 |
|
|
Yes, the trains go onto a ferry to cross the Straits between Villa San Giovanni on the mainland and Messina on Sicily. Courtesy Hans Roth. See route map. Watch the video. |
|
 |
|
|
The InterCityNotte (ICN) sleeper train from Milan to Sicily on board the train ferry. Courtesy of Marco Bereth, see his blog about the train here |
Rome or Naples to Sicily from 19.90
Comfortable air-conditioned InterCity trains and time-effective sleeper trains link Rome & Naples with Messina, Palermo, Catania & Siracuse on Sicily from as little as 19.90. Yes, these trains are direct to Sicily, they get ferried across the Straits of Messina on board a train ferry, now the only place in Europe where passenger trains go onto ferries, a fascinating & unique experience - Watch the video! And Italy's longest sleeper journey is the Intercity Notte from Milan to Sicily, an epic ride in your own private room.
What are the daytime trains like?
What are the sleeper trains like?
Watch the video:
Loading the train onto the ferry
Train times southbound 2025
* Leaves Rome 20:31, Naples 23:06, Salerno 23:49 on Saturdays & Sundays.
** Leaves Rome 23:00 on Saturdays & Sundays.
*** Leaves Milan 19:40 on most Saturdays.
Train times northbound 2025
Timetable notes
These trains run every day, all year round. Each column is a train you can take. Times can vary due to trackwork, so check your date at www.italiarail.com, www.raileurope.com, www.trenitalia.com or www.italiarail.com.
Each of these trains has two separate portions, one to/from Taormina, Catania & Siracuse, and another to/from Cefalu & Palermo, splitting or joining at Messina. I've shown them in one column to save space.
Rome to Palermo is 893 km (555 miles) by train. Rome to Siracuse is 843 km (524 miles) by train.
Milan to Palermo is 1,539 km (956 miles) by train via Genoa. Milan to Siracuse is 1,489 km (925 miles).
From Florence, Bologna & Venice, take a high-speed Frecciarossa to Naples, then a day train to Sicily, or to Rome for the sleeper to Sicily.
From Cinque Terre, take a regional train to La Spezia and the sleeper to Sicily, or travel to Rome and take a day or night train to Sicily from there.
From Amalfi, take a bus to Salerno then a train to Sicily.
From Sorrento, take the local Circumvesuviana train into Naples then a train to Sicily.
How much does it cost?
-
Rome or Naples to Sicily by Intercity train
From 19.90 upwards in 2nd class or 29.90 upwards in 1st class if you book in advance, with a super-economy or economy fare.
Super-economy & Economy fares vary like air fares according to demand and how far ahead you book. The Base fare which you'd pay on the day is around 80 in 2nd class or 115 in 1st class. The Base fare is fixed and doesn't vary.
-
Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome or Naples to Sicily by sleeper train
From 39.90 upwards in a 4-berth comfort couchette, 49.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 59.90 in a 2-bed sleeper, 84.90 in a single-bed sleeper. Prices are per person per bed. These are the cheapest prices, fares vary like air fares according to demand and how far ahead you book.
How to buy tickets
-
Option 1, buy tickets at www.italiarail.com in plain English, in , £ or $.
Italiarail.com is a long-established agency which connects to Trenitalia's ticketing system. They'll refund their 3.50 booking fee if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com after booking. It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.
Italiarail.com lets you select your seat from a seat map on Intercity & high-speed trains. On the seat maps, the small grey rectangles between seats are tables.
Tip: When the search results appear, look for FILTERS, un-tick High speed and tick Direct if you want one of the direct Intercity or sleeper trains between Milan, Rome, Naples & Sicily.
-
Option 2, buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com also in plain English, in , £ or $.
They advantage of www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com is that they also connect to the British, French, Spanish, Swiss, German, Austrian & Benelux ticketing systems, so you can buy tickets for much of Europe together in one place. It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone. There's a small booking fee. Thetrainline.com lets you select seats from a seat map on Italian Intercity & high-speed trains.
-
Option 3, book at www.trenitalia.com. However, even when switched to English, you'll need to use Italian-language place names and understand the different sleeper types in Italian, see my instructions here. Italiarail.com, Raileurope.com & Thetrainline.com are easier to use.
-
Booking tips
Tip 1: Booking opens up to 4 months ahead, but dates after the mid-December timetable change usually only open for booking in mid-October. For the cheapest prices, book as early as possible & avoid busy trains, days & dates.
