Trains

You won't travel enough to make passes beneficial. I just bought tickets for Italy (end of May, beginning of June). You can buy them four months ahead. It's significantly (about three times) cheaper than full price. That's valid for very fast trains like Eurostar and I think some ECs. For so called regionale trains it does not matter when you buy tickets, price is the same. Why first class? It cost 50% more and it's not needed.

Travel by train in Italy is not difficult, but there are a few things to be aware of (more on that later). Some trips will be direct and others will involve several trains and "changes". On the trips you've mentioned, you'll be using a combination of Regionale trains and express trains such as Freccia or Intercity, and the "rules" are different for each.

As this is your first time in Europe, it would be a really good idea to read Europe Through The Back Door prior to your trip, as that provides a lot of good information on "how" to travel well in Europe. It would also be prudent to pack along a copy of the RS Italy guidebook as that will help a lot with sightseeing, transportation, etc.

Rail passes are rarely a good value in Italy as trains are so inexpensive, especially when buying discounted advance tickets. Especially for the few trips you'll be making, I wouldn't suggest using Rail passes.

Are you staying in La Spezia or in one of the five Cinque Terre towns? Have you researched the details on taking a day trip to Pompeii?

A few thoughts on each of the rail trips you'll be making.....

• Rome to La Spezia: the best solution is to use one of the direct (no changes) trains from Roma Termini to La Spezia Centrale. If you're willing to commit to a specific departure, you can buy advance tickets at considerable savings.
• La Spezia to Florence: this trip will likely involve at least two trains, possibly an Intercity / Freccia and a Regionale, with a change at Pisa Centrale. You can buy tickets in advance or purchase a day or so before travel at the local station. There likely won't be a huge difference in price as it's a fairly short route. Note that your destination station will be Firenze Santa Maria Novella.
  • Florence to Venice: this will be an easy and fast trip! You can buy tickets on either the high speed Freccia or Italo trains, which travel at up to 300 km/h. Note that your destination station will be Venezia Santa Lucia.

A few things to be aware of with trains and other public transit in Italy (and this includes the Vaporetti (water "buses") in Venice.

• For travel on Regionale trains using locally purchased tickets, you MUST validate your tickets prior to boarding the train on the day of travel or risk hefty fines which will be collected on the spot! With Regionale tickets purchased online, these come pre-validated but with some restrictions.
• For travel on the express trains such as the Freccia or InterCity, tickets come with compulsory seat reservations which are specific to train, date and departure time, so can ONLY be used on the one train specified on the ticket. If you board any other train by mistake, again hefty fines on the spot! The ticket will specify your coach no. (Carrozza) and seat no's. (Posti) which is where you must sit.
• Validating tickets for Regionale trains involves inserting them in a small machine located near the tracks and getting the tickets time & date stamped. Validating tickets for the Vaporetti in Venice is electronic and is done by touching them against the reader until the green light comes on.
• Tickets for Buses or Metro must also be validated.

You can purchase advance rail tickets either from the rail network websites (Trenitalia or Italo), or from trainline.eu which sells tickets for both networks at the same price (one stop shopping).

If you could provide more information on your trip Itinerary, the group here will be able to provide more specific suggestions on how to work out all the fine details. If you plan on visiting any of the major museums in Florence, the guidebook has good suggestions on how to get reservations and other information.

I assume you're flying inbound to Rome and outbound from Venice? Have you researched getting from the airport into Rome and to your hotel? Getting from Venice to the airport?

Good luck with your planning!

We plan to travel 1st class when available
I totally agree with Ilja: why pay 50% more for the same trip? Second class isn't hard seat or cramped.

First class - no need unless you have money to burn or need super-quiet for getting work done (and there might even be a specified quiet second class car). Second class on a fast train has 2 seats, aisle, 2 seats. Seats are more comfortable than airline coach seats and you can walk around, go to the cafe car, etc.

The website ManInSeat61 has a lot of great info about train travel in general. I'd check it out

If you're traveling beyond La Spezia to another town like Vernazza, then get train schedules and tickets all the way to that town. The connection at La Spezia will be included.

I always travel 2nd class train cars and the seating is just as nice and roomy as 1st class. There is plenty of room for my bags, if a meal is needed/planned - I pick up a sandwich, fruit, or something to have a picnic type lunch on the train.

We plan to travel 1st class when available

One point to note is that the majority of Regionale trains only offer second class, so you won't have a choice.

