An Italo AGV train at Rome Tiburtina

Italo AGV train at Rome Tiburtina

  Italo EVO train at Venice Santa Lucia

Italo EVO train at Venice Santa Lucia

Buy train tickets

A guide to travel with Italo

NTV (Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori) is a private company which started running its Italo high-speed trains on the Milan-Florence-Rome-Naples route in 2012, in competition with State-owned Trenitalia.  They now have a 35% market share on Italy's key high-speed routes.  NTV are Europe's first private high-speed train operator, and they've raised standards, grown the market and kept fares low.  Recommended!

small bullet point  Where does Italo run?

small bullet point  Italo's 3 classes explained

small bullet point  Italo facilities at stations

small bullet point  Italo's two types of train

small bullet point  Italo offices at stations

small bullet point  Club Italo lounges

small bullet point  Travel tips

small bullet point  How to buy tickets

small bullet point  Which to choose, Italo or Trenitalia?

Where does Italo run?

small bullet point  Turin - Milan - Bologna - Florence - Rome - Naples - Salerno (mainly AGV trains)

small bullet point  Turin - Milan - Verona - Venice (mainly EVO trains)

small bullet point  Venice - Bologna - Florence - Rome - Naples  (mix of EVO & AGV trains)

Italo competes with Trenitalia's Frecciarossas on these routes, which operator should you choose?

Italo's 3 classes

Smart (2nd class)

Italo's Smart class (or ambience, as Italo calls their classes) features Poltrona Frau Leather reclining seats, ample legroom, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  There's a coffee machine & drink/snack vending machine in cars 3 & 7 on an AGV and in cars 3 & 6 on an EVO, but unlike Trenitalia's Frecciarossas there's no cafe-bar car.  Seating is mostly unidirectional, although there are two tables-for-four in each carriage.  One car (car 11) is the Smart Cinema, with films shown on TV screens suspended from the ceiling.  See Italo AGV seat mapSee Italo EVO seat map.

Italo ask you not to bring luggage larger than 75 x 53 x 30 cm if you use Smart ambience, so if you've larger luggage it's best to book Comfort, Prima or Club.

The Man in Seat 61 says:  "A bright interior, leather seats, loads of legroom and with power sockets & free WiFi, Smart is very classy - but with budget fares.  The tables-for-four are ideal for families or small groups, you can select this when booking at www.italotreno.it by clicking the link to choose seats."

Prima (1st class)

Italo's Prima ambience features Poltrona Frau Leather reclining seats with extra legroom & elbow room compared to Smart.  There are power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, complimentary coffee, juice, soft drinks and snacks are served from a trolley.  Seating is mostly unidirectional, with just one table-for-two and one table-for-four in each carriage.  See Italo AGV seat mapSee Italo EVO seat map.

When booking at www.italotreno.it, Prima class passengers can usually pay an extra €12 to use the Club Italo Lounges for up to 3 hours before departure at key stations, although this isn't always offered at the busiest times of day or with the cheapest fares.  There are Club Italo Lounges at Turin Porta Susa, Milan Centrale, Venice Santa Lucia, Florence SMN, Rome Tiburtina, Rome Termini & Naples Centrale with free coffee, snacks, alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks and free WiFi.  There's no Club lounge at Turin Porta Nuova.

The Man in Seat 61 says:  "Prima is significantly more spacious than Smart, and there are budget fares in Prima too if you book in advance - if you're a couple, I recommend selecting the table for two when booking at www.italotreno.it by clicking the link and paying the small fee to choose seats."

Club (premium 1st)

Club ambience consists of an open saloon with 11 seats called Club Executive plus two intimate 4-seat compartments called Club Salotto, ideal for small groups or on-board meetings.  Club class has Poltrona Frau Leather reclining seats, loads of legroom & elbowroom, free WiFi, power sockets, complimentary wine or prosecco and snacks served throughout the journey by a steward dedicated to Club class.

Club class passengers can use the Club Italo Lounges for up to 3 hours before departure at Turin Porta Susa, Milan Centrale, Venice Santa Lucia, Florence SMN, Rome Tiburtina, Rome Termini & Naples Centrale with complimentary coffee, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and free WiFi.  There's no Italo Club lounge at Turin Porta Nuova.  See Italo AGV seat mapSee Italo EVO seat map.

The Man in Seat 61 says:  "Club Executive is aimed at business travellers and priced accordingly.  Service is excellent and the Club section cosy & civilised - if your company is paying or you're in the money, this is the way to go!"

