Rome to Venice in six days, by train
Italy’s classic first trip on high-speed rail: three cities, two train rides, and the bookings that actually need doing in advance.
onesim team
This is the route most people take on a first visit to Italy, and it works because the trains do: Rome, Florence and Venice sit on the same high-speed line, city centre to city centre. Six days is comfortable. The itinerary below is an illustration of pacing rather than a fixed plan, and the map is a sketch, not geography.
The route
- 1
Rome · Days 1–3
Land, get to your neighbourhood and do very little on day one. Book the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums online with a timed entry; same-day tickets are rarely available in season. Trastevere is where to spend the evenings. Buy your onward train ticket in the Trenitalia or Italo app the moment you know your day.
- 2
Florence · Days 3–5
About an hour and a half from Roma Termini on a Frecciarossa or Italo, arriving at Santa Maria Novella a ten-minute walk from the Duomo. The centre is walkable end to end. Reserve the Uffizi and the Duomo dome climb ahead. A half day in Siena or the Chianti hills fits easily on day four.
- 3
Venice · Days 5–6
Roughly two hours on from Florence, straight into Santa Lucia station on the Grand Canal. Buy a vaporetto pass rather than single tickets. Give one evening to the quiet streets of Cannaregio or Castello after the day visitors leave.
Booking the trains
Two operators run high-speed services on this line: Trenitalia (Frecciarossa and Frecciargento) and the private Italo. Both sell tickets in their apps and websites, and prices rise closer to departure, so book each leg as soon as your dates are fixed. Seats are reserved and luggage travels with you in the carriage. Regional trains also run on both legs and are cheaper but considerably slower.
| Leg | Operators | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
Roma Termini → Firenze S.M.N. | Trenitalia Frecciarossa, Italo | About 1 h 30 |
Firenze S.M.N. → Venezia S. Lucia | Trenitalia Frecciarossa, Italo | About 2 h 05 |
Venice’s access fee
Venice charges day visitors an access fee on peak dates. In 2026 it applies on 60 days between 3 April and 26 July, mostly Fridays to Sundays plus holiday weeks, between 08:30 and 16:00, and costs €5 if booked early or €10 close to the date. It covers the historic centre only, not Lido, Murano or Burano. If you are staying overnight in Venice you are exempt, but on those dates you still need to register for an exemption through the city’s portal, so do it when you book your room.
Staying connected between cities
Italy is in the onesim Europe plan, so one package covers all three cities and the trains between them. Coverage follows the Italian networks along the rail corridors; expect short drops in the longer tunnels on the Bologna–Florence section, which affect every operator. If your trip continues to France or Switzerland, both are in the same plan and your allowance carries over.
Book before you go
- Both train legs (Trenitalia or Italo app)
- Colosseum and Vatican Museums timed entry
- Uffizi and Duomo climb in Florence
- Venice access-fee payment or overnight exemption if your dates fall in April–July
- onesim Europe plan installed over Wi-Fi at home