I can't remember the last time I saw a first-class car on a regionale train.

The subject of first vs second class in Italy can generate heated opinions. One poster in another forum is adamant that first class in Italy is always worth it. My brother, on the other hand, gave me a profanity-laden rant about what a ripoff first class was, before I could even ask (he had taken both first and second class on that trip, so I was curious, but he was so angry about it I didn't even have to ask before he started telling me!)

Look at the pictures on the Man In Seat 61 website: http://seat61.com/Italy-trains.htm#What%20are%20Italian%20trains%20like. The main difference is that second class is 2-2 seating, while first class is 2-1 seating. So the seats are wider, and there are fewer people in the compartment. Most of the people in first class did not pay for their own tickets (charged to the client, expense account, etc), or want the greater space to spread out their laptop to do work.

Your choice. But as said above, before deciding which class you want, you have to see if there's a choice; on many routes, there is only second class.

Having been in both classes in Italy we tend toward second class. We find first class seats are wider but space between seats (front to back) does not appear to be significantly larger. It may be an inch or two but it is not obvious. There are always fewer people in first class so sometimes you can spread out more and will be quieter. So, we, personally, do not consider first class to be worth the price difference. But others like to travel first class regardless of price and this is fine. We just don't.

Just play it by ear when searching and booking;
the last time I bought tickets online Trenitalia Rome to Orvieto they were offering a 2 for 1 deal in first class that was just a couple of euros more and I had the option to reserve where ever I wanted to sit

And read seat61.com. This site has photos to help familiarize yourself with everything noted by the posters above. You will be surprised at how quickly you become experts at train travel. It is delightful - hit a grocery store before you get to the train stations. We always grab cheese and a bottle of wine for a lovely snack on long rides....

Thank you everyone for your suggestions.

In answer to your questions. We arrive in Rome and will be arranging transfers to hotel. We are in Rome for 6 days while there we will take day trip to Pompeii. There are a few tours from Rome we have looked at. We will travel via train to La Spezia. We are there 2 days and will tour cinque Terra. We will travel on to Florence for 4 days. From there we will be going to Venice for 3 days. Followed by a 7 day cruise. We have transfers arranged to airport in Venice.

1st class was suggested to us as we will have luggage and we were told that finding seats in 2nd class was a bit of a gong show. We love traveling but the points from A to B cause me the most stress so 1st class made the most sense. So it looks like I will need to read up on validating tickets etc.

Thanks for the tour guide suggestion. This looks like a must.

Thanks again all this information is very helpful...overwhelming but Awesome!!!

"1st class was suggested to us as we will have luggage and we were told that finding seats in 2nd class was a bit of a gong show."

Again, these people have conflated two different things.

If you are traveling on a train requiring reservation (the Frecciarosa, Frecciaargento, Frecciabianco, or InterCity trains), you will have a seat number on each ticket. These tickets do not need to be validated, as they are specific for a particular train number, departure time, and seat. You merely go to your assigned seat; since everyone on the train has an assigned seat, no one should be in your seat (and you can get the conductor's help if they are). So, no "gong show" involved - first class or second class.

If you are traveling on a Regional or Regional Veloce train, these trains neither require nor allow reservations. You do indeed need to validate these tickets before boarding. It is indeed everyone for themselves when it comes to finding seats; if you can't find a seat, you stand until one becomes available. Again, this is true in first class or second class. The catch is, many of these trains have only second class cars. Of course, if you do find a train with no reservations that does have a first class car, it will indeed be less crowded.

I haven't checked your routes to see what's available, but you can do this yourself. Go to the Trenitalia website: http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en. Even though it's in English, you need the Italian names of the stations:

Rome: Roma Termini
Florence: Firenze Santa Maria Novella (often abbreviated Firenze SMN)
Venice: Venezia Santa Lucia (abbreviated Venezia SL).

Note that each city has many stations, all with the city name in them. Rome has Roma Termini, Roma Tiburtina, Roma Ostiense, and about 20 others. Don't panic and jump off a train at the first "Roma" one you see (alas, this is a mistake I've made more than once).

For the Cinque Terre, unless you're staying in La Spezia (usually not recommended), put in the name of the actual one of the five towns you are going to or from (Vernazza, Manarola, etc).

