High-speed trains in Italy
Looking for a weekend gateway in Italy? If you want to get the best out of your journey in the “land of love”, then jump on a high-speed train and visit as many cities as possible with one of the fastest rail services in Europe!
Having started its journey towards modernising rail travel decades ago, Italy is now well-prepared to ferry passengers around the country in record time.
Why not try out the fantastic Frecciarossa 1000 (a Trenitalia train), or Italo’s Evo? Both are great options for getting around the country quickly and in style.
High-speed rail in Italy
Italy’s high-speed rail network measures 1,467 km. As mentioned above, your options for high-speed trains in Italy come from the following two train companies — Trenitalia and Italo.
Italy's high-speed train map
Italy high-speed rail network
| Conventional line | 21,010 km |
| AV line | 1,467 km |
| Milan - Bologna | 182 km |
| Bologna - Florence | 78.5 km |
| Florence - Rome (direct) | 254 km |
| Rome - Naples | 205 km |
| Naples - Salerno | 29 km |
| Turin - Milan | 125 km |
| Milan - Treviglio | 27 km |
| Treviglio - Brescia | 39.6 km |
| Brescia - Verona | 73 km |
| Verona - Vicenza | 51.2 km |
| Vicenza - Padua | 27.6 km |
| Padua - Venice | 25 km |
Fastest trains in Italy
High-speed trains in Italy offer travellers one of the most sophisticated and extensive rail networks in the world. For intercity travel in Italy, Trenitalia and Italo are the train companies you want to look out for. While the former is the national system running both high-speed and regional routes, the latter is a recent private competitor offering high-speed train services on several lines.
“Le Frecce”
“Le Frecce” (meaning The Arrows) are a series of modern high-speed trains, operated by Trenitalia. All “Le Frecce” trains offer a greater level of service and greater comfort compared to the Intercity trains and the regional ones, but they differ in their connections, and the top speed reached. "Le Frecce’’ trains are split into two categories – Frecciarossa and Frecciargento: Frecciarossa trains make 187 daily connections and can reach a top speed of 300 km/h. The Frecciargento trains offer 48 daily connections and can reach a maximum speed of 250 km/h.
Italo treno
All of Italo’s trains are considered high-speed trains. Operated by a second railway company in Italy known as NuovoTrasporto Viaggiatori (NTV), Italo is among the world’s newest high-speed trains, connecting major Italian cities such as Florence, Rome, Milan and Naples. It’s able to reach a top speed of 360 km/h, though it’s often limited to 250 km/h (155 mph) on the Italian railway network. These trains connect Turin – Milan – Venice in just over 3 hours and can cover the Milan – Rome journey in just 2h and 40m.
Bullet trains in Italy
Looking for more information about the different types of high-speed trains you can jump on in Italy? There are four different “bullet trains” that can take you anywhere in the country!
Italo EVO
The fastest among Italo’s high-speed trains, the EVO is a "green" train, built with recyclable materials and designed to be eco-sustainable and to guarantee reduced CO2 emissions. The Italo EVO travels at a maximum speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). EVO trains provide 68 USB ports for each carriage, one per seat, to allow you to continue working or enjoy a film along the way.
Frecciarossa 1000
Frecciarossa 1000 is the most modern train of the Trenitalia fleet. Designed to travel on all high-speed networks in Europe, Frecciarossa 1000 can reach the maximum speed of 400 km/h (248 mph). It connects the cities of Turin, Milan, Reggio Emilia, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples and Salerno, also reaching Potenza and Taranto.
Frecciargento
Frecciargento trains reach a maximum speed of 300 km/h (186 mph), arriving directly in the heart of most Italian main cities. These are high-speed trains complete with fantastic amenities – offering almost 190 connections a day. Every day the Frecciargento high-speed trains operate over 100 services between Rome and Milan, 26 between Rome and Venice and 46 between Milan and Venice.
High-speed train routes in Italy
With high-speed services from Italo and Trenitalia, travelling through the country by rail is faster and easier than ever. Check out Italy’s most popular high-speed routes in the table below, or use our interactive Italy train map.
| Route | First train | Duration | Direct service |
| Rome to Florence | 00:15 | 1h 16m | yes |
| Rome to Milan | 00:15 | 2h 52m | yes |
| Rome to Venice | 00:15 | 3h 12m | yes |
| Florence to Milan | 02:47 | 1h 40m | yes |
| Milan to Venice | 05:00 | 2h 18m | yes |
How to travel cheaply on high-speed trains
Are you looking for cheap high-speed train tickets? We’re here to show you how to bag yourself a bargain. By using one (or a combination) of the steps below, you could save a bucket load on your train travel!
Book in advance
Train tickets for high-speed trains usually go on sale around 6 months before the date of travel. Book in advance to make sure you get the cheapest options as these tend to sell out, leaving only the more expensive tickets.
Use filters
Select the "Cheapest" filter when searching for the ticket – this allows you to find the lowest available price for your selected route.
Check out our offers page
There are other ways to get cheap train tickets in Italy. Whether it be day returns, family offers or child fares, make sure you take advantage of the best deals on our European train deals hub.
Good to know
Italian ticket types
History of high-speed trains in Italy
Italian language survival guide
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast are high-speed trains in Italy?
High-speed trains in Italy can reach speeds of up to 400 km/h (248 mph). The fastest Italian high-speed train reaching that speed is the modern Frecciarossa 1000, which connects the main cities, including Turin, Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples and Salerno. The next fast trains in Italy are Frecciargento, which can reach speeds of up to 300 km/h (186 mph), and Italo EVO, which travel at 250 km/h (155 mph).
Do I need a seat reservation on Italian high-speed trains?
Yes. Seat reservation is required on most Italian high-speed services – we recommend you book a seat on Intercity trains, especially if you’re travelling during public holidays.
Where can I learn more about trains in Italy?
Check out our Trains in Italy page and learn all about train travel in Italy, including ticket types, train companies, and popular destinations.