephone 800 89 20 21, 24 hours a day → 13 |
| Get assistance, changes and refunds by phone | 06 3000, every day, 24 hours a day, at standard rates; from abroad +39 06 3000 |
| Buy a ticket by phone | 892021, 24 hours a day, charged: up to €12.50 per call |
| Claim refunds and compensation, make complaints, deal with fines | Trenitalia online forms → 14 |
| Get assistance for a disability or reduced mobility | Sala Blu, every day 06:45–21:30: 800 90 60 60, free from Italian landlines; 02 32 32 32 from landlines and mobiles, from abroad +39 02 32 32 32, at standard rates; also via 06 3000, option 4; Sala Blu Online, SalaBlu+ app → 09 |
| Get assistance on Italo trains | Pronto Italo, 060708 → 09 |
| Travel on the Circumvesuviana and routes around Naples | EAV: its own rules and tickets → 18 |
| Report an emergency | 112 |
Before a day with major engineering works, a weather warning or a strike, check Infomobilità the evening before: for strikes, look for your train number on the list of guaranteed trains, not just the time band.
Official sources for this chapter and useful links
- Trenitalia — Call centres: numbers, hours and costs
- Trenitalia — ViaggiaTreno
- Trenitalia — Guaranteed trains during a strike
- Trenitalia — How to file a complaint
- RFI — Sala Blu assistance information at a glance
- Italo — Assistance for people with reduced mobility
- EAV — eavsrl.it
- RFI — Live Arrivals and Departures monitor (all trains arriving and departing at RFI stations in real time; the online version can lag up to 3 minutes behind the information shown in the station)
- RFI — Open the live Arrivals & Departures monitor (direct tool, search by station)
17 - Airports by train: Fiumicino, Malpensa and the others
After a flight, do not tie yourself to a train that leaves too soon: between leaving the plane, collecting your luggage and walking to the station, it always takes longer than it seems. Trains between airports and cities are frequent and have fixed prices, and you can also buy tickets on the spot.
How much margin to leave
If after your flight you are taking a train with an assigned seat and a ticket that cannot be changed, I recommend leaving at least an hour and a half between the scheduled landing time and departure. With less margin, choose the Base fare, which can be changed, or a Regionale, which has no seat to lose. → 02
Rome Fiumicino
The station is connected to the terminals. There are two trains:
- Leonardo Express, non-stop to Roma Termini: €14;
- Regionale FL1, which stops at Trastevere, Ostiense and Tiburtina but not at Termini: €8 to stations inside Rome’s railway ring, including Trastevere, Ostiense and Tiburtina; €11 beyond it.
If you have a paper ticket, validate it at the gates in Fiumicino station before boarding. If you have a Biglietto Digitale Regionale, you do not need to validate it: it activates automatically for the train you chose. The paper ticket is valid for 90 minutes from validation for the Leonardo Express and for journeys within the Zona Anello (ring zone), and 180 minutes for destinations in Lazio beyond the ring. Children under 4 travel free. Italia in Tour is valid on both. → 15
Milan Malpensa
The Malpensa Express, run by Trenord, links Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 with Milano Centrale, Milano Porta Garibaldi and Milano Cadorna every 15 minutes. You can also buy the ticket in the Trenitalia app and on its website.
- At Terminal 1, used by all airlines except easyJet, there is also a Trenitalia ticket machine.
- At Terminal 2, easyJet’s terminal, there are only Trenord and Malpensa Express machines: if you land there, buy your ticket in the app before you get off the plane.
Italia in Tour is not valid on the Malpensa Express. → 15
Bari
The train to the airport is run by Ferrotramviaria: the ticket is bought separately, not from Trenitalia. → 02
Other airports
Check first who runs the link. In Pisa and Bologna, rail shuttles with their own tickets run between the airport and the central station: the Pisa Mover and the Marconi Express. The rule is the one in chapter 02: if the Trenitalia website does not sell you the ticket, you buy it from the company that runs the service.
Assistance
At the airport, assistance for people with reduced mobility is provided by the airport; at the station, by the Sala Blu. Book both. → 09
Official sources for this chapter
- Trenitalia — Fare 1/TER Fiumicino Airport (PDF) (in force from 28/10/2024)
- Trenitalia — Leonardo Express
- Aeroporti di Roma — The train to Fiumicino airport
- Trenord — Malpensa Express
- Malpensa Express — malpensaexpress.it
- Ferrotramviaria — ferrotramviaria.it
18 - Trains with separate tickets: Pompeii, Cinque Terre, Circumvesuviana and the others
Some tourist lines cannot be bought from Trenitalia, or have their own fare. Italia in Tour is not valid on any of them, and the Interrail pass is not valid on almost any of them. → 15
Naples: Pompeii, Herculaneum and Sorrento
The Circumvesuviana is run by EAV. It leaves from Napoli Porta Nolana and stops at Napoli Piazza Garibaldi, on the underground level beneath Napoli Centrale station.
