Italy by Train:

Types of Trains in Italy:
Eurostar (ES or Treni Eurostar Italia):
Italy's premier train, not to be confused with the Eurostar that crosses the English channel. Seat reservations on Eurostar Italia are mandatory. Eurostar travels swiftly between major Italian cities.

Intercity and the newer Intercity Plus trains:
Relatively fast trains that run the length of Italy, stopping at the large cities. First and second class service is available. First class coaches offer slightly better seats and are generally less populated. Seat reservations are compulsory on the Intercity Plus trains, and the fee is included in the ticket price.

Diretto and interregionali (Direct and Inter-Regional Trains):
These are the local trains, the interregionali the faster of the two types. They are cheap and usually reliable, but seats can be hard to find on major routes, especially in August or holiday periods. Consider first class, asking for Prima Classe, it's less likely to be full.

Buying an Italian Train Ticket:
There are a number of ways to buy a train ticket in Italy.

• You can go to a ticket window at the station equipped with the time and destination of the train you want to take, the number of tickets you need, the class of the ticket (primo or secundo).
• You can use a ticket machine if the station has them. These are pretty easy to use, and you can avoid long lines at the ticket window.
• You can buy a ticket from a travel agent. An extra fee will usually be added to the price.

In every train station there are both white and yellow/orange train schedules displayed. For departing trains, check the yellow/orange colored poster. It will tell you the route, the major intermediate stops, the the times the trains run.

If traveling using point-to-point tickets along the way, check the station you are arriving at for trains to your next destination. If it's a popular destination, buy a ticket right then to be assured of getting the train you want.

Boarding your Train:
First, validate your ticket! Just before you board your train, find a yellow colored ticket validator box and insert the end of your ticket. This prints the time and date of the first use of your ticket, and makes it valid for the journey. There are stiff fines for not validating your ticket. Hold on to your ticket, a conductor may come around and ask to see it.

In larger stations like Milano Centrale, where the trains pull into the station rather than passing through, you'll see the trains head-on, with signs on each track ("binario") indicating the next expected train and its departure time.

If you have a reservation, find the car number on your reservation (carozza) and the seat number (sedia). Then locate the corresponding car number on the train and hop on. First class cars will all have a large number “1″ near the door, and second class cars will have a number “2″.

If you do not have a reservation, the only thing you have to look for is the class of car that corresponds to the ticket you have purchased - if you are traveling first class, look for the cars with the “1″ by the door, and if you are in second class, look for the “2″ by the door. Then simply get on and find a spare seat.

It's customary to greet fellow passengers when you sit down. A simple "buon giorno" (good day) will do nicely. If you want to know if a seat is vacant, simply say "Occupato?" or "E libero?".

Link to official web site of the Italian train service: Trenitalia