Saturday, April 6, 2024

🇮🇹Italy's Luxury Trains - Review of ItaliaRail and Italo

ABBEY: Our entry to Italy was by train. We onboarded TrenItalia from Bellinzona to Milano Centrale. Then ItaliaRail going to Firenze Santa Maria Novella until the final stop at Poggibonsi-San Gimignano.
We were shocked by the amount of people at Milano Centrale. Maybe because it is the last days before the New Year and everyone is eager to go home and be with their families. The ride is the usual; food is included in the ticket. The seats are comfortable and almost clean. There is no lounge for ItaliaRail as well as TrenItalia unlike with Italo when we went from Firenze S.M. to Roma Tibirtuna. 

We were given drinks as well as pastries on the lounge and got good seats while waiting for our train. The locomotive didn’t disappoint. The first class has large space for our luggages, is almost quiet and organized. We enjoyed our coffee, warm pastry and munchies.

Italy's Luxury Trains - Review of ItaliaRail and Italo
Italy's Luxury Trains - Review of ItaliaRail and Italo

WILL: In our 20 years of travel experience, comfort has always been a priority, balancing it with the cost to fit within our budget. Today, as we wrap up our Italy trip, let's dive into Italy's Luxury Class train travel.


EUR47.90 / pax — From Milan to Florence we booked through ItaliaRail Business Quiet. I do not want to rant but can’t let this pass:

  • Purchasing tickets through ItaliaRail led us to an unexpected twist – being assigned to a Trenitalia Train. Foolishly, I assumed there'd be lounges aplenty at major Italian stations. Milan's bustling crowds proved me wrong, highlighting the need for better lounge access planning.
  • Despite the "Quiet" label, the Business Coach was anything but tranquil. Chatter about food drowned out any hopes of a nap, and dusty windows obscured the scenery.
  • On the bright side, a steaming cup of coffee accompanied by hot bread was a pleasant surprise. Plus, the pristine water closets were a saving grace.


Eur75.90 / pax — From Florence to Roma Tiburtina we booked Italo Club Executive Class. It only tooked us less than an hour riding this Italy’s luxury train. 

  • The Florence Italo Club Lounge offered a dedicated space with an attendant serving drinks and sandwiches, unlike other self-service lounges.
  • Snagging seats just before the driver's cabin gave us an air of exclusivity. Quiet and spacious, with foldable tables providing ample legroom, it was a journey worth savoring.
  • While reveling in comfort, we almost missed the underwhelming snack – more suited for a schoolyard than a luxury train. 

In conclusion, ItaliaRail fell short of our expectations, while Italo exceeded them, making our journey to Rome a pleasant one. Cheers to comfortable travels! On to our next adventure :) 



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ItaliaRail

(W) https://www.italiarail.com/


Italo

(W) https://www.italotreno.it/en





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