One day I decided to take the train at 6am from Florence to Modena. The ride should have been about 2.5-3 hours, depending on the train. On this day I was exhausted but extremely excited to experience an exclusive balsamic tour where I learned everything about balsamic. How unique is that! Well, I have to get there first. As the train continues, I lean onto my backpack sitting in the chair next to me and I begin dozing off. Every 15 minutes I wake up and look at my phone to see where I am. Now the sun is coming up, it's very bright so I put my sunglasses on. Just like that, the story shifts. I fell asleep, REM sleep, gone, lights out, no idea where I was and I hear the overhead say this is the last stop.
Panic sets in, I did not want to miss my opportunity to experience a balsamic tour in Modena. Well now I am in Bologna, which is about 4 stops past my stop. I regroup and decide okay all I have to do is find the train that is going back to Milan. Then I can get off the train at Modena. I find the train, the attendant asks where I am going I say ‘Modena’ she says this is to Milan. I said okay that’s fine because I need to go in that direction, she said come on. The train was leaving in about 45 seconds so it was a rushed conversation. Once the door shuts, she tells me this is the ‘Fast Train’ and it is going straight to Milan with no stops!!!!!!! I was defeated, frustrated, and sad. Now I am going back to Milan, why Amy whyyyy! Needless to say, after going from Milan to Bologna, Bologna to Milan, and Milan to Modena within 8 hours, I have a really great understanding of the public transportation system in Italy. In this article, I will teach you what you need to know about how to travel around in Italy.
Let’s start off by saying, Italy is a well-connected country when it comes to public transport. There are variations of trains which take you throughout the main destinations. When you are taking the train, the most challenging part is you must stay awake! When your stop is approaching you must wait at the door because the train stops for about 2 minutes. The overhead announcements are very low, and the stops are extremely short. If you are traveling in a group, have one person watch the map during your ride. When your stop approaches, grab your bags and wait at the door. The train will leave you and there is no turning back!
Depending on the area you are traveling, there are variations of trains. There is a train that will take you directly to your destination, with zero stops. That is considered the fast train, this one is also more luxurious inside with leather seats and quiet (depends on who is on the train of course). Then you have the train that stops at each town/city and will add about 25% more time to the travel time. In some areas of Italy, you will also have the local train that travels shorter distances like from Naples to Sorrento. I would recommend when you arrive at the train station, ask the attendants about which train option you should select for your destination of choice. However, if you are a savvy traveler I would recommend booking directly on the Trenitalia website and you’ll have the ticket electronically.
Other than trains, you could also consider the bus. An example would be to go from Florence to San Gimignano, keep in mind this will take much more time than your typical private tour option. I highly recommend using Google Maps, and clicking the public transportation option. This will allow you to view the amount of time it would take to arrive at a certain destination via public transportation vs. private car. If you are using a travel advisor, they will take care of all this for you.
Let’s head to the seaside, with Ferry options! Of course there is no better option to explore the sea than your own private charter. However, via ferry is also a choice for those that would like to take a car over to the islands and self-explore. The only ferry that does not transport vehicles is the hydrofoil (aliscafi). I would always recommend purchasing the tickets in advance because space is limited on the car ferries.
Renting a car is my personal favorite way to travel. Needless to say, it is not always the most cost effective nor stress-free option. However, I enjoy it because I can experience more quaint towns and I can leave my bags in the car without lugging it around. When I am in larger cities like Florence or Rome for several days I would not suggest it. If you are exploring the countryside, Tuscany, or you are heading south towards Sicily then I would recommend it. Local Rental operators are great options, but ask about insurance, tolls, deposits, tickets and payment methods. Those vary greatly when booking with a local operator versus a SIXT or Hertz sized company.
I have a story about this too, but I will save that for another time! I was in Italy for 10 days and 4 locals were in scooter accidents that I spoke to. This is my thought about scooters, they are dangerous! Although they are very cute, and joyful to ride around italy. Be mindful of the cobblestone and potholes in the ground, as well as narrow roads make it a bit more dangerous than your typical scooter experience. Wearing a helmet is required by law, and your driver's license is required.
This is by far the best way to get around Italy. Your driver will spend the day with you and take you to all the viewpoints and destinations that you would like to experience. They would even take you off the beaten path destinations that you never heard of! This also applies to sea tours. When you book a private charter your skipper is local and knows all the best beaches (or islands) in the area! So while there are many options online that you can view, nothing is like a locals perspective. This is why booking with a travel advisor is beneficial, we know the best places to explore!
As you can see there are many options to choose from when it comes to traveling throughout Italy. I ended up making it to my balsamic tour, which was a dream I didn't know I had! When in doubt hire a travel advisor to shuffle through these options and plan the best trip for you. The key is to be prepared, and to understand where you are going.
