Paperwork
Always carry your passport with you when you travel. Unless you are crossing the border at Slovenia, you will not have to show your passport. But if the occasion arises when you need to identify yourself, showing a passport is the best way. Nowadays, most European Union nations have open borders, so you can cross into France, Switzerland or Austria without being asked to show any identity papers.
Around Italy
Trains run everywhere in Italy, so getting anyplace by train is not difficult. Parts of Italy have very rugged terrain, so many foreign travelers will be amazed and thrilled by the engineering skills involved in carving the train routes through mountainous terrain. Long trips within the country can be made easier by taking express trains between large cities and then changing to a local route to arrive at your final destination. Traveling from one end of the country to the other will take some time and involve several train changes, but a train window is a beautiful way to see Italy.
First or Second Class
Most Italian trains have first and second class seats. Second class tends to be more crowded, so you might want to opt for first class seats on some of the more popular routes. The difference in price is not that great. The premier Italian train line is called Eurostar. This line is a quick and efficient way to travel between cities and it offers first and second class seats. Furthermore, there are the Intercity Plus trains which run between major cities and also offer first and second class seats. And finally, there are the regional trains, which follow local routes but often offer only second class seats. These trains can be quite crowded during peak hours and holidays.
Eurail Pass
A Eurail Pass for Italy allows you from three to 10 days of unlimited train travel within a two-month travel period. You also can buy a Eurail Pass to cover all of Europe. The pass for the entire continent is a good deal if you plan to cover many countries during your visit. If you plan to stay in only one section of Italy during your visit, then it probably makes sense to buy train tickets as you need them. For those traveling to all corners of Italy, a Eurail Pass for just Italy can be very reasonable. These passes can be purchased for first or second class. You can receive a discount if you buy a pass for yourself and at least one other adult.
English Not Mandatory
In Italy, your ticket salesperson or conductor may not be able to understand English although they may be able to speak some French or Spanish, so be patient. Besides, it doesn't take much Italian to get around on the trains and if you insist on speaking English, you will still find some people who understand the language.
