I'd like to take a direct train from Monterosso to Milan on a Sunday this summer. The train I'd like to take is scheduled to arrive in Milan 3 hours before our Last Supper tickets. Is that too risky/cutting it too close? How likely are the Intercity trains to be late? The earlier train is VERY early... so I'd rather avoid it.
Thanks!
Thirty years ago, when I first took an Italian train, the times listed were more of a suggestion. I remember waiting for a train that was late. I asked someone working at the station when the train would get there. He said: "When it gets here. Go have a coffee.."
Today the trains are pretty much on time. Of course, stuff happens that could delay any train.
Small delays are common, so expect the train to arrive in Milan at its advertised time -5/+15 minutes. Larger delays happen, but are rather uncommon.
The trains in Italy are 9 out of 10 times late in my experience but I like your chances since you don't have to make any connections or change trains to get to Milan.
I take for example IC 666, leaving Monterosso at 10.31am, and in the last month the maximum delay was 30 minutes. It was exactly on time 10 days out of 30, and late, but no more than 10 minutes, 12 days.
One thing I noticed in Italy is that when a train manages to leave a station on time it usually arrives at the next station early. That is probably how a train manages to be "exactly on time" at Milano Centrale, a station where trains are not dispatched with high accuracy.
Having taken countless trains in Italy over the 5 years we lived there, most “late” trains were less than 15 minutes late. Not exactly Swiss precision but dependable.
3 hours you should be good. When there’s a major problem nothing you can do. This week all my trains on time. Most delays aren’t long unless a breakdown on the line.