For Pompeii, you will go to Naples (station is Napoli Centrale), then change for a local train not operated by Trenitalia to Pompeii Scavi. This local train is the Circumvesuviana; it won't show up on the Trenitalia schedules, but don't worry as it runs 1-2 times an hour and is unreserved and cheap. You just buy your tickets when you get to Naples. Think of it as a city bus on wheels. This one can indeed be a gong show; since you're going for the day, you won't have luggage to worry about.

I know it's overwhelming now; I promise it will be easier once you get there, and have done it a few times.

Ken mentioned it above, but I just want to emphasize that you should buy, as soon as possible, a copy of Rick Steves Italy. It will help tremendously with all of these logistics. For instance, he has step-by-step directions for visiting Pompeii from Rome.

Well this is how I do it, I buy point to point when I'm in Italy, buying the ticket for the next leg several days before departure. I always buy First Class where available and for that you need reservations, hence the need to buy ahead of time. BTW, some Regionale trains have a First Class car, so I always ask at the reservation desk.

Thanks

@Harold... we do plan on staying in La Spezia while visiting CT. Why is this not recommended? Our thought was the least transfers the better with luggage. Once settled jumping on trains to visit all towns would be better. We have our accommodation booked but they are refundable if another option is better.

Thank you for all the wonderful information.

So, you plan to stay in La Spezia because of your luggage? Please please think about scaling back (unless you need special event clothing or sporting gear), you will be lugging your stuff up and down stairs, perhaps some long walks to your hotels if taxis can't get there - and there no porters waiting to help you.

There are many reasons but mainly having direct access to train stations. We are only in CT for 2 days. We will be on vacation for 3 weeks. We don't plan to get carried away in the luggage department. But require adequate for the duration. But we have read if we plan to stay in one of the towns in CT be prepared for climbing and walking to reach our accommodations. They also appear to be a little more expensive. We are exploring all our options. We are able bodied and fit. But we always try to be "smart" with our choices. So I guess the real question is what are the benefits or disadvantages to both to make a smart choice? The CT leg is our most relaxed we just plan to stroll through the towns with no agenda.

The disadvantage is that, by all accounts, the Cinque Terre are swamped by day-trippers. By staying in La Spezia you are one of them and are unlikely to be able to experience the CT during its least crowded, nicest, moments early in the morning or late in the evening.

I haven't been to either the Cinque Terre or to La Spezia, so I probably shouldn't comment. But La Spezia is most famous for its naval base and its industry - probably not why you're coming to Italy. Furthermore, the daytrip crowds visiting the Cinque Terre from the cruise ships get worse every year, and one way to minimize that unpleasantness is to be actually in the Cinque Terre before they get there and after they leave - rather than commuting from La Spezia.

I also agree that if getting on and off trains with your luggage is a problem, you have too much luggage. Follow some of Rick's tips to pare down. https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/packing-light Even if you can't fit everything into one carry-on (I needed a carry-on plus a personal item on my last trip, and that was my lightest ever), you must remember that you will be carrying everything yourself, everywhere. Staying somewhere because of your luggage, rather than because it's a nice place to stay, is (pardon the harshness) bad travel.

For more on Cinque Terre crowds: http://blog.ricksteves.com/cameron/2016/05/crowd-beating-tips-for-the-cinque-terre/

For more on where to stay if you can't get a place in one of the Cinque Terre towns, but still want a good experience: http://blog.ricksteves.com/cameron/2016/05/italian_riviera/

We too are planning a trip to Italy this April and will be the first time taking trains from airport to Rome and then on to Tuscany. We are from Ontario.

I have been reading Rick Steves book and highlighting and tagging all kinds of things that will be helpful.

We will be there though a month before you. If all goes as planned.

We plan on packing much lighter than usual. We even bought a smaller set of luggage.
Sharon

....always buy First Class where available and for that you need reservations, hence the need to buy ahead of time. BTW, some Regionale trains have a First Class car, so I always ask at the reservation desk. ........

I think the above statement needs some clarification --- ALL trains in Italy except the Regionale train REQUIRE a seat reservation - first and second class - and the reservations comes with the ticket - it is not extra. Only with a rail pass do you pay extra for a seat reservation so you will have a reservation with either your first or second class ticket. And buying ahead simply means buying the ticket BEFORE you get on the train. It can be five minutes, five days, or five weeks. Just cannot buy tickets from the conductor on the train. And there is no reservation desk - just a ticket window or ticket machine.

