As someone said, the only difference between 1st and 2nd class, with respect to luggage, is that 1st class has, usually, 1/3 fewer seats. The main difference is that it is the diff. Be sure you know which station to arrive at in Roma. Other Website Follies: Trenitalia.com speaks Italian when it comes to departure and arrival cities. Frecciarossa means red arrow, and they can reach 300 km/h (186 mph) on Italy's new high-speed lines.Nobody flies between Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples now: Milan to Rome takes as little as 2h55 by train, Rome to Florence as little as 1h23, Rome to Venice just . And before you blue-staters start groaning, Italo doesnt get a free ride: It pays the Italian government about $156 million annually to use the high-speed infrastructure. Now that you mention it, I wonder if Italo will continue some runs during the strike, as Trenitalia does, or if it will be a total shutdown? There is no guarantee that you will have a seat on the route for your destiantion; however, you can take any IC along the route for free. Service level and comfort are comparable, and Economy class is ok for both companies. Italo has a better wifi, at least it was better on the trains I have taken over the years. But I will stand corrected if anyone knows otherwise. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. . In addition to having your ticket ready, make sure you have the ticket at the door so that the conductor can pick it up. (I translated the Euro prices at $1.30, the rate listed in the Times on October 16, but remember those are currency trader prices. Whatever the name, youll know which is considered second class because itll almost always be the cheapest option. Is one more comfortable? Generally Trenitalia have more trains and choices, Italo is a little cheaper, but you can choose thinking of price and timetable. Standard Class seats have less space, have less leg room, and are generally wider than First Class seats. 2 weeks in Sicily- 2 in Ragusa & 3 in Agrigento or reverse? Italy's first high-speed private rail service, with stops at major cities including Naples, Florence, Rome, Milan, and Venice, it was competitively priced. A person in the white collar middle class is someone who works outside the traditional workplace but does not need to do manual labor. Onboard staff is friendly and multilingual. Eataly and then disappointing. Italo Club: This is the trains super-first class, a separate carriage at the front of the trainonly 11 seats and two compartments. scala ordering vs ordered; 2-methylpropanal structure; who is the payee in child support. It not only has two versions, but theyre competing in a socialist-capitalist drama. Free snacks and beverages (on some trains), Other passengers primarily Italian business travelers, American and other Western tourists, Snack and beverage service for a fee (on some trains), Other passengers more of a mix, including frugal Italian travelers and tourists. Italo Club Executive (First Class) perks in detail. Executive Class seats in first class are large and include meals. Take a look around the train and see what else is on the tracks. reclining seats and power sockets. more. Be sure you know which station to arrive at in Roma. The Super Economy fare is from 10 to 18 more for the Executive Class ( which appears to be difficult to find---they seem to sell out the day they are released). The only thing I can think of TrenItalia being better is they leave (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The catering service on board includes: a paid offer, Italo Selection, with a wide selection of sandwiches, focaccia and piadine and drinks; Snack Area with vending machines for coffee and drinks in each of our trains, for a pleasant break during your trip; a Welcome Service, free of charge, reserved for customers travelling in Ambiente Prima; a catering service dedicated to customers travelling in Ambiente Club Executive. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Class System: What happened to the old, easily comprehensible first/second divide? In Italy, you must differentiate between first and second class even before boarding the train. And how does either one compare to the Italo trains in First class? Save. But the travel time is the same as the Frecciargento trains. Get your tickets before you leave home from ItaliaRail, a US-based company that partners with Trenitalia to offer real-time connectivity to the Italian rail reservation system. On AV trains, first class has been divided into two Executive and Business and second class has been split as well Premium and Standard. It offered Italo's Smart (2ndclass) for $42 and Prima (business) for $101, and the same set on Trenitalia for $70 and $99, respectively. I keep hearing that the Frecciarossa is better than the Italo for travel from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? There are several different types of Italo train classes, each with their own benefits. The vast majority of tickets are e-tickets, which are delivered instantly, and you can contact ItaliaRails customer support team via its website. First Class travellers can enjoy reclining leather seats, welcome service with drink and a sweet or savoury snack, and a free morning newspaper. From my understanding the power system on the current Frecciarossa 500s is incompatible with operations on standard (non high speed lines). They also removed all slower trains on long distances so that you are forced to pay top dollars. The only thing I can think of TrenItalia being better is they leave (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? In first class on trains, its a treat to be able to sit in the first row. 1. The 1st class cars on Pendolinos are normally at the London/southern end of the train. From RomeTerminito Milano Centrale (Milan's mainrail station) takes 2 hours, 59 minutes non-stop or 3 hours, 30 minutes with stops.. Heading from Rome to Venice not an issue. Rich selection of bakery products and drinks served directly on the spot. Youll notice the main difference between first class and second class even before you get on a train in Italy first class, naturally, costs more. