A Guide To Using The Train In Italy [UPDATED FOR 2024]

So along the way we discovered a great way of saving money on what could possible be an expensive trip. We managed to take a journey which should have cost 96 Euros for 26 Euros. Using the app Rome to Rio we figured out we could take several short trips on the regional trains rather than the expensive intercity trains. This is how to travel on the trains in Italy!

The BEST Way To Book Your Transport!

12go Transport Online Booking

12Go is the best place to book your flights, trains, buses, ferries, coaches and more online.

At The Roaming Renegades we love 12Go and trust them for all our bookings.

Whether you’re going from the airport into the city or travelling intercity or even internationally around Italy and the surrounding regions train travel is a great option and worth checking alongside other options. With Italy being connected to the rest of the continent and Europe having one of the world’s longest rail networks it is possible to travel to anywhere on the continent from italy!

Using the Regional Trains:

If you are on a tight budget then the large intercity trains can be quite expensive. What makes train travel in Italy great is that there are several options for all budgets. Taking the regional trains rather than the intercity trains will save you a great deal, often upwards of 2/3s of the price. The downside to this is that they take much longer, stop at every station, are less comfortable and often require a few changes.

When purchasing your tickets from the machines, they will typically display many options so be sure to pay attention to which one you choose. We always chose the train which had a capital R next to it which means they are regional/local trains. These were always much cheaper but probably took twice as long to reach its destination. This is because they are local trains so serve the small towns and villages rather than speeding from one large city to another.

Whereas the intercity trains only stops 2-3 times. The regional trains are usually a lot busier with local people using them. We found that they were much more comfortable than the local trains back home even if they weren’t quite as nice at the huge trains! They even have plug sockets next to every seat which on a long journey is very welcomed!

The route we took from Badia to Venice used only regional trains and a bus. We took a bus to Brunico train station and asked the attendant behind the desk how much it was to Venice, he quoted us 96 Euros. This was approximately 2-3 hours with 2 changes. At this point we panicked slightly as it was way above our budget! So we looked on Google maps at the best route and made our own way there. It took us around 7 hours and 5 changes but cost us 26 Euros.

Definitely worth saving 70 Euros, especially when you have gorgeous views all the way to keep us distracted for the whole day! I can see the benefit of getting on the intercity trains and being at your destination much sooner, but it is great that there are options for all budgets.

Powered by 12Go system

How to Use the Train:

Before boarding the any train, you must be sure to validate your ticket. This could otherwise result in a fine. To validate your ticket, you must find one of the blue or green boxes. There are usually many of these dotted around the station and platforms. On the end of the ticket there are 2 arrows, these arrows indicate the way the ticket should be slotted into the boxes, which then prints the time and date at the end of the ticket.

I suppose this is a good thing, especially for locals. Because if you buy a ticket but then decide you don’t want to travel on that day, the ticket is open until you validate it. But they can also be easily overlooked by tourists. If you do board the train and realise you haven’t validated it, you must go a seek the conductor straight away and they will then validate it for you (don’t wait for them to come to you). We never came across anyone getting in trouble for not validating but we have heard stories of quite high fines and not very lenient conductors, so just keep this in mind, especially when rushing for a train!

What About Taking The Train Internationally?

The train from Paris to Tuscany is one of the most wonderful in the world, you can catch the overnight train to Tuscany and continue on to Turin from there. With Italy being connected to many of the other major cities around Europe it is easy to continue your trip onwards. Of course, if you take one of the international routes then you will be paying some of the higher fees for that convenience.  Our advice if you are on a strict budget would be to plan out the same route to the border using local trains and then use alternative transport to cross the border.

Conclusion:

We enjoyed travelling by train in Italy, it was relaxing and a great way to see some amazing scenery and see how local people travel. It was also a great way to save money. Regional trains are a great way to save money if you are on a budget but they do take much longer and require many changes. The larger trains are a great way to cover huge areas of the country or for going from one city straight to another. If you are on a holiday or backpacking, train travel in Italy is the perfect way to get around the country, to maximise your time, money and the experience of journeying through such a wonderful country.

Organise an Amazing Italian Experience Here:

Book a Tour

Best Place to Book Tour

As much as we love independent travelling, sometimes the best way to access certain places, experience local culture and get real authentic information is on a tour.

For the best trips, tours and guides we always use Get Your Guide.

Have you used the trains in Italy?