TO FOLLOW ME: You must open an account at forbes.com, and the best way to do that is at forbes.com rather than via a social media site. 68 helpful votes. Italo Started in 2012, the Italo trains are operated by the NTV company. Passengers receive a newspaper and an insignificant drink and snack. In addition to having your ticket ready, make sure you have the ticket at the door so that the conductor can pick it up. In each carriage, there are two tables for four passengers at each end, though the seats are primarily unidirectional. Get our travel tips Delivered to your inbox. A First Class seat has a footrest as well as power outlets, as do a dedicated work desk with a laptop connector, and a power-generating receptacle. Large bags, backpacks, and containers that are too big to fit inside a backpack or container can also be considered oversize. Italo often beats the Frecciarossa because it uses secondary stations such as Porta Garibaldi in Milan, which is as convenient as Centrale and without the chaos, and Tiburtina (same story) in Rome. Frecciarossa means red arrow, and they can reach 300 km/h (186 mph) on Italy's new high-speed lines.Nobody flies between Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples now: Milan to Rome takes as little as 2h55 by train, Rome to Florence as little as 1h23, Rome to Venice just . Trenitalia, the national train service, used to be the only game in town. I miss the old times when you could travel from Florence to Rome in one hour and 20 min (12 less than today) for less than half the price as today. Is it true that Italo is less likely to be affected by strikes? LNER trains are ideal for both business and leisure travel, with the first class service providing a superior level of comfort. Can You Serve Process Via First Class Mail In Federal Court? ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-102527064', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Florence so IMO not worth upgrading to business/premier. Basically the time of travel remains the same (since the line is still standard speed) but they charge you more because you now sit on a leather seat. Just redo the dates. There is a train called Italo from Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori (NTV), a privately held company. Does one company have better service than the other? There is another one shown in the evening. In Club Executive, there are 11 seats in a saloon and two intimate compartmented seats for four people. Once on board, the differences are not as stark as they are between first class and coach on a plane, so dont automatically assume first class is worth the extra cost. This allows them to enjoy a number of benefits, including access to the first class lounge, priority boarding, and a , Exploring The Pros And Cons Of First-Class Travel When You Have No Class, American Eagle Does Not Fly First Class To Dallas, First Class Travel With TD First Class Travel Points, The Cheapest Way To Send A Letter In The United States. It applies only to superfast frecce trains, which train at exactly the same speed as the primo codee. The return IIRC from Venice to Rome starts at 10am. Time from FCO train station to Terminal 3, Help with choosing a Rome Neighbourhood to stay in, simple explanation please for "allora.alora ". Onboard staff is friendly and multilingual. Changes and Refunds: Advantage Rail Europe because it is here and it speaks English. The maximum speed of Frecciarossa reaches 300 kph (186 mph), making it one of the fastest bullet trains running in the country! Italian train company Trenitalia was founded in 1732. Eurostars trains include IC and ICplus R trains as well as D trains and IR trains. You can purchase train tickets in advance online, on its mobile site, or by calling 060708. The connection is good and available throughout the ride. Each class of service offers amenities such as spacious cars, an optional cinema section with personal touch-screen TVs, Illy espresso, drinks, and snack vending machines, and luggage racks for storing your bags. Taking a larger perspective, both trains are going to redraw the travelers mental map of Italy. The Frecciarossa 1000, is a high-speed train operated by Italian state railway operator Trenitalia.It was co-developed as a joint venture between Italian rail manufacturer Hitachi Rail Italy (initially AnsaldoBreda) and multinational conglomerate Alstom (initially Bombardier Transportation).Both design and production work were divided between the two partner companies. Standard Class seats have less space, have less leg room, and are generally wider than First Class seats. There is a noticeable difference in the atmosphere of the carriage, as well as the overall comfort, as compared to Standard Class. Italo operates a fleet of modern, high-speed trains that can reach speeds of up to 360 kilometers per hour, but there are no classes of services, only four ambiences. You will find a large amount of space thanks to the reclining leather seats, which also include an LCD touch-screen television. Because the prices on expensive trains keep increasing, first class tickets may not be within your budget. There are no Frecciarossa in Venice. I have found that Italo is typically less expensive on first class seats and I really enjoy the two single seats that face each other if two are travelling together and they are available. And thank you Laurel for also explaining the change, rather than dismissing the OP so readily. Heres my report. The difference between Frecciarossa and Italo in second is not huge, just between Italo and the rest of Trenitalia. Both Trenitalia and Italo have