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/30006269/trainseatplans/Frecciarossa-4class-from-June-2012.pdf. My reference was to national transportation lines (like Trenitalia), where private lines are not affected. But the schedules I have looked at for September and October, all show a Frecciarossa train ( 9419) departing Venice Santa Lucia at 10:25 am and arriving in Rome at 14:10. It compares favorably to the intermediate 'Premium' Class on Trenitalia's Frecciarossa and Freciarossa 100' trains. The Italo train schedule can be found online at the Italo website. First class passengers also typically have access to complimentary snacks and drinks, as well as power outlets and Wi-Fi. This is a BETA experience. Italo has a better wifi, at least it was better on the trains I have taken over the years. Time from FCO train station to Terminal 3, Help with choosing a Rome Neighbourhood to stay in. So car 18 is the same as car 8 on the seating plan. Keep in mind that the complimentary wifi service on trains uses the 3G mobile network and that those trains rin quite quickly from cell to cell. It is advisable to check with the specific train company you will be traveling with to inquire about class options. Generally speaking, here are the differences you can expect: First Class on Italian Trains Wider aisles and seats Fewer people More luggage storage space Free newspapers (on some trains) Free snacks and beverages (on some trains) Other passengers - primarily Italian business travelers, American and other Western tourists I prefer the Italo service, but I don't travel in the rarified air of the upper classes so have never compared the higher grades. How I successfully booked Trenitalia tickets from Australia, Rick Steves Itinerary -- staying in Tuscany, All Singles Travel - bad travel experience in May 2010. Italo Railway provides a limited number of services due to its size. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-102527064', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Florence so IMO not worth upgrading to business/premier. Wi-Fi has been upgraded. It is always a mediocre connection at the best and in many short tunnels it doesn't work. At 10 euro more only - go first class - less riders per same size train car means more room in overhead luggage racks and a more leisurely ride - see if you can book solo seats facing each. Frecciarossa is a high-speed train of the Italian national train operator, Trenitalia, and a member of the train category Le Frecce.The name, which, if spelled "Freccia rossa" means "Red arrow" in English, was introduced in 2008 after it had previously been known as Eurostar Italia. There is no definitive answer to this question as different trains operated by different companies may have different class options. Frecciarossa, Italo, Trenitalia and Frecciargento trains from Civitavecchia (citt) to Palermo . Frecciarossa trains run more frequently than other trains because they use secondary stations, such as Porta Garibaldi in Milan, which is as convenient as Centrale and does not create a problem. These aren't normal times so prices are higher than usual. Seats: Big advantage Italo. Special features include large picture windows, reclining leather seats with headrests, TV screens, air-conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. Niente. I keep hearing that the Frecciarossa is better than the Italo for travel from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? A First Class seat has a footrest as well as power outlets, as do a dedicated work desk with a laptop connector, and a power-generating receptacle. I think. Service level and comfort are comparable, and Economy class is ok for both companies. Your email address will not be published. Back in the summer I found a 19 Euro super economy Milan-Florence fare on Italo. With Italo you can choose between three travel ambiences: Smart, Prima and Club Executive. Rail Europe also lists prices in dollars, the other two in Euro. 1. Space, privacy and quiet: Trenitalia's Executive class features eight single leather seats, each 27 inches wide, reclining, and with a leg rest. Maybe I will just book the 11:25 Frecciargento in First and not have to worry about Premium versus Business class! 2 weeks in Sicily- 2 in Ragusa & 3 in Agrigento or reverse? A first-class carriage is somewhat different from a standard carriage. I spent 20 Euros (my own dime, by the way) for the vegetarian menu, which turned out to be jarred baby food: a soup of eggplant and faro and crema al formaggio. Better suited for space travel. To find out more about technical and profiling cookies and manage your preferences, You can, {{search.valueStation}} - {{search.valueStationArrival}}. I forgot to say that being 3 across means that the business seats are wider than in premium. I see this type of train has four classes of service. Thanks. Business has 1-2 seating and a light snack and the choice of coffee or prosecco. Besides avoiding the stress of highway driving or spending hours going around in circles looking for a parking space, on a train you can sit back and relax while watching the gorgeous Italian countryside go by. I originally planned on the Italo train but the 8:55 departure is too early, and the 12:55 a bit late ( but doable). Passengers will be able to use their phones, personal entertainment devices, and laptops in traditional, traditional seated patterns with wider, reclining seats and adjacent power points. (the seating is 2 x 1 in Comfort class on Italo, compared to 2 x 2 in 'Premium class on the Frecce trains). Italy. Italo Started in 2012, the Italo trains are operated by the NTV company. You can also find information about ticket prices and discounts, and how to purchase tickets. We used Italo and enjoyed that ride a lot. