High-Speed Train from Fiumicino to Florence, Venice, Pisa, La Spezia, Genoa w/o transfer

"The move is part of plans to introduce a large-scale integrated transport network between Italy's train stations, airports and ports, according to the head of Ferrovie dello Stato, Gianfranco Battisti, who announced a new high-speed service that will get commuters from Milan to Rome by 08.30."

(sigh). And in the US, we're about 30 years behind with Amtrak...

There have been 2 high speed trains a day from Fiumicino to Florence, Bologna and Venice for a while. So direct service to La Spezia and Genoa is new, but I wonder what route it will use, along the coast or through Rome and Florence.

I doubt A train from FCO to Genoa not calling at Roma, Florence and LaSpezia would break-even. Since they are promoting high speed services they must use the high speed line between Rome and Florence, after Florence there is no alternative to the historic line to Genoa.

I'm afraid that adding more trains between FCO and Roma Termini will make many FL locals run late.

I didn't know Frecciarossas could run on non-high speed lines, I thought they were going to use the FrecciArgentos like those that are still running twice a day from FCO to Venice (via Florence, Bologna and Padua).

No train to Fiumicino from Turin via Milan? This is strange. I assume that many living in Turin would rather take a train frOm their central station to FCO and board a transatlantic flight from there. Better than any flight via Paris..

The new service Fiumicino to Genoa is on a Frecciargento. It will take the inland route via Florence, then head west to Pisa to join the coastal route to Genoa via La Spezia. The inland route via Florence is longer, but it’s a high speed railway, unlike the coastal one, therefore trains can go much faster. The trains to Venice, already operating since 2014, will be operated on Frecciarossa instead of Frecciargento, starting this December.

Now that the train company has agreed to buy the ailing Alitalia, maybe we will see more and better service in and out of Fiumicino station. For years there has been talk of upgrading the railway from Rome to Fiumicino to accommodate more high speed trains (also to Naples). We will see.

I'm afraid The elephant gave birth to a mouse.

Before December 9, We had 2 direct trains departing to Venice at 11:08 and 15:08. It's December 10, Trenitalia has uploaded the new winter schedules and nothing has changed from this point of view: 2 trains leaving at 11:08 and 15:08, taking the same time at the same BASE prices in second class. The only difference is that you'll have the pleasure of sitting on a Frecciarossa1000 instead of a Frecciargento. The Frecciarossa1000 could run at 300 km/h, if it was going to Milan and not to Venice. Since it's going to Venice, it will run at the same top speed of the Frecciargento.

Indeed, Trenitalia added a new direct train to go from Venice to Fiumicino . It's the Frecciarossa1000 #8401, that unfortunately leaves from Mestre station (and not from S. Lucia!) at 5:37 AM. Take the Regionale to Mestre and enjoy the transfer at 5 AM.

On the bright side, there is a new direct high speed train to Florence (21:02), Pisa (21:50) La Spezia (22:35) and Genoa (23:40).
It's the Frecciargento #8587 departing from FCO airport station at 19:08. Unfortunately it calls at Firenze Campo di Marte station, not at Firenze S.M. Novella where 99% of tourists are headed to. Since it calls at La Spezia Centrale at 22:35, there is enough time to transfer to the last local trains going to the Cinque Terre villages.

Once again, Trenitalia made grand announcements, but nothing significant will ever change for tourists using FCO if they don't work on the 2 bottlenecks: the old high speed line from Florence to Rome and the urban tracks from Termini to the airport. The first problem could be solved only spending billions they do not have... the second, the line from Rome to the airport... nobody knows what to do.

Perhaps the Frecciarossa1000 will have better suspension than the old Frecciargento on the Milano Centrale to Venezia SL so the fillings in your teeth have more of a chance of staying in your teeth??

Oh hang on, you're saying that will be on the line from the south, not the line from Milano?? Oh well, poor teeth...

I'm afraid The elephant gave birth to a mouse.

First belly laugh of the day, Dario!

Dario, I never thought of translating that famous Italian saying into English. I’ll have to introduce the saying to America:

“The elephant gave birth to a little mouse”

(To be said when the outcome is much lower than the expectations after some pompous official announcements)

I’ll tell my Vice President when he pays me the bonus at year end.

To tell the truth the FrecciaRossa #8401 that departs from Venezia Mestre at 5:37 stops at Bologna Centrale at 6:55 and at Firenze SM Novella at 7:30 AM. Some early birds could actually use it to get to FCO in the early morning.

I would not consider the line between Rome and Florence as a bottleneck. Having DC power and the old signaling system it can run trains up to 250 km/h instead of 300 km/h as the new lines. Still not a bad speed.

I had no idea that it ran on DC. That's some going for a DC system....

I would not consider the line between Rome and Florence as a bottleneck.

it isn't a bottleneck because of the top speed. It's a bottleneck because all high speed trains, 122 regionale veloce trains, a few Intercity and all Eurocity trains share the same tracks any given day. A single broken regionale on the line can slow down the all system south of Florence.

Today the first Freccia departing from Venice at 5:37 called at Fiumicino Station 4 minutes earlier than the scheduled arrival time. Unfortunately only 31 early mice got off.