Review: Trenitalia Frecciarossa High-Speed Train Milan to Bologna

January 17, 2025January 17, 2025 Koen 0 Comments

This review details my journey from Milan to Bologna on a Trenitalia ‘Frecciarossa’ high-speed train.

By train to Milan and Bologna

After a lovely couple of hours on the shores of Lake Maggiore in Stresa, it was time to continue my train journey through Italy.

Sadly, my holiday based around the scenic trains of Switzerland and the North Italian lakes had come to an end, and all that was left was a trip down to Bologna, from where my flight home would depart.

To travel from Stresa to Bologna, I would first take a regional train to Milan, where I would then connect to a Frecciarossa high-speed train to Bologna.

borromean islands stresa lake maggiore — *Lago Maggiore’s Borromean Islands, as seen from the lakeshore in Stresa. ©Paliparan*

Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées Stresa — *The magnificent façade of the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées, one of the many fine grand hotels along the lakeside promenade of Stresa. ©Paliparan*

aperol spritz stresa travel — *Aperol Spritz hour in Stresa. ©Paliparan*

The route

In total, 300 kilometres of rail travel lay ahead of me today.

Although the first part of the journey would take me along the shores of Lake Maggiore, I knew the remainder would not offer the most exciting scenery, as the Po Valley, which dominates this part of northern Italy, is as flat as a pancake.

That said, I was still excited to travel, as a high-speed train journey is always enjoyable, even though I’ve travelled on Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa trains many times before.

map stresa milan bologna train — *Map showing today’s train journey: First by regional train on the railway line between Stresa and Milan, followed by a high-speed train from Milan to Bologna. ©OpenStreetMap/Paliparan*

Stresa to Milano Centrale by Train
Train RE 2431 – Departure: 3.23pm – Arrival: 4.35pm
Duration: 1h12m – Distance: 85 kilometres

On board the Milan to Stresa train

After a short wait at the railway station of Stresa, my train to Milan arrived at the platform, having commenced its journey 20 minutes earlier at its starting point in Domodossola.

These smart-looking double-deck regional trains, operated by Trenord and manufactured by Hitachi, provide ample seating and modern facilities.

Travelling with an Interrail pass in hand meant I could simply hop on the train, as seat reservations are neither required, nor possible in the first place.

Knowing that the railway line would hug the western shore of Lake Maggiore, I took an empty seat on the left-hand side of the train in the direction of travel to enjoy the best views.

Indeed, for the first part of the journey — roughly between Stresa and Sesto Calende — the views from the train across the lake and the hilly landscape are wonderful.

A few minutes before the train stops at the station of Arona, be sure to look out across the lake and try to spot the castle of Rocca di Angera on the opposite shore.

Once the train reaches Gallarate, one of the main stops on this regional route, the lovely lakeside scenery has long since given way to the towns and suburbs of the greater Milan urban area, Italy’s economic heartland.

After stops at Busto Arsizio and Rho-Fiera Milano, Milan’s trade fair and exhibition centre, we finally approached the massive railway statin of Milano Centrale.

As your train approaches Milano Centrale, be sure to look out for the large, disused signal boxes above the railway tracks, which are nearly a century old!

stresa train milan — *My train to Milan approaches the station of Stresa. ©Paliparan*

seats trenord regional train double upper deck — *Seats on the upper deck of the Trenord regional train. ©Paliparan*

village lake maggiore — *View from the train over one of the villages on the western shore of Lake Maggiore. ©Paliparan*

lake maggiore view — *There are some good views over Lake Maggiore when you travel by train from Stresa to Milan. ©Paliparan*

Rocca di Angera castle — *The castle of Rocca di Angera as seen from the train. ©Paliparan*

arona station — *Stop at the station of Arona. ©Paliparan*

outskirts milan — *Approaching the outskirts of Milan. ©Paliparan*

Milano Centrale

No matter whether it’s your first time arriving there or your 100th time passing through, Milano Centrale, Milan’s central railway station, never fails to impress.

Although Europe boasts many impressive train stations, few are built on as grand a scale as Milan’s central station.

Even though the railway station looks impressive enough when standing on the platform beneath the vast train shed, Milano Centrale’s most stunning features, in my opinion, are its grand staircases, which lead from the elevated platform level down to the magnificent façade at street level.

If it’s your first time departing from Milan’s central railway station, be sure to allow plenty of time, not only to admire its beauty but also to navigate your way to your train.

