Just like all European nations, Italy has a great railroad network and an extensive fast train system with very frequent departures (for instance from the central station in Rome "Termini" to Florence there are more than 50 departures a day!) The system is such that conceivably you could travel all over Italy just by train. Check out train schedules on the TreniItalia great website (in english).
Be aware of the following:
- There are several types of train, regional, intercity, etc. classified based on how quickly they travel between the major train stations (and how many stops they make along the way).
- You do NOT need a reservation to take a train. A reservation would only ensure you have a seat assigned.
- Mostly, reservations are for seats in first class. Some trains do have reservations for 2nd class. Check them out. Reservations can be done a few days in advance if so desired.
- In general, there is NO need to buy a train ticket in advance (and pay a surcharge). You can simply purchase one at a station, and, if there is a line up, use the automatic vending machines (you can select your language).
- When you take the train, you may want to consider spending a few more euros and travel in "first" class. That simply means that you will have a reserved seat (it is worth for long trips and between major destinations).
- When you have the ticket, make sure you validate it on one of the small yellow validating machine that are everywhere in train stations. When the train is moving, a ticket inspector will most likely check everyone's ticket, and if yours has not been validated, you will be paying a fine..... It is simple......Remember: The ticket you have purchased is not valid UNLESS validated BEFORE stepping on the train. It is still surprising and sad that many tourists are left with a bad memory of Italy simply because they did not go through the very simple step of validating their ticket before stepping on a train and hence ended up paying a steep fine.