Train service
NTV
Italo (NTV) is Italy’s first private high-speed rail operator, offering a competitive alternative to Trenitalia since 2012.
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Trenitalia
Trenitalia is Italy’s state-owned rail operator, running high-speed, intercity, and regional trains across the country and beyond.
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OBB
ÖBB is Austria’s national rail operator, known for its Railjet trains and Europe’s largest night train network, Nightjet.
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Omio
Omio connects you with over 1,000 transport providers - trains, buses, flights, and more - to simplify your travel planning.
Trainline
Trainline sells rail and coach tickets worldwide on behalf of major UK and European transport companies.
Raileurope
Rail Europe is a leading travel tech company specializing in European train bookings for over 15,000 travel professionals worldwide.
Most trains to Rome arrive at Roma Termini, the city’s main station and the arrival point for high-speed services from across Italy and Europe. Two train companies run Italy’s high-speed network: Trenitalia, which operates the Frecciarossa, and Italo. Both serve Rome from Naples (around 1 hour 10 minutes), Florence (around 1 hour 30 minutes), and Milan (around 3 hours), with multiple departures throughout the day on each corridor. For travellers coming from further afield, ÖBB Nightjet runs overnight trains from Paris and Munich.
Italian high-speed trains to Rome
Trenitalia and Italo both run high-speed trains to Roma Termini from all major Italian cities. Journey times are broadly similar on any given corridor. The choice usually comes down to price and departure time, so it is worth checking both before you book.
Route | Typical journey time | Operators |
|---|---|---|
around 1 hour 10 minutes | Trenitalia, Italo | |
Florence to Rome | around 1 hour 30 minutes | Trenitalia, Italo |
Milan to Rome | around 3 hours | Trenitalia, Italo |
around 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours | Trenitalia, Italo | |
Bologna to Rome | around 2 hours | Trenitalia, Italo |
Journey times are orientation figures. Check your exact departure when you book, as times vary by service.
Frecciarossa trains (Trenitalia) and Italo EVO trains are the fastest options. Both travel at up to 300 km/h on dedicated high-speed lines. Intercity trains, also operated by Trenitalia, are slower and make more stops, but fares are often lower. Useful for reaching cities not on the high-speed network, or for routes where the journey time difference is small.
Seat reservations are required on all Frecciarossa and Italo high-speed services. Buying a ticket includes a reservation on these trains. On Intercity trains, a seat reservation is also included in the ticket price.
Trenitalia high-speed classes
Trenitalia offers four classes on Frecciarossa: Standard, Premium, Business (reclining seats, welcome drink, quieter carriage), and Executive (lounge access, full meals). For most journeys, Standard is fine. Business is worth it on the Rome to Milan corridor if you want more space and a proper meal service. The price difference is usually modest when booked in advance.
Italo classes
Italo offers Club Executive (lounge access, personal screens), Prima (fast-track boarding, complimentary refreshments), Comfort (extra legroom), and Smart. Italo’s Smart class is often the cheapest option on competitive routes.
Interrail and Eurail passes on Italian trains
Trenitalia accepts Interrail and Eurail passes on all high-speed and intercity services. Italo does not. If you are travelling on a rail pass, book Trenitalia. An Italo ticket will not be accepted with a pass, regardless of the class shown on your booking.
On Frecciarossa services, pass holders must book a seat reservation in addition to the pass. The reservation fee is typically around €13 per journey, depending on the route and booking channel. Do not board without one. Conductors check reservations, and there is no getting around it on a high-speed service.
Pass-holder places are limited and can sell out before standard-fare seats. Book as early as possible through Trenitalia.com or via the Interrail or Eurail booking portals. On the Rome to Naples and Rome to Florence corridors in summer, the pass-holder quota fills quickly.
Night trains to Rome
ÖBB Nightjet runs two routes into Rome: from Paris and from Munich. Both are overnight services with seat, couchette, and sleeper accommodation. Italo has no night trains. If you are considering a night train to Rome, your only option is the Nightjet.
The Paris to Rome Nightjet departs Paris Gare de Lyon in the early evening and arrives in Rome the following morning. The Munich Nightjet works on a similar overnight schedule.
Important: the Paris to Rome Nightjet arrives at Roma Tiburtina, not Roma Termini. Check your booking confirmation before you travel and confirm which station you need. Roma Tiburtina is connected to the metro and buses, so getting to central Rome from there is straightforward, but if you plan to meet someone at the train or head directly to a hotel near Termini, allow extra time.
Interrail and Eurail passes are valid on ÖBB Nightjet services. A reservation is required and covers your seat, couchette, or sleeper berth. Reservation fees vary by accommodation type: a seat reservation costs less than a couchette berth, and a private sleeper costs more. If you want a couchette or sleeper, book early. These categories sell out before seats, particularly on the Paris route in summer.
