Italy
Getting around Italy: trains, buses, driving and domestic flights
Take the high-speed train between the big cities: Rome–Florence 1 h 35, Rome–Naples 1 h 10, Milan–Rome under 3 h 30, from €20–110. Hire a car only for Tuscany, Umbria, Puglia, Sicily, Sardinia or the Dolomites. Fly or take a night train to Sicily and Sardinia.
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GuideItaly
Key facts
- Default mode
- Frecciarossa or Italo high-speed train, centre to centre, seat reserved
- Rome–Florence
- 1 h 35 by high-speed train
- Rome–Naples
- 1 h 10 by high-speed train
- Milan–Rome
- 2 h 55–3 h 30 by high-speed train
- High-speed fare
- €20–110 one way (2026 estimate); Italo often cheaper, compare both
- Regional fare
- €3–20 fixed, no reservation; validate paper tickets before boarding
- Car day rate
- €35–90 a day plus tolls (Milan–Rome about €45) and fuel (2026 estimate)
- Coach
- Rome–Florence 3 h 15, €10–30; the only link to many hill towns
- Ferries
- Naples–Capri 50 min, €20–30; overnight Genoa–Palermo €60–200
- ZTL
- Camera-enforced limited-traffic zones in every old town; fines arrive by post months later
- Rail passescheck
- Trenitalia and Italo passes exist but rarely beat advance fares; check current terms
Summary by route, month and budget
Match the mode to the route, not to a general rule. The fast line covers Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples; almost everything else is slower and cheaper.
Book high-speed tickets 2–8 weeks ahead for the lowest band. Fares rise close to departure and at Christmas, Easter and August, when the whole country moves.
| Route | Best mode | Time | Cost (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rome–Florence | High-speed train | 1 h 35 | €20–60 |
| Rome–Naples | High-speed train | 1 h 10 | €20–50 |
| Milan–Rome | High-speed train | 2 h 55–3 h 30 | €30–110 |
| Florence–Pisa | Regionale train | 1 h | €9–10 |
| Venice–Padua | Regionale train | 30 min | €4–5 |
| Naples–Pompeii | Circumvesuviana | 35 min | €3–4 |
| Rome–Florence | Coach | 3 h 15 | €10–30 |
| Rome–Palermo | Flight or night train | 1 h 10 flight; about 12 h train | €30–150 flight; €40–200 sleeper |
| Milan–Catania | Flight | 1 h 40 | €30–150 |
| Naples–Capri | Hydrofoil or ferry | 50 min | €20–30 |
| Genoa–Palermo | Overnight ferry | About 20 h | €60–200 |
Fares are the bands published by the operators; the cheap bands sell out first.
Step by step
1. Fix the spine first. If your trip is Rome, Florence and Venice, book high-speed trains and skip the car entirely. Tickets go on sale months ahead; the cheapest Economy and Super Economy fares cannot be changed or refunded.
2. Compare the two high-speed companies on the same route. Trenitalia's Frecciarossa and the private Italo run the main axis at similar speeds, and Italo is often cheaper. They are separate companies: a Trenitalia ticket or rail pass is not valid on Italo.
3. Use regional trains for day trips. They cost €3–20 at a fixed fare with no seat reservation, and cover Florence–Pisa, Venice–Padua, the Cinque Terre line and the lakes. Validate paper tickets in the machine before boarding or you risk a fine.
4. Add a car only where the train stops being useful: rural Tuscany and Umbria, Puglia, Sicily, Sardinia and the Dolomites. Expect €35–90 a day plus tolls and fuel, and remember that every historic centre is a camera-enforced ZTL where a wrong turn becomes a fine posted to you weeks later.
5. Take a coach when trains are full or the destination is a hill town. FlixBus and Itabus cover the long intercity runs from €10–30; regional buses reach places with no station. They often stop at outer bus stations such as Rome Tiburtina, not the central rail station.
6. Fly or take a night train to the islands. Rome–Palermo is 1 h 10 by air, and Milan–Catania 1 h 40, from €30–150. The Rome–Palermo sleeper takes about 12 h and still crosses the Strait of Messina on a ferry. Book sleepers as soon as sales open.
7. Use ferries and hydrofoils along the coast and to the islands: Naples–Capri 50 min, Sorrento–Amalfi about 1 h, overnight Genoa–Palermo. Services thin out outside April–October and cancel in rough seas, so keep a train or bus as a backup.
Notes
Rome has two main high-speed stations, Termini and Tiburtina; check which one your ticket names before you set off for the station.
The Circumvesuviana line to Pompeii and Sorrento is cheap and frequent but crowded and known for pickpockets. Keep bags in front of you.
Low-cost airlines split the Milan market: Ryanair uses Bergamo, which is about an hour by bus from Milano Centrale, not the city centre.
For driving rules, tolls and fuel, and for what a rental actually costs once insurance is added, see cost of travel in italy.
If you plan to drive, check the licence and insurance rules in italy visa requirements before you book the car.
- Validate regional paper tickets before boarding.
- Reserve high-speed seats; they are compulsory.
- Allow extra time in August and at Christmas.
- Keep a paper or offline copy of tickets; station Wi-Fi is unreliable.
Questions people ask
What is the best way to get around Italy?
High-speed trains for the main cities: Rome–Florence 1 h 35, Rome–Naples 1 h 10, Milan–Rome under 3 h 30, from €20–110. Use regional trains for day trips, coaches for hill towns, and fly or take a night train to Sicily and Sardinia.
Do I need a car in Italy?
No for Rome, Florence, Venice, Naples and the high-speed network. Yes for rural Tuscany and Umbria, Puglia, Sicily, Sardinia and the Dolomites, where buses are thin. Budget €35–90 a day plus tolls and fuel, and watch for ZTL fines in old towns.
Are there rail or bus passes for Italy?
Trenitalia and Italo sell multi-trip and pass products, but on the main high-speed routes advance single tickets are usually cheaper. Regional passes can pay off for repeated short hops. Compare the pass price against the exact advance fares for your dates before buying (check).
How far ahead should I book trains in Italy?
Two to eight weeks for the cheapest high-speed bands. Super Economy and Economy fares are cheap but cannot be changed or refunded. Regional tickets are fixed-price and can be bought on the day.
Is it cheaper to fly or take the train from Rome to Sicily?
Flying is faster: Rome–Palermo about 1 h 10, from €30–150. The sleeper takes about 12 h but saves a hotel night and still crosses the strait by ferry. Compare the total cost including airport transfers.
How do I get to Capri and the Amalfi Coast?
Ferries and hydrofoils from Naples (Capri about 50 min, €20–30) and from Sorrento to Amalfi (about 1 h). Services are cut back outside April–October and cancel in rough seas; the Circumvesuviana train and SITA buses are the land backup.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialTrenitalia
- officialItalo
- officialFerrovie dello Stato Italiane
- officialENIT – Italian National Tourist Board
- secondaryWikivoyage – Italy