Rome to Salerno by train

Frecciarossa and Italo trains run direct from Roma Termini to Salerno in about 1 hour 30 to 2 hours 15, from early morning until late evening.

Take a high-speed train

Trenitalia's Frecciarossa and Italo both run on the Rome to Naples high-speed line and continue to Salerno without a change. For almost everyone, one of these is the train to book. Many keep going south past Salerno, so the board at Termini may show Reggio Calabria or another southern town as the destination. Look for Salerno among the stops.

Trenitalia's Intercity trains are the slow option. They take the older coastal line via Latina, Formia-Gaeta and Napoli Centrale, and need about 3 hours. The main reason to choose one is a rail pass, because the Intercity reservation costs much less.

Journey time and the Naples stops

The quickest trains take about 1 hour 30 to 1 hour 40. They call at Napoli Afragola and do not stop at Napoli Centrale. Italo's fastest run is about 1 hour 40.

High-speed trains that also stop at Napoli Centrale need about 2 hours to 2 hours 15. Pick one of those if you want to break the trip in Naples. Napoli Centrale is the main city station; Afragola is not.

Stations at each end

In Rome, trains to Salerno leave from Roma Termini. Many Frecciarossa services coming down from northern Italy also call at Roma Tiburtina first, which helps only if you are staying near Tiburtina.

Salerno station is on Piazza Vittorio Veneto, and you can walk into the centre from there. The city's buses start from the station, and the Salerno metro runs from it out to the Stadio Arechi.

For the Amalfi Coast, SITA buses from Salerno serve Amalfi, Positano, Ravello and other coast towns. Ferries run along the coast as well, with the most sailings in summer. Paestum is further south, on the Intercity line.

Tickets, fares and rail passes

Trenitalia and Italo are rival companies. Each sells its own tickets, so a Frecciarossa ticket will not get you onto an Italo train, or the other way round.

Italo fares start from €14.90 one way. Trenitalia prices Frecciarossa separately, so the cheaper company can change from one date to the next.

An Interrail Pass covers Frecciarossa and Intercity trains, but both need a seat reservation: €13 for Frecciarossa and €3 for Intercity when booked through Interrail. Italo does not accept Interrail passes. On Italo you need a normal ticket.

Travelling with a big suitcase? On Italo's Smart class each bag must fit within 75 x 53 x 30 cm, while Prima Business and Club Executive have no size limit. Folding bikes go free as luggage on Italo. Full-size bikes are not allowed.

Works on the line

On Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays from 23 November to 8 December 2026, maintenance on the Rome to Naples high-speed line changes some evening trains. Some leave earlier or take longer, some skip Napoli Afragola, and some Frecciarossa services end at Napoli Centrale instead of Salerno.

RFI, which runs the rail network, has planned a closure of the high-speed line between Cassino and Napoli Afragola from 18 to 31 January 2027. Trains on those dates may not follow the usual pattern, so look at your exact train again a few days before you travel.