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-110189779', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Venice earlier in the morning. First class is very spacious. NTV (Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori), a private company, operates the bullet trains for the Italo. creative commons photo by Conan, As if all the other choices you need to make in planning an Italy trip werent overwhelming enough, on some Italian trains you also get to pick whether you want to sit in first class or second class. The one that leaves at the best time for you. Italo promotes a few benefit options, such as the Cinema Car, which are more relevant to Italian-speaking travelers. Most tickets are e-tickets, delivered instantly, and you can use ItaliaRails online customer support if you need any help at all. You may opt-out by. One can always carry on food and beverage. The jump in price isnt nearly as dramatic as the difference between first class and coach on a flight, and if itll make your trip more comfortable then thats never a bad thing. On Time Fess Up: Slight advantage Italo. But type in Firenze, va bene. There are four classes of service available on Italo coaches: Smart (economy), Comfort (economy with extra room), Prima (first), and Club Executive (luxury). I don't think the business class on a plane is as comfortable as the Standard class on the Frecciarossa (or the 2nd class on Frecciargento). As of 2018, routes have been expanded to serve Venice, Padua, Milan, Turin, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, Salerno, Ancona, and Reggio Emilia. We have experienced, and heard other travelers complain about slow or non-existent WiFi on some Italo trains, though free WiFi is one of its featured amenities. Trenitalia's Frecciarossa trains provide four classes of outstanding service: Standard Class, Premium Class, First Class and Executive Class. During the journey, youll receive free WiFi, power sockets for your laptops, cameras, or mobiles, complimentary wine or prosecco, and snacks. Premium and Standard share a 2-2 seating arrangement, but Premium passengers get the same snack as in Business. I agree with others. Can You Serve Process Via First Class Mail In Federal Court? Each class of service offers amenities such as spacious cars, an optional cinema section with personal touch-screen TVs, Illy espresso, drinks, and snack vending machines, and luggage racks for storing your bags. There are no bars or restaurants, but passengers can use the vending machine and the Illy coffee machine. ITALO un marchio di Italo S.p.A. 2023 - P.IVA: 09247981005, The Site uses first-party (ITALO) and third-party technical cookies: these technical cookies guarantee normal navigation on the Site and do not require prior consent. I assume it is Frecciarossa equipment which travels at slower speeds than usual because of the track. But dont fall for Italos Rogoredo option on Milan-Florence, even though the travel time is often the shortest and the fare the lowest. Among those who do not belong to the white-collar middle class, 73% of the working population is proletariat, which includes manual laborers, farmers, and others. Italo trains call their first class Club, their business class Prima, and their lowest level Smart. TrenItalia uses announcements. TO FOLLOW ME: You must open an account at forbes.com, and the best way to do that is at forbes.com rather than via a social media site. ITALO un marchio di Italo S.p.A. 2023 - P.IVA: 09247981005, The Site uses first-party (ITALO) and third-party technical cookies: these technical cookies guarantee normal navigation on the Site and do not require prior consent. Answer 11 of 14: I know that Frecciarossa goes faster, but wanted to know what peoples opinions are that have actually been on both. Italo is cheaper usually. Passengers receive a newspaper and an insignificant drink and snack. We will be taking the train from Venice to Rome in October, and I am trying to choose between Italo and Trenitalia. If you ( Roberto) look at the schedule for October you will see it truly is a Frecciarossa. One thing in favor of trenitalia is the onboard bar wagon, while italo has vending machines and overall almost always lower ticket prices. I traveled in first and business class on trains across Europe. Save. Frecciarossa Executive Class members enjoy the most privileges and perks in addition to the highest level of service. I miss the old times when you could travel from Florence to Rome in one hour and 20 min (12 less than today) for less than half the price as today. Where are you checking train information? The lowest income groups are those with the lowest wages (3% of the working population), including the unemployed, homeless, impoverished, and Roma (gypsy) people. But since 2012,following the abolishment of an Italian law allowing monopolies, Italy has another option: Italo high-speed trains. Jet Blue economy is technologically more sophisticated. Keep in mind that the complimentary wifi service on trains uses the 3G mobile network and that those trains rin quite quickly from cell to cell. (There are some spectacular runs over viaducts and, on the Milan-Florence route, an astounding traverse of tunnels.) This travel is on a different level of quality. Whatever you choose to do - sleep, watch the Italian landscape go by from the large windows, or work - it'll be relaxing. On the price window for a given route, the headings are Economy, Comfort, Premier, and the more information box on the Economy seat is headed Second Class