- For the Herculaneum and Pompeii excavations and for Sorrento, take the Napoli–Sorrento line: the stops are Ercolano Scavi and Pompei Scavi – Villa dei Misteri. Other lines leave from the same stations: one stops at Pompei Santuario, far from the excavations.
- The ticket is an EAV ticket and is sold at the ticket offices and machines in EAV stations, not by Trenitalia. The Interrail pass is not valid.
- It is a local train, frequent and often crowded, especially in summer: keep your backpack in front of you and your luggage close, as you would on a metro.
- There is no train from Sorrento to the Amalfi Coast: you continue by bus or ferry.
There is also a Trenitalia train to Pompeii, from Napoli Centrale to Pompei station: this is a different station, further from the entrances to the ruins, and it is linked to them by Trenitalia’s Pompei Link bus. For Pozzuoli and the Campi Flegrei, EAV runs two other lines, the Cumana and the Circumflegrea, from Napoli Montesanto.
Campania Express
This is EAV’s tourist train between Naples, Herculaneum, Pompeii and Sorrento: reserved seat, air conditioning and few stops. You can also buy the ticket on the Trenitalia website. From 1 October 2026 the service is suspended until further notice: check the EAV website to see whether it is running again.
Cinque Terre
Between Levanto and La Spezia the trains are run by Trenitalia. To get off in the villages, take a Regionale: not all Intercity trains stop there.
- If you board or get off at Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola or Riomaggiore, you pay a special fare, which is higher in high season. If you are only passing through, the normal ticket is valid.
- The Cinque Terre Treno MS Card includes unlimited second-class travel on Regionale trains between Levanto and La Spezia and the Park’s services, including the hiking paths. It is issued in your name: if it is a paper card, write your first name and surname on it and validate it before your first journey, and carry an identity document.
- Tickets and cards are sold at station ticket offices and ticket machines, on the Trenitalia website and app, and at the Park’s sales points; a paper ticket must be validated before boarding. → 03
- Italia in Tour is not valid on this section.
In summer and at weekends, trains and platforms are very crowded: the village stations are small, often between two tunnels. Travel light, stay behind the yellow line and set off early in the morning.
Other railways with their own tickets
| Destination | Train | Leaves from |
|---|---|---|
| Matera | Ferrovie Appulo Lucane (FAL) | Bari, from the FAL station next to Bari Centrale; you sometimes change at Altamura |
| Ostia Antica | Roma–Lido railway (Metromare) | Roma Porta San Paolo, next to Piramide metro station; Rome’s urban ticket is valid |
| Etna | Ferrovia Circumetnea | Catania |
| Valle Vigezzo and Locarno | Vigezzina–Centovalli | Domodossola |
The ticket is sold by the company that runs the railway: you will not find these railways on the Trenitalia website. → 02
Official sources for this chapter
- EAV — eavsrl.it
- EAV — Campania Express with EAV and Trenitalia
- Trenitalia — Cinque Terre by train
- Trenitalia — Cinque Terre ticket prices
- Trenitalia — Cinque Terre Treno MS Card (English-language page only)
- Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre — Cinque Terre Treno Card
- Trenitalia — Pompei Link
- Ferrovie Appulo Lucane — Timetables and fares
- Ferrovia Circumetnea — Out-of-town tickets
- Ferrovia Vigezzina–Centovalli — General information
LungoCosta tip
- LungoCosta 0 passes through the Cinque Terre: if you do not get off at Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola or Riomaggiore, you do not need any supplement.
19 - Night trains: Intercity Notte and Euronight
The only trains that run right through the night, from evening to morning, are the Intercity Notte, between the north and the south, and a few international Euronight trains. You leave in the evening and arrive in the morning, saving a day of travel and often a night in a hotel. You buy a specific place, to sit or to sleep, and the reservation is always included.
Intercity Notte: what you can buy
| Accommodation | What it is |
|---|---|
| Seat (second class) | a seat in an open coach, with no bed |
| Cuccetta Comfort (couchette) | one of the four berths in a shared compartment, with bedding, a travel kit and a light breakfast; there are women-only compartments at the same price |
| Vagone Letto Relax (sleeper) | a private cabin with 1, 2 or 3 beds, with a washbasin in the cabin and a toilet in the corridor; breakfast included |
| Superior | a private cabin with its own toilet and shower; not available on all trains |
| Accommodation | Reservation with a pass |
|---|---|
| Seat | €3 |
| Cuccetta Comfort, 4 berths | €41 |
| Vagone Letto Relax, 3 beds | €48 |
| Vagone Letto Relax, 2 beds | €58 |
| Vagone Letto Relax, single | €122 |
You can book at the station, through the Trenitalia call centre or on the Interrail portal. → 15
Euronight to Austria and Germany
Euronight (EN) trains are the international night trains. From Italy they are the Nightjet trains of the Austrian railways ÖBB, run in partnership with Trenitalia, and they link Rome, Florence, Bologna, Milan, Verona and Venice with Vienna and Munich. They have seats, couchettes and sleepers; you can buy tickets on the Trenitalia website and on nightjet.com. With an Interrail pass the reservation is compulsory and paid separately. → 15
The night on board
- Intercity Notte staff are on board for the whole journey and welcome you when you board; in a couchette they help you make up your bed if needed, while in a cabin you will find it already made.
