This was published 1 year ago
Train review: Rail is better in Europe? Next time I'll take a bus
Second class carriages have blue vinyl seats in a 2-2 layout, plus a single seat in the last row. Credit: iStock
THE JOURNEY
Roma Termini Station to Civitavecchia on Trenitalia's Regionale Veloce train, with a scheduled time of one hour and one minute.
THE CLASS
I'm in "Ordinaria" second class, travelling on an unreserved ticket, booked on the Trainline app. There is no first class on this train.
CARBON EMISSIONS
The CO2 emissions from this 60-kilometre train journey are 0.85 kilograms for one passenger. A car ride would produce three kilograms, a flight 17.38 kilograms.
BOARDING
I walk to Roma Termini, the main train station in Rome, from a nearby hotel. It's one of the busiest train hubs in Europe; up to 800 trains arrive and depart every day for all corners of Italy and beyond.
There's a McDonald's, but why would you when the station's vendors offer delicious local cuisine? Headlined by Mercato Centrale, a wonderland of counters selling regional products and ready-to-go refreshments - everything from gelato to steaming bowls of truffle pasta - this has to be one of the best stations in the world for hungry travellers. There's also a small department store, Coin, with sunglasses, clothes, cosmetics and souvenir gifts.
Digital display boards list dozens of departures. Unfortunately, mine is cancelled, as are the next three trains to Civitavecchia. I join a queue to speak to the station attendant, who explains there's a widespread train workers' strike today. Skeleton crews will operate a starkly reduced schedule.
By the time the next train is ready for boarding, two hours later, there are hundreds of people pushing to get on. It's hot, chaotic and jam-packed, as I attempt to keep an eye on my suitcase and handbag. Nobody checks tickets. Passengers sit in the aisles and crowd the doorways. Not exactly living la dolce vita.
THE SEAT
Second class carriages have blue vinyl seats in a 2-2 layout, plus a single seat in the last row. I'm facing two other passengers, who graciously contort themselves to make room for my suitcase. There's a narrow tray table attached to the window frame and luggage racks overhead. There's no Wi-Fi. For those who prefer more comfort in first class, Le Frecce high-speed trains service the route every few hours and offer two classes of travel.
BAGGAGE
The limit on luggage each passenger may bring on board is technically three items, though limits are rarely if ever enforced on regional trains. The challenge is finding space to store it in a packed-to-the-rafters carriage.
FOOD + DRINK
No cafe cars on local trains. Pick up a drink or snack at the station.
ONE MORE THING…
In Italy, where rail workers' strikes are common, trains are delayed as frequently as bolognese sauce is paired with spaghetti. If you're booked on a cruise embarking from Rome, it will depart from Port of Civitavecchia, 60 kilometres from the Italian capital. Plan to arrive at the terminal hours before the scheduled cruise departure. That way, you'll probably make it in time.
THE VERDICT
A chaotic, overcrowded start to a delightful, relaxed cruise. Next time, I'll spring for a shuttle transfer from Rome.
OUR RATING OUT OF FIVE
★
The writer travelled at her own expense.
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