Overview

Trenitalia is Italy's national rail operator, running Frecciarossa/Frecciargento/Frecciabianca high-speed services, Intercity day/night trains, and Regionale services. Italo, Italy's other high-speed operator, has its own dedicated page.

Luggage

No enforced limit on the amount of luggage—just handle your own bags, avoid blocking aisles/entryways, and don't carry dangerous or malodorous items (per international rail regulations).

Boarding & check-in

• Frecciarossa / Frecciargento / Frecciabianca: Arrive 20–30 minutes early as a recommended buffer. Named-seat reservation mandatory; platform access permitted only up to 1 minute before departure.
• Intercity (day & night): Mandatory named-seat reservation; overnight Intercity Notte needs a 30–45 minute buffer to find your carriage/cabin.
• Regionale / Regionale Veloce: Seats are generally not reserved, open ticketing. Paper regional tickets must be validated at the green/white machines on the platform before boarding; digital regional tickets auto-validate at the scheduled departure time of the selected train. Arriving 10–15 min early is recommended.
• Assistance (Sala Blu): Fast stations and phone/in-person assistance can be requested up to 1 hour before departure/arrival during daytime hours; other stations generally require at least 12 working hours. Current phone numbers are 800 90 60 60 from an Italian landline and +39 02 32 32 32 from mobile phones/abroad, or email salablu.roma@rfi.it .
• Milan transfers: Milano Centrale (main high-speed/international hub) ↔ Porta Garibaldi is 2 Metro Line 2 stops (~10 min), a 25-minute walk, or a 5-minute taxi. Metro tickets: €2, valid 90 minutes, bought at station machines only (no advance purchase). It is recommended to allow at least 1 hour for transfers in Milan.

Tickets & mobile/digital use

Regional QR tickets: Tickets marked "NOT VALID TO TRAVEL" auto-activate at the scheduled departure time—no manual check-in needed. Retrieve your QR anytime via Trenitalia's site with your email and PNR/ticket code. Unlimited free date/time changes until 11:59pm the day before travel and until scheduled departure on travel day itself—once auto-activated, no further changes.

Mobile tickets: Generally shown on your phone via a 6-character PNR (same code for outbound and return). Departures from Roma Termini, Milano Centrale, and Firenze SMN require a printed copy for pre-boarding security—Rail Europe or Italo's Casa Italo desk can print for you; boarding may be refused without it. Other stations have no pre-boarding check; ID/ticket checks happen at random onboard. A hard-copy backup is recommended everywhere. Note: Swiss ticket agents don't recognize Trenitalia PNRs.

Seat selection: Available on all high-speed, Intercity, and some regional trains, chosen at the "Ticket Details" step. Free with base fare; €2.00 on economy/super economy. Cannot be changed after purchase or added afterward; 80% refundable. Not mandatory to complete booking.

CartaFRECCIA: Free loyalty program, under-30s and 60+: up to 50% off youth/senior fares, added via a dropdown at booking (passenger name must match the card owner; can't be added after the initial entry). One time, exchange the date or time before departure at the same fare category; exchanging to a different category loses the discount.

Trenitalia Pass: Book via the "Rail Passes" tab; first journey must fall within 11 months of purchase. Seat reservations for Frecce/Intercity/select Eurocity trips are mandatory and free—made via the dedicated Trenitalia Pass Portal (not the standard app), using your 10-digit PNR. The pass itself has no QR code; each reserved journey generates its own PDF ticket and QR. Reservations can be exchanged up to departure time; postponing your first trip doesn't extend the pass's overall validity window.

Classes

Domestic: Super Economy (cheapest, book 10 days ahead, non-refundable/non-exchangeable), Economy (2-day advance, exchangeable), Base (full flexibility), Ordinaria (regional, tickets ≤€8 non-refundable, valid 4 hours from stated departure), and Serenità (Frecciarossa 1000 Italy–France only, semi-flexible). International: Mini (21-day advance, Italy↔Switzerland only), Smart (14-day advance), Smart 2 (7-day advance), and Flexible (full price). Family/group offers: Bimbi Gratis (under-15s free in groups of 2–5), Insieme (up to 50% off for groups of 3–5), and Weekend Return and Same Day Return discounts.

Refunds & claims

Gather your PNR/ticket number, train number, IBAN + BIC/SWIFT, and any receipts. Submit via the online claims form (Country: "Italia," Type of purchase: "Ticket," Mode of purchase: "Agency," Credit card question: "No" unless booked directly with Trenitalia) at reclami-e-suggerimenti.trenitalia.com. You'll get an automatic confirmation and a response within 60 days; approved claims are paid by bank transfer directly from Trenitalia. Note: Rail Europe typically cannot submit these claims on your behalf—you may need to file directly.

Food & drinks on board

• Frecciarossa: Food and drink services vary by train and travel class. Depending on your service, refreshments may be available from the onboard café/bar, trolley service, or through at-seat service.
• Frecciargento / Frecciabianca: Refreshments may be available onboard, depending on the train and route.
• Intercity: Catering options vary by service. Some trains may offer vending machines or other onboard refreshment services.
• Regionale: Food and drink services are generally not available onboard, so we recommend purchasing refreshments before travelling.

Onboard catering and complimentary services can vary by train, route and travel class, so availability is not guaranteed on every service.