New Rules for Regional Train Tickets in Italy :: Italy Explained (2023)

FAQs

New Rules for Regional Train Tickets in Italy :: Italy Explained? ›

However, long-distance tickets for Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, Frecciabianca & InterCity trains don't need to be validated in this way as they are for a specific date and train anyway. Nor do regional tickets, if bought online, as they are already pre-validated for a set 4-hour period.

However, long-distance tickets for Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, Frecciabianca & InterCity trains don't need to be validated in this way as they are for a specific date and train anyway. Nor do regional tickets, if bought online, as they are already pre-validated for a set 4-hour period.

“Regionale” is a service category that identifies trains in Italy which operate within the same region or between neighbouring regions.

All high speed trains in Italy require to have a seat reserved for a Rail Pass or a ticket/e-ticket with its seat assigned. In Regional trains passengers travel without seat reservations, that means there's no assigned seating. You run the risk of standing if the train is full, however.

If you miss your train, simply approach the ticket counter, or Biglietteria, present your original ticket, and ask about your options. The representative will be able to advise you based on your individual ticket.

Paperless train tickets In Italy are very common. Instead of a paper ticket, you'll simply get a code to show the ticket inspector. No printer required! You can present paperless train tickets on a smartphone or other mobile device, or you can simply write the reference down.

In Italy, regional trains can be booked 2 months ahead, while national and international trains may be available 6 months in advance.

On board our Frecciarossa and Frecciargento trains we offer you a restaurant service to satisfy all tastes: innovative, modern and original dishes created with fresh, seasonal ingredients.

High-speed trains always require reservations and usually cost more than slow trains, but they're much more efficient if you're short on time. Regional trains in Italy are slower, but serve a much wider network of cities and smaller towns throughout Italy.

What is the difference between Reg and RV trains in Italy? ›

The difference between Regionale Veloce and Regionale services: Regionale (REG) trains are predominantly local services, while Regionale Veloce (RGV) services link towns and cities over longer distances.

In Italy, you must reserve seats on IC (InnerCity), EC (EuroCity), Frecciarossa and Frecciabianca trains. Reservations on the Frecciarossa and Frecciabianca trains are $14 USD per seat per train. ItaliaRail can make reservations on many but not ALL trains.

Trenitalia is the primary train operator in Italy and is owned by the Italian government. ItaliaRail is a private agency that sells Trenitalia tickets. Both companies sell online tickets to the general public.

If you want to choose your seat, please click on "Select" and the train seat map will appear. You can select a different coach if possible (subject to availability) or just choose an available seat by clicking on it. The "Cancel" button and the cross allows you to go back without confirming anything.

It will depend on the country and train, In most places there are no boarding controls so it may be possible to board but on reservation compulsory trains in countries where non-reservation travel is not allowed you may be ejected at an intermediate station or even face a legal demand for money from train officials.

Regionale Veloce (RV) are the semi-fast train services in Italy on which many different types of train are used, on routes they share with the slower Regionale, these RV services are faster because they skip more stations.

Seat Reservations

If you're riding a train on which reservations are only recommended or completely optional and you don't have a reservation, you can sit in any available seat in the appropriate class you have booked.

While they provide two classes (First and Second Class) on most of their services, they actually offer four different classes on board their Frecciarossa high-speed services – Standard, Premium, Business and Frecciarossa Executive.

If you somehow miss your train with a confirmed ticket then you will have to buy another reserved from the station (if available) to travel in the reserved coaches.

Traveling by train in Italy means always traveling with carry-on luggage. You'll carry on board everything you have with you. It's your responsibility to bring your bags on board and stow them properly, which is a great incentive to packing light. There's no fee to bring luggage on the train.

Can you buy train tickets with cash in Italy? ›

You may pay in cash, with debit or credit card. No additional charges apply. You can also pay PostoClick at Travel Agencies in Italy, (in cash, by cashpoint card, or by credit card), or at station ticket offices (in cash, by cashpoint card, or by credit card), or in the Customers Area of this website (by credit card).

You have to know that even travelling by train in Italy has its specific rules. The most important one is to validate your ticket! If you board a train without validating your ticket in the validating machine you will get 200€ fine!!! If you pay the fine immediately on board…

Advance tickets are usually the cheapest way to travel by train, and generally go on sale 12 weeks before your date of travel. You have to travel on the train you're booked on, but you get a much cheaper price by foregoing flexible travel times. Full details on Advance tickets can be found here.

If you plan to take a high speed train in Italy, it may well belong to Trenitalia. Red Arrow (Frecciarossa) trains are the fastest and all passengers benefit from amenities like charging sockets, free WiFi, air conditioning and a food carriage.

As a general rule, it's a good idea to arrive 20-30 minutes before your train's scheduled departure time so you can get familiar with the station, find the information monitors as well as find your platform without being in a rush.

There is typically one bathroom per train car on Italian trains. On newer trains, and especially high-speed trains, they are more spacious than what you might find on an airplane and offer the same basic features as those of a plane lavatory - a flushable toilet, sink with running water, soap, and paper towels.

Beverages available include coffee, soft drinks, water, wine, and beer. You can browse a fuller menu here. Separate restaurant cars are more common on longer train trips—particularly long-haul international trains—and on newer, high-speed trains.

You can buy tickets at the Trenitalia counter at all stations, and Italo also has ticket sales at Termini and Tiburtina. Other smaller stations, as well as large train terminals, have ticket machines that accept cash or card.

