Train from Milan to Rome

The two primary international airports in Italy are in Rome and Milan - but even though your itinerary may only include one of those cities, the best deals on flights may only be into the other one. Which is why you often find people who have no interest in visiting Milan flying into Malpensa Airport and then having to make their way to another city to really get their trip started. Taking the train from Milan to Rome, therefore, is a fairly common trip for visitors. Not only that, because these are the two main business cities in Italy, it’s a popular route with Italian workers, as well.

All it takes is a quick look at a map of Italy to see that Milan and Rome are a fair distance apart. There are certainly other options when it comes to getting from one to the other, but you’ll be hard-pressed to beat the newest high-speed trains for overall quickness and convenience.

Whereas the train from Milan to Rome used to take 5-6 hours (or more), the high-speed trains run by Trenitalia (the “Frecciarossa,” or red arrow) and by the private company Italo have cut that journey to under three hours; Italo’s fastest takes 2 hours 52 minutes. There are usually 2-3 stops along the way, but there are no train changes necessary and stops are minimal on purpose to speed up the trip. Between the two companies there are dozens of high-speed trains a day (Italo alone runs 33), most of them from Milano Centrale to Roma Termini.

Ticket prices work like airfares now. Book a few weeks ahead and Italo fares on this route start from about €30 in 2026; buy on the day and a seat on the fastest train can cost several times that. Every high-speed ticket includes a reserved seat, so there’s no separate reservation to buy. Check Trenitalia and Italo for current fares.

Train trips in Italy like the train from Milan to Rome are ideally suited to people who don’t have much time to dilly-dally on vacation, but it’s definitely an expense. If you’re going to be taking a few train trips on high-speed trains in Italy, or over long distances like this, a rail pass (the Interrail Italy Pass or the Trenitalia Pass) can bring down the cost per trip, but compare it with advance fares first.

>> More information about how to get from Milan to Rome

photo by cameronparkins