It certainly felt good to be back at Milan’s beautiful railway station, even though I have visited many times before, including at the start of this trip when I travelled by train rom Bergamo to Varenna.

milano centrale — *The impressive façade of Milano Centrale station. ©Paliparan*

milano centrale portico — *The portico of Milano Centrale. ©Paliparan*

milano centrale main station hall frecciarossa — *Inside the main hall of Milano Centrale. ©Paliparan*

station exit milano centrale — *Train departures board. ©Paliparan*

milano centrale station hall — *Few train stations have such an impressive scale as Milan’s central railway station. ©Paliparan*

milano centrale station — *The hall in front of the train shed where you’ll find the departure platforms. ©Paliparan*

Booking the train from Milan to Bologna

If you want to travel from Milan to Bologna by train, you can either take a Frecciarossa high-speed train operated by Italy’s national railway company Trenitalia or a high-speed train operated by the privately owned rival, Italo.

The high-speed trains of Trenitalia and Italo are highly comparable in terms of comfort, speed, and travel duration, so it’s best to simply choose the company offering the best price or the departure that best fits your schedule.

Italian high-speed trains, whether Trenitalia or Italo, are cheapest when booked well in advance, so it’s advisable to do so a few weeks or months ahead if you can.

Alternatively, Trenitalia also operates conventional InterCity trains between Milan and Bologna, as well as slower regional trains, and although these take much longer, they are often cheaper.

Interrail and Eurail passes are valid on Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa high-speed trains, although it is compulsory to make a seat reservation for passholders, which costs €13.

Interrail and Eurail passholders can best make seat reservations for Italian trains online at Rail Europe or, oddly enough, through the website of ÖBB, the Austrian Railways, as this cannot be done on Trenitalia’s own website.

Although you can make seat reservations at the station in Italy, there is always a slight risk that the train you want to board may already be fully booked.

However, if you’re flexible, this shouldn’t be an issue given the frequent departures on the main Italian high-speed railway axis from Milan to Bologna, Florence, and Rome.

italo high-speed train milan milano centrale — *Italo high-speed train. ©Paliparan*

trenitalia high-speed train milan frecciarossa — *A Frecciarossa ETR 1000 high-speed train of Trenitalia. ©Paliparan*

Boarding the train

Before you can reach the departure platforms of Milan’s central railway station, you first need to scan the barcode or QR code of your ticket at the entrance gates to open the barriers, although this is of course not required if you are connecting and arrive by train at one of the platforms.

The Frecciarossa, meaning “red arrow,” is the high-speed train brand of Trenitalia, and you can certainly see why it’s named like this by looking at the bright red colours of the train.

Note that Frecciarossa doesn’t refer to a specific train type, as the exact train operating your service depends on the route and departure.

My Frecciarossa high-speed train service from Milan to Bologna was operated by an ETR 500, made by Italian manufacturer AnsaldoBreda, which can reach an operational top speed of 300 kilometres per hour (190 mph).

milano centrale platform access — *Before you can access the platforms, you have to scan your ticket to open the gate barriers. ©Paliparan*

milan bologna frecciarossa high-speed train trenitalia — *The Trenitalia ‘Frecciarossa’ ETR 500 high-speed train I would take to travel from Milan to Bologna. ©Paliparan*

On board the Frecciarossa high-speed train

On the Frecciarossa high-speed train in Italy, there are up to four different travel classes:

– Standard
– Premium
– Business
– Executive

Standard class on the Frecciarossa high-speed train is similar to regular 2nd class and features seats arranged in a 2+2 configuration, typically in bays of four seats around a central table or as two-abreast seats.

Premium denotes premium 2nd class, and although the seat configuration is the same with an identical seat pitch and shoulder room, you receive a complimentary welcome drink (soft drink or coffee).

Another added benefit of Premium class over Standard class is that on ETR 500 high-speed trains, Premium class features leather seats while Standard class has cloth fabric seats, although on all other high-speed train types (ETR 600, 700, 1000) both Premium and Standard class have leather seats.

Business class on the Frecciarossa high-speed train is similar to first class, with seats in a 2+1 configuration, centred around a table in bays of four, as duo seats opposite each other, two-abreast, or as solo seats.

In business class, you receive a complimentary welcome drink (soft drink, coffee, or prosecco), some water, and a sweet or savoury snack.

Executive class, a premium first class, is perhaps the most luxurious way to travel by train not only in Italy, but across all of Europe.

All seats in executive class are large leather chairs in a 1+1 configuration, with drinks, snacks, and light meals of your choice from a special menu included in the fare, along with access to the FrecciaClub first class lounge at select stations in Italy.

No matter your travel class, you’ll always find a power socket at your seat on board a Frecciarossa high-speed train, along with Wi-Fi internet.

You’ll also find a dining car on Frecciarossa high-speed trains, where you can buy drinks, snacks, or light meals, though it functions more like a bar-bistro counter with high-top tables and a few bar stools instead of a proper sit-down service.

