The increasingly hectic pace of everyday life, together with the age old issue of overtourism, have led to the emergence of a different type of tourism that is slow, sustainable and high-quality. There are numerous proposals based on this central theme that offer a different way to travel. The continuing proliferation of historic trains for tourist purposes, for example, has paved the way for a new travel experience that not only focuses on people but also on different regions.
Slow tourism, the quality of life on board and a highly engaging experience constitute the benefits of a service aimed at a wide ranging audience. Trains can cater to the most varied needs, from sports enthusiasts travelling with their own equipment to classic Sunday tourists. Intermodality is the watchword, with sustainability playing an important role through a means of transportation that helps reduce CO₂ emissions and eases vehicle traffic in the country's inland areas. Choosing an FS Treni Turistici Italiani train today means getting on board with a different way of travelling. The dark and light blue colour scheme – a throwback to the Express trains that linked Milan, Rome and Naples in the 1960s and ’70s – represents a distinctive feature of Italian railway tradition, in a fitting combination of past, present and future.
The attention paid to travellers through special services is seen in the restaurant car, with a menu based on "Made in Italy" tradition, as well as in the services at the station, where the reception desk takes care of loading the luggage into a dedicated carriage. An additional aspect is the comprehensive scope of the routes on offer. The ‘Espressi’, as the FS TTI trains are called, travel both night and day, linking areas of the country with greater tourist appeal. The idea is to go back to an unhurried style of travelling, based on the quality of life on board and an innovative approach that views the journey to the destination as a part of the holiday in itself. The onboard announcements are designed to inform travellers of the stops and restaurant car times, and to describe the stages of the journey that they may want to learn about, in addition to the aesthetic enjoyment.
On the other hand, arousing the interest of tourists is part of the FS Group Company's spirit. Passing through the Cinque Terre, or experiencing the sunrise on the slopes of the Dolomites, or against the backdrop of the Salento Sea, calls for extra attention.
PAMPERING ON THE RAILS
The carriages that make up these particular trains are also an example of circularity. Having already been used in other Italian network travel services, they are now given a new life through a careful renovation that focuses on the quality of life on board, spaciousness and silence. The merits of this approach received important confirmation in the summer of 2024, with the return of a direct link from Milan to Nice filled with exciting trips and moments shared by tourists, who were able to enjoy a new atmosphere on board, reminiscent of an evocative past but reinterpreted in a modern style.
In the daytime trains, you can find a lounge to share or sit by yourself; in the night trains, the sleeping car is undoubtedly the central feature, with ample available space and attention to detail to ensure the travellers a good night's sleep. Well-studied routes are another key component. The choices are characterised based on the dual criteria of their scenic beauty and the narrative capacity of the places that unfold along the route. These concepts – together with the comfortable armchairs in the lounges and the restaurant car – have a pleasant impact on those who decide to travel.
Nothing is ever left to chance, from the colours and materials to staff training. Everything has been designed and built so that you can be pampered while on the rails, whether you travel by day or night.
AUTUMN ESPRESSI TO ASSISI AND ALBA
The summer experience may be over but the journey continues with two express trains to Assisi and Alba that are highly appropriate for the season, to enjoy an autumn of art, gastronomy and nature. The first two FS TTI autumn trains were also inaugurated to offer a new travel experience that combines slow, sustainable and quality tourism with the beauty of train travel, in carriages that have been restyled for maximum comfort, taking passengers to destinations valued for their history, scenic beauty and food and wine. The Assisi Express will run every Saturday and Sunday from 5 October to 1 December, from Rome Termini to Assisi, with stops in Terni, Spoleto, Foligno and Spello. Departure on Saturdays is at 10.05 am, with the return at 6.00 pm; the departure on Sundays is at 8.30 am, with the return at 4.58 pm. You can reach your location while travelling in the armchairs in the lounges, designed to ensure privacy and comfort, or by making the most of the bar/restaurant car and enjoying a snack in the elegant salon.
The other new arrival for autumn is the Langhe-Monferrato Express: a night train linking Rome and Alba, with stops in Nizza Monferrato and Asti. Departures from Rome Termini are scheduled for 7.57 pm on 25 and 31 October, with arrival at the destination at 10:35 am. The return to Rome is scheduled for 6.55 pm every Sunday on 27 October and 3 November, with arrival in the capital at 6.33 am. Travellers on the Langhe-Monferrato Express will find a bar/restaurant service, where they can dine or have breakfast with a choice of meals from a "Made in Italy" menu, and comfortable sleeping cars with dedicated staff available throughout the entire journey.
FRECCIALounge and FRECCIAClub: RELAXATION STARTS AT THE STATION
FS Treni Turistici Italiani trains are part of the wide range of connections that the FS Group offers its passengers every day. Frecce and Freccialink, for example, connect over 150 destinations throughout Italy with over 270 links and 30 bus routes.
Frecciarossa, the Trenitalia (FS Group) high speed train, also offers exclusive services for customers and members of the CartaFRECCIA programme – Italy’s top transport loyalty programme, with over 10 million members – to ensure comfort, sustainability and relaxation, both during the journey and on arrival at the stations. At the station, CartaFRECCIA Gold and Platinum holders can access the FRECCIALounges and – together with CartaFRECCIA Silver holders – the FRECCIAClubs, exclusive spaces that are the jewel in the crown of the main Italian High-Speed stations, where you can relax before a business or leisure trip.
Travelling in an Executive car offers you the chance to enjoy an experience marked by comfort and relaxation in armchairs that allow you to sit facing the direction in which the train is moving at all times, should you desire. Frecciarossa also offers a catering service. Executive travellers have a wide selection of dishes to choose from, with some created by Chef Carlo Cracco, made with local and seasonal ingredients and accompanied by a selection of DOC and DOCG wines, craft beers and new cocktails, with the open bar available throughout the journey. The FRECCIALounges located in the main stations – Milano Centrale, Roma Termini, Bologna Centrale, Florence Santa Maria Novella and Napoli Centrale – are open every day, including holidays. There are also FRECCIAClubs in Roma Tiburtina, Torino Porta Nuova, Torino Porta Susa, Bari, Salerno, Padova, Venezia Mestre, Venezia Santa Lucia and Verona stations.
THE FRECCIAROSSA EXCLUSIVE BLASTNESS CLUB
In keeping with the FS Group's commitment to tourism, CartaFRECCIA Platinum and Platinum Infinite customers have the opportunity to access the exclusive Frecciarossa Blastness Club to book hotel stays throughout Italy at discounted rates, starting at 40% less than those found on the main online portals. In addition, thanks to the partnership with NERO Lifestyle, they can also enjoy a 20% discount on stays in exclusive NERO Lifestyle Hotels throughout the Italian Peninsula.
