My husband and I will be travelling from Verona to Bologna. I have looked on the Trenitalia website and found that there are many Regionale trips in the morning and only one FRECCIAROSSA, fast train, at about 2:00. We would rather leave before noon, but I am wondering about the Regionale trains as I cannot book seats and there is only 2nd class available. I read somewhere on the Forum that a higher class is preferable as there is more space for luggage. We will only have carryon size luggage and a back pack each. Regionale trips are only 30 minutes longer and significantly less expensive. I am wondering when others have taken Regionale trips what the trips are like. Would you recommend them?
Posted by
Washington, DC USA
920 posts
When I was traveling in Northern Italy in fall 2024, I ended up taking regional trains because I liked the flexibility of not needing to reserve long in advance for better prices, it was cheaper, there were more choices, and the time difference was not that great as you observed. I took a regional train from Verona to Bologna (actually, from Padua changing in Verona). It was fine for me but I usually take 2nd class anyway. With carry on size luggage, I never had to leave my bag in the space for larger luggage. Usually, there were enough unoccupied seats that I could just keep it next to me (but I was travelling solo and in October). I believe I sometimes used overhead racks above my seat.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17700 posts
Take the Regionale. You will be fine.
Read below (also check the photos of the interior of a regionale train)
https://www.seat61.com/train-travel-in-italy.htm#regionale
Posted by
56 posts
I'd just take a local train, but by the current schedules there are 4 direct Freccia trains at 6:52 AM, 7:53 AM, 8:52 AM and 9:37 AM. I couldn't find any at "about 2:00".
There are also 2 direct Italotreno's high speed trains at 7:22 AM and 8:22 AM.
Posted by
San Diego, California, USA
1999 posts
The newer train (branded Pop and Rock mostly) have decent room for bags between the seats that are back to back and under your seat for anything as large as a smaller carry-on. The older ones - that you shouldn't encounter on this line - have little extra room for luggage and tiny overhead racks which is probably what you read about. But especially headed for larger cities - especially cities with airports - people with luggage are pretty common.
You just book tickets not seats for regionale trains - my wife and I refer it to it 'get your butt on the train' class. The bad news is you don't have a reserved seat the good news they can't sell out.
Get the Trenitalia app which makes checking schedules, buying tickets and monitoring trains in motion easy. If you do buy paper tickets at the station be sure you stamp them in green machines before getting on the train. App tickets validate automatically at train departure time.
Have a great trip, those are both great cities but are very different,
=Tod
Posted by
Green Bay
23312 posts
You don't say your exact travel date, and that is an important piece of information to give a precise answer.
Posted by
Idaho, USA
9569 posts
I have rode on a lot of Regionale trains. No issues. I don’t buy the expensive first class seats on the Freccia trains unless it’s a long trip, I.e. Lecce to Rome.
Posted by
San Diego, California, USA
1999 posts
One more note. Unlike most cities the fast trains in Bologna come on track level -4. If you catching a fast train or switching between regional - which come on on ground level - and fast trains in Bologna expect an airport like transfer with multiple escalators and don't dally.
It's further than you think,
=Tod
Posted by
Wengen
3821 posts
What date is your trip?
Apart from the Regionals and the Freccia's there are also a few EC/RJ trains on that route as well. The RJ services have brand new trains that are quite comfortable.
Note that the walk-up price for the Freccia is 29,- euro, so if you want to remain flexible you can just buy your ticket on the day itself. For discounted fares you should buy a few days in advance, but you do not need to buy months in advance. If I look at eg. next Wednesday the cheapest fare for a fast train is 9,-...
Posted by
OP
50 posts
Thanks everyone for your replies. We are travelling on August 1 and I think it will be quite busy then. The reason why I saw a Frecciarossa at " around 2:00", actually 14:52 when I looked again, is because I only looked for trains after 10:00 as my husband and I are usually a bit more leisurely when we are on holidays. There is a fast train at 9:50 that we could take. Based on all your comments, I am leaning towards a regional train... also it is better for our budget and not that much longer. Many thanks for the details about the tracks and the information about the other lines. As well, thanks for the article about the different trains in Italy. I will have a more thorough read before we leave in July.
Many thanks. I appreciate all your advice. You have made my planning easier
Wand