Touring through Italy by train

In November, I travelled around Italy for 5 days with a good friend. We had our stay in Bologna, which is ideal because many cities in Italy are quickly and easily accessible by train from this city. In these five days, we were able to explore Florence, Verona and the small country of San Marino. By public transport from Bologna, you can reach Verona and Florence in half an hour to an hour and a half and San Marino in about two hours. The times depend on which train you take. With the experience, I can tell you the tips on how best to travel by train through Italy and why it is ideal.

How train travel works in Italy

Travelling around Italy by train is easy. You buy a ticket online at trenitalia.com or italotreno.it, but you can also buy a ticket at a ticket office at the station. Buying a ticket online can be cheaper than buying a ticket at a ticket office. The train ticket is more advantageous if you buy it a few weeks before travelling by train. The ticket can be cheaper, and you have certainty of a seat on the train. For instance, I had a last-minute experience of trying to buy a ticket at a ticket office, and it turned out that many trains were full. As a result, I had to wait longer and the train ticket was more expensive. The disadvantage of buying a ticket earlier is that you have less flexibility and are obliged to take this train if you don't have a ticket that can change departure times. On the city trips I have done, it was nice to be flexible though and not be stuck with a time to go back. Here, I have run the risk of trains being full, like the train from Florence to Bologna on a Sunday night. So make sure you buy your tickets in time when it is rush hour, weekend, or holiday. Outside these times, trains often have seats free, and you can buy your ticket at the last minute.

Advantages of travelling by trains

Travelling by train to cities like Florence and Verona is ideal because the station is within walking distance of the city centre. This is ideal because this way you don't actually need to hire a car to go to these cities. The high-speed trains that run on some routes will even take you from Florence to Bologna in half an hour, while by car it will take you about an hour and a half. These trains are a bit more expensive, but faster than travelling by 'Intercity' or 'Regional'.

Travelling to San Marino is a bit trickier by public transport, as you need the bus in addition to the train. From Rimini, a bus leaves for San Marino every 90 minutes and for €12 you have a return ticket to the centre of San Marino. If you go to San Marino by car, the journey takes about one to one and a half hours, which is about an hour faster than using public transport. So travelling by train can be cheaper and even faster than when travelling by car. Because with the car, you have to hire petrol and parking costs as well.

What to look out for

When travelling by train, there are a few points you should pay attention to. First, it is important to make sure your ticket is validated. This applies if you have a ticket without a fixed departure time. You can validate your ticket at one of the green ticket machines at the stations. If you do have a fixed departure time on your ticket, validation is often not necessary. I personally bought the tickets at the ticket machines for a fixed departure time and did not need to validate them.

The stations in big cities can be very large, like the one in Bologna, with more than 30 tracks. Make sure to be at the station well in time if you are unfamiliar with the station (I speak from experience). This is because the station in Bologna has several tracks from one to six and also has several underground platforms. So it takes some time to find the right track, and make sure you have enough time to do so.

Otherwise, travelling by train is very nice and enjoy the country's landscapes along the way. By train, you will be in a new city to explore within a few hours.