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Roma / Rome to Messina by train
How to take the fabulous railway journey by day from Rome/Roma to Messina
Europe's last remaining train ferry service is used by the direct trains as they cross from the Italian mainland to the island of Sicily.
Also once the train is south of Salerno, this becomes Europe's most stunningly beautiful coastal railway journey!
Though an alternative to taking the direct trains is to use a combination of a train and a fast ferry, and taking this option has become easier recently, thanks to an increase in the number of rail + sea connections.
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Routes
From Roma Termini to Messina Centrale
Journey Summary
8hr 4min (approx)
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Palermo/Siracusa
All trains also call at: [Villa San Giovanni](/train-travel-info/countries/italy/cities/villa-s-giovanni-for-fast-ferries-to-sicily/rail-stations/villa-s-giovanni)
The Alternative Journey option:
You can travel from Roma to Messina in around less than 7 hours if you take one of the now much more frequent Frecce trains from Roma to Villa San Giovanni and then connect there into a fast ferry for a 20 minute crossing to Messina.
Though will also need to purchase separate tickets for the fast ferry, book the rail journey to Villa S.Giovanni
2 x trains per day
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 3 months ahead of the travel date
These Intercity are the only direct trains from Rome to Messina and they are usually scheduled to depart from Roma Termini at around 07:26 and 11:26.
If you use the 'other search options' link on the home page, you can access the 'solutions without changing' facility, which will make these direct trains easier to find.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Italiarail | from €19.90 | |
| Trenitalia | from €19.90 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
The InterCity train will be loaded on to a train ferry for the sea crossing to Sicily, the ticket price includes the ferry crossing.
This is now the only train ferry service in Europe used by daytime trains.
The air-conditioning etc will be disconnected when the engine is separated from the train on arrival at Villa San Giovanni, so in summer temperatures on the train will rise.
The fascinating procedure in which the train is pushed on the ferry should take around 25 minutes.
For the 40 min sea crossing you can leave the train and travel on the passenger deck on the ferry; in the summer you'll be relieved to escape the heat.
Take food and drink with you on this journey, there are no on-board catering facilities available on Intercity trains.
Step on board and experience one of Europe's most beautiful and fascinating 'train' journeys.
So fabulous that the part of the journey south of Naples, which equates to 90% of the trip, has been included on The Guardian's pick of the world's best rail journeys.
There are great coastal views for much of the train journey south of Napoli if you are sat on the right (when facing the direction of travel).
The train will reverse direction on departure from Napoli.
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