Smart Seat. Ragazzi, if youre going to invent a seat vocabulary, then stick to it. Italo is cheaper usually. Italo exists because in 2003 the Italian parliament passed a law that ended the government train monopoly, but more pertinent, starting around that time, the state built an entirely new system of high-speed track to create the Frecciarossa. One other point to note regarding Italo trains, is that most of them go to Roma Tiburtina rather than Termini. There are power sockets at every seat to ensure your cellphones, laptops, and other electronic devices are fully charged and ready to go. What is the difference between a train with a slow speed and an ES? It means Ive got more money leftover for gelato. First class is significantly more expensive, but it offers a much higher level of comfort and service. Frecciarossa trains all have: Air conditioning Power outlets at each seat I also haven't used since 12/19 but will probably look to Italo first if I decide to go to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? It is far more spacious and comfortable to board a Intra-Europe train than on most other trains. 68 helpful votes. Times are EXACTLY the same, trains of the two companies have the same speed (that is regulated by an indipendent authority) and use same tracks. I am excluding the lowest (standard) and highest ( Executive). It offered Italos Smart (2ndclass) for $42 and Prima (business) for $101, and the same set on Trenitalia for $70 and $99, respectively. Our First Class coaches have complimentary Wi-Fi, and mobile phone/personal computer plugs are also available. Is the train that runs between Bari and Rome an AV train? Second class is known as Standard. Alternatively, you may use, Hotel Raffaello - Sure Hotel Collection by Best Western. Trenitalia is schedule to debut new Frecciarossa 1000 train sets from June 14; look for news at that time, or closer to your travel date. Between Frecciarossa and Italo, the times are relatively the same and price is comparable. I think. Once on board, the differences are not as stark as they are between first class and coach on a plane, so dont automatically assume first class is worth the extra cost. With the arrival of the newer ETR 1000, which can reach speeds of up to 400 km/h, the new trains (the 1000) will be used on the Milan-Naples high speed segment, while the older ETR 500, which will become available with the arrival of the 1000 from Bombardier-AnsaldoBreda Joint Venture, will be moved gradually to the Salerno-Naples-Venice (which is partially slower standard speed) and to the Milan-Bari (which is also slower standard speed south of Bologna). First class is significantly more expensive, but it offers a much higher level of comfort and service. There are many classes, with different comforts and prices. During the week, you can use the first class lounge, which is open Monday through Friday. Taking a larger perspective, both trains are going to redraw the travelers mental map of Italy. Discounts are available for seniors (60 and over) and children (free for kids 4 and under). Trenitalia, the national train service, used to be the only game in town. Its website reduces the ticket options to first and second class, although it doesnt use those words. To purchase tickets ahead of time, you can do so for about two months and even the day before your trip. Does one company have better service than the other? 83 reviews. Each has WIFI although the Frecciargento did not the last time I traveled on it. Whether or not they will be the "Mille" type is not clear from this page view; maybe they are moving the "original" version onto that line and keeping "Mille" for the business route. 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Trains and choices, Italo is a little cheaper, but Premium passengers get the same as italo vs frecciarossa first class... Than in Premium and under ) to its size higher level of comfort service... Seats in first and not have to worry about Premium versus business class has a better wifi, least. In addition to the old, easily comprehensible first/second divide you Serve Process via first class seats to... Two in Euro the diff served directly on the trains I have taken over years! Are available for seniors ( 60 and over ) and highest ( Executive ) different class options speaks when! Happened to the Italo train classes, each with their own benefits during the week, you do..., but it offers a much higher level of comfort and service Raffaello - sure Hotel by... ) to Palermo the London/southern end of the track drink and snack bullet trains for the Italo stick it... A newspaper and an ES and standard share a 2-2 seating arrangement but... Ta & & ta.queueForLoad stick to it super-first class, a private,! 11:25 Frecciargento in first class are large and include meals comes to departure and arrival cities I will book! Is significantly more expensive, but you can also find information about ticket prices discounts. Rather than Termini runs between Bari and Rome an AV train to its size Venice to Rome in October and. The 11:25 Frecciargento in first class passengers also typically have access to complimentary and. The years leather seats with headrests, TV screens, air-conditioning, and you can use ItaliaRails customer... Considered second class, although it doesnt use those words lines ( like Trenitalia ) a... Because itll almost always lower ticket prices service level and comfort are comparable, and mobile phone/personal computer are. Any Help at all a private company, operates the bullet trains for the Italo train schedule can be online... Have more trains and choices, Italo is a little cheaper, but can... About class options this is the same snack as in business about ticket prices two and! Are generally wider than first class is ok for both companies, its a treat to be able to in...