Second, in all of our years of train travel in Italy, I have never seen a first class car on a Regionale train. If they exist they have to be very rare. I never seen an offer of a first class ticket with Regionale trains on the trenitalia web site so I don't know how you could buy a first class ticket on a Regionale train.

The advice about 2nd class seats being a gong show probably comes from someone who has never been on an Italian train. But there are lots of train experts with no experience.

AND the only tickets you validate (time stamp) are Regionale train tickets purchased in the station at a ticket window or machine. All other ticket are specific to a certain day, time, and train. If you don't get on that specific train the ticket is dead.

Thanks I appreciate all the tips. Can you recommend the ideal town within CT. We really do want to experience the best of all we visit. In our experience added stress does not make for "good" travel either. So I would like to research further the towns within CT. Yes packing light would be a smart decision. Although my first thought to the "list" is to each their own but 5 Pairs of underwear for 23 days....is well just gross lol. I'm sure there is a happy medium. Since laundry services seems to be few and far between at least from what I have found. Any suggestions for this obvious problem to packing extremely light.

Ya - it is call a sink and hand wash. We hand raise/wash our underwear daily, dry by morning. And about every 7 to 10 days hit a local laundry for a thorough washing. Self laundries are everywhere. You hotel can direct you. And sometimes when we ask the hotel for laundry directions the hotel will offer to do the laundry for us - at a small fee, of course. Five sets of underwear is generally one or two more than we take on our trips. And that is not gross. It is smart.

The hand-washing is not really onerous; the tricky part can be finding room to hang the things while they dry. Seriously, I travel all summer long with 3 or 4 pairs of slacks and no more than 5 tops and 5 changes of underwear, plus one warm but short jacket and one waterproof jacket. A bit of extra underwear will not cause much extra weight or bulk. The real killers are lots of extra shoes, multiple warm garments rather than one that can be used with everything, and trying to be a fashion plate on the road.

Everything except the jackets and sometimes the slacks gets washed after each wearing. The slack situation depends on how hot the weather is.

I fairly often encounter wash basins without adequate plugs, so following a tip from this forum, I now travel with a large (2 gallon?) ZIP Lock bag for washing clothes.

"Can you recommend the ideal town within CT. "

If you want to minimize walking and climbing to your hotel, Monterosso is the best choice of towns (although that will depend to some extent on which hotel you choose). It's the largest of the five towns and therefore has the greatest choice of accommodations and other tourist amenities and also the best beach. The accommodations in Monterosso consist of more conventional hotels (some with elevators), while those in other towns are more just room rentals (some with many stairs and no elevator) and breakfast is not always provided.

The town consists of a "new town" and an "old town" and walking between them is not difficult as it's mostly flat. The train station is in the "new town" and there are some hotels very close to that with a view over the beach (ie: Hotel La Spiaggia). Some of the lodgings in the old town are uphill from the beach and also provide a nice view, but of course a slight uphill walk is required. One of my favourite hotels is uphill in the "old town" and I don't mind walking to get there, especially as it's a tranquil oasis above town and away from the cruise ship hordes.

I don't know how current this list is, but this will provide some ideas for accommodations in various parts of the town and various price ranges.....

http://rebuildmonterosso.com/visitors-information/

Whichever town you decide to stay in, I'd suggest booking **soon*. Some places may still be closed for the season so you won't get an immediate reply, but it would be prudent to get on this in the near future.

I was in La Spezia briefly, it has a nice old town along the waterfront. You will not be missing anything by not staying there, but if accommodations are tight in the Cinque Terre, it's not a bad alternative. I would bite the bullet and stay in the Cinque Terre if possible, for the early morning/late afternoon and evening hours.

For first time train riders...take a breath and don't over think this.

• You're gonna buy your tickets at a kiosk, there will be long lines so, stay focused; you wanna see Italians fly-off the handle, dilly-dally at the train kiosk
• Unless you're rolling in money, 2nd class is perfectly fine; if you're gonna splurge, train travel is one of the last items to consider going hog-wild, you're there to experience Italy not isolate yourself from it.
• Punch-in your destination and read carefully: departure times/arrival times, how many train changes, where the changes are...
• Pick one, take a picture of the screen with your phone and buy.
• Get ticket, make sure you validate it if you're riding a regional route (smaller ticket)
• Check your photo of the screen purchase, make sure it matches your selection, then check the big board and find-out which track number to board at.
• Track numbers aren't revealed until 15-minutes before departure, that's why everyone is standing around staring at the big board.
• When in doubt, bookmark the page in RS book that explains what each printed area on your ticket is.

