When it comes to traversing Italy at 300 km/h, Italo promises speed, style, and sophistication—but does it truly deliver, or is it all just an overpriced ride through the Italian countryside?

• Italo offers a fast and stylish way to travel across Italy, but its premium Prima Business Class feels underwhelming for the price.
• The Wi-Fi is difficult to access without a local number, leaving passengers offline despite high-speed promises.
• For a nearly identical experience, opting for the cheaper Smart Class may be the smarter choice.
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Right, so you’ve landed in Italy, the land of espresso, Aperol Spritz, and a distinct lack of diet inspiring meals. You’ve checked off the must-see landmarks: Milan’s glitzy Duomo, Florence’s Renaissance masterpieces, and Rome’s, well, everything. Now, there’s the matter of getting from point A to point B in style. Enter Italo, the high-speed train service that’s faster than an espresso shot and, in theory, just as smooth.

Italo is what happens when Italy mixes its flair for fast cars with trains. Since 2012, it’s been Europe’s first private operator of 300 km/h high-speed trains. Yes, you read that right—300 km/h. That’s not just fast. That’s “I forgot my sunglasses in Milan but I’m already in Florence” fast. Now, in the interest of experiencing this Lamborghini of the rails, we booked a couple of seats for the ride from Milano Centrale to Firenze Santa Maria Novella. It’s a two-hour blur across the countryside, promising more comfort than your average commuter train. But promises are made to be, well, adapted?

At the self-service kiosk, we had options. Italo’s ticket classes range from “Smart” (translation: you get a seat) to “Prima Business Class” (translation: you pay more for some legroom, Wi-Fi, and maybe a snack). The thought of reclining leather seats and enough space to swing a focaccia without smacking your fellow passengers was too tempting. So we coughed up roughly R2500 (for two, mind you) for the full Prima Business experience. After all, this is Italy. The land of excess. And Prada.

Prima Business Class has perks – or so they say. First, you get to skip the queues with a