At both ends of each train carriage, you’ll find luggage racks for larger suitcases and backpacks, although most people simply store their bags by placing them in the storage space between the seatbacks or on the overhead racks above the seats to keep them close by.

standard class frecciarossa etr 500 high-speed train milan bologna — *Standard class on a Frecciarossa ETR 500 high-speed train. ©Paliparan*

premium class frecciarossa etr 500 high-speed train — Premium class has the same seating configuration as standard class, but on the ETR 500 high-speed train, the seats are leather-covered instead of cloth, and you’ll receive a complimentary welcome drink. ©Paliparan

business class frecciarossa etr 500 high-speed train milan bologna — *Business class on the Frecciarossa high-speed train has a 2+1 seating configuration, and you’ll also receive a complimentary drink and small snack. ©Paliparan*

executive class frecciarossa high-speed train — *Executive class on a Frecciarossa high-speed train. ©Paliparan*

bar-café wagon dining car frecciarossa high-speed train milan bologna — *The bar-café wagon on the Frecciarossa high-speed train. ©Paliparan*

Milano Centrale to Bologna Centrale by Train
Train FR 9811 – Departure: 5.30pm – Arrival: 6.42pm
Duration: 1h12m – Distance: 215 kilometres

Departure from Milan

As I had a first-class Interrail pass, I was able to travel in Business class on the Frecciarossa high-speed train from Milan to Bologna.

My train was a Milan to Pescara service, stopping along the way in Reggio Emilia, Bologna, Forlì, Rimini, Pesaro, Ancona, and San Benedetto del Tronto.

It would take 1 hour and 12 minutes for my train to cover the 215 kilometres between Milan and Bologna, although some services shave a couple of minutes off the total duration by omitting the stop in Reggio Emilia and running non-stop between Milan and Bologna.

As the train leaves Milan, passing secondary stations like Milan Rogoredo, the speeds remain relatively slow, but once the Frecciarossa hits the dedicated high-speed line to Bologna, it accelerates to its top speed.

The tray tables at each seat are firm and perfect for holding your laptop to work, although I simply used mine to place a can of beer and a cannoli I had bought earlier at the station to enjoy during the ride.

frecciarossa etr 500 high-speed train business class — *Walking into my business class carriage on the Frecciarossa high-speed train from Milan to Bologna. ©Paliparan*

business class seat frecciarossa — *I was seated in Business class for the ride to Bologna. ©Paliparan*

milano centrale railway tracks — *Riding out of Milano Centrale. ©Paliparan*

*Passing through Milano Rogoredo station. ©Paliparan*

beer cannoli — *Enjoying a beer and cannoli which I had brought along for the ride. ©Paliparan*

On-board service

In Business class on the Frecciarossa high-speed train, the fare includes a free drink, water, and a small snack.

You can choose between a sweet or savoury snack, and for the beverage, you can select coffee, a soft drink, or a small bottle of prosecco.

I usually skip the coffee as it reminds me of bad-quality airplane coffee, so if you’re after proper Italian espresso, head to the bar on the Frecciarossa train instead — even if you have to pay for your coffee here, it will be miles better in taste.

Instead, I of course went for the complimentary bottle of Prosecco and some nuts, which is certainly a nice little perk when travelling in business class on a Frecciarossa train.

business class frecciarossa train drink service — *Train attendant hands out drinks and snacks to passengers in Business class. ©Paliparan*

prosecco nuts business class frecciarossa high-speed train milan bologna — *Complimentary bottle of prosecco and some nuts. ©Paliparan*

High-speed travel

The high-speed railway line between Milan and Bologna may be one of the most unremarkable in Italy in terms of views, but the flat terrain does allow for high speeds.

For most of the train journey between Milan and Bologna, you either look out over the parallel motorway or have no view at all, as the views are often blocked by sound barriers needed to prevent noise pollution in the villages and towns along the railway line.

That said, I always find it fun when high-speed railway lines run alongside a motorway, as it’s interesting to compare speeds with the cars and see how your train is twice as fast.

milan bologna high-speed railway line train — *Typical view from the Milan-Bologna high-speed railway line. ©Paliparan*

high-speed railway line motorway milan bologna frecciarossa train — *For most of the journey, the railway line runs parallel to the main motorway. ©Paliparan*

On to Bologna

On the stretch between Milan and Bologna, my Frecciarossa train made a single stop at the parkway station of Reggio Emilia AV, which stands for Alta Velocità (high-speed).

Reggio Emilia AV is your typical high-speed railway station, not built in the centre of town like the city’s main station on the conventional railway line, but rather on the outskirts.

After the brief stop at Reggio Emilia AV, the train continued south along the Milan-Bologna high-speed railway line.