Back to top

Italo's two types of train

Italo operates two train types, AGV & EVO, both with similar classes & facilities.  To find out which type will operate which train, run an enquiry at www.italotreno.it and look at the search results.  If you hover over the 'i' information symbol it will show you whether that train is an AGV or EVO.

AGV trains

Italo's original 300 km/h articulated 11-car AGV trains operate most Italo services on the Turin-Milan-Bologna-Florence-Rome-Naples-Salerno route, plus one or two departures on the Venice-Bologna-Florence-Rome-Naples route.  AGV stands for Automotrice à Grande Vitesse or high-speed trainsetSee Italo AGV seat map.

Italo AGV train at Venice Santa Lucia

An Italo AGV train at Rome Termini Click the seating images below for larger photos.

Italo AGV train smart class seats   Italo AGV train, vending machines

Smart class on an Italo AGV train.  Note the luggage rack.

 

Luggage rack between cars.

Luggage rack on an Italo AGV train   Italo AGV train, prima class seats

Luggage rack between cars.

 

Prima class on an Italo AGV train.

Club class seats on an Italo AGV train   Club Salotto on an Italo AGV train

Club Executive on an Italo AGV train, Salottos at the back.

 

Club Salotto on an Italo AGV train, door open.

EVO trains

Italo's 250 km/h EVO trains were delivered in 2017-2018, Italo has 17 trainsets each with 7 cars which operate services on the Turin-Milan-Verona-Venice route and most services on Italo's Venice-Bologna-Florence-Rome-Naples route.  See Italo EVO seat map.

Italo EVO train at Milan Centrale

A 250 km/h EVO train at Milan Centrale.

Vending machines on an Italo EVO train   Smart class seats on an Italo EVO train

Vending machines.

 

Smart class on an Italo EVO train.

Prima class seats on an Italo EVO train.   Luggage rack on an Italo EVO train.

Prima class on an Italo EVO train.

 

Luggage rack between cars.

Club Executive class seats on an Italo EVO train.   Club class salotto on an Italo EVO train.

Club Executive class on EVO train, just 11 seats.

 

One of two 4-seat Salottos in Club class.

Back to top


Italo at stations

At major stations Italo has its own ticket office, with self-service ticket machines, a desk for assistance and information, a waiting area.  The Italo-branded self-service machines have a touch screen and English-language facility.

You'll find a Italo ticket offices at Milan Centrale, Milan Rogoredo, Bologna Centrale, Florence SMN, Rome Termini, Rome Tiburtina, Naples Centrale, Verona Porta Nuova, Venice Santa Lucia, Salerno, Turin Porta Susa & Turin Porta Nuova.  Below left, the Italo office at Naples Centrale.

Italo ticket office at Naples Centrale   Italo ticket machines

Club Italo Lounges

If you are travelling Club Executive class, you'll find a Club Lounge at Rome Termini, Rome Tiburtina, Florence SMN, Milan Centrale, Turin Porta Susa & Naples Centrale.  The lounge has a reception desk, free WiFi, and complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and snacks.

Prima class passengers can also use the Club lounge if they pay an extra €12, this is often offered when booking, although not always at the busiest times of day or with the cheapest fares.

Italo club lounge at Milan Centrale

At Milan Centrale, the Club Italo lounge has a great position, on the first floor overlooking the platforms.

Italo club lounge at Milan Centrale

Inside the Italo lounge at Milan Centrale.  Courtesy of Chris Ogilvie.

Back to top


Travel tips

Back to top


How to buy ticketswww.italotreno.it

Buy tickets direct from Italo at www.italotreno.it and print your own ticket or show it on your phone.

Using www.italotreno.it you can choose your seat from a seat map for a small fee, look for the Choose seat box just before payment.

www.raileurope.com & www.thetrainline.com also sell Italo tickets with a small booking fee.  The advantage is that they sell tickets for other European train operators including Trenitalia, so you can compare prices and buy tickets for multiple operators all in one place, in €, £ or $.

Back to top


Should you choose Italo or Trenitalia?

On the Turin-Milan-Florence-Rome-Naples route, Venice-Florence-Rome-Naples route and Turin-Milan-Verona-Venice route you can choose between Italo and Trenitalia's Frecciarossas.  Which should you choose?  Both are excellent, you won't be disappointed whichever you go with.  Here's my personal take.

Italo and Trenitalia trains in Milan

An Italo AGV with a Trenitalia Frecciarossa 1000 behind it, at Milan Centrale.


Back to top

Back to home page