I’ve Spent More Than 20 Years in Italy. These Are the 6 Beautiful Train Rides I Always Recommend

This article was originally published in 2024 and most recently updated on October 16, 2026, with current information.

Forget trying to drive on the autostrada. The most relaxing way to travel around Italy is by train. Bask in Dolomite scenery, roll along the Mediterranean or Lake Como, and curve around the foliage-rich hills of Abruzzo, all from a comfortable train seat. For fall-foliage viewing, beach hopping, or feeling like you’re in a snow globe, these are 6 of the most beautiful train rides in Italy—some regular commuter trains, others private sightseeing excursions.

Explore Cinque Terre: La Spezia to Levanto

The Cinque Terre Express will always be one of our picks for the most beautiful train rides in Europe. Hugging the Ligurian coastline, this 12.5-mile, 30-minute journey connects the five picturesque villages of the UNESCO-listed Cinque Terre (Monterosso, Vernazza—recognized as one of Italy’s most beautiful villages—Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore), plus end stations La Spezia and Levanto.

The Cinque Terre Train MS Card allows for unlimited train travel between the towns, so you can hop on and off for hikes and photos. Like all beautiful places, these villages are mobbed during peak and even shoulder seasons, but we have tips on how to avoid the crowds in Cinque Terre.

Roll Along the Ligurian Coast: Genoa to Ventimiglia

Photo by Jakub Zerdzicki/Unsplash

Italy’s standard regional and intercity trains are no-frills, but this 78-mile trip from Genoa to Ventimiglia along the Ligurian coast is positively dreamy. And with tickets from $17, it’s a good deal, too. For two to two and a half hours, the path skirts the Italian Riviera, stopping at seaside towns such as Savona and the pastel-colored Imperia. The route concludes at Ventimiglia, the last stop before France; from here, it’s a 12-minute ride to neighboring French Riviera towns like Menton.

Ride Through South Tyrol: Soprabolzano to Collalbo

Photo by Ritten Tourism Cooperative/Sophie Pichler

South Tyrol, aka Alto Adige, shares a border, language, and culture with neighboring Austria, and the names of the places and even the trains are in both Italian and German. The Renon railway, often called by its German name, the Ritten, has been running since 1907. It crawls the narrow-gauge, four-mile track between the towns of Soprabolzano (Oberbozen in German) and Collalbo (Klobenstein) in 18 minutes. Sightseers will ride aboard one of four wagons: three from the railway’s early-20th-century inception and one a mid-1970s fourth wagon in a cheery red. The train passes the snow-capped peaks of the mighty Dolomites, larch trees that turn a golden-yellow in fall, and meadows dotted in wildflowers come spring.

At the end of the train line, in Collalbo (Klobenstein), leave time to visit the small museum inside the train station, where engineering plans and a 10-minute film cover the railway’s origins, and photos show the area as it was some 120 years ago. For more sweeping views, take the cable car—that gently rises more than 3,000 feet in 12 minutes—from Bolzano to Soprabolzano, where you can then get back on the train.

Related: The Best Way to Explore Europe Is by Train. This Pass Gives You Rail Access to 33 Countries

Viaducts and Villages: Sulmona to Carovilli

Sightseeing train Ferrovia dei Parchi (Parks Railway) travels along a 130-year-old railway line between the regions of Abbruzo and Molise, east and southeast of Rome, climbing more than 4,000 feet across viaducts and some 50 tunnels. The train began service in 1892, was badly damaged during World War II, and didn’t run again until the 1960s. Today the historic-train group Fondazione FS Italiane operates a handful of scenic trains across Italy with 1930s diesel locomotives and 50s passenger wagons. Usually eight fall foliage trains run on the Sulmona–Carovilli route between mid-October and early November (not in 2026 due to repairs), and Christmas market trains run every day from late November through the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) holiday on January 6.

Running around forests of beech trees and Turkey oaks and across viaducts that are thousands of feet high, the Parks Railway goes from the uncrowded Abruzzo town of Sulmona, known for its confetti (colorful sugar-coated almonds), to Carovilli in Molise, where there’s a four-hour stopover, the better to enjoy a very languid lunch and a stroll through the nature preserve Pineta di Monte Ferrante. Hop aboard for a full-day adventure or an overnight trip that includes stays in bed-and-breakfasts.

Around Lake Como: Milan to Tirano

Courtesy Trenord s.r.l.

Follow Afar’s itinerary for four perfect days in Milan, then hop on Trenord for the 2.5-hour, 70-mile journey around Lake Como and to the small town of Tirano, right on the Swiss border. We suggest doing a loop of Mercato Centrale Milano inside the station Milano Centrale to get some bites for a train picnic (there is no café car). On board, snag a seat on the left-hand side to have a direct view of Lake Como. From Lecco onward, the views from the train become truly stunning: The deep blue of Lake Como is dotted with villages full of sand-colored houses with terra-cotta roofs, all backed by the peaks of San Martino, Grigna, and Resegone.

If you want to break the trip up, stop in Varenna, a truly lovely lakeside village about 10 minutes’ walk from the station. Veering away from Lake Como, the scenery soon incorporates rivers, vineyards, and mountain towns, among them your final stop, Tirano. Once there, you can switch to the Bernina Express, which runs through the Swiss Alps to Zermatt.

Inland to the Sea: Sardinia’s Trenino Verde

Photo by Radek Vicar/Shutterstock

Gorgeous Sardinia is a favorite island getaway for Italians, with landscapes that include a sparkling coast, remote forests, charming villages, and granite mountains. The island’s Trenino Verde has five itineraries in five locations that show off Sardinia’s beauty, and the all-vintage fleet of trains only adds to the experience. Among them are the 1931 Reggiane Steam Locomotive, the 1950s Diesel Railcar, and a 42-passenger wooden and brass train from 1913, built in a workshop in Piedmont and lovingly restored in the ’90s.

Our pick of Trenino Verde’s five train rides is the Macomer to Bosa Marina journey, one of the island’s first railway lines, in near-continuous operation since 1888. Starting from the inland town of Macomer in western Sardinia, the train crosses the 1,600-foot-high Campeda plateau, then slowly descends toward the azure sea, ending at Bosa Marina, where the River Temo meets the Mediterranean.

Know before you go: Frequently asked questions about Italy’s scenic trains

What is the most scenic train ride in Italy?

There is no single most scenic train ride in Italy. If you want to travel along the Mediterranean coast, take the Cinque Terre Express or the regional train between Genoa and Ventimiglia. For fall foliage, consider the Ferrovia dei Parchi.

Do I need to book these train rides in advance?

Regional trains in Italy do not need to be booked in advance. These include the train from Genoa to Ventimiglia, the Cinque Terre Express, and the train from Milan to Tirano, Switzerland. Panoramic and tourist trains do need to be booked in advance, especially those that run a few times a year, such as the Ferrovia dei Parchi.

Which of these routes are regular trains and which are tourist trains?

The Trenino Verde on Sardinia, the Ferrovia dei Parchi, the Renon Train, and the Cinque Terre Express are tourist trains, while the trains between Genoa and Ventimiglia and Milan and Tirano are regular trains.

Which of these train rides are best in winter?

The trains that go through the mountains are best in winter. These include Milan to Tirano, Switzerland, the Renon train, and the Ferrovia dei Parchi. The coastal Cinque Terre Express and regional train between Genoa and Cinque Terre are also beautiful in the winter when the Mediterranean continues to sparkle.

Do I need a passport for the routes that go into Switzerland?

Yes, if you take a train between two countries such as Italy and Switzerland—even when there is no border control—you should carry your passport with you.