Late last year, the Italian state-owned railway company Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) announced plans to introduce several new tourist-focused services, known as Treni Turistici Italiani, on some popular routes as well as lesser known itineraries.

The new lines were first announced shortly after FS launched a special direct service last summer linking Rome with the ancient archaeological site of Pompeii, a journey which previously required changing to a local stopping service.

Now, four new long-distance summer routes have been announced: two departing from Rome and two from Milan, heading to some well-known Italian (and French) summer resorts and taking in smaller towns along the way.

The project comes at a time when Italy is struggling to manage overtourism at hotspots like Rome, Venice and Florence.

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The initiative is hoped to encourage more people to travel beyond the major cities and best-known destinations, FS said in a statement on its website when the scheme was first announced.

Whether you live in Italy or are passing through, here are the seasonal FS tourist train itineraries you can take advantage of this summer:

Espresso Cadore night train from Rome to Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites.

Outbound journeys are on Tuesday and Friday evenings and return journeys on Wednesday and Saturday evenings on various dates in July and August.

Passengers have the option to book a single or double bed compartment or a bunk in a four-to-six person cabin, with a three-course dinner included for the former and charged at €45 for the latter, and breakfast included for all.

Prices currently range from €80 for a one-way ticket in a shared six-person cabin to €192.50 for a one-way ticket in a private single compartment.

Espresso Salento night train from Rome to Lecce in Puglia.

Running for just eight days over the course of two weeks in July and August: outgoing journeys on July 18th and 25th and August 13th and 22nd, return journeys on July 19th and 26th and August 14th and 23rd.

Sleeping and dining options are on the same basis as the Espresso Cadore.

Prices currently range from €44.50 for a one-way ticket in a shared four-person cabin to €109.50 for a one-way ticket in a private single compartment.

Espresso Versilia train from Milan to the Cinque Terre, Pisa and the Tuscan beaches of Versilia (Livorno).

Trains depart from Milan’s Stazione Centrale every Tuesday and Thursday morning from August 6th until September 26th, arriving in Livorno via Pisa and the Cinque Terre mid-afternoon, with return journeys on the same evenings.

One-way tickets currently cost €89 second class or €119 first class (inclusive of lunch and dinner), with a 50 percent discount on those prices available for tickets booked up to 48 hours before the train’s departure with the TTI Special offer.

Espresso Riviera train from Milan to Nice via Ventimiglia

Trains depart from Milan every Saturday and Sunday morning from August 4th to September 1st, returning from Nice the same evenings.

Journeys to and from Ventimiglia by the French border are scheduled to run for an additional week until September 8th.

Booking is not yet available as of late July; check back on the Trenitalia website for pricing.

Historic trains

If the train journey itself is the most exciting part of a trip for you, you’ll want to check out FS’s Treni Storici or ‘Historic Trains’ routes.

Featuring restored vintage locomotives, this service offers dozens of shorter scenic itineraries in locations across the north of the country and around Naples and Siena at very affordable rates.