Love your videos. I’m an avid train travel fan, been on the Canadian from Toronto to Jasper, Via Rail from Jasper to Prince Rupert, Blue Train in South Africa, crossed the US from NY to San Francisco over 2 weeks, several Rocky Mountaineer trips, New Zealand Tranz Alpine, the Indian Pacific Australia from Perth to Adelaide, the Ghan from Adelaide to Alice Springs and the Glacier Express in Switzerland, twice. Imagine my joy when my employer asked me to work for 6 months in Italy. I spent half my time in Florence and most of the rest in Milan & Turin. No car with this job, was expected to travel by train. I was greatly pleased how easy and reliable was the network.
I absolutely love the train system in Italy! ❤ I've only had the opportunity to visit their country for 1 week in 2022 and 2 weeks in 2023, but their rail system was a delight! Both years, part of my visit included attending an international HEMA fencing conference, and therefore I had an oversized long suitcase. Using the websites to buy tickets in advance was essential since it allowed me to be able to purchase a seat that had an empty, open space next to it. On some of the seat maps that empty space was labelled with a stroller icon and on others the map simply showed the lack of a seat alongside mine. Those seats were always next to the connection points of the cars, by the bathrooms. For the slow intercity/inter-regional trains that don't have reserved seats, I also found that there was always at least one car with a very large empty space at one end that I could use. Sometimes it was the last car of the train and sometimes it required walking alongside the train during loading/unloading to find it, but I was consistently able to. The flipdown seats in that open area of the unassigned cars were designed so that my suitcase was able to fit underneath, too (like how a city bus is designed)! Something else I appreciated about those slow intercity trains without assigned seating is how flexible they are about those particular tickets! On one instance in 2022 a delay caused me to have to catch a later train and in 2023 there was an instance where I accidentally missed my transfer spot (sleep deprivation after the international flight). In both cases, the ticketing window instructed me to continue to use my existing ticket instead of buying/changing anything AND also the conductors didn't even bat an eye about the time incongruity when they scanned the ticket! I got the sense that, since there's no assigned seating on those trains and they're so frequent, the staff was able to treat them similar to how we treat subway tickets (ie. a somewhat flexible time usage). Or maybe it was all just an example of Italian hospitality? The fact that I visited in their slow season (September) might have helped me, too.
You two are wonderful! I have lived or traveled in Europe since 1968 and I learned useful things in your video. I just have to say that your, (the lady of you) are lovely and your smile is in your eyes Your sweetness shines. Thank you!
I too am an older adult, and I always travel solo. When you travel solo, you go where you want when you want, without the need for a consensus. Go for it! We all only live once!
Great useful content! It's been a long time since I've been to a train station in Italy. Great video! Joyful memories from my childhood, were fabulously revived here in this video for me! Love this video. To me, getting on the train was the hard part. But once I was on the train, seeing Italy from the train, was the lovely part . Long time since ive visited the rail system in Italia. Will visit again.
Forgive me but I have one tiny thing to point out. I don't know how recent it is, but Trenitalia's website does have a language translation function. In the upper right corner... It gives you five language choices.... Italian, French, German, Chinese and English.
Agreed! I don't remember ever having a problem buying tickets directly from their English translated version of the website in 2022 or 2023! I don't remember having any credit card issues with their website, either. They sent a copy of the QR code to my email, as well as showing one on the screen at the time of purchase that I took a screenshot of. Placenames like Florence may not have been translated (I honestly don't remember), but buying online directly was a smooth process for me when I chose their English translated option.
Yes but you still need to know the Italian names for various cities. In English Florence, in Italian Firenze for example. Many native English speakers may not know that
Yah, like, I didn't know that. I never would have guessed "Firenze" for Florence, because I don't speak, read in, write in or understand Italian -- beyond basic greetings.@@plourde
This has been very helpful. I've been to Italy a number of times, but the only time on a train was when I did a London-Venice trip on the Orient Express. However, in the fall, I'm going to Rome and Florence. The group I'm going with has organized our train travel between those two cities, but I am considering treating myself to a few days in Venice after the tour, and would take a train, which should only take a couple of hours. I will have luggage, obviously, so it sounds as though business class would make the most sense? How far ahead of time would you recommend booking?
