Trenitalia is the train company owned by the Italian government. There are few private train companies in Italy as well, but during our time in the country, we preferred Trenitalia.
My review is based on 5 trips that I took with Trenitalia in a span of 13 days:
1. Venice – Florence
2. Florence – Pisa – Florence
3. Florence – Bologna – Rimini – Bologna – Florence
4. Florence – Naples
5. Naples – Rome
Cost
The most important factor while traveling by any medium is the cost of transportation. Fortunately, the cost of tickets is not too high. Eg: The train from Rome to Florence will cost you about Rs. 2,000 only! However, I recommend buying Italy Pass because the cost of the seat reservation is just about Rs. 750-800 per journey. Costwise, it is much cheaper than flights with a much better level of comfort.
Punctuality
Most trains of Trenitalia are punctual, however, we had a little concerning incident when we were coming from Bologna to Florence. Our train got delayed by more than 2 hours & there were no other trains in sight it was late at night. Fortunately, the staff of Trenitalia got our seat reservations transferred to another train & we could come in that one. Some trains might get notoriously late though. Please keep that in mind while planning your destinations.
Comfort in Trenitalia
This is the part I absolutely love about Trenitalia. The comfort level is literally maximum. So much leg space, a lot of space for all our bags, AND coat hangers as well. In most first-class coaches, there are these coupés which give the sense of private space as well. If you are looking to travel inside Italy, go for Trenitalia’s trains because of the comfort.
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Frequency
If you are looking for trains between popular Italian destinations, you are bound to find Trenitalia’s trains every 30-60 minutes. The frequency between popular cities & towns is amazing. However, if you are planning to take a train journey to a lesser-known destination in Italy, I’d suggest plan it in advance to avoid missing trains.
Services
I LOVED the services they provide in the first-class coaches. You get to choose a snack (between sweet cake or salty chips), you get to choose your beverage (hot coffee, cold juice, or a bottle of water) & you can also get some newspapers or magazines to pass your time. I’d rate Trenitalia quite high compared to many other European train companies & budget airlines when it comes to services.
Luggage Space
Every Indian’s concern, obviously. Don’t worry, Trenitalia has a lot of space (literally a lot of space in their coaches) for everyone’s bags. There is a lot of space between 2 seats & even in coupés as well. In most trains, you can also keep small bags above or under your seats.
Book your Trenitalia tickets from Rail Europe.
Picture: Lorenzo Gaudenzi
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