Cross-border daytime trains to Rome
For daytime journeys from France, Switzerland, or other parts of Europe, most connections require at least one change. The main interchange is Milan, where trains from Paris, Geneva, Zurich, and Munich connect with Italian high-speed services to Rome.
The table below gives orientation for some common international journeys. All require at least one change; total journey time depends heavily on the connection and the specific trains you book.
Origin | Typical total journey (daytime) | Main interchange |
|---|---|---|
Paris | around 7 to 8 hours | Milan |
Munich | around 9 to 10 hours | Various |
Brussels | around 9 to 10 hours | Paris or Milan |
Zurich | around 6 to 7 hours | Milan |
For Paris and Munich, an overnight Nightjet is often more practical than a full day of daytime travel. See the night trains section above for details.
Train stations in Rome
Roma Termini
Roma Termini is the station to book for almost every journey to Rome. It is the arrival point for all domestic high-speed trains (Frecciarossa and Italo), most international daytime connections, and the Munich Nightjet. Centrally located, it sits around 2.5 km from the Colosseum and the Roman Forum area, and is connected directly to metro lines A and B.
The station has 33 platforms. Platforms 1 to 24 are in the main departure hall. Platforms 25 to 29 are reached by walking to the far end of platform 24 or through the entrance on Via Giuseppe Giolitti. Ticket offices are on the ground floor, near the Piazza dei Cinquecento entrance. The Mercato Centrale food court on the main level is one of the better options for a meal if you have time before departure.
Luggage storage is available at Termini. Wi-Fi is free throughout the station.
Roma Tiburtina
Roma Tiburtina is Rome’s second station. It handles some regional trains and is the arrival and departure point for the Paris to Rome Nightjet. It connects to metro line B and several bus routes.
There is no luggage storage at Tiburtina. Trenitalia has a ticket office there; Italo does not operate from Tiburtina.
If your booking shows Roma Tiburtina, check the station address and plan your onward transport before you travel. Most hotels and central areas are easier to reach via metro from Tiburtina rather than by taxi.
Roma Ostiense
Roma Ostiense is a smaller station in southwest Rome, used mainly for local and regional services. Most visitors will not need it.
Station rule: If a booking page shows only “Rome” without specifying a station, open the train details and confirm the exact station before you pay. This matters most for night trains and some regional services, where Tiburtina is the correct station rather than Termini.
How to book train tickets
Where to buy
Trenitalia tickets are available directly at Trenitalia.com or via the Trenitalia app. Italo tickets are at italotreno.it or the Italo app. Buying direct from the operator avoids booking fees.
Third-party booking sites such as Trainline also sell Italian train tickets and are convenient if you are booking a multi-country trip. They add a small booking fee but can simplify comparing departure times across operators.
Station ticket machines and offices at Termini sell tickets, but the cheapest fares (Super Economy on both Trenitalia and Italo) are typically only available when booked in advance online.
Fare types and what they mean
Trenitalia Super Economy fares can start from around €12.90 on short routes such as Rome to Naples, with longer routes priced higher. These fares are non-refundable and cannot be changed. The next tier, Economy, costs a little more but allows changes for a fee. Flex tickets are fully refundable and changeable, at a higher price.
Italo offers a similar structure, with promotional fares available from around €9.90 on competitive routes. Like Trenitalia Super Economy, these are non-refundable.
Starting fares are the cheapest available on any given day. Prices rise as the train fills. On the Rome to Milan corridor, the gap between an advance Super Economy fare and a same-week purchase can be substantial. Book as soon as your dates are confirmed.
How early to book
High-speed trains on popular corridors open for booking around four months ahead. For travel in July, August, or around Italian public holidays, the cheapest fares can disappear within days of the booking window opening. There is no benefit to waiting.
Regional train fares are generally fixed-price and can be booked up to around 60 days ahead.
Getting around Rome after arrival
From Roma Termini
Roma Termini connects directly to metro lines A and B, which cover most of the main visitor areas. Metro line A serves the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and Vatican area. Metro line B serves the Colosseum. A single metro and bus ticket costs €1.50 and is valid for 100 minutes including any transfers within that window.
Multi-day passes are available for 24, 48, or 72 hours. These are worth considering if you plan to use the metro and buses frequently.
The official taxi rank is in Piazza dei Cinquecento, the large square in front of Termini. Use only licensed white taxis from the official stand. A journey to central Rome typically costs between €8 and €15, depending on destination and traffic. There is a fixed station surcharge of €2.
