I traveled by train through Italy. 5 regions, 7 cities and amazing views
A longer journey through Italy was one of my dreams. I didn't want it to end after three days, although I knew that at the moment I wouldn't be able to devote a month or two to it - it's definitely too expensive and demanding. In the end, I managed to complete a 10-day trip that will definitely stay in my memory forever. On the list of places to visit, I put the most popular cities in the country, although there was also room for a charming and atmospheric gem by the sea - there you could take a break from the crowds. It would have been ideal to travel from place to place in a camper, but in the end I decided to take the train. Together with my companion, we passed as many as 5 regions on them. In some of them, the views were exceptionally fabulous.
Trains through ItalyIs it worth traveling by train in Italy? If you are asking yourself this question, perhaps my recent experience will help you find the answer. When planning such a trip, it is worth considering that the trains there are fast, comfortable, and tickets can be purchased at affordable prices.
First I flew to Venice, and from there I was constantly traveling by train to other cities. I checked how fast it was to get from point A to point B and based on that I decided what types of tickets to choose. It is worth remembering that it is best to buy them through the official website of the local carrier trenitalia.com, which can also be viewed in English. There you will find all the information about current offers - including promotional ones - and available connections.
I mainly chose regional trains. They are the cheapest and run slower than their competitors, such as the high-speed Frecciarossa, Frecciargento or Frecciabianca trains . Despite this, I also managed to travel on one of the express trains. I used, among others, a 3-day ticket as part of Italia in Tour, which entitles you to unlimited travel and transfers, but only within three consecutive days. In this case, it did not matter whether I bought the ticket in advance. The price of tickets for regional trains is always the same, although it varies depending on the length of the route section.
It is different with high-speed trains. Then, the sooner we buy a ticket, the less we pay. In Italy, you can do it even a few months in advance! For example, I managed to buy a ticket from Pisa to Rome on the Frecciabianca train for 14.90 euros, which is about 63.68 PLN. Here, a seat reservation is required. You will pay more for first class, among others. Trenitalia also requires you to pay extra for tickets if you want to be able to exchange or return them. I chose the classic and most economical option.
It is worth adding that in this case the route was quite long – 335 km. The journey took 3 hours and 10 minutes. There are even faster and more expensive trains that take up to 2 hours. By giving up regional trains, you will pay more, but you will shorten the journey time. For example, you can get from Venice to Bologna in just 1.5 hours, and I traveled for just over 2 hours, but paying less than half as much.
This is how much the trains cost:
- 3-day Italia in Tour ticket – 35 euros (travel to Bologna, Florence and Pisa), approximately PLN 149.50
- Ticket from Pisa to Rome – 14.90 euros, or about 64 PLN
- Ticket from Rome to Anzio – 3.60 euros, or about 15 PLN
- Ticket from Anzio to Naples – 13.75 euros, or about 58 PLN
That's a total of about PLN 286.50 for 6 journeys. Is that a lot? It's worth noting that sometimes in Poland we pay that much for a single ticket on the Pendolino, so I certainly don't think I overpaid.
You will ask: "What about the comfort of the ride, the punctuality of the carriers and the travel time?" The answer will positively surprise you. I did not expect such good conditions. Regional trains are comfortable, air-conditioned, double-decker and have plenty of space for luggage or bicycles. It is also easy to take a seat. During my journey, I almost never squeezed through crowds, although at some stations more people got on and it was crowded. Despite this, we always arrived at the planned time, without delays. I think that during so many days in Poland I would have definitely had time to encounter some kind of breakdown, but who knows? Maybe I would have been lucky too?
Interestingly, contrary to appearances, the only train that arrived later was the faster and more expensive Frecciabianca type. Despite this, the delay was about 10 minutes, so it was not that noticeable. Second class in Italian trains has a similar standard to that in PKP Intercity. Passengers are provided with tables, sockets for charging phones and Wi-Fi, which, however, did not always work.
Were the trains fast? In my opinion, yes. “The Regionale is probably as fast as our Pendolino,” my companion once shared this with me. I laughed and admitted that it was quite an accurate observation. Usually, the journey from city to city took about two hours. The fastest I got from Florence to Pisa or Rome to Anzio was about an hour.
