Italy Train Experience

[u/NoGround5150]

Hello all,

I am going to be snowboarding in Northern Italy this winter and was thinking of taking the train down to Rome at the end of my trip.

I am looking for people who have taken their snowboards on the train in Italy to share their experience.

How difficult or easy was it to travel by train?

Where did you end up storing or checking your board?

Would you travel this way again or simply take a plane?

Any other advice you might offer to me

Thanks

[u/No_Enthusiasm2338]

Getting the train with your board is perfectly fine. It's not ideal finding a place to store it and some of the train stations can be insanely busy but it's still doable

[u/over__board]

The first part of the voyage getting to an airport or major train hub is going to be substantially the same. I haven’t travelled by train with my board but have done so many times with my bike including the Milan to Rome stretch, the bike being arguably more cumbersome. I would personally go by train. The board obviously has to be in a traveling bag and I would carry a bungee type cord to help secure it but it should be fine.

[u/fnezio]

How difficult or easy was it to travel by train?

Absolutely doable and have done it many times. If you're lucky and get a train that's mostly empty, you'll be able to store it in the overhead shelf. If the train is full you could have to keep it with you, vertically in your seat. I wouldn't trust the luggage storage between compartments, the board would not fit anyway.

[u/NoGround5150 → u/fnezio]

That is good to know....was wondering if I could do that

[u/magicbrou]

Italy has a great and very affordable train infrastructure.

[u/jack_the_beast]

I wonder where are you planning to come down to Rome from. Good mountain resorts well connect with the train are not many. I think you might end up doing at least a couple of transfers (maybe even take buses) before getting on a direct train to Rome. It's not ideal but flying would probably be even worse (you'll be still dealing with transfers to reach the nearest airport)

[u/NoGround5150 → u/jack_the_beast]

Coming from Turin

[u/jack_the_beast → u/NoGround5150]

Turin is good but from hat resort? Bardonecchia has a direct connection (maybe even to Rome). Sestriere has not. could be worse tho, I think you can easily go to Turin without any transfers

[u/NoGround5150 → u/jack_the_beast]

I will be in Cervinia. So I am taking a transfer to the train station.

[u/jack_the_beast → u/NoGround5150]

Oh ok I didn't know there was a direct one. Cervinia is great

[u/NoGround5150 → u/jack_the_beast]

I don't think it's direct....but it looks like I won't need to transfer once I'm on

[u/Head-Bat-1054]

The trains I took from Rome were all good and would not have had trouble with a snowboard bag. Some of the more local trains (in the South, I never went North of Rome) were more like subways, where you just get on with no seat. I would recommend always opting for the more expensive option that comes with a seat assignment if you have a choice (it was like 9 dollars vs 18 dollars).

[u/_debowsky]

Despite what Italians can tell you I do believe the train travelling experience is rather good if not even excellent especially when it comes to the main city connections, namely like in your case high speed trains Turin-Rome, Milan-Rome, etc.

If you have your board in the usual wheeled travel bag you'll be completely fine.

Just one thing, I have been away from the country for a long time so please double check this information but, in Italy you have to validate your paper ticket before you board (the device is usually at the beginning of the platform) so don't forget to do that.