Although the terrain was gradually becoming more hilly, the views were mostly obscured by sound barriers.

It didn’t take long before we reached the outskirts of Bologna and pulled into Bologna Centrale, the city’s main railway station, and the final destination of my railway adventures across Switzerland and Italy.

*Reggio Emilia AV Mediopadana railway station. ©Paliparan*

sound barrier railway line — *Limited views due to sound barriers. ©Paliparan*

bologna railway line train — *Approaching Bologna. ©Paliparan*

Bologna Centrale

For a first-time visitor, Bologna Centrale can be a confusing station where finding your way can be rather tricky.

Bologna Centrale has both terminus and through platforms above ground, along with some underground through platforms, and the signposting isn’t always clear.

If you arrive by high-speed train, your train may stop at either the above-ground platforms or the underground platforms at Bologna Centrale, with the latter being the most common for trains along the main Milan-Rome high-speed railway axis.

terminus platforms bologna centrale — *Terminus platforms of Bologna Centrale. ©Paliparan*

Bologna Centrale to the airport

Bologna is a fantastic Italian city to visit, but sadly, I didn’t have time to head into the centre this time around as I needed to go straight to the airport.

The Marconi Express, an automated people mover, links Bologna Centrale train station with the airport, and while it’s fast and convenient, it’s quite expensive at €12.80 for a one-way ticket.

The Marconi Express station at Bologna Centrale is particularly tricky to find, and even though I’ve used it three or so times before, I still can’t locate the entrance on my first attempt and always walk in the wrong direction.

When you take the Marconi Express, you’ll often find a long line at the ticket machines, though you don’t actually need to use them if you don’t require a special group ticket or so, as you can also open the ticket barriers and pay with a contactless debit or credit card.

At Bologna Airport, which was especially crowded this early evening, I enjoyed a beer at the bar before taking my Wizz Air flight back home, which felt like a bit of a lowlight after all the great train rides I enjoyed during the trip.

marconi express bologna centrale airport — *The Marconi Express, an automated people mover, links Bologna’s railway station with the airport. ©Paliparan*

wizz air plane bologna airport — *Wizz Air plane at Bologna Airport. ©Paliparan*

Conclusion

My journey on a Frecciarossa high-speed train of Trenitalia from Milan to Bologna was quick and highly comfortable.

Whether you book your ticket in Standard class, opt for Business class, or indulge in the luxurious experience of Executive class, a journey through Italy on a Frecciarossa train is always a quality trip.

Although the views along the high-speed railway line between Milan and Bologna are rather boring, the trip on board the Frecciarossa passes quickly, making it the preferred way to travel between these beautiful Italian cities.

End of the trip report

The Frecciarossa high-speed train journey from Milan to Bologna marked the end of my train trip around Switzerland and the Italian lakes.

If you missed any of the previous chapters of this trip report, you can find the trip report index below.

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Trip report index

This article is part of the ‘Scenic Trains Around Switzerland and the Italian Lakes‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:

1. Bergamo: A Visit to Lombardy’s Beautiful Hilltop Town
2. Travelling From Bergamo to Milan by Train
3. From Milan to Varenna and Tirano By Trenord Regional Train
4. A Varenna Visit: A Day Trip to Lake Como’s Most Beautiful Town
5. Tirano: The Italian Gateway to the Bernina Railway
6. Bernina Express Train: Guide to Switzerland’s Most Scenic Railway
7. Review: Swiss InterCity (IC) Train Chur to Zurich and Basel
8. From Zurich to Geneva on a Swiss ICN Tilting Train
9. Cheap Geneva Hotel: Stay Across the Border in Annemasse!
10. Around Lake Geneva by Train: From Geneva to Montreux
11. A Visit to Montreux and the Freddie Mercury Statue
12. Golden Pass: Guide to a Scenic Railway Route Across Switzerland
13. Swiss Chique: The MOB GoldenPass Belle Époque Train
14. From the Mountains to the Lake: Zweisimmen to Spiez by Train
15. Spectacular Spiez: A Visit to a Scenic Swiss Town
16. Spiez to Interlaken by Train: A Trip on the Lake Thun Railway Line
17. Review: Interlaken to Lucerne by Zentralbahn Train
18. Lucerne: Exploring One of Switzerland’s Most Beautiful Cities
19. From Lucerne to Locarno: By Train Across the Gotthard
20. A Visit to Locarno and the Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso
21. Centovalli Railway: By Train From Locarno to Domodossola
22. Stresa: Grand Hotels, Lakeside Views, and the Borromean Islands
23. Review: Trenitalia Frecciarossa High-Speed Train Milan to Bologna (current chapter)