If you can book at least a month before do so. Usually the earlier you book the cheaper the tickets are and since they are cheaper you have more room to add more options like the option to change the date/time or premium for the price of business etc. Hope this helps ✨
Hi guys,,,, I'm new to your channel and watched this particular video twice already! All content seems so useful because in June I will be traveling with my dad and another 15 y/o girl friend of mine. It will be our first time visiting Italy and we're all excited!! We plan to fly into Zurich and then take a train to Milan, visit Lake Como first and then eventually (3 weeks later) depart from Sicily back to the U.S. I love how you mentioned the method of getting to Sicily via train/ferry!! My question is this -- Once we walk out of a train station in any one of the major cities, how much trouble will we have finding a hotel room? None of us speak Italian and we plan to travel with only backpacks or 2 carry on suitcases with rollers. Thank you for your response.
You need to book your lodgings before you go unless you’re going in winter. But still, how will you know what to do when you get off the train if you haven’t researched and narrowed it down to 2 or 3.
Can you tell me if you get access to the lounges at the train stations if you are in just “regular” business class? I only see standard, premium, business and first class. When I look it up online, it seems very confusing.
Thank you for the very informative guide! Only bear in mind that the Excelsior cabins are only on trains that go to Syracuse from Rome and Milan. I'd also say it's pretty useful to keep an eye on the Trenitalia and Italo websites for discount codes and to sign up for Trenitalia loyalty programs... sometimes you can get very nice discounts even in first class and without coupons!
Great video! Was hoping you would do a walk through the business class car. I’m a solo traveller. Layout shows seating for 2 with table in between or single seat. (4 seating on other side). Was hoping to see the space for single seat and if there was space for luggage.
Wonderful video and so detailed! It sounds like you had great experiences. I am so glad I came upon your channel. I was trying to research train travel for an upcoming trip in fall 2025. I have not booked anything as of yet. Could you recommend any good places to stay close to the centers for lodging? I plan to travel to Rome, Pienza, Florence and Cinque Terre. The lodging and travel seem to be the hardest to research.
Hope all is well! Found your channel yesterday super excited because I dislike flying. Traveling to Charlotte NC this summer from Rochester NY - Amtrak is saying from Rochester to NYC then From NYC to Charlotte. My problem is I would reach Charlotte at 2:30 am (not good). How do I pick another route where I can arrive in Charlotte normal hours? Thanks!!!
I have been watching you for a while. I been thinking Amtrak should have something like an executive class from Washington to New York. You pay for an executive room. At least test it out.
Thanks going to Italy Soon Question when you book the business class in Fresca I also noticed 4 seat 2 across from each other How do you book the numbered seats where you are facing the back of the seat of the person in front of you Thanks
This is such good information. I'm a little confused, however, you recommend the ItaliaRail to buy tickets, but you take the Trenitalia for the actual ride?
I am going to Italy and several other countries in August. my question I have for you is transfers to other trains. My departure is from Rome to Berlin Germany. can you help me on what train and transfers to make. From this video you said I can only book a room if I travel at night. If I understand correctly, its not like Amtrak where you can be in it all day, as well.
Thank you for this video, it was very helpful. I’m traveling to Italy in March and the Italia Rail website was much easier. Trenitalia’s website does have English, but it’s not very easy to navigate.
what is your feedback regarding staying in Sicily but traveling via rail further north for the day and then back to Sicily that evening. Will you have enough time?
is there an app for the frecciarossa, ? Which rail is the best rail if we want to go to Florence from Rome for a couple of hours and travel back to Rome
How can I say "thank you?" ("Grazie," of course.) I have been so fortunate to have visited Italy on 4 occasions. However, I have never been south of Rome. That is a project on my bucket-list. I also love trains. I'm sure that I'll re-visit this presentation, often, as I plan. I have some friends who have taken the train from the mainland, to Sicily. That's a MUST on my list! PS: I always look for you, on Amtrak.