First-class seating is more spacious, with fewer seats per compartment, and usually more quiet. There is more room for luggage and it will generally be less crowded as most passengers typically travel in second class.

FRECCIAROSSA trains travel throughout Italy, reaching the maximum speed of 300 km/h; they run straight into the heart of the most important cities, shortening your travel time.

Which high speed train is better in Italy? ›

Trenitalia's high-speed trains are called Alta Velocità (AV), and are broken down into three categories: Frecciarossa (“Red Arrow”), Frecciargento (“Silver Arrow”), and Frecciabianca (“White Arrow”). Frecciarossa trains are the fastest of these, reaching speeds of up to 190 MPH (300 km/h).

On many routes, particularly in northern Italy, alternative Regionale Veloce (RV) train services are faster than these Regionale (R) trains. Mainly because those RV services - skip some stations that the Regionale trains call because the RV services tend to only call at the major towns and cities.

Small cases and bags can be stored under your seat, medium sized bags can go in the overhead racks and large suitcases must be placed in the luggage racks at the end of each carriage.

Budget passengers are advised to visit the local supermarket and stock up before boarding trains, since carrying your own food is perfectly acceptable and expected. Dining car service is provided on international trains in Europe, but only at specific times. Trains equipped with bar cars serve light meals at any time.

Best Italy trains

Trenitalia is the major Italy trains company which is responsible for operating both regular and high-speed trains. The high-speed Italian rail network connects cities like Rome, Florence, Naples, Bologna, Milan, and Venice (among many others) by modern Italy bullet trains.

Italy by 300 km/h Frecciarossa...

Trenitalia is Italy's national train operator, and their premier train is the Frecciarossa. Frecciarossa means red arrow, and they can reach 300 km/h (186 mph) on Italy's new high-speed lines.

There's no fee to bring luggage on the train, nor do you need a special ticket to carry luggage on board. The limit on bags each passenger may carry on board is technically three pieces of luggage - but the limit is rarely if ever enforced.

Such class of accommodation is abbreviated as below: 1A= First AC, 2A=2 Tier AC Sleer, 3A= 3 tier AC sleeper, CC= Chair Car, FC=First Class, SL= Sleeper Class, 2S= Second Class seat. 4.

One can select their allotted coach to know the seat arrangement of that coach. The reservation charts are prepared by Indian Railways hours before the train departs from the origin station. You can ask the concerned authority at the railway reservation desk about the train coach position.

Do trains in Italy sell out? ›

All seats on Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, Frecciabianca & InterCity trains are reserved, so they can in theory sell out. However, as there are so many trains each with hundreds of seats there are almost always places available on most trains even just before departure.

If overcrowding becomes intense, first class can be “declassified”, i.e. opened up to all passengers, regardless of their tickets. But there is no automatic right to occupy first class.

For most high-speed trains and all night trains reservations are mandatory.

Regional trains may not be the fastest option, but they're often the least expensive – and in many places they're the only game in town. It's also important to note that most regional trains only have second-class cars, require no reservations, and may or may not be air-conditioned.

You must show ID (typically a passport) and a rail pass that has been validated before boarding the train. For trains that require seat reservations, you must also show your reservation.

If you do not validate the pass, or if you tamper with the pass in any way, the conductor has the right to confiscate it, at which time, the unused part of the pass is non-refundable.

Ticket checks on trains and at stations by guards and the revenue protection team to make sure passengers have the right ticket for their journey.

Please note that the pass must be validated at the station before boarding your train - a conductor on a train cannot validate the pass. If you do not validate the pass, or if you tamper with the pass in any way, the conductor has the right to confiscate it, at which time, the unused part of the pass is non-refundable.

In Italy, you must reserve seats on IC (InnerCity), EC (EuroCity), Frecciarossa and Frecciabianca trains. Reservations on the Frecciarossa and Frecciabianca trains are $14 USD per seat per train. ItaliaRail can make reservations on many but not ALL trains.

In order to ensure that they are on duty and not sitting in a warm cafe somewhere, their superiors probably instruct them to check a certain minimum number of passports, and in order to prove they have done so, they have to note the details on a list. Nothing to do with you personally.

Do you have to validate Italian train ticket? ›

If you buy tickets at the station and have a paper ticket, you will need to validate it before you board the train. Look for the green and white machines in all of the stations, stick in the ticket, and it will print a code on your ticket. Validate! Forgetting to validate your ticket can cost you a hefty fine.

Your Ticket Reservation (PNR) is only valid for the Departure and Arrival stations on the ticket and the train number stated in the e-ticket. No station changes or substitutions are allowed.

Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay. Review our U.S. Travelers in Europe page. You will need proof of sufficient funds and a return plane ticket. For additional information about visas for the Schengen area, see the Schengen Visa page.

If you board a train without a ticket at a station where ticket facilities were available, you may be given a Penalty Fare Notice (PFN) and have to pay a Penalty Fare by a ticket inspector who has been appointed as a 'Penalty Fares Collector'.

Higher fares usually apply when purchasing tickets onboard the train. To secure the best available fare, passengers should purchase tickets prior to boarding the train.

In most countries the ticket inspector will visually check the details on your ticket, including the journey information you added, so make sure to add the right journeys. In some countries the ticket inspector will scan the barcode and visually check the journey information.

If you're traveling by train and a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent asks to search your bags, you have the right to refuse. Law enforcement only has the right to search you or your belongings if they have probable cause to believe you are committing a crime.