How to Reach Italy

The Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino International Airport in Rome, Pisa Galileo Galilei International Airport in Pisa, Florence Amerigo Vespucci Airport in Florence, Malpensa International Airport in Milan, and Palermo International Airport in Sicily are major international airports in Italy. These airports handle flights from European cities as well as international destinations. Travelers looking to explore Tuscany region can take flights to Pisa or Florence, while those planning to visit Amalfi Coast can land at the airport in Naples. Air France, Lufthansa, British Airways, Swiss International Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic are major international airlines serving Italy. Domestic flights in Italy are handled by Meridiana and Blue-Express airlines.

Travelers can board a train from most European destinations to reach Italy. While train station in Milan serves as a primary hub for destinations like lakes and the Italian Alps. Rome is a major train station for central and southern Italy. The train network in Italy is well-maintained and reliable. Trenitalia – Italy’s primary train operator – runs both long-distance and regional trains in Italy. Tickets can be booked online and there are three fare classes. Roma Termini, Torino Porta Nuova, Napoli Centrale, Milano Centrale, Venezia Santa Lucia, Firenze Santa Maria Novella, and Bologna Centrale are the busiest train stations in Italy.

Italy also has rail links to adjacent countries of Austria, France, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Vatican City. Eurocity and Euronight are international trains to reach cities like Vienna, Paris, and Barcelona.

Reaching Italy by road is not the most convenient way to travel for non-Europeans. Italy borders France, Austria, Switzerland, and Slovenia. All borders, except for border with Switzerland, are open (without customs checks). Roads in northern and central Italy are well-developed and form a dense network whereas roads in southern Italy have less extent to remote destinations.

Eurolines operates regular buses between Slovenian coastal towns and Trieste in Italy. Buses from Trieste to the rest of Italy are plentiful and reliable. Public transport is also available from Italy to Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland.  Travelers can book bus tickets online before boarding and validate it on an onboard machine. To help ease city tours, major cities in Italy have some kind of a City Card. Cardholders can take local public transportation and enter a number of museums after paying a onetime fixed-fee.