Northern Italy enjoys one of Europe's densest rail networks, and a car is genuinely unnecessary for most touristic itineraries. Frecciarossa services link Milan to Venice in 2 hours 30, Milan to Bologna in 1 hour and Milan to Turin in 1 hour. The high-speed network makes a hub-and-spoke routing very efficient. Milan Central is the regional pivot: every major axis converges on Lombardy, and a one-hour change in Milan opens up Venice, Turin, Bologna, Genoa and the lakes on a single through ticket. Italo, the private operator, competes with Trenitalia on the Milan-Venice and Milan-Bologna axes — compare both platforms before booking, especially with a few weeks' lead time.
From Venice, regional trains reach Verona in 1 hour 10, Padua in 30 minutes and Treviso quickly. To reach the Cinque Terre from Venice, the cleanest route goes via Milan and Genoa for a total of 3.5 to 4.5 hours depending on the connection. From Milan, the direct service to La Spezia takes 2.5 hours with a change in Genoa or via Pisa. Genoa's Cristoforo Colombo airport (GOA) is a useful gateway for the Cinque Terre with direct flights from Paris (1 hour 50) and a shuttle or train into La Spezia in about an hour. Travellers landing at Pisa (PSA) can be in La Spezia in an hour by train from Pisa Centrale, directly across from the airport terminal.
In the Cinque Terre, the regional Cinque Terre Express is the only practical way of moving between villages — it runs every 15-30 minutes and stops at Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. The Cinque Terre Card includes unlimited rides on this service for one or three days. Seasonal boat services (run by Navigazione Golfo dei Poeti) link the villages from spring to autumn and offer a perspective no train can match. A car is genuinely a liability here: the access roads are narrow and winding, parking inside the villages is impossible, and you end up on an expensive shuttle bus from a hillside car park. If you arrive by car, leave it in La Spezia and switch to the train.
Within Venice, the ACTV vaporetto is the only public transport on water. Line 1 follows the Grand Canal end to end and is the tourist favourite; line 2 is faster but stops less often. Single tickets cost €9.50 (75 minutes), a 24-hour pass €25 and a 72-hour pass €45. Gondolas are reserved for special occasions (€80 for 30 minutes during the day, €100 after 19:00). On foot, Venice is tiny — 30 minutes will take you from end to end. From Marco Polo airport, the Alilaguna water-bus reaches the city centre in 1 hour 15 for €15; a private water taxi is quicker (30 minutes) but a hefty €100-130. The ATVO or ACTV bus shuttle into Piazzale Roma — Venice's only road terminus — takes 20 minutes for €8.
Read also
- Venice, La Serenissima — Canals, Gothic palaces and an atmosphere unique to the city built on water.
- Cinque Terre, the Riviera villages — Manarola, Vernazza, Riomaggiore: five villages clinging to the Ligurian cliffs.
- Italy — Complete country guide: entry rules, regions, budget and when to visit.
- Central Italy — Rome, Florence and Tuscany: the historical and artistic heart of Italy.