Very helpful video. Question for anyone. I’m traveling to multiple cities. : starting at Rome and heading to Florence, Naples and then maybe Milan or Venice. We are also wanting to go to Sicily but have only read about trains from Milan to Sicily or vice versa but nothing from Sicily to Venice/Naples. It would be inconvenient to go in and out of Milan. Would love to go from one city to Sicily and out to another city. Any advice on best method to do this ?! I’m having so much trouble planning the itinerary! Thank you in advance. ❤
Would you recommend purchasing train tickets from Milan to Lake Como in advance the day of the trip? My trip is in October. Please clarify if the intercity train ticket time is flexible. Meaning I can return any time on the same day?
Don't need. About every half hour there'a train from Milan to Como. There's two staitons that have trains from Milano to Como. Milano Centrale and Milano Porta Garibaldi. There's no big difference. You don't need to reserve, because there are a lot of trains for day. If I remember well, the price is about 5.5€ for going from Milan to Como. Good holydays in our nation, and sorry for my poor English.
Love your videos. I’m an avid train travel fan, been on the Canadian from Toronto to Jasper, Via Rail from Jasper to Prince Rupert, Blue Train in South Africa, crossed the US from NY to San Francisco over 2 weeks, several Rocky Mountaineer trips, New Zealand Tranz Alpine, the Indian Pacific Australia from Perth to Adelaide, the Ghan from Adelaide to Alice Springs and the Glacier Express in Switzerland, twice.
Imagine my joy when my employer asked me to work for 6 months in Italy. I spent half my time in Florence and most of the rest in Milan & Turin. No car with this job, was expected to travel by train. I was greatly pleased how easy and reliable was the network.
I absolutely love the train system in Italy! ❤ I've only had the opportunity to visit their country for 1 week in 2022 and 2 weeks in 2023, but their rail system was a delight! Both years, part of my visit included attending an international HEMA fencing conference, and therefore I had an oversized long suitcase. Using the websites to buy tickets in advance was essential since it allowed me to be able to purchase a seat that had an empty, open space next to it. On some of the seat maps that empty space was labelled with a stroller icon and on others the map simply showed the lack of a seat alongside mine. Those seats were always next to the connection points of the cars, by the bathrooms.
For the slow intercity/inter-regional trains that don't have reserved seats, I also found that there was always at least one car with a very large empty space at one end that I could use. Sometimes it was the last car of the train and sometimes it required walking alongside the train during loading/unloading to find it, but I was consistently able to. The flipdown seats in that open area of the unassigned cars were designed so that my suitcase was able to fit underneath, too (like how a city bus is designed)!
Something else I appreciated about those slow intercity trains without assigned seating is how flexible they are about those particular tickets! On one instance in 2022 a delay caused me to have to catch a later train and in 2023 there was an instance where I accidentally missed my transfer spot (sleep deprivation after the international flight). In both cases, the ticketing window instructed me to continue to use my existing ticket instead of buying/changing anything AND also the conductors didn't even bat an eye about the time incongruity when they scanned the ticket! I got the sense that, since there's no assigned seating on those trains and they're so frequent, the staff was able to treat them similar to how we treat subway tickets (ie. a somewhat flexible time usage).
Or maybe it was all just an example of Italian hospitality? The fact that I visited in their slow season (September) might have helped me, too.
You two are wonderful! I have lived or traveled in Europe since 1968 and I learned useful things in your video. I just have to say that your, (the lady of you) are lovely and your smile is in your eyes Your sweetness shines. Thank you!
Thanks, just dreaming, 72 and alone so can never go. Very interesting all the time from you both.
You can ride a train solo.
I am older than you and also single, and travel solo a lot. Please, stop dreaming and go!
