The trains (i treni) and the train station (la stazione) can seem quite daunting at first. However, they need not be even if you have only a limited grasp of the language or no knowledge at it all.

First we will talk about booking a ticket and the options available. There are two main options in Italy, Trenitalia and Italo. Trenitalia covers all of Italy whereas Italo only covers the high-speed AV routes. It is worth checking both options to find the cheapest price and both sites have an English translation option. You can also purchase a ticket at the train station either at the ticket office or at the self-service machines provided by both companies, look for the logos on the ticket machines. Tickets are generally quite a bit cheaper if you book in advance and my wife never fails to remind me of this when I leave it to the last minute to book a ticket. In some countries there is often a discount if you book a return ticket but this is not the same in Italy where two separate tickets will often cost the same as a return ticket.

Both companies offer different accommodation levels just like most other countries but even economy class is Italy on the high speed AV routes are of a good standard. Trenitalia’s range include standard, premium, business and executive. Italo market theirs as smart, prima business, club executive and salotto. When you book a class of ticket you will also need to book the type of ticket, like an advance ticket or a flexible ticket. A great things about the tickets in Italy is that it is often easy to change your train, depending on the type of ticket you have purchased. Trenitalia have base, economy and super economy and the varying levels will dictate how flexible your ticket is and how much you will need to pay to change the booking. Italo have flex and economy. The first time I changed my train, as I was running late, I was amazed at how easy it was. You go to the website, use the code that is on your ticket, and choose a new train.

If you are being adventurous and are going off the high-speed routes onto some of the more local train services the booking process will be the same. The one thing to bear in mind is that these trains will not be of the same quality, will be much slower and importantly you may need to stamp your ticket at the platform in a machine. However, some parts of Italy are now installing QR code readers on the platforms instead of stamping machines.

When at the train station the main thing to remember is the number of the train, not the time. All trains will have a four number code so simply look out for this. The notice boards will also show all the stations that the train stops at so you can double check this way. When the train is approaching the station the notice board will show a number against ‘binario’, which means platform. At the larger stations TV screens will show where each carriage will arrive, at large stations it is good to take advantage of this as there will be a surge of locals towards the train as it arrives at the busier stations. On the notice board is also the work ‘ritardo’, meaning delayed, this can be flashing lights on older notice boards or it will give the number of minutes the train ius delayed on newer notice boards.

You can take food and drink to eat onto the trains and the best I have seen is an Italian will a hot pizza ready to take on board. There are also vending machines on the trains and many have a restaurant carriage. Like most trains there is often limited space for larger bags and the aisles can become crowded with luggage on busier trains. If you happen to find space keep a one euro coin available as some offer a lock so you don’t have to worry about your luggage when you sit down. If you are travelling with carry-on flight style luggage you will find that this will generally fit in the overhead luggage rack. Once you are on the train I am sure you will enjoy the trip and the scenery that Italy has to offer, I still look forward to my train journeys in Italy. If you can afford it then it is often not too expensive to upgrade a class for added comfort especially if you book in advance and sometimes there are discounts for buying two tickets or multiple tickets at the same time.