FIND TRAVEL GUIDE

Where would you select to see? Select our list of your travel guide below.

Post Your Trip

WORLD TRAVEL GUIDE BY CONTINENT

Africa Morocco Asia Indonesia , China , Taiwan , Malaysia , Thailand , Vietnam , South Korea , Japan , Macau , Philippines , India , Singapore , Hong Kong Europe San Marino , Germany , Spain , Denmark , Finland , Andorra , Estonia , Iceland , Hungary , Macedonia , United Kingdom , Sweden , Moldova , Portugal , Italy , Luxembourg , France Oceania New Zealand , Australia North America Canada , Greenland (Denmark) , United States of America , Bermuda

ADVISE TRAVEL GUIDE

Perak Tong Cave Temple in Malaysia Within the huge limestone caves of Gunung Tasek(Tasek Hill), 6 km to the north of lpoh, nestles

Getting into Thailand Visa-on-arrival is available at certain entry points for passport holders of 20 other nations,

France Overview France is located in Western Europe. Clockwise from the north, France is the world's mos

ITALY TRAVEL GUIDE - GETTING AROUND

World Travel Guide Europe Italy Getting Around

Picture choosen by: Mr.Tony Walter Getting Around Italy by Train
The Italian train system (Ferrovia dello Stato, or FS) is a reliable and generally on time in the northern part of the country. There might be some delays further up to the south or off the main lines. Traveling around Italy by train can be romantic and relaxing. Just beware of the summer peak time when the trains can be overly crowded.

There are a few different types of trains you must consider when traveling in Italy (from slowest to fastest)

Locale - slowest of all the trains that stops at all the local stops (avoid this one if you can!)
Diretto - faster than a locale, with less stops
Expresso - stops just at the main towns
Eurocity - will connect Italian cities to the major European cities
Eurostar - serves the main lines like Rome to Florence with few stops

Then you must also consider between first and second class. First class is worth the extra expense during peak times and during busy season.

Make sure you validate (stamp) your train ticket PRIOR to boarding the train. There is a little electronic, usually yellow, machine in every station where you can validate your ticket. Travelling with an unstamped ticket is technically the same as travelling without ticket.
Depending on how much train travel you intend to do, a Eurailpass will offer you significant discounts. There are also different types of passes that you can purchase that may beneficial to your situation. If you are travelling a lot, and you're not Italian, you can get a TRENITALIA PASS: you buy a number of days of travel to be used within 2 months. Check out RailEurope.com for more information and great deals.

By Sea
Italy's dramatic coastline is best appreciated from the sea and the Italians know it! Take a ferry or a ship to the islands in Italy. The main ports are Naples, Genoa, and Palermo.

Car ferries operate to Sicily and Sardinia. If you are traveling by train from Italy onto Sicily, your train will be loaded onto a ferry.

Tirrenia and Snav are the two main sea transport companies in Italy.

By Subway
The subway system in Italy is as modern as in another metropolitan. Most of them are relatively new and clean. The Subway is indicated by a sign with a red “M”. These are the cities facilitated with subway:
Catania-Milan-Naples-Rome-Torino

You will have to purchase a ticket prior to getting through the turnstile.

By Bus
Italy provides a pretty good bus network that you will find no problem to travel within any of the major cities. You can purchase a biglietto at any of corner shops, indicated with a big black”T”. The ticket should be validated by a validation machine that must be punched when you enter onto the bus. It's not worth the potential fine or hassle to try and beat the system by validating the ticket.
The buses WITHIN the city bus system are usually orange in color. The buses that travel BETWEEN cities tend to be blue in color. For these routes, you will need to purchase your ticket in advance at the local office and will need it PRIOR to boarding the bus. Italy is served by many regional bus companies for long-distance travel.

By Car
Italy has a well-developed system of highways in the northern side of the country while in the south it's a bit worse for quality and extent. Every highway is identified by an A followed by a number on a green backdrop. Most of the highways (autostrade) are toll roads. Some have toll stations giving you access to a section (particularly the tangenziali of Naples, Rome, and Milan, for example), but generally, most have entrance and exit toll stations. Don't lose your entrance ticket, for if you do, you will be charged for the longest distance All the blue lanes (marked "Viacard") of toll stations accept major credit cards as well as pre-paid card (Viacard) that you can buy at tobacconist, Autogrill, or gas stations.

Use common sense and beware of rules when driving since the fine will be rather expensive upon caught.

By Thumb
Hitchhiking in Italy is related with the hippies and "on the road" kind of culture. Therefore, it is considered out-dated and useless. You will rarely find Italians hitchhiking unless there's a serious problem with the bus or other means of transportation. Hitchhiking in the summer in touristy areas works okay because you'll get rides from Northern European tourists, and it works okay in very rural areas as long as there is consistent traffic (because you're still playing the odds), but hitchhiking near large cities or along busy routes is extremely frustrating. Hitchhiking is not recommended for women travelling alone. Hitchhiking along expressways and highways is forbidden. Other Italy Travel Guides Getting There Getting Around Key Facts Things To Do General Information Duty Free Things To See Night Life and Entertainment Shopping Public Holidays Stay Safe and Healthy Climate Food and Drink

RECENTLY SUBMITTED IN Italy

Food & Drinks in Italy Posted by Mr. Robert Maxwell on 08 May 2010 10:08:37

Food Italian cooking is among the world's richest and most varied. Italian food is based upon a few simple ingredients and Italians often have very discriminating tastes that may seem strange to Americans and other visitors. National Specialties Like the lan... More

Italy Climate Posted by Mr. Robert Maxwell on 08 May 2010 09:50:09

The climate of Italy is that of typical Mediterranean countries. Winter: December - January - February. Spring: March - April - May Summer: June - July - August Autumn: September - October- November The summer is hot and dry, with July being the hottest month of the year. In the north, they... More

Italy Overview Posted by Mr. Robert Maxwell on 08 May 2010 09:47:20

is a large country in Southern Europe. It is home to the greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites - art and monuments are everywhere around the country. It is also famous worldwide for its cuisine, its fashion, luxury sports cars and motorcycles, as well as for its beautiful coasts, lakes and ... More