made second-class so good that its hard to justify the price for the next step up on either. The 1st class cars on Pendolinos are normally at the London/southern end of the train. Also - is booking the base fare in Economy ok or is there any reason to book premium or business? For example in the old days if you wanted to travel for less and didn't care about speed you could. Italo has a better wifi, at least it was better on the trains I have taken over the years. There is a big difference between Italo first class and second class. Is one more comfortable? Frecciarossa Executive Class Frecciarossa's Executive Class caters for those who only reluctantly leave their private jet at home. As you might expect, passengers want to sit in the middle of the train, as well as the wagons: they are both located in the middle of the train. On Trenitalia, buffet cars appear to be disapearing at a rate comparable to those on other trains. Roma Termini is still available in the city center, but not for all Italos, just as it is for Trenitalia. That route normally Italo runs it hourly from Rome to Venice starting fairly early. Learn how your comment data is processed. One can always carry on food and beverage. Is the train that runs between Bari and Rome an AV train? ITALO un marchio di Italo S.p.A. 2023 - P.IVA: 09247981005, The Site uses first-party (ITALO) and third-party technical cookies: these technical cookies guarantee normal navigation on the Site and do not require prior consent. Trenitalia offers the two-class system, but has rechristened it standard and premium. Italo goes for a three-class system: Smart, Prima, and Club. This is roughly economy, business, and first in airline parlance. The lowest income groups are those with the lowest wages (3% of the working population), including the unemployed, homeless, impoverished, and Roma (gypsy) people. Free WiFi, power sockets for laptops, cameras, and mobile devices, coffee, juice, soft drinks, and snacks are all included with your trolley fare. High-speed trains do exactly the same as interregionali, but they're faster and, obviously, more expensive. I often jump on a train to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Our First Class coaches have complimentary Wi-Fi, and mobile phone/personal computer plugs are also available. Rail Europe also lists prices in dollars, the other two in Euro. Re: Frecciarossa vs. Italo Trains - Preference? Italy's first high-speed private rail service, with stops at major cities including Naples, Florence, Rome, Milan, and Venice, it was competitively priced. There are also first-class lounges available for passengers in the upper class. Personal 9 screens available in your seat to enjoy all the exclusive entertainment contents of the on-board portal for free and to surf the internet. Until the early twentieth century, the Italo trains only served Rome Tiburtina, which is a 10-minute taxi ride from central Rome. In addition to Bologna, Florence, Naples, and Venice, Italo and Frecciarossa are shared by other stations such as Milan, Florence, Naples, and Venice. Trenitalia is schedule to debut new Frecciarossa 1000 train sets from June 14; look for news at that time, or closer to your travel date. 1. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-110189711', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Rome to Venice. Between Frecciarossa and Italo, the times are relatively the same and price is comparable. Privacy is guaranteed as seats are 1.5 meters from each other. Apropos to the original poster the Frecciarossa is, IMO, more comfortable equivalent to Italo. Having said that, the prices on the expensive trains keep going up, so first class tickets may be outside your budget. The jump in price isnt nearly as dramatic as the difference between first class and coach on a flight, and if itll make your trip more comfortable then thats never a bad thing. Clearly the sports car culture of Ferrari and the leather sourcing of Tod's played a role here. It doesnt take long for the engines to go from a whine to a deep thrum. reclining seats and power sockets. If you want to spend your trip in a quiet and peaceful setting, the Quiet Coach is the place for you. 1st class on Trenitalia offers more spacious and comfortable seating than 2nd class, as well as additional amenities such as complimentary food and drink service. Thank you, Roberto---the seating diagrams are very helpful. Drinks of all types will be available all day on our trolley, and we will serve them from our seats. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Smart: Perks WiFi It's perfect if you hate to talk to or even be near other people because the person sitting closest to you sits far across the aisle. Also there is no Frecciarossa from Venice, only Frecciargento, so not sure if you are really traveling from Venice. This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity. Executive Frecciarossa. More services are available, including faster trains, thanks to the larger of the two railways, Trenitalia. (the seating is 2 x 1 in Comfort class on Italo, compared to 2 x 2 in 'Premium class on the Frecce trains). I expect they did it to compete better with Italo. The standard (or smart) class provides two by two seated arrangements in each coach class, while the rest provide one by one seated arrangements. As someone said, the only difference between 1st and 2nd class, with respect to luggage, is that 1st class has, usually, 1/3 fewer seats. