Using Train travel

• how it works with bringing luggage on the train?

If you can carry it, you can bring it.

• Do you need to book a 1st class ticket to get luggage space?

Of course not. Who would travel in 2nd class if there was no luggage space? On many trains there is no 1st class.

• What size suitcases are best for this travel?

A size you can lift over your head, otherwise you'll have to ask somebody to help you. Or, on long distance trains, you'll have to leave your stuff in the luggage areas by the doors.

The cities on your itinerary are perfect for train travel as there are direct speedy trains that will make your trip more relaxing than driving and dealing with parking. The fast trains, called “Frecciarosa “ trains, run between almost all the destinations in your itinerary: Milan and Torino, Milan and Venice, Venice and Bologna. You can reach Como from Milan in an hour by train, with Bellagio being a 45-minute hydrofoil ride further.. You can save money ( often up to a 70% discount) on the fast trains, or “Frecciarosa “train tickets by buying them beginning 120 days in advance on the English-friendly Italiarail.com website.

You may find this useful, lots of info
https://www.seat61.com/Italy.htm

If you are by any chance seniors, there is a discount card available on trenitalia. You can PM me and I will send you directions if interested.

We have used trains for all of our travel in Europe unless we needed an occasional bus. Your routes are very easy by train.

I buy tickets ahead of time on Trenitalia.com

Milan is Milano
Venice is Venezia
Bologna - no change
Turin is Torino
Lake Como - enter the town where you will be stopping

Check your ticket ahead of time and see what is your train number, your car number and your seat number (sometimes no seat assigned). The reader board at the station will have the arriving trains, their number, and what track number to meet them. When you go to board the train, walk along the train until you come to your car number, climb up the couple of large steps, go inside and find your seat. Small luggage usually can be placed on a rack above your head. Larger luggage goes at the end of your car on racks.

You will be handling all of your own luggage, and that’s also up & down a flight of stairs to reach some of the train tracks. Also, you need to be able to handle your luggage getting off the train in a timely manner so others can disembark, too, so don’t bring anything too bulky or heavy for you to lift up & down the train exit.

It’s all very easy. Just watch what other people do.

By the way, we loved Torino! Glad you have it on your itinerary!

I've found that rail travel is by far the easiest and most efficient way to get around Italy. I only consider car rental if the destination is not well served by public transit, or the transit schedule doesn't work well with my Itinerary.

If you haven't driven in Italy on your previous trips to Europe, there are some potentially expensive caveats to be aware of. For example, each driver will need the compulsory International Driver's Permit. Drivers also need to be aware of the dreaded ZTL (limited traffic zones) which exist in many towns and cities. Each pass through one will result in hefty fines.

The trains are very easy to use and travel downtown-to-downtown, so I can typically be in my hotel a few minutes after arrival. Especially when using the high speed trains, getting between major cities is very fast (they travel at up to 300 km/h). There are two main rail networks that offer high speed service, Trenitalia and Italo Treno, and also some smaller regional networks.

However, there are also some potentially expensive caveats to be aware of when travelling by train or other public transit. Here's a brief summary.....

• Tickets for high speed trains come with compulsory reservations, which are provided with the ticket. The reservations are specific to train, date and departure time, and passengers are assigned a coach and seat number. Those found without valid reservations for the train they're riding on are subject to hefty fines, payable on the spot.
• Locally purchased tickets for the slower Regionale trains must be validated before boarding on the day of travel or again, hefty fines. Advance tickets purchased online do not have to be validated.
• Tickets for buses, Metro, etc. also have to be validated.
• Most cities have more than one station so it's important to know which station you'll be using. Based on the cities you mentioned, you'll likely be using Milano Centrale, Venezia Santa Lucia, Bologna Centrale and Torino Porta Nuova. Your Lago di Como station will depend on which town along the lake you want to stay in. Many here prefer to stay in the small town of Varenna, and the station there is Varenna Esino.
• Luggage on trains is very easy. There are no Porters so you'll have to haul your own luggage off & on the train. There are luggage racks at the end of each coach for larger items (keep watch on luggage there to make sure it doesn't "disappear" during the trip). If the coach you're riding in only has a few passengers you can often keep the larger bag at your seat. Smaller carry-on sized items are placed in the rack above your seat. What size luggage to take is whatever you can comfortably haul around.
• There's no need to pay for First Class seats. I've found Second Class to be perfectly comfortable and get me to the destination just as fast as first class would.
• You can research rail schedules using the Treitalia, Italo or Bahn.de websites. Online tickets for trips in Italy can be purchased on the Trenitalia or Italo websites, or from resellers such as Trainline (they sell tickets for both networks in Italy).

This is a bit "dated" but you may find it helpful - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n8rITO1Eek .

It's late and I can't think of any more points to mention tonight. I'll add revisions if I think of any.

Thanks so much for all the helpful responses. Looking forward to getting back to travel to Europe and to Italy, my favorite place, later this year!

I think you will really like traveling by train in Italy.

Every station has a cafe or bar to buy sandwiches and snacks to take on board.

Don't forget to validate your ticket if it is required, as mentioned previously.
The machines for doing that are usually at the entrance to the platform or some are on the platform; they are small and usually green and grey with the Rail logo.
Some in old or very small rail stations might be yellow, if I remember correctly.

Be sure to pack light, as a lot of trains have two or three steep steps up into the train, so you need to be able to lift up your luggage as well as yourself.
If your bag is small enough, you might find an empty space to store it between the seat backs.

Have a look a couple of months before travel to see if you can get discounted tickets.

If, by chance, you are a senior, it is possible to get a CartaFreccia card for discounts on Trenitalia. As a non-resident you can't get this online, but it is possible to complete a form, email it in, and get a card.
https://www.trenitalia.com/it/cartafreccia/assistenza_ai_soci.html#6
Don’t be put off that it is in Italian. Scroll down the page a bit to the 5th arrow where it refers to non residents in both Italian and English. If you click on this one, the information on the next page is in first Italian and then in English and gives directions as well as a link to the form you need to complete.
Basically, you complete a form and email it in. You do not need a tax ID or Italian address.

I traveled on 3 Freccia trains recently. The cars had many seats facing each other with tables between them. That means there are a lot of back-to-back seats. A suitcase up to 25" can fit in the V-gap between them.

Youtube is full to the brim with train vloggers all over the world, and Italy is no exception. Watching them has helped get me through the craziness of the past few years. It will make you feel better to watch some of them (try Dylan's trip reports or Simply Railway to start), train travel is oh so simple and oh so enjoyable.

Regarding luggage, the general rule of thumb is only bring what you can handle, because you'll be handling it all over the place. Planes, trains, automobiles, hotels, subways - you're on your own. So pack light and have wheels.

Train travel has been my only way of transportation in Italy. Trains are very convenient, clean and easy to use. As far as luggage, if you can carry it on, you can bring it. There are luggage spaces available in 2nd class with overhead space for luggage, sometimes it may need to fit between the backs of seats, and there MAY be a spot as you enter the carriage. Never been a problem.
I have traveled with a 26" suitcase, messenger bag and tote bag on my own. Everything fits just fine.
Good luck.
Happy Travels.