Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Local Transport
Bus & Underground Trains
Every city or town of any size has an efficient
urbano
(urban) and
extraurbano
(suburban) system of buses. Services are
generally limited on Sundays and holidays. Naples and Catania also have a metro system.
Purchase bus and metro tickets before boarding. You must validate bus tickets on-board and metro tickets at the sta-
tion turnstile. Tickets can be bought from a
tabaccaio
(tobacconist), newsstands, ticket booths or dispensing machines at
bus stations and in underground stations, and usually cost around €1 to €1.50. Some southern Italian cities offer good-
value 24-hour or daily tourist tickets.
Taxi
You can catch a taxi at the ranks outside most train and bus stations, or simply telephone for a radio taxi. Note that radio
taxi meters start running from when you've called rather than when you're picked up.
Charges vary somewhat from one region to another. Most short city journeys cost between €10 and €15. Generally, no
more than four people are allowed in one taxi.
Train
Trains in Italy are relatively cheap compared with other European countries, and the better train categories are fast and
comfortable.
Trenitalia
( 89 20 21;
www.trenitalia.com
)
is the partially privatised, state train system that runs most services. Its
privately owned competitor
Italo
( 06 07 08;
www.italotreno.it
)
runs high-velocity trains on two lines, one between
Turin and Salerno, and one between Venice and Naples.
