Public Transportation in Italy: By Train and By Bus

Transportation between the major cities in Italy is fairly efficient, but once you start to travel-off-the-beaten track be prepared for delays and late arrivals. The further south you travel in Italy the worse the scenario gets as lack of government funding for the south of Italy has left this part of Italy without any real infrastructure.

Distances in Italy can be deceiving. The Italian peninsula is narrow, but as long as the state of California. To get from Venice to Naples would take 9-hours by car, Rome to Pisa around 4-hours, so plan ahead before committing yourself to an itinerary that involves more travelling than sightseeing.

Travelling by Train

For long journeys always try to use the Frecciarossa high speed trains when possible. These are the premier trains upon which you can reserve seats and generally they keep good time. There use to be a big difference in prices between regular trains and the more expensive hi-speed trains. But, nowadays there is hardly any difference and so there is no reason to use the less reliable state train system if you have the gi-Speed train alternative. Beware of travelling overnight by train within Italy, as the local state trains have had problems recently with bug-infested carriages. Also, some night trains are notoriously overcrowded such as the train between Milan & Naples that shuttle workers to and from work on Friday & Sunday nights.

Travelling by Bus

Quite often on minor routes, the only option is to travel by bus. Beware the majority of bus routes especially in the countryside are scheduled around the needs and desires of the local people. You'll find departures in the early morning and late evening for travelling students and commuters, but little else in between. So if you plan to visit a village hidden away in the hill country plan to spend the whole day there as there probably won't be an alternative. When you board the bus try to advise the driver where you wish to go to avoid missing your stop. Within towns and cities, buses are in many cases the most practical way of getting around. They also are the most economical with a selection passes that can be bought depending on your length of stay.

Travelling by Plane

Taking a flight within Italy use to be very expensive, but low-cost airlines have made this a plausible way of travelling around the Italian peninsula. Flights prices can range from a few Euro to a 100€ or more, and their numerous airports scattered throughout the country. If you are planning to travel a long distance, a plane might be a good solution. To travel by road or train from Rome to Venice would take around 6-hours with very good traffic. By plane it would take an hour and probably wouldn't cost much more!

Private Transfers & Tours

We offer a unique program of transfers throughout Italy which offer great value to families and groups. They also can assist you making the cost of your time while travelling in Italy. Our popular transfer tours enable our guests to make the most of their vacation. Instead of wasting a day as they travel between cities, we offer transfer tours through which our guests can visit other cities or destinations en route between the major tourist cities of Italy.

If you have travel back to Milan from Venice to catch a flight back home, why not take our transfer tour pausing along the way at Verona to enjoy a fascinating walking tour of the city, or perhaps stopping at Lake Garda to have a boat tour of the Lake.