Tip 2: Italian sleeper trains often open for booking late, after high-speed and daytime trains are already loaded and appearing. So if you're looking several months ahead and the train is missing, don't panic, just wait. These trains are aimed at Italians living their everyday life and booking tickets days or weeks ahead, not months.
Tip 3: If booking Rome to Sicily (or vice versa), look through the search results for a journey with 0 changes. You may see faster Rome-Sicily journeys with 1 change, that'll involve a high-speed train between Rome and Naples or Salerno, but my advice is to stick with the direct train.
Tip 4: When you book a couchette, one ticket = one bunk = one person. If you book one bunk in a 4-berth, you get one berth and the other 3 berths are sold to other passengers. If you book 4 berths in a 4-berth you get the whole compartment.
Tip 5: You are shown your seat or berth numbers before you confirm & pay. In couchettes, if the first digit is the same for all 4 passengers, for example 41, 42, 43, 44, then you're all in the same compartment, in this example compartment 4. In sleepers, if the first digit is the same and the second digits are all odd or all even, then you're together in the same compartment, for example 21, 23, 25 are together in one compartment, with 22, 24 & 26 together in the compartment next door. When sold as a double, the middle bed number isn't used, for example 21 & 25 are together in one 2-berth compartment and so are 32 & 36. See sleeper numbering plan.
-
You can also book direct with Trenitalia at www.trenitalia.com, with no booking fee. However, even when their site is switched to English, you'll need to use Italian-language place names and understand the different sleeper types in Italian. It's easier to stick with www.italiarail.com, www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
What are the Intercity trains like?
Intercity trains (IC) have with 1st & 2nd class seats in open-plan cars, arranged 2+1 across the car width in 1st class, 2+2 across the car width in 2nd class. Both classes are comfortable and have power sockets at seats, toilets in every car and plenty of luggage space. There is no WiFi, but there's 4G/3G and sometimes 5G mobile reception along most of the route. There's no catering car, so although you may get a refreshment trolley come down the train, you should bring a picnic and bottle of wine along for the ride.
This is the Rome-Sicily Intercity train on board the ferry for the voyage across the Straits of Messina. You can leave your heavy luggage on the train while you go up on deck for some sea air and a cappuccino... Courtesy Discoverbyrail.com.
Vesuvius & the Bay of Naples, seen from the Intercity train after leaving Naples. Courtesy Discoverbyrail.com.
The scenery between Naples & Villa San Giovanni is lovely, all along the coast with mountains inland, see the route map below. Remember that picnic and bottle of wine! Courtesy Discoverbyrail.com.
Villa San Giovanni. After calling at Villa San Giovanni station, the train draws forward, then sets back onto the train ferry. The train is divided into several sections, side by side on the ferry's train deck. Above, the view of the train ferry as the train pulls forward. That's Sicily in the distance, on the other side of the Straits of Messina.
The Intercity train on board the train ferry sailing towards Messina. Courtesy Discoverbyrail.com.
Sailing into Messina harbour, you're greeted by the gilded Madonna della Lettera which has stood here since 1934. The Latin inscription says We bless you and your city, a quote from a letter sent by the Virgin Mary to the population of Messina in the 42AD. This is the way to arrive in Sicily!
What are the sleeper trains like?
The Intercity Notte (ICN) trains have 1, 2 & 3 bed sleepers and 4-berth couchettes. There are no ordinary seats, or 6-berth couchettes.
Below, dawn over Sicily as the InterCityNotte from Rome approaches Messina on board the train ferry. Courtesy of Richard Simcox, who went up on deck at 5am while his family slept on in their couchettes on board the train. Sometimes rising early has its rewards!
1 & 2 bed sleepers with shower & toilet
Branded Excelsior until 2024 but now being rebranded Superior, these sleeper compartments have a compact en suite shower & toilet. They run on the Milan-Catania-Siracuse route and in one of the Rome-Catania-Siracuse night trains. You won't find Excelsior/Superior sleepers to or from Palermo, or on most Italian sleeper trains. There's just one rebuilt T3S sleeping-car on each train and each car has just 4 Superior compartments with shower & toilet plus 6 Relax sleeper compartments with washbasin. It's nice to have your own toilet & shower, but don't be too surprised if no water comes out of the shower! Apart from the en suite shower & toilet, facilities & catering are the same as the regular sleepers described below. See layout of a T3S sleeping-car. Excelsior photos courtesy of Philip Dyer-Perry & Niklas Hoth. Click the images for larger photos.