Traveling alone is awesome!!!
I too am an older adult, and I always travel solo. When you travel solo, you go where you want when you want, without the need for a consensus. Go for it! We all only live once!
Great useful content! It's been a long time since I've been to a train station in Italy. Great video! Joyful memories from my childhood, were fabulously revived here in this video for me! Love this video. To me, getting on the train was the hard part. But once I was on the train, seeing Italy from the train, was the lovely part . Long time since ive visited the rail system in Italia. Will visit again.
There are more than 2 train companies in Italy that are running passenger train.
Forgive me but I have one tiny thing to point out. I don't know how recent it is, but Trenitalia's website does have a language translation function. In the upper right corner... It gives you five language choices.... Italian, French, German, Chinese and English.
Agreed! I don't remember ever having a problem buying tickets directly from their English translated version of the website in 2022 or 2023! I don't remember having any credit card issues with their website, either. They sent a copy of the QR code to my email, as well as showing one on the screen at the time of purchase that I took a screenshot of. Placenames like Florence may not have been translated (I honestly don't remember), but buying online directly was a smooth process for me when I chose their English translated option.
Yes but you still need to know the Italian names for various cities. In English Florence, in Italian Firenze for example. Many native English speakers may not know that
Yah, like, I didn't know that. I never would have guessed "Firenze" for Florence, because I don't speak, read in, write in or understand Italian -- beyond basic greetings.@@plourde
Please make a video on your health plan and travel insurance. Thanks
This has been very helpful. I've been to Italy a number of times, but the only time on a train was when I did a London-Venice trip on the Orient Express. However, in the fall, I'm going to Rome and Florence. The group I'm going with has organized our train travel between those two cities, but I am considering treating myself to a few days in Venice after the tour, and would take a train, which should only take a couple of hours. I will have luggage, obviously, so it sounds as though business class would make the most sense? How far ahead of time would you recommend booking?
If you can book at least a month before do so.
Usually the earlier you book the cheaper the tickets are and since they are cheaper you have more room to add more options like the option to change the date/time or premium for the price of business etc.
Hope this helps ✨
Hi guys,,,, I'm new to your channel and watched this particular video twice already! All content seems so useful because in June I will be traveling with my dad and another 15 y/o girl friend of mine. It will be our first time visiting Italy and we're all excited!! We plan to fly into Zurich and then take a train to Milan, visit Lake Como first and then eventually (3 weeks later) depart from Sicily back to the U.S. I love how you mentioned the method of getting to Sicily via train/ferry!! My question is this -- Once we walk out of a train station in any one of the major cities, how much trouble will we have finding a hotel room? None of us speak Italian and we plan to travel with only backpacks or 2 carry on suitcases with rollers. Thank you for your response.
You need to book your lodgings before you go unless you’re going in winter. But still, how will you know what to do when you get off the train if you haven’t researched and narrowed it down to 2 or 3.
Can you tell me if you get access to the lounges at the train stations if you are in just “regular” business class? I only see standard, premium, business and first class. When I look it up online, it seems very confusing.
Thank you for the very informative guide! Only bear in mind that the Excelsior cabins are only on trains that go to Syracuse from Rome and Milan. I'd also say it's pretty useful to keep an eye on the Trenitalia and Italo websites for discount codes and to sign up for Trenitalia loyalty programs... sometimes you can get very nice discounts even in first class and without coupons!
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Great video! Was hoping you would do a walk through the business class car. I’m a solo traveller. Layout shows seating for 2 with table in between or single seat. (4 seating on other side). Was hoping to see the space for single seat and if there was space for luggage.
Wonderful video and so detailed! It sounds like you had great experiences. I am so glad I came upon your channel. I was trying to research train travel for an upcoming trip in fall 2025. I have not booked anything as of yet. Could you recommend any good places to stay close to the centers for lodging? I plan to travel to Rome, Pienza, Florence and Cinque Terre. The lodging and travel seem to be the hardest to research.
