A number of airlines have recently announced new routes to and from Italy – but given the dramatic effect climate change is already having on Europe’s weather patterns, many people are looking to less carbon-heavy alternatives for their summer holiday plans this year.
With this in mind, we’ve put together a (non-exhaustive) primer that covers the major direct train routes from Italy to adjoining France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia, as well as to Germany.
If you are considering taking any of these routes, Show Me The Journey provides a very detailed guide to international train travel from Italy that lays out exactly what services are available when.
Without further ado, here’s where you can travel in Europe by direct train from Italy in 2023:
Night trains from major cities
From Rome or Florenceyou can travel direct to Villach, Salzburg, vienna or Munich via the Nightjet network, run by Austrian operator ÖBB. This night train is currently the only direct international rail service to and from these two major Italian cities.
You can also go direct to vienna or Munich from any of Bologna, Milan, Venice, Genoa, La Spezia, Verona, Anconaand a few other smaller Italian towns and cities along the route, via the same service.
READ ALSO: Yes, train travel across Europe is far better than flying – even with kids
The route from Venicestopping at Vicenza and Udinecan take you deeper into Germany – all the way to Stuttgart – via Munich.
France:
There are multiple daily trains from Milan to Paris via Turinleaving either from Milano Centrale or Milano Porta Garibaldi station, depending on which operator you go with. You can also travel direct from Milan to Lyon via Turin.
From the Italian border town of Ventimigliayou can travel to Nice, Cannes and Grasse via Chin, Montecarlo and Antibes. There are multiple daily express trains to Ventimiglia from Milan and regional trains from Genoa.
Austria (and Germany):
Travellers can take a EuroCity train from Bologna that goes through Verona, Trento, Bolzano, Brenner (as the final Italy stop) and on to Innsbruck and Munich. There’s also one EuroCity train a day from Venice to these destinations Mon-Fri, stopping at Padua and Vicenzaand two on weekends.
There are twice-daily Railjet trains from Venice to vienna via Villachstopping at other Italian and Austrian towns along the route.
READ ALSO: Five easy day trips to make from Rome by train
A daily train service from Bozen takes passengers to vienna via Innsbruck, Salzburg and Linz.
There are also hourly S-Bahn trains to Innsbruck from Brennerand regular trains from Fortress to Lienz.
A picture taken on June 8, 2018 shows the train station at the Brenner Pass (Brennerpass), the mountain pass through the Alps between Austria and Italy. Photo by Christof STACHE / AFP.
Switzerland (and Germany):
A large number of EuroCity trains leave every day from Milan to Lugano and Zurichstopping at As and several Swiss towns and cities.
One of these trains to Zurich each day starts in Venicestopping at Padua, Vicenzaand Veronaamong other towns; one starts in Genoa; and one in Bologna.
There’s also a twice-daily EuroCity service that goes from Milan to Basel via How, Lusern and Luganoand regular regional train services from Milan to Locarno via As and Lugano.
A daily train service from the Milan central train station ferries passengers all the way to Frankfurtstopping at Bern, Basel, and various other Italian, Swiss and German towns and cities along the way.
READ ALSO: Six delightful day trips within easy reach of Milan
If your destination is more westerly, there are multiple daily trains from Milan to Geneva via Domodossola, Brig and Lausanneone of which starts in Venice.
There are also multiple daily services from Milan to Basel via Domodossola, Brig and Bern.
Finally, the Rhaetian Railway network connects They pull to St Moritzwith a large number of trains departing every day; while the Bernina Express connects They pull to Put.
Slovenia:
A daily EuroCity train service from Trieste goes to Ljubljana, Maribor and Graz before moving on to Vienna.