About Railways in Italy
Italy’s railways once had a reputation for dirty trains, routine delays, and poor service, but they have improved rapidly in recent years.
In 2001, the Italian State Railways was fully privatized by separating infrastructure management from train operations. Infrastructure management was transferred to Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI), while train operations were transferred to Trenitalia. However, the Italian State Railways did not cease to exist as a company and continues to operate as the holding company of RFI and Trenitalia.
For ordinary travelers who are not railway enthusiasts, it is perfectly fine to think of it simply as having changed to Trenitalia through privatization. As a small piece of trivia, however, it may be worth remembering that the “FS” symbol comes from the abbreviation for the “Italian State Railways” (Ferrovie dello Stato).
On this website, too, “Italian State Railways” is placed before the model designation when introducing Trenitalia rolling stock.
About Italo
Opened in 2012, this high-speed railway is distinguished by its deep, wine-red trains. It primarily serves lucrative routes such as Milan–Rome and Venice–Rome, putting it in direct competition with Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa. This is hardly surprising, as it shares the tracks managed by RFI with Trenitalia. What would be unthinkable in Japan is happening here in reality.
This cannot be explained simply by the “separation of infrastructure and operations.” Italo was able to enter the market because of the so-called “open-access law,” enacted to liberalize rail transport across Europe.
Although the infrastructure and train operations had been separated, RFI remained part of the same corporate group as Trenitalia and certainly did not welcome Italo’s entry into the market. RFI therefore delayed the launch by repeatedly raising objections to alleged flaws in Italo’s procedures and even engaged in blatant obstruction by initially permitting it to use only suburban stations as terminals. (Italo now uses the same terminal stations as Trenitalia)
Italo’s entry into the market probably also contributed greatly to the improvement of Trenitalia’s rail services.
Trenitalia train categories
Trenitalia's 3 flagship premium train categories include Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, and Frecciabianca. Their Italian names mean “Red Arrow,” “Silver Arrow,” and “White Arrow,” respectively. They are Trenitalia's “three arrows”. (Following the colors of the Italian flag, they could just as well have been “red,” “white,” and “green,” but perhaps “red,” “silver,” and “white” have some cultural significance.)
The maximum operating speed is 300 km/h for Frecciarossa, 250 km/h for Frecciargento, and 200 km/h for Frecciabianca, with neat increments of 50 km/h between them. On the same route segment, fares also rise in line with maximum operating speed: the shorter the journey, the higher the fare.
However, since Frecciarossa, Frecciargento and Frecciabianca generally operate on different routes, apart from some sections, they cannot simply be compared with the Tokaido Shinkansen services Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama.
Trenitalia collectively refers to Frecciarossa, Frecciargento and Frecciabianca as “Frecce.”
Below the “Frecce（Frecce）” are the express trains called “InterCity（InterCity）”, with “InterCity Notte（InterCity Notte）” as their overnight service.
There is the “Regionale” as an ordinary all-stations train, and at the same fare there is the faster so-called rapid service, “Regionale Veloce”.
| Name | Meaning and characteristics |
|---|---|
| Frecciarossa | Red Arrow (maximum operating speed 300 km/h) |
| Frecciargento | Silver Arrow (maximum operating speed 250 km/h) |
| Frecciabianca | White Arrow (maximum operating speed 200 km/h) |
| InterCity | Express train (daytime) |
| InterCity Notte | Express train (overnight) |
| Regionale | Local train (all-stop) |
| Regionale Veloce | Local train (rapid) |
Other service categories include the international EuroCity trains and their overnight counterpart, EuroNight.
Trenitalia’s high-speed trains
Italian State Railways ETR450 class (FS Class ETR 450)
This was the first mass-produced Pendolino. “Pendolino” refers to a tilting-body rail vehicle developed in Italy, an indispensable technology for the Italian railways winding through mountainous terrain. The history of high-speed rail in Italy is the history of the Pendolino.
It entered commercial service in 1988 and was retired in 2015.
Its charming shape and historical significance give it something in common with Japan’s 0 Series Shinkansen. (The 0 Series entered service in 1964, so the periods in which they played an active role differ greatly.)
Italian State Railways ETR460 class (FS Class ETR 460)
This is the 2th generation of the Pendolino. Although it is an older train, it still operates today as the Frecciabianca (“White Arrow”).
Following the ETR450 type, it was developed and manufactured by Fiat’s railway division (Fiat Ferroviaria).
Italian State Railways Class ETR600 (FS Class ETR 600)
This is the 3 generation of the Pendolino. It operates as “Frecciarossa (Red Arrow).” (The paint scheme in the photo is not “Frecciarossa.”)
Pendolino was meant to be a symbol of Italian railway technology and a prized national asset. Unfortunately, Fiat’s railway division was acquired by France’s Alstom, so the ETR600 class became a train developed under the Alstom name.
Ironically, the ETR600 (Alstom Nuovo Pendolino) became a global hit, expanding into markets including China, Spain, Switzerland, and Poland.
Italian State Railways Class E414 (FS Class E.414)
A new high-speed line called Direttissima was built, making body tilting unnecessary on certain sections. The ETR500 type was developed to achieve even higher speeds as a “high-speed rail vehicle that is not a Pendolino.” It is a power-concentrated vehicle.
The E414 class is the renamed version of the 1-generation ETR500 class, distinguishing it from the 2 generation. It is used for Frecciabianca (“White Arrow”) services. (The livery shown in the photo is not the Frecciabianca livery.)
Italian State Railways ETR500 class (FS Class ETR 500)
It is the ETR500 type, from the 2 generation.
It operates under the name “Frecciarossa” (Red Arrow).
The ETR500 and ETR1000 types are shown side by side.
Italian State Railways ETR1000 class (FS Class ETR 1000)
Alongside the ETR500 class, it operates under the “Frecciarossa” (Red Arrow) brand. Its maximum operating speed is 300 km/h, while its design speed reaches 400 km/h.
It is manufactured by Hitachi Rail Italy, a subsidiary of Hitachi. Like the Shinkansen, it uses distributed traction.
It was also once known as the ETR400 class (ETR 400), but the designation ETR1000 class (ETR 1000) now appears to be used consistently, including on the official Hitachi Rail Italy website.
It is also sometimes called “Frecciarossa 1000.”
The striking shape combined with the paintwork brings to mind a “giant caterpillar.” As the coupling cover opens and closes, it looks as though it is drilling a hole straight into the platform.
The multi-lens headlights look stylish, although they also bear a certain resemblance to an insect’s eyes.
Trenitalia’s standard railway carriages
Italian State Railways E402 class (FS Class E.402)
Despite its appearance, this electric locomotive is capable of medium- to high-speed operation and mainly hauls “InterCity” passenger coaches.
Italian State Railways Class E464 (FS Class E.464)
The E464 class consists of standard electric locomotives that haul passenger coaches for the “Regionale” train category.
Italian State Railways MDVC type
The “TE” marking on the side indicates an electric locomotive. A “TD” marking would indicate a diesel locomotive.
It is a pastoral scene, far removed from a world with a maximum operating speed of 300 km/h.