From mountainous Alps and crystalline lakes to heat-blasted deserts and sun-glazed Mediterranean coast, Italy is a country of huge, beautiful contrasts. And that’s all now within easier reach than ever before, thanks to a new high-speed train linking Genoa in the country’s north-west with Naples in the south.
The new journey time between the Italian Riviera and the Gulf of Naples is now just six hours and 45 minutes – around 80 minutes quicker than the previous alternative. The route, run by Italo, provides much-needed competition for the state-owned Trenitalia service. It doesn’t just stop at Genoa and Naples, either: cultural hotspots Milan and Rome are also en route.
The service runs daily, leaving Genova Piazza Principe at 6.14am and reaching Napoli Centrale at 12.53pm, while the return departs at 4.20pm and arrives in Genoa at 23.09pm. The cheapest ‘Smart’ class seat usually costs just over €50 (£42) one way, though there’s the option to upgrade to ‘Prima’ (featuring leather reclining seats) and ‘Club Executive’ (with complimentary drinks and snacks, plus station lounge access).
From vintage train revivals to new sleeper services, European rail travel is back with a bang in 2022. New high-speed routes are popping up across the continent, offering a genuine alternative to high-polluting plane travel.
To find out timings and ticket availability for the new Genoa-Naples route, check the Italo website.
Did you see that this €185 rail pass will get you access to four of Europe’s most beautiful train journeys?