Visiting Italy

Cinque Terre

Trains from Cinque Terre to Genoa depart from all five towns, but to get a direct train for the lowest price it is best to leave from Monterosso al Mare train station.

Trains run at least once an hour at peak times.

Upon arrival in Genoa, most trains stop in multiple stations, with the final destination of either Genoa Piazza Principe (PP) or Genoa Brignole (BRIG) train station.

There are two types of trains from Cinque Terre to Genoa: InterCity (IC) trains and regular trains.

IC trains are faster but more expensive (although you can book online in advance for up to a 30% discount), while regular trains are a bit slower but less expensive.

The train travel time from Cinque Terre to Genoa is 1h21m on IC Trains and 1h33m to 2h00m on regular trains.

The cost of a train ticket on IC Trains is 10.50 euros for first class and 8.50 euros for second class. You can get discounts by booking at least 7 days in advance online.

The cost of a train ticket on regular trains is less than 8 euros. You can purchase tickets on regular trains from Cinque Terre to Genoa at the train station prior to departure.

Genoa Train Station

Trains from Milan to Genoa run regularly from Milan Centrale train station to Genoa P.P. train station.

Trains leave Milan Centrale train station for Genoa P.P. train station 1-2 times an hour at peak times.

Trains from Genoa to Milan return at similar intervals.

The total train time from Milan to Genoa can take as little as 1h32m.

The cost of a one-way train ticket from Milan to Genoa can be as low as 9.10 EUR for standard class on R trains.

Buying train tickets to Genoa can be more expensive if you book on other types of trains or on the day of travel.

Bologna Train Station

Trains in Italy are a great way to get around the country. This Italy train guide can help you familiarize yourself with how train travel in Italy works, how to get cheap train tickets in Italy, and how to make the most of your time while you are visiting Italy.

Italy Train Guide: Tickets

Train travel in Italy is similar to train travel in other parts of Europe. Tickets can be bought online or at the station. If you buy online, you can often get good train ticket discounts, so if you have the ability to plan ahead, it is advisable.

If you buy your ticket at the station, don’t forget to stamp it in one of the small (usually yellow) machines on the platforms before boarding the train. This will mark it with a time stamp so that you can’t use the ticket again. If you don’t stamp it, you may have to buy a new ticket on board if the ticket checker sees that it hasn’t been stamped.

Italy Train Guide: Trains

There are many types of trains that travel in Italy. From brand new Eurostar trains that offer high speed travel between cities like Milan and Venice, to old graffiti covered ones like the Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Pompeii and Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast, there are major differences between trains.

If you buy train tickets online, you can see what type of train you will get when you book. As you would expect, the nicer, newer, and faster the train, the more expensive the ticket will likely be. Still, there are medium-speed trains that provide good deals on train travel in Italy. They are a good option if you are on a budget but don’t want to take forever to travel to your destination.

Hopefully this Italy train guide has given you a helpful overview of train travel in Italy. Whatever train you take when visiting Italy, make sure to look out the windows and enjoy the views!