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TRANSPORT

The train routes connecting Italy to the rest of Europe in 2023

Here are some of the main direct international train services you can use for travel between Italy and other European countries this year.

A train from Limone in Italy pulls into the station in Tende, France on December 31, 2021.
A train from Limone in Italy pulls into the station in Tende, France on December 31, 2021. Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP.

A number of airlines have recently announced new routes to and from Italy – but given the dramatic effect climate change is already having on Europe’s weather patterns, many people are looking to less carbon-heavy alternatives for their summer holiday plans this year.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a (non-exhaustive) primer that covers the major direct train routes from Italy to adjoining France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia, as well as to Germany.

If you are considering taking any of these routes, Show Me The Journey provides a very detailed guide to international train travel from Italy that lays out exactly what services are available when.

Without further ado, here’s where you can travel in Europe by direct train from Italy in 2023:

Night trains from major cities

From Rome or Florence, you can travel direct to Villach, Salzburg, Vienna or Munich via the Nightjet network, run by Austrian operator ÖBB. This night train is currently the only direct international rail service to and from these two major Italian cities.

You can also go direct to Vienna or Munich from any of Bologna, Milan, Venice, Genoa, La Spezia, Verona, Ancona, and a few other smaller Italian towns and cities along the route, via the same service. 

READ ALSO: Yes, train travel across Europe is far better than flying – even with kids

The route from Venice, stopping at Vicenza and Udine, can take you deeper into Germany – all the way to Stuttgart – via Munich.

Nightjet's train routes.
Nightjet’s train routes. Source: ÖBB/Nightjet

France:

There are multiple daily trains from Milan to Paris via Turin, leaving either from Milano Centrale or Milano Porta Garibaldi station, depending on which operator you go with. You can also travel direct from Milan to Lyon via Turin.

From the Italian border town of Ventimiglia, you can travel to Nice, Cannes and Grasse via Menton, Monte Carlo and Antibes. There are multiple daily express trains to Ventimiglia from Milan and regional trains from Genoa.

Austria (and Germany):

Travellers can take a EuroCity train from Bologna that goes through Verona, Trento, Bolzano, Brennero (as the final Italy stop) and on to Innsbruck and Munich. There’s also one EuroCity train a day from Venice to these destinations Mon-Fri, stopping at Padua and Vicenza, and two on weekends.

There are twice-daily Railjet trains from Venice to Vienna via Villach, stopping at other Italian and Austrian towns along the route.

READ ALSO: Five easy day trips to make from Rome by train

A daily train service from Bolzano takes passengers to Vienna via Innsbruck, Salzburg and Linz.

There are also hourly S-Bahn trains to Innsbruck from Brennero, and regular trains from Fortezza to Lienz.

A picture taken on June 8, 2018 shows the train station at the Brenner Pass (Brennerpass), the mountain pass through the Alps between Austria and Italy.

A picture taken on June 8, 2018 shows the train station at the Brenner Pass (Brennerpass), the mountain pass through the Alps between Austria and Italy. Photo by Christof STACHE / AFP.

Switzerland (and Germany):

A large number of EuroCity trains leave every day from Milan to Lugano and Zurich, stopping at Como and several Swiss towns and cities.

One of these trains to Zurich each day starts in Venice, stopping at Padua, Vicenza, and Verona, among other towns; one starts in Genoa; and one in Bologna.

There’s also a twice-daily EuroCity service that goes from Milan to Basel via Como, Lusern and Lugano, and regular regional train services from Milan to Locarno via Como and Lugano.

A daily train service from the Milan central train station ferries passengers all the way to Frankfurt, stopping at Bern, Basel, and various other Italian, Swiss and German towns and cities along the way.

READ ALSO: Six delightful day trips within easy reach of Milan

If your destination is more westerly, there are multiple daily trains from Milan to Geneva via Domodossola, Brig and Lausanne, one of which starts in Venice.

There are also multiple daily services from Milan to Basel via Domodossola, Brig and Bern.

Finally, the Rhaetian Railway network connects Tirano to St Moritz, with a large number of trains departing every day; while the Bernina Express connects Tirano to Chur.

Slovenia:

A daily EuroCity train service from Trieste goes to Ljubljana, Maribor and Graz before moving on to Vienna.

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STRIKES

What to expect from Italy’s nationwide rail strike on Sunday

Train passengers in Italy may face disruption on Sunday, June 16th, as staff at railway operators including Trenitalia and Trenord plan a 23-hour strike.

What to expect from Italy’s nationwide rail strike on Sunday

Anyone planning to travel by train this weekend could face delays or cancellations as staff at state-owned railway operators Trenitalia, Trenord and Trenitalia Tper plan to strike from 3am on Sunday, June 16th to 2am on Monday, June 17th, for a total of 23 hours.

The walkout was called by the PdM/PdB transport union in early May to demand the renewal of collective labour agreements in the rail transport sector.

Originally scheduled for Sunday, May 19th, the protest was later postponed to June 16th following a government injunction citing public safety concerns due to an overlap with the Emilia Romagna F1 Grand Prix.

While rail companies are legally required to guarantee the operation of a number of minimum services (servizi minimi) during strikes taking place on weekdays, there’s no such requirement for weekend walkouts.

This means that operators are free to decide whether or not to guarantee minimum services for passengers.

Trenitalia 

National rail operator Trenitalia said in a statement that their services “may experience cancellations or changes” for the entire length of the strike, though the protest may also “result in service variations both before its start and after its end”. 

Trenitalia said it will operate a number of minimum services during the walkout. These are available here.

READ ALSO: The transport strikes to expect in Italy in summer 2024

The operator advised passengers planning to travel on Sunday to check the status of their journey via the Infomobilità section of their website, their mobile app, or by calling toll-free number 800 89 20 21.

Passengers who have booked Intercity or Frecce journeys for Sunday and wish to cancel their trips will have until the scheduled departure time to request a refund. 

Passengers who have purchased regional train tickets will have to submit their refund requests by midnight on Saturday.

Trenord

Trenord, which operates a number of regional trains in the Lombardy region, including links to and from Milan’s Malpensa Airport, said that the walkout “may have repercussions” on all of their scheduled services.

People board a regional train at Milan's Stazione Centrale

People board a regional train at Milan’s Stazione Centrale. Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP

Trenord will not operate minimum services during the strike. However, should airport link services be cancelled, replacement buses will run the same routes. 

See Trenord’s website or mobile app for the latest updates.

Trenitalia Tper

Trenitalia Tper, which operates a number of trains in the Emilia-Romagna region, said that their services “may experience cancellations or changes” due to the walkout. 

Passengers travelling before the start or after the end of the protest may also face disruption, the statement said.

Trenitalia Tper will guarantee the operation of a number of minimum services (servizi minimi) during the day. These can be consulted here.

See their website for the latest updates.

Italo

A statement from Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, which owns and manages all of Italy’s railway network, said the walkout will only involve staff at state-owned operators Trenitalia, Trenitalia Tper and Trenord, meaning that scheduled services from private long-distance operator Italo will go ahead as normal on Sunday. 

What to do if your train is cancelled

If a pre-booked rail service is cancelled due to strike action in Italy, passengers are normally allowed to travel on other equivalent services or are entitled to a refund.

Passengers travelling with Trenitalia can request a refund either at the station or by completing this web form, whereas Italo generally issues refunds automatically.

Keep up with the latest updates in The Local’s strike news section.

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