1, 2 & 3 bed sleepers with washbasin
Branded Deluxe until 2024 but now being rebranded Relax, these are the regular sleeping-cars. A corridor runs along one side of the car off which open 12 compartments, each of which can be sold as 3-berth (triple or tripla), 2-berth (double or doppia) or single-berth (single or singolo). There are two toilets at one end of the corridor near the attendant's compartment, there are no showers.
Each sleeper compartment has a washbasin and 220V power outlet (Italian 2-pin rectangular type), and locks securely from the inside. The beds come fully made up with clean sheets, pillow, duvet. For the daytime part of the journey, the beds fold away and a 3-seat sofa folds out to make a private sitting room (the centre seat folds back down to form a table between the two outer seats if there are only two of you).
A fresh towel and simple amenities kit is provided with soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, wet-wipe. A small bottle of drinking water is provided. Luggage goes in your compartment with you, on the rack above the window, in the large recess above the door, or on the floor.
There is a connecting door between adjacent compartments which can be opened if the bolt on both sides is slid back. The door connects compartments with berth numbers that share the same first digit, for example 21, 23, 25 connects to 22, 24, 26.
In the morning the sleeper attendant serves you a light breakfast with coffee & juice. Bring your own food & drink for the evening, with perhaps a bottle of wine!
Since the pandemic, Trenitalia no longer allows solo travellers to book 1 bed in shared sleeper compartments. Only entire 1, 2 or 3 bed rooms (cabina intera) can be booked in the sleeper category. So if you're solo you'll have to pay for a single if you want to use a sleeper rather than a couchette.
Above, the Milan-Palermo sleeping-car of the Milan-Sicily sleeper train has reached Messina, on time. Click the images below for larger photos.
4-berth Comfort couchettes
The economical choice, ideal for families or budget travellers. A corridor runs down one side of the car, off which open 9 securely-lockable compartments, each with 4 berths (2 upper, 2 lower). Each berth is provided with sheets, pillow & blanket, but unlike the sleepers you arrange these yourself. The upper bunks fold back against the wall and the lower berths become seating for evening and morning use.
There are toilets and washrooms at the end of the corridor. Luggage goes in the compartment with you, on the overhead racks, under the lower berths, in the large recess above the door or on the floor. There's no catering car, so take snacks and a bottle of wine with you. An attendant travels with each pair of cars.
In the morning, a light breakfast of coffee, orange juice and snack is included in the fare, served by the attendant.
In couchettes, berths are sold individually, so one person = one ticket = one bed. A solo traveller who books one ticket gets one berth in a shared couchette compartment. Usually these are mixed gender (Promiscuo), but women travelling alone can choose a ladies-only compartment (Donna). If you book 4 people you'll get a whole compartment (cabina intera) to yourselves. There's also a fare for 3 people to have sole occupancy of a 4-berth compartment (a more spacious option than a 3-bed sleeper, arguably a better choice if your journey involves a significant daytime element). See a trip report video.
Above, a Comfort couchette car on the Milan-Palermo overnight train, boarding at Milan Centrale.
Route map
Green = scenic routes Red = high-speed line Map extract by kind permission of the European Rail Timetable people. I recommend buying this map for your European travels with shipping worldwide at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu. |
Travel tips
-
Daytime or sleeper?
The sleeper is the time-effective option taking little more time out of your day than 4 daytime hours of getting to an airport, checking in, going through all that airport security, the flight, then the trek into the city from the airport. The sleeper is more fun and saves a hotel bill. Depending what time sleeper you take and the time of year, you can experience the train ferry and see the great scenery between Messina & Palermo or Messina & Siracuse, even on a sleeper.
On the other hand, the day trains are cheaper and take you south from Rome & Naples along the coast to the 'toe' of Italy before going onto the train ferry to Sicily. Bring a good book, a picnic and a bottle of Chianti, and you'll have a blast.
-
1st or 2nd class?
On the Intercity trains, 2nd class is absolutely fine for most travellers, there's no need to go 1st class unless you don't mind the extra cost. But see what prices you get because with dynamic pricing 1st class often costs only a little more. 1st class means more leg and elbow room and usually a quieter environment, that's all.