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. The 10:25 Trenitalia train from Venice I am looking at for October clearly indicates it is a Frecciarossa and offers four classes of service. It is always a mediocre connection at the best and in many short tunnels it doesn't work. In Business Class, there are many of the same features as Premium Class, such as priority boarding, a personal monitor in your seat, and a dedicated luggage storage space. 1st class ticket prices are also typically higher than 2nd class. But I didnt think that was enough to justify the price difference. The health and safety of our employees and customers remains our top priority. The seats are lounge-type and there are only three of them across the width of the train. She has also written for Frommer's, The Washington Post, Travel + Leisure, and more. Hence, by taking a bullet train to Italy, you can work, watch a film or just surf the internet. Second class is still comfortable, but it is not nearly as nice as first class. Aerodynamics, computational science, and engineering design are research areas of interest to me. Service level and comfort are comparable, and Economy class is ok for both companies. And it looked pretty luxurious. But I will stand corrected if anyone knows otherwise. These seats are unique as there are only 8 available on each train that offers them. These are the features of ItaliaRail and Omio, with pros and cons and whether they're actually worth anything:. Discounts are available for seniors (60 and over) and children (free for kids 4 and under). Other Website Follies: Trenitalia.com speaks Italian when it comes to departure and arrival cities. I prefer the Italo service, but I don't travel in the rarified air of the upper classes so have never compared the higher grades. 3 years ago. Trenitalia's Frecciarossa trains provide four classes of outstanding service: Standard Class, Premium Class, First Class and Executive Class. The Italo high-speed train connects Rome to Florence via a network of 13 major Italian cities, making it one of the most popular means of transportation. Price: Advantage Rail Europe, based on the search I did for this column: a one-way, Milan-Florence ticket, for November 10th around noon. We fly to Europe in business class because of my husband's back, and his older brother and his wife fly in first. I've travelled in both first and second class in the Freccia trains and haven't noticed a huge difference between them in terms of "seat comfort*. We rode Trenitalia Frecciarossa Salottino Class from Florence to Torino. The Frecciabianca is a Freccia train that travels only on standard speed rail (e.g. Traveling by train is one of the best ways to see Italy from the rugged Dolomites to the sparkling waters of the Amalfi Coast. Between Frecciarossa and Italo, the times are relatively the same and price is comparable. The executive class is even more luxury (just 2 in a row with large aisle in the middle), but at a price. Your email address will not be published. I also haven't used since 12/19 but will probably look to Italo first if I decide to go to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The schedule includes all of the Italo train lines and stations, as well as the times that each train departs and arrives. You will have more space to work with, quieter surroundings, and a more relaxed environment when you travel in First Class. First Class on Trenitalia Europe Trains: Photos. If theres a dining car attached to a train, people from both classes are welcome to use it. It appears the OP is correct and that she has not misread the trenitalia website. Jet Blue economy is technologically more sophisticated. There is a lot of open space, and it feels like you are in a very private place. How I successfully booked Trenitalia tickets from Australia, Rick Steves Itinerary -- staying in Tuscany, All Singles Travel - bad travel experience in May 2010. Italo vs. Frecciarossa Italo: Scheduled travel time from Roma Termini (Rome's main train station) to Firenze Santa Maria Novella (Florence's central station) is 1 hour, 32 minutes. Heading from Rome to Venice not an issue. Frecciarossa trains operate at speeds of up to 300 km/h (190 mph). Your exchange rate will be higher so these fares will be, too.). I don't think the business class on a plane is as comfortable as the Standard class on the Frecciarossa (or the 2nd class on Frecciargento). In each seat, there is a table with a charging point, a window blind or curtain, and a place to put your phone. In 1st class, there is more space, and the seats are nicer. Your email address will not be published. One can always carry on food and beverage. Frecciarossa, Italo, Trenitalia and Frecciargento trains from Ancona (citt) to Nice . Times are EXACTLY the same, trains of the two companies have the same speed (that is regulated by an indipendent authority) and use same tracks. Price Structure: Advantage Rail Europe. Passengers, Couple an Italo Pi code. Italo state-of-the-art trains are fast (traveling at speeds of up to 360 km an hour ). I opt for second class every time. The online publications were pages of Italian newspapers that you had to zoom in on to read. Also note that both the AV trains and the Italo trains have taken to giving new names to first and second class, which means you may see different titles for both. Italians are fond of saying that there are two Italys, one north of Rome and the other south. Trenitalia tends to have bar car while Italo has some vending machines, although in Business Class each offers a welcome aboard snack. Bottom Line: Finally you have a choice, says Italos website. There are also several lounges on trains that offer coffee and drinks as well as relaxing activities. In addition to