Italy trains risks outweigh the benefits

Based on our May 2025 experiences with the various Italian train systems, I completely agree with you. It's maddening that the train app and Departure boards aren't updated. We also were confused because trains weren't labeled, and there was no one to ask, except other travelers.
Some New Zealand folks shared the Trenit! app with us, which was more accurate than the trains' own apps. Kind of like how FlightAware (for flights) is often more accurate than the airlines' own apps, regarding cancelations and delays.

I wouldn't rent a car, as there are similar problems with parking and ZTL zones.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/ztl-violations

I enjoy Italy, but if I return in the future, I sadly would use private transportation, especially in place of regional trains. The high speed trains are more reliable, but you still have the same issues with getting accurate track #'s and delay info.

Try the Netherlands and Switzerland- public transportation serves the customer.

Good luck to us all in Italy, because we know we will return..... (wink emoji)

That is unfortunate. For over 20 years we have received good service from Italy rail BUT it is been nearly three years. Currently a son is in the Naples area so will see what his experience is when he returns in a couple of weeks.

Thank you for sharing your experience – it’s incredibly insightful and reflects what many travelers have been noticing recently.

Italy’s train system, while once highly praised, has unfortunately become less reliable in recent years. Issues like strikes, unclear signage, last-minute platform announcements, and unhelpful or non-English-speaking staff—especially at busy hubs like Milan Central—can turn what should be a smooth journey into a frustrating ordeal. The fact that the Trenitalia app showed canceled trains as “on time” is particularly troubling and highlights the lack of real-time updates.

It’s great to hear that your time in Sweden was a completely different experience—reliable trains, excellent customer service, and even good onboard food can make all the difference.

For future trips, if you’re looking to avoid the stress of unreliable public transport, private transfers or tour buses are a great alternative. At KE Transfers, we offer dependable, English-speaking airport transfers and door-to-door service across various cities. It’s a stress-free way to ensure you get where you need to go—on time and comfortably.
https://ke-transfers.com/

Thanks again for the honest review—your insight is valuable for others planning their travel.

Reported above.

I’ve been using trains in Italy for 22 years, nearly every year.
I find them in the main to be efficient and on time.
I like the Trenìt app for updates and find it works well.
Whenever I’ve asked for help at a station , it’s always been given.
Also, I’ve always found signage in stations to be adequate.
We were there last Fall during the strikes, and when I phoned more than once to the English-speaking operators on Trenitalia they were helpful.
We got the correct information.
I’m thinking that the more you use a system the easier it gets.
Perhaps it is confusing on your first visit, but don’t give up…..

That’s frustrating to deal with train strikes and confusion in the station!

I was in Italy for three weeks in May - Rome, Tivoli and mostly the Puglia region. There were two strikes while I was there. Fortunately one didn’t affect me because it was during my 2nd day in Matera. But the other one caused me to skip Caserta to get up to Tivoli before I was stuck. It all turned out okay, but it did cost me some extra money.

That was my 10th trip to Italy, and I’ve only been affected by two train strikes previously, so yes, it did seem like there might be an increase. I don’t know about the confusion at train stations there. It’s all been straight forward, but I can speak train questions in Italian.

I’m definitely hoping to return to Italy again, besides the trip later this year, and I always just use trains - personally wouldn’t consider renting a car.

Pat, thanks for the mention of a different app for better info of train status! I will be back for three weeks again in Italy in a few months, and my daughter’s time is limited. Any train status info is appreciated!

My trains were all running on time - even everything in the Puglia region.

May I inquire to when this was? And what train?
Because of this:

the number on the train was different than on the ticket (even though
it was the correct train

Once in Milano we almost got on the wrong train, because we were looking at the destination, and not the train number. Turned out that there were two trains, going to the same destination at more or less the same time. But with different numbers, and we almost got on the wrong one.

In my experience trains in Italy are good. Not as good as Switzerland, but a lot better than eg. France. You may just have had a bad day.

I have to disagree. I'd never rent a car in Europe when the transportation systems are so comprehensive. Let someone else do the driving, sit back, look at the scenery! In November of 2023, three friends and I, all seniors, carrying our own bags, journeyed from Venice to Florence to Rome to Naples on Italo trains. All of the stations were well equipped, good signage, trains (mostly) on time, only delays were 15-20 minutes. Trains were clean, and the overall experience was positive. The late posting of track assignments is standard from what I could tell, and it's even done at the airports. It's Italy, where "it happens when it happens"! Also, you may need to adjust your outlook on people unwilling to speak English...I won't say any more about that...

We are in Italy now. On a train. I use the Trenitalia ap and the worst issue we have had is having our reserved seats in the middle of a large group of loud, drinking, card playing Germans. We eventually moved to another car.

We had one train leave 15 minutes late and one arrive 20 minutes late (sat at stop outside Bologna for no discernible reason). I have found most departure tracks well labeled but when our departure from Verona wasn’t labeled yet on the board, I sought help from Trenitalia office and woman there told me where the train usually left from. She called someone and said there was some issue with police. It was the correct track. Another time we arrived late at train station because bus was late and I asked a police man who told me which track the train was leaving from. It seems most train use the same tracks all the time.

We have been fortunate with not being affected by strikes.

I am sure it isn’t Switzerland but my experience hasn’t been much different than the UK which is the only other country I have very much experience riding trains.

There is a website called "viaggiatreno.it", where you can see what track a train is expected at even hours in advance. I guess that it uses the same data source as the Trenit app. Sometimes it happens that tracks get changed at the last moment, but usually it's just a few tracks over, as you can't just suddenly send a train planned for track 3 to track 21...