- Cabins and compartments lock from the inside: lock the door before you go to sleep. If you do not want to share with strangers, you can buy a couchette compartment or a cabin for your exclusive use.
- In a shared couchette, keep your documents, phone and money with you, and your luggage under the berth or in the space above the door.
- There are no set luggage limits, and this includes musical instruments and sports equipment, as long as they do not get in other passengers’ way. → 08
- Bring water and something to eat anyway: on Intercity Notte trains food and drink are served from a trolley, and it is best not to rely on it for the whole night.
With children and animals
- Children: under 4, they travel free without occupying a place; aged 4 to 14, they get a discount on the Base price, of 50% or 30% depending on the accommodation.
- Animals: a small animal in a carrier (maximum 70 × 30 × 50 cm) travels free, but you must buy the whole compartment for your exclusive use. A dog of any size outside a carrier also needs the whole compartment, plus a ticket for the dog at 50% of the Base price. A maximum of two dogs, one per passenger. → 12
Official sources for this chapter
- Trenitalia — Intercity Notte
- Trenitalia — Intercity Notte services: couchettes, sleepers and comfort
- Trenitalia — On-board services on the Intercity Notte
- Trenitalia — Travelling with pets
- Trenitalia — Cuccette Comfort
- Trenitalia — Vagone Letto Relax
- Trenitalia — Cabina Superior
- Interrail — Intercity Notte: reservations with a pass
- Trenitalia — Euronight
- Trenitalia — Nightjet: Rome–Vienna–Munich services
- ÖBB — Nightjet
20 - Checklist
The whole guide in one list, to tick off before and during your journey. Each item links to the chapter that explains it.
At home, before you leave
- ☐ Search for each section on the journey planner, with the actual date and the exact stations. → 05
- ☐ For each train, note down date · number · departure · arrival · final destination. → 04
- ☐ Buy your tickets: Regionale trains even on the day, Intercity and Frecce in advance. Check whether any section needs a separate ticket (Italo, Circumvesuviana, Bari airport). → 02
- ☐ Travelling with an Interrail pass? Book your seat on Intercity and Frecce trains. → 15
- ☐ Need assistance for a disability or reduced mobility? Book the Sala Blu, and check which stations are covered. → 09
- ☐ Travelling with a bike or an animal? Check the train and the rules. → 11, 12
- ☐ The evening before, check Infomobilità for strikes and engineering works. → 13
On the day
- ☐ Paper ticket: validate it before boarding. Digital ticket: if your plans change, move the time before departure. → 03
- ☐ On the departure board, look for the final destination, confirm with the number, then read the delay and platform. → 07
- ☐ Phone charged, water, a few coins. → 06
- ☐ Can you carry your luggage up a flight of stairs by yourself? → 08
- ☐ Getting off at a small station? Use the toilet on the train first. → 06, 10
If something goes wrong
- ☐ First ask yourself how to continue your journey, then think about a refund. → 13
- ☐ Could not buy or validate your ticket? Find the conductor as soon as you board, before the ticket check. → 03, 14
- ☐ Keep your tickets, receipts and messages. → 14
The guide teaches you the system. Live information tells you what is happening today.
FAQ
Short answers to the most common questions. You will find the details in the chapter indicated.
Before you buy
What is the difference between Regionale, Intercity, Frecce and Italo trains?
How far ahead should I buy my ticket?
Do I need to reserve a seat? Can a Regionale sell out?
Should I buy from the official website or from Trainline, Omio and other resellers?
Do I need to create an account to buy a ticket?
My payment failed, or I can see a charge but have no ticket. What should I do?
Which app or website should I use? Are Trenitalia, Italo, Trenord and EAV the same thing?
Why can't I find my train for a future date yet? Is it sold out?
Regionale tickets and validation
Do I need to print my ticket?
Can I buy a ticket on board?
I bought a Regionale ticket online or in the app: do I need to check in or activate it?
I forgot to validate my paper ticket. What should I do?
Can I use my Regionale ticket on another train?
Can I get off during the journey and continue later with the same ticket?
Up to what age do children travel free on Regionale trains?
Passes and special railways
Is Interrail valid on Italian trains? Do I need to reserve a seat?
Why doesn't an Italian train appear in Rail Planner?
How does Italia in Tour work?
To get to Pompeii on the Circumvesuviana, do I buy a Trenitalia ticket?
How much time should I leave between landing and a train with a reservation?
Stations, connections and strikes
My city has several stations: which one should I choose?
Why can't I find my town on the departure board?
How do I find the platform? Can it change? What do "Est", "Ovest" and "Piazzale" mean?
I missed a connection because my first train was late. Can I take the next one?
There is a strike: will my train run?
Luggage and life on board
How much luggage can I take on Regionale trains, and where do I put it?
Do Regionale trains have Wi-Fi, power sockets and a café?
Can I take a bike or an animal on the train?
Night trains and accessibility