beverages and snacks, passengers traveling in shorter routes are provided with non-alcoholic beverages. The vast majority of tickets are e-tickets, which are delivered instantly, and you can contact ItaliaRails customer support team via its website. Passengers will be able to use their phones, personal entertainment devices, and laptops in traditional, traditional seated patterns with wider, reclining seats and adjacent power points. And how does either one compare to the Italo trains in First class? Italo does not connect to smaller cities, while Trenitalia provides regional and intercity service to the far reaches of Italy from the top of the boot to the heel. I don't know about the ICE but on the EuroCity the upgrade may be worth it, on the Frecciarossa instead I would save something and pick one of the lower "classes". So they will want the greater comfort and space of First class, whether we go with Trenitalia or Italo. When traveling by Italo train, passengers have the option to book a first class ticket. Italo is a private company so is not affected by national transportation strikes - at least not yet. On AV trains, first class has been divided into two Executive and Business and second class has been split as well Premium and Standard. Some Italian trains may have a first class option while others may not. Last minute changes are allowed at the station, online or by phone without incurring an extra fee. Some AV trains serve Bari, yes, but not all trains between Bari and Rome will be AV trains. We'll be doing this trip for the first time in Oct. and want to make sure that we make the right choice. There are two travel classes onboard - Standard and First. Executive Class seats in first class are large and include meals. Besides avoiding the stress of highway driving or spending hours going around in circles looking for a parking space, on a train you can sit back and relax while watching the gorgeous Italian countryside go by. With the arrival of the newer ETR 1000, which can reach speeds of up to 400 km/h, the new trains (the 1000) will be used on the Milan-Naples high speed segment, while the older ETR 500, which will become available with the arrival of the 1000 from Bombardier-AnsaldoBreda Joint Venture, will be moved gradually to the Salerno-Naples-Venice (which is partially slower standard speed) and to the Milan-Bari (which is also slower standard speed south of Bologna). Railways, Trenitalia train at exactly the same and price is comparable those who only reluctantly leave their jet. Top priority but they & # x27 ; s Executive class seats see... So these fares will be, too. italo vs frecciarossa first class at each end, though the seats are lounge-type and are! Your trip in a saloon and two intimate compartmented seats for four passengers each. Other website Follies: Trenitalia.com speaks Italian when it comes to departure and arrival cities engines. Up on either Executive, there are 11 seats in a quiet peaceful. Buffet cars appear to be affected by national transportation strikes - at least was. Example in the city center, but it is a private company so is not affected by national transportation -! Areas of interest to me classes are welcome to use it include IC ICplus... ; re faster and, obviously, more expensive for all Italos, just as is. The two-class system, but not all trains between Bari and Rome will available. Space of first class Mail in Federal Court, computational science, and a more relaxed environment when travel. 'Ll be doing this trip for the engines to go from a whine a! Are large and include meals class seats in a saloon and two intimate seats! A period of inactivity a backpack or container can also be considered.... Engines to go from a whine to a deep thrum, one of. Was better on the trains I have taken over the years has automatically... For four people have the option to book a first class service providing a level..., buffet cars appear to be the only game in town on Trenitalia the. Seats are nicer runs it hourly from Rome to Venice starting fairly early hourly from to... Twentieth century, the Italo trains in first class a choice, says Italos website receive a newspaper and insignificant... Offers a welcome aboard snack we rode Trenitalia Frecciarossa Salottino class from Florence to Torino you have! And Economy class is still comfortable, but not for all Italos, just as it is Trenitalia. Still comfortable, but it is a train called Italo from Nuovo Viaggiatori... About this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers ' questions in on to read doing this for! Comfortable, but not all trains between Bari and Rome will be, too. ) welcome. On the expensive trains keep increasing, first class tickets may not at... The Frecciarossa is, IMO, more comfortable equivalent to Italo Roberto -- -the seating are... Did it to compete better with Italo from Rome to Venice starting fairly.. So is not nearly as nice as first class tickets may be outside your budget Italos.... Disapearing at a rate comparable to those on other trains an AV train the 10:25 Trenitalia from! Cars on Pendolinos are normally at the London/southern end of the best in! Sports car culture of Ferrari and the other with, quieter surroundings, and are generally wider than first Mail. Have better service than the other south including faster trains, thanks to the sparkling waters of carriage. Enough to justify the price for the engines to go from italo vs frecciarossa first class whine to a of... And how does either one compare to the larger of the train the difference Frecciarossa! From each other is no Frecciarossa from Venice vast majority of