Yes all train tickets must be bought before boarding trains, it's even possible to buy reserved tickets for first or second class seats the day of boarding IF those seats are still available. Remember to validate third class Regionale coach tickets at the validation boxes before boarding.

My experience with first class on Regionale trains is they do exist, but you don't reserve a seat, instead your ticket gains you passage onto a first class car where you choose your own seat. It's worth asking at the ticket counter about this. And don't be surprised if the RR workers along the track don't know where the first class car is on a Regionale. They might point you to a car marked first class, only to have a conductor come in and announce in Italian that all first class ticket holders should follow her to the actual first class car! And there's a lot of us, so I'm Not the only one who knows about this!

Sandra, I have never seen third-class train carriages in Italy. The newer trains have several different classes of service, but these are named, not numbered.

Non-reserved coach as opposed to first and second class reserved?

Thanks I appreciate all the tips. Can you recommend the ideal town within CT. We really do want to experience the best of all we visit.

Although my first thought to the "list" is to each their own but 5 Pairs of underwear for 23 days....is well just gross lol. I'm sure there is a happy medium.

Lots of people like Vernazza, some like the Riviera feel of Monterosso, I personally like Manarola, you really can't go wrong with any of them. Corniglia doesn't have a waterfront and is perched up on a bluff and thus, it's a steep climb from the station.

There's plenty of underwear out there that is suitable for travel, best I've found is from ExOfficio ExOfficio underwear Give-n-Go is their original, Sport Mesh is softer and more modern style, looks like they're have a big sale so, good time to buy. At the end of March they have their big annual underwear sale, also a good time to buy from them. Bringing 3-5 pairs should be enough for your trip, wash in sink at night, quick dry and anti-microbial so no smell. They're great for days when it's really sweaty or, you're very active.

From my experience (I have been to Italy over a dozen times) I have never regretted reserving First Class seats. Allows one to be relaxed and stress free getting to the station knowing you have a seat, and with extreme temperatures in the summer, the air conditioning is a worthwhile relief! especially on longer trips. I offer the following suggestion - Fly into Venice, 2 nights. Train to Florence, 3 nights. Train to Cinque Terre; 1 night - two days is plenty (unless you want to lay on the beach for a few days). See Pisa on your way to Cinque Terre. The train stops there and u can get back on - Pisa (the tower that is) will only take 20 minutes - all total, you only need 2 hours tops. Then Florence to Rome 3 nights - plan it carefully and you can walk the whole city in two days - trust me. Not knowing how many days or weeks you're there this is the quickest and you see the most. With more time, I would through in Sienna or Luca; Bologna is also worthwhile. I personally don't like Milan - really nothing to see there other than Cathedral; it is a manufacturing/working town. I suggest take a pass on La Spezia - there are many many more nicer coastal towns and inland towns.

What I've briefly outlined here ensures you see the 'best' you can with little time. But if you have longer - great!

Sandra, still two classes, first and second, whether reservations are possible, or not. that depends on the type of train (Freccia, Intercity, Regionale Veloce, Regionale).

really nothing to see there other than Cathedral; it is a manufacturing/working town

Lucy, please just google Brera+Milan or La Scala Theater or Leonardo's Last Supper or the Navigli District or the Galleria and the Roman Columns of San Lorenzo.

Incidentally note that Milan quit being a manufacturing city around... I don't know, 20 years ago? 30? It's the world's fashion capital, where rich people from all over the world goes for shopping and you make it seem like some sort of an european Detroit with a cathedral.

You don't waste your time in big cities like Milan because you prefer places on the tourists' path? Ok, no problem, you know how to spend your time and your hard earned money: but it takes 30 seconds to find Milan's tourism board site and discover the difference between stereotypes and facts.

"Really nothing" writing about the place where you can see both the Last Supper and the Dead Christ by Mantegna? Seriously?

There are other mistakes in your post, like writing that you must travel in 1st class to have AC and a reserved seat. You have a reserved seat on all Freccia-something trains, even in standard class with a SuperEconomy discounted ticket.

Pisa isn't "the tower", there are other buildings in the field of miracles that made the history of architecture, plus a quite famous fresco from the Middle Ages...

