Transportation
Buses
Good coach services run between cities and towns and there are also
good local bus services. A major Italian company that operates throughout
the country is called SITA S.p.a., Viale
dei Cadorna 105 - 50129 Firenze. Tel 055 214721, Fax 055 284661,
www.sita-on-line.it
Railways
The Italian railway network, managed by the Ferrovie dello Stato(FS)
is the State Railway, spans over 16,000 km. Connections with France
run along the Nice-Ventimiglia-Genoa coastline and through the Frejus
tunnel via Modane, Bardonecchia, and Turin.
The lines from Switzerland run through the Sempione Pass tunnel and
across Ticino Canton from the Chiasso border crossing towards Milan.
The Brennero and Tarvisio lines link Italy to Austria and then to
central and western Europe. There are also a few private railway companies.
The rail network is adequately developed and widespread, especially
between major urban centers and tourist areas. The railway is connected
to the two main islands, Sardinia and Sicily, by means of ferries
departing from Civitavecchia (Rome) and Villa San Giovanni (Reggio
Calabria). The fastest trains operate on the networks between the
major cities while the regional trains are fairly slow. It is also
fairly cheap and efficient.
For more information, see the Ferrovie dello
Stato Online website, including routes,
timetables of trains in Italy and online ticket
office - www.fs-on-line.com.
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Domestic Flights
There are many domestic links between the Italian airports.
Domestic service is operated by Alitalia
and a few affiliated companies. Flights can be booked at ticket counters
in major cities and at authorized travel agencies. Recently, Alicard
was introduced: a credit card valid for domestic Alitalia flights
that offers discounts and other advantages. Airport check-in time
for domestic and international flights varies from 30 to 60 minutes
before boarding.
For information, call 800-050350. Alitalia's main office is in Rome,
at Viale Alessandro Marchetti phone 06 65621. To book domestic flights
call 147-865641, to book intentional flights call 147-865642.
Alitalia's website: www.alitalia.it
Ferries
Italy has a total of almost 8,490 Km./ 5,275 miles of coastline, including
the peninsula itself and all the numerous islands in the seas around
the country.
There are many services linking the islands by sea to the mainland:
the main links are by car ferries and hydro-foils. In addition, ships
from all the countries around the Mediterranean are moored in the
well-equipped Italian ports. The main Italian ports of embarkation
for the large islands of Sicilia and Sardegna are Genova, Livorno,
Civitavecchia, Fiumicino, Napoli and Villa San Giovanni.
The primary companies operating on these routes are Ferrovie
dello Stato, Tirrenia Navigazioni,
Grandi Traghetti, Trans
Tirreno Express, Moby Lines, and
Sardinia Ferries.
Bookings can be made and tickets purchased at authorized travel agencies.
Connections are more frequent during the summer and on holidays.
Routes and timetables of ferries in Italy - www.traghetti.com
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