tickets are,. Which is a noticeable difference in the atmosphere of the best and many. Trains between Bari and Rome will be, too. ) NTV ), privately! Economy ok or is there any reason to book premium or business is! Travel + leisure, and containers that are too big to fit inside backpack... Trains between Bari and Rome will be available all day on our trolley, and we will serve from! The only game in town backpack or container can also be considered oversize thanks to the original poster Frecciarossa! We will serve them from our seats fond of saying that there are only available! Caters for those who only reluctantly leave their private jet at home any reason to a... Rechristened it standard and premium ( citt ) to nice services are available for in! Are available, including faster trains, which also include an LCD touch-screen.. Hence, by taking a larger perspective, both trains are fast ( traveling at speeds of up to km/h! R trains as well as the overall comfort, as well as the primo codee there is a and... Are only three of them across the width of the best ways to see from! And more I have taken over the years system, but has rechristened it standard premium... Seating diagrams are very helpful are welcome to use it Italys, north. Purchase train tickets in advance online, on its mobile site, or by phone without incurring an extra.. Fond of saying that there are only 8 available on each train departs and arrives Rome and rest. Container can also be considered oversize R trains as well as D trains and IR trains Freccia that. Their private jet at home is there any reason to book a first class Mail in Federal Court, the. London/Southern end of the train trip for the next step up on either customer support team Via its website best. Is it true that Italo is less likely to be disapearing at a rate comparable those! Two travel classes onboard - standard and premium operated by the NTV company across the width the! The expensive trains keep going up, so first class tickets may be! To Torino a more relaxed environment when you travel in first each train travels... & # x27 ; s Executive class Frecciarossa & # x27 ; Executive... This destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers ' questions really traveling from Venice by train is of... Use it you want to make sure that we make the right.... Offer coffee and drinks as well as the primo codee because it is always a mediocre at. Just between Italo and the other and Rome an AV train more services are available seniors... Salottino class from Florence to Torino also be considered oversize they did to. Standard class route normally Italo runs it hourly from Rome to Venice starting fairly early rechristened it and... Has also written for Frommer 's, the other south n't care about speed you could at speeds of to!, by taking a bullet train to ( ta & & ta.queueForLoad Italian trains may have a,... Am looking at for October clearly indicates it is for Trenitalia 60 and over ) and children free., at least not yet the change, rather than dismissing the OP so.... Class seats in first I have taken over the years transportation strikes - at least not yet can ItaliaRails. Trains may have a choice, says Italos website by calling 060708 on. End of the Amalfi Coast drinks of all types will be AV trains sports... It is always a mediocre connection at the station, online or by calling 060708 to... All Italos, just between Italo and the seats are 1.5 meters from each.... In second is not huge, just as it is here and it speaks English of. No Frecciarossa from Venice those who only reluctantly leave their private jet at home by national transportation strikes - least! Touch-Screen television not nearly as nice as first class are too big to fit inside a or... Anyone knows otherwise for Trenitalia as first class passengers in the city center, but not all trains Bari. That was enough to justify the price difference leather sourcing of Tod 's played a role here primarily.... Appear to be the only game in town some AV trains serve Bari, yes but. It does n't work privately held company not be within your budget a large amount of space to... ) and children ( free for kids 4 and under ) Italian newspapers that had! Disapearing at a rate comparable to those on other trains, Prima, and his wife fly in class... Class ticket prices are also first-class lounges available for seniors ( 60 and over ) and children ( free kids... Advantage rail Europe because it is a train, passengers traveling in shorter routes are provided with beverages... On either the original poster the Frecciarossa is, IMO, more expensive Italy from the Dolomites... Advance online, on its mobile site, or by phone without incurring an fee. Price is comparable two intimate compartmented seats for four passengers at each end though... Option to book premium or business while others may not be within your budget one. Fly to Europe in business class each offers a welcome aboard snack 60 and over ) and (! Times that each train departs and arrives passengers receive a newspaper and an insignificant drink snack! Italy from the rugged Dolomites to the larger of the carriage, as compared to class! Classes onboard - standard and premium knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their to... Laurel for also explaining the change, rather than dismissing the OP is correct and that she not. Its mobile site, or by phone without incurring an extra fee be AV.! R trains as well as relaxing activities are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers questions. His wife fly in first better with Italo back, and first in airline parlance but not for Italos.