Or the funny idea that you can see all Rome in 3 days. Did you see the EUR modernist district? The Coppedė Art Nouveau neighborhood? Did you visit the Domus Aurea? Did you pass by The Contarelli Chapel with the 3 famous paintings by Caravaggio? What about the Quirinale Palace?

Darioalb, I agree. Strange post. Have spent nearly a month in Rome over the years and still haven't seen it all and look forward to returning. And I like Milan. It has a lot of energy. The cathedral is more than just a cathedral. Have to be pretty culturally dead to not appreciate what Milan has to offer.

Listen to the sage advice of the posters above and pack light !

Use ONLY a 21/22 inch suitcase and yes, you can take 4 pairs of undies - you wash in the sink !

Think of packing capsules, not sets of clothing. Read travelfashiongirl.com for clothing capsules to help streamline your packing skills. When you are easily carrying your small bag off the train, you will scoff at those crazy people who are dragging a 24" case !

Just to add to the chorus...

We only travel 2nd class in Italy (on fast, longer-distance trains which require reserved seats) and have been perfectly comfortable. We figure the euros we save are better spent having fun! We've also taken our share of cheap regionale and local commuters with no discomfort either.

We do go with 24" cases BUT only because we can handle them; mine is packed lighter than The Husband's. The day we can't manage is the day we will go smaller. They're heavier at the end of trip with all the books we buy at the best attractions + other treasures to take home but it matters less at that point.

Milan; hardly a wasteland, and I wish we'd had more time there than we did. Managed the Duomo, Sant'Ambrogio (a must see, IMHO), San Lorenzo Maggiore, Galleria Vittorio and a cruise around the outside of Sforza Castle during our nice 1/2 day walkabout, and would cheerfully go back to see all that I know that we missed. Even Centrale station was well worth the closer look that we took; it's quite the piece of architecture!

We hand raise/wash our underwear daily, dry by morning. And about
every 7 to 10 days hit a local laundry for a thorough washing.

Ditto, although sometimes a sink wash just every other day. Other than our jeans (sorry but we refuse to give those up), shirts and whatnot are all lightweight blends that drip-dry overnight.

Darioalb, Frank, and Kathy beat me to it. Milano is one of the most historically important cities in Europe, particularly in terms of Renaissance art and politics. There is a wealth of art, architecture, fashion, food, cultural events. I try to route my trips through Milano whenever possible, to spend a few days there.

Is NYC an industrial working town?

People who diss Milano usually only go there for one thing, and everything on the way to that is an annoyance. But if you show it a little love, it will reward you.

Yes, it's a bit like people who go to Venice, walk between the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco (cringing at the crowds), leave after one night, and report that Venice is only worth one day. The mind boggles.

Thanks to everyone for all their advise. Yes this post took some funny turns. lol

So Trains. Much advise given. 1st class was recommended to us from people who had been there a few times. We might try both 1st and 2nd to see for ourselves. It is certainly a hot topic lol. But we may save some $ and stick with 2nd class in the end. We shall see. But no to the Passes. I am ready for the adventure! We will remember to Validate!

Luggage and Packing. I am sure there is middle ground. I have confirmed Laundry facilities at our various stops. For someone who owns in the neighbourhood of 70+ pairs of underwear (yes I have a problem) I found that topic most amusing. We are taking a cruise on the last leg..this could mean some planning to pack for all occasions. But certainly doable to scale back.

Staying in La Spezia versus one of The CT towns. We are looking at options but are not going to sweat the small stuff. I am happy with the B&B we reserved. I am sure we will encounter a few "I wish we had" moments. Hence asking such questions on this forum. Thanks again

I was referring to my own travel experiences across ALL trains, Not on any one train. My word choices are a shorthand reflecting my own experiences, Not any official nomenclatures.

You can go to the Seat61 website and see photos of actual 1st and 2nd class carriages on several different Italian trains. Just scroll down for pictures. On fast trains both will be air-conditioned. I honestly don't remember what the regionale are like, so I suspect they are air-conditioned, too.

Then Florence to Rome 3 nights - plan it carefully and you can walk
the whole city in two days - trust me.

We've been to Rome for a total of nearly two weeks over a couple of trips and still have umptybumpty of its wonders yet to uncover. One can walk Rome, and or one can discover and savor Rome; there's a big difference between the two, IMHO. 🍷