Hope all is well! Found your channel yesterday super excited because I dislike flying. Traveling to Charlotte NC this summer from Rochester NY - Amtrak is saying from Rochester to NYC then From NYC to Charlotte. My problem is I would reach Charlotte at 2:30 am (not good). How do I pick another route where I can arrive in Charlotte normal hours? Thanks!!!
I have been watching you for a while. I been thinking Amtrak should have something like an executive class from Washington to New York. You pay for an executive room. At least test it out.
The Acela, which runs between Boston and D.C. and stops in NYC, has both Business and First Class, as well as Coach.
Thanks going to Italy
Soon
Question when you book the business class in Fresca I also noticed 4 seat 2 across from each other
How do you book the numbered seats where you are facing the back of the seat of the person in front of you
Thanks
A very good video What cities did you travel to How did you pack
This content is so informative. Thank you. When booking a Train trip is there an option to buy roundtrip tickets for the Executive level?
This is such good information. I'm a little confused, however, you recommend the ItaliaRail to buy tickets, but you take the Trenitalia for the actual ride?
Excellent video . Would have lived to have seen the seats on the lower section of the freeciarosa?
Thank you so much for info. ❤
I am going to Italy and several other countries in August. my question I have for you is transfers to other trains. My departure is from Rome to Berlin Germany. can you help me on what train and transfers to make. From this video you said I can only book a room if I travel at night. If I understand correctly, its not like Amtrak where you can be in it all day, as well.
Thank you for this video, it was very helpful. I’m traveling to Italy in March and the Italia Rail website was much easier. Trenitalia’s website does have English, but it’s not very easy to navigate.
what is your feedback regarding staying in Sicily but traveling via rail further north for the day and then back to Sicily that evening. Will you have enough time?
is there an app for the frecciarossa, ? Which rail is the best rail if we want to go to Florence from Rome for a couple of hours and travel back to Rome
How can I say "thank you?" ("Grazie," of course.) I have been so fortunate to have visited Italy on 4 occasions. However, I have never been south of Rome. That is a project on my bucket-list. I also love trains. I'm sure that I'll re-visit this presentation, often, as I plan.
I have some friends who have taken the train from the mainland, to Sicily. That's a MUST on my list!
PS: I always look for you, on Amtrak.
It actually makes perfect sense that the country which brought us Fellini would have a train line that rhymes with 'genitalia'
Very helpful video. Question for anyone. I’m traveling to multiple cities. : starting at Rome and heading to Florence, Naples and then maybe Milan or Venice. We are also wanting to go to Sicily but have only read about trains from Milan to Sicily or vice versa but nothing from Sicily to Venice/Naples. It would be inconvenient to go in and out of Milan. Would love to go from one city to Sicily and out to another city. Any advice on best method to do this ?! I’m having so much trouble planning the itinerary! Thank you in advance. ❤
Do you know how many trains are departing from Milan to Bergamo?
Would you recommend purchasing train tickets from Milan to Lake Como in advance the day of the trip? My trip is in October. Please clarify if the intercity train ticket time is flexible. Meaning I can return any time on the same day?
Don't need. About every half hour there'a train from Milan to Como.
There's two staitons that have trains from Milano to Como.
Milano Centrale and Milano Porta Garibaldi. There's no big difference.
You don't need to reserve, because there are a lot of trains for day. If I remember well, the price is about 5.5€ for going from Milan to Como.
Good holydays in our nation, and sorry for my poor English.
and the trip is about 50 minutes, it dependig from if is a direct train or a local train, that stop in every stations
Have you had any experience with Eurorail tickets?
Best to use trenitalia app or Italiarail website ? How do you choose seats w Italiarail?
Is it safe travel and arrive at Milan centrale at 9 pm at night with luggages?
FRECCIABIANCA and FRECCIARGENTO no longer exist
Do you know if train tickets can be added to your phone wallet?
how are things?- Grounded. professional editing! see you later, 👏