Amanda Virrey
How to Travel by Train in Italy
Traveling around Italy by train is such a pleasure. You get to relax and breathe in rich Italian culture in view of Italy through your window and from the tranquil Italians that share your space inside the train.
And as the trains may take you effortlessly from the northernmost alpine regions of Italy to the most sought-after Mediterranean coasts in the south, it would be good to know these 9 Things About Traveling by Train in Italy before your imagination takes you beyond the destination of your train ticket.
Wear comfortable shoes
Some routes have short connecting times, and the distances between the terminals may be wide. You might need to run to catch your next ride. In that case, you will need a comfortable pair of rubberized shoes to keep you grounded and comfortable. You would want to keep your toes healthy when it is time to walk along Italy’s majestic ruins, medieval fortresses, and cobblestone paths.
Have a good audiobook ready.
Train rides in Italy are very relaxing. It brings you to an Alpha brainwave. Dr. Joe Dispenza, renowned motivational speaker, and neuroscientist, says it is “the state wherein our thinking brain quiets down and allows our conscious mind to have direct access to our subconscious mind.” This means that whatever we tune into during this state goes to the deepest recesses of our brain and turns into stored information. So, this could be an excellent time to learn to speak Italian or have a nurturing audiobook running on your smartphone.
Bring a waterproof jacket.
When taking the train, you would want to travel light to relieve you of overthinking about your baggage and the space it can take away from your seating area. You would want to get snug in the cool comfort of your cushy seat while looking at the breathtaking Italian fields through your window. So, it would be ideal to bring a well-cushioned waterproof jacket to keep you warm inside the train and protected from the rain when you step out, just in case.
Keep a journal and pen.
A wise man once said, “great ideas come when we are relaxed.” So while seated comfortably in the soothing train, stay tuned to brilliant ideas that will inspire you and jot them down. You may also want to take this chance to write down things you are grateful for. Research shows that keeping a gratitude journal wires the brain for positivity and sustains positive emotions, allowing us to generate and attract good vibes, which is great to have always, especially when traveling in foreign countries.
Bring a bottle of water and a snack.
It is always good to have some refreshments and lightweight food like fruits or sandwiches in your carry-on bag to provide you nourishment during the ride. There are no food vendors inside the train, nor at some stations that you would have to switch trains at. Otherwise, you will have to wait until you get off at your destined main train station, be it in Milan, Rome, Florence, Turin, Bologna or Naples, where you will nonetheless find artisan fast food counters.
Carry along tissue paper and hand sanitizer.
Trains in Italy are clean on the surface and have toilets for passenger use. But since you want to keep your body clean, you can ensure that by always having a pack of tissue and a small bottle of hand sanitizer.
Buy your train tickets using your ATM or Credit Card.
There are several methods to purchase your train tickets. You may purchase them using cash or your bank card at a ticket booth or via station ticket machines. You may also purchase them online via ticketing websites, like https://www.thetrainline.com/ , which will allow you to make necessary changes to your ticket. Still, you want to use your Euro bills for emergencies or payments that only require cash, so using your bank card when buying tickets is highly recommended. Just make sure that your card is activated for international use.
Ensure ample storage space in your phone or camera.
Italy is known for its beautiful scenery, historical sites, and rich culture. You will actually have a glimpse of that through the window of your train seat. And if you want to capture that for your social media or private album, it’s best to take a video or a camera shot using your smartphone’s or digital camera’s faster shutter speed. Just ensure you have a lot of storage space in your hard drive or SD card.
Have your Italian phrases ready.
Italians take pride in their national language; not all speak or understand English unless they are in big cities like Milan and Rome or in major tourist spots. So, in cases where you would have to respond to simple questions or inquire about basic matters, you would need to speak basic Italian phrases, which you could gather from an English-Italian pocketbook of phrases that would be smart to have in your bag or simply download a language learning app.
Once you are on your Italian train ride, you will then discover what 18th-century German Poet Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe once said, “We are all pilgrims who seek Italy.” Buon Viaggio!
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