It is also worth mentioning the checks there. During the entire journey inside a regional train, I did not have to show my ticket even once. The exception was Frecciabianca, where a seat reservation was mandatory. There, the conductor did not require showing an ID card, as he did with us at PKP. I always used electronic tickets with a QR code ready to be scanned - currently, they no longer require any validation. Checks did happen, but before entering the platform, e.g. in Rome. People without a ticket were not allowed to enter. The service was polite and helpful everywhere.
The reason to travel around Italy by train is not only the punctual, comfortable, relatively inexpensive and good connections, but also the beautiful views that you can observe along the way. I remember that already on the way from Venice to Bologna, I was delighted with the lovely fields and mountains, but the real paradise was waiting in Tuscany, on the route from Pisa to Rome and from Anzio to Naples.
It was something incredible. On the first of the mentioned routes, Pisa-Rome, I traveled along the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas. There were moments when the train route ran almost right next to the water. On one side you could see the mountains, on the other the blue of paradise, and on top of that the characteristic coastal pines and charming houses. The dark tunnels carved in the rocks were also impressive. Every now and then the train would merge into total darkness, and I was aware that it would be a few minutes before I saw the light again.
We travelled through particularly long tunnels on the route from Anzio/Rome to Naples. On the Rome-Cassino-Naples section, there were also exceptionally high and mighty hills and a bay. Most of the time, I had a hard time tearing my eyes away from the views outside the window. I also tried to take pictures, although, as the train sped along, I didn’t always succeed. To sum up, travelling by train from city to city in Italy is an interesting and worth considering attraction. I can particularly recommend the two sections mentioned – one connecting Tuscany with Lazio, the other Lazio with Campania.
I heard these words from one of the people I presented my travel plan to. It was more of a voice of skepticism, but also of worry, caused by a lack of faith that my idea could make sense. Such statements can sow seeds of doubt, and so it was in my case. In the end, I quickly shook them off. I think that often it is enough that we believe in our dreams – even the crazy ones, or maybe especially the crazy ones! Sometimes it is easiest for someone to dissuade us from them.
I wanted to visit Venice – including the island of Burano, Bologna, Florence, Pisa, Rome, Anzio and Naples – including climbing the Vesuvius volcano. That's 5 regions in total – Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Lazio and Campania. Browsing through various travel blogs, I saw that many people had organised such or similar road trips. Some did it by car or with a travel agency, but it was still a very similar atmosphere – there's quite a lot to see in a short time, so you have to be ready for an intense pace.
In my opinion, the most important thing is to know and understand what you are signing up for and accept it. The plan I have implemented would not be good for people who do not like to walk a lot, wake up early in the morning or pack a backpack every day. It is also not for those who feel that they always have to stay longer in a given city to feel its atmosphere. Of course, that would be ideal and I also like it when I have such an opportunity, on the other hand, I know that I get bored quickly and prefer the feeling of being constantly on the road. Each day, completely different adventures awaited me, full of new challenges, another callus on the finger or a different train station. This time I chose this style, and Italian trains certainly did not disappoint me.
Was it possible to visit everything I could in a given city at such an intense pace of travel? Of course not! I skipped, among other things, the entrances to most museums, galleries and churches, although in the small city of Pisa, for example, I used all the most important facilities. I was in Venice for two days, and it is not a large city. By visiting it not only on foot, but also by water trams, you can see a lot, and certainly the most popular ones. I managed to do that.
It was similar with Naples, where I was also almost two days, or Rome and the Vatican, where I spent a day and a half. Time for regeneration and rest was important, which I had, among others, on the beach by the sea in Anzio. What mattered in the case of this trip was a good sightseeing plan, discipline and organization. I didn't go anywhere unconsciously, but always with maps and routes. I also had a supportive and positive person with me, who knew Italy much better than I did. In the end, what is most important, a good attitude, faith in the dream, humor and a joyful approach to every moment. Thanks to this, despite the more difficult moments or fatigue, everything went according to plan.
Read also: I rode my bike from Gdańsk to the border with Russia. I discovered a lesser-known face of the Vistula Spit Read also: I rode my bike from Świnoujście to Gdynia. It was beautiful, but also dangerous at times
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