1st class also gets you solo seats and tables-for-two on one side of the aisle, as seats are arranged 2+1 across the car width rather than 2+2 as in 2nd class. In fact, the solo seats and face-to-face tables-for-two are why I prefer first class if I'm travelling alone or with Mrs 61.
-
Forward-facing seats
The reservation system doesn't know which way round the car will be, so you can't select forward facing seats. However, Naples Centrale is a terminus so seats that face backwards between Rome & Naples will be forward-facing between Rome & Sicily. My advice for a couple or family is to book seats facing each other across a table. You can select seats from a seat map if you book using www.italiarail.com, www.thetrainline.com or Trenitalia.com.
-
Luggage
You can pretty much take any luggage you like, nobody cares how much it weighs or what size it is. You take it with you onto the train and put it on the luggage rack, there's plenty of luggage space in both classes. On the intercity trains, the racks above your seat take anything up to backpack-size, the racks at the end of each car will take large suitcases. More about luggage on European trains.
-
Power sockets & WiFi
There's no WiFi, but 4G/3G and sometimes 5G reception will work much of the way. Intercity trains have power sockets at seats in both classes, the sleeping-cars have a 220V outlet in the compartment, although this may go dead when the locomotive is changed, or on board the ferry.
-
Boarding your train
As with virtually all European trains, there's no check-in. Just stroll into the station, find your train and get on, any time before it leaves. The doors may be closed a minute before departure. See Rome Termini station guide. See Naples station guide. See Milan Centrale station guide.
-
Which side for the best scenery?
The coastal scenery is on the right hand side going south from Rome, left hand side going north from Sicily, although you cannot specify which side you sit as the reservation system doesn't know which way round the car will be. If going to Catania or Siracuse, the sea views with be on the left when going south from Messina, with views of Mt Etna to the right.
-
Food & drink, the most important tip!
Take a picnic and bottle of wine or some beer. This is the most important tip, as none of these trains have a restaurant or buffet car, though you'll find vending machines selling drinks and snacks in the service car of the Intercity trains. In sleeping-cars, a morning cup of tea or coffee and snack is included, but I recommend taking a picnic and bottle of wine.
-
On board the ferry between Villa San Giovanni & Messina
The ferry crossing between Villa San Giovanni & Messina takes 20 minutes, although shunting the train onto and off the ferry takes longer. On daytime crossings most people get off the train whilst it is on board the ferry and go up into the ferry's passenger accommodation, perhaps getting a coffee or sandwich from the cafeteria and going on deck for some sea air and the views. You can leave your luggage on the train, but should obviously take your valuables. On a sleeper train on a night-time crossing you can remain in bed on board the train whilst it is on the ferry, you do not have to get off unless you want to.
-
Do they run on time?
These trains can indeed run on time, surprisingly - but they can also run late, sometimes an hour or two. Don't stress, this is southern Italy where an hour or two doesn't matter. Just bear this in mind when arranging connections.
-
Interrail & Eurail
See the Interrail & Eurail reservations page for passholder reservation fees & how to make reservations.
-
The alternative: Direct ferries between Naples & Palermo
You can sail from Naples to Palermo by comfortable overnight ferry, with a or shared cabin with en suite shower & toilet, and there are restaurants and bars for an enjoyable evening on board. Ferries typically sail every day at around 20:00 and arrive around 06:30 in both directions. See www.tirrenia.it & www.snav.it for times, dates, fares & online booking.
Route map
Green = scenic routes Red = high-speed line Map extract by kind permission of the European Rail Timetable people. I recommend buying this map for your European travels with shipping worldwide at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu. |
Traveller's reports
Traveller Andrew Clayton reports: "We took the daytime InterCity train from Naples to Siracuse, having first loaded up with essential supplies (water, bread, cheese, wine etc.) as there is no catering on the train. Rather than buy at Naples Centrale where there's only limited food shopping, we went out of the station and found nearby shops that sold all we needed at much lower prices. There was attractive scenery - sea and mountains - almost all the way to Villa San Giovanni where the train is loaded onto the ferry to Sicily in two sections. We were in the last coach and discovered that, if you went to the end, you could look through a glass door to see the coaches go onto the ferry and be tied down. It is safe to leave large luggage on the train during the crossing when most people go up on deck."
Video: Loading the train onto the ferry