From Fiumicino Airport
If you are arriving by air at Rome Fiumicino Airport rather than by train, the Leonardo Express runs directly to Roma Termini in around 30 minutes. The fare is €14 and does not require advance booking: tickets are available at the airport station. This is the fastest and most straightforward way from the airport to central Rome, and cheaper than a taxi for most journeys.
From Roma Tiburtina
Roma Tiburtina is on metro line B. Take line B towards Laurentina or Rebibbia depending on your direction. Termini is two stops on line B from Tiburtina, making it easy to connect onwards if your hotel is near Termini or on line A.
Day trips by train from Rome
Rome’s position in central Italy makes it well placed for day trips to Florence, Naples, and the Pompeii area.
Florence is around 1 hour 30 minutes on a Frecciarossa or Italo, with frequent departures throughout the day. Almost all high-speed trains use Firenze Santa Maria Novella, the central station. A small number of services call at Campo di Marte instead, so check your booking confirmation to confirm the arrival station.
Naples is around 1 hour 10 minutes. Day trips work well, though Naples also has useful connections to Pompeii and the Amalfi coast. To reach Pompeii from Naples, take the Circumvesuviana regional train from Napoli Centrale (a separate platform area from the main Trenitalia/Italo services). The Circumvesuviana is not included in Trenitalia or Italo tickets and requires a separate ticket. The journey from Naples to Pompeii Scavi station (Villa dei Misteri) takes around 35 minutes.
Pisa and the leaning tower are around 3 hours from Rome (change at Florence). A half-day in Pisa is feasible if you take an early departure.
For any day trip, book the return train before you travel, especially in summer. Afternoon services back to Rome from Florence and Naples can sell out.
Essential train travel information
Validating tickets and reservations
Trenitalia tickets purchased at station machines must be validated (stamped) before boarding at the yellow validation machines on the platform. Tickets and reservations bought online and printed or stored on your phone do not require validation. Your booking reference is confirmed on the train. If in doubt, check the instruction on your ticket at the time of purchase.
Italo tickets do not require separate validation. Boarding uses your reference number or app barcode.
Arriving at the station
Platforms at Roma Termini are shown on departure boards a few minutes before departure. Arriving 15 minutes before a domestic high-speed service is usually enough for most travellers. For night trains or international journeys with luggage, allow a little more time.
Ticket terms glossary
Italian term | What it means |
|---|---|
Binario | Platform |
Partenza | Departure |
Ritardo | Delay |
Biglietteria | Ticket office |
Prenotazione | Reservation |
Solo andata | One way |
Andata e ritorno | Return |
Strikes
Trenitalia is subject to occasional industrial action. When strikes occur, a minimum timetable operates, so most main routes continue with reduced frequency. Strikes are usually announced in advance. Check the Trenitalia website or app before you travel if you see news of industrial action.
Italo is a private company and has not been affected by the same strike history as Trenitalia, though this can change.
Frequently asked questions
How long do high-speed trains from major Italian cities take to reach Rome?
High-speed trains from Naples take around 1 hour 10 minutes. From Florence, the journey is around 1 hour 30 minutes. From Milan it is around 3 hours, and from Venice around 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours. These are orientation figures. Check the journey time on your specific departure when you book.
What is the main train station in Rome?
Roma Termini is the main station and the arrival point for all domestic high-speed services (both Trenitalia Frecciarossa and Italo) and most international connections. It connects directly to metro lines A and B and is around 2.5 km from the Colosseum. A small number of services, including the Paris to Rome Nightjet, arrive at Roma Tiburtina instead. Check your booking confirmation for the exact station.
Can I use an Interrail or Eurail pass to travel to Rome by train?
Yes, but only on Trenitalia services. Interrail and Eurail passes are not valid on Italo trains. On Trenitalia Frecciarossa services, pass holders must also book a seat reservation separately. The fee is typically around €13 per journey. Reservations are compulsory and the pass-holder quota can sell out on busy routes, so book early through Trenitalia.com or the Interrail or Eurail booking portals. ÖBB Nightjet services to Rome are also covered by Interrail and Eurail passes, with a reservation required.
How far in advance should I book train tickets to Rome?
For Frecciarossa and Italo high-speed trains, the booking window opens around four months ahead. The cheapest Super Economy fares disappear quickly on popular routes and in peak summer months, so book as early as possible once your dates are set. Regional train fares are generally fixed-price and can be booked up to around 60 days ahead.
What other train stations serve Rome besides Termini?
Roma Tiburtina is the city’s second station. It handles some regional trains and is the arrival point for the Paris to Rome ÖBB Nightjet overnight service. It connects to metro line B. Roma Ostiense is a smaller station in southwest Rome used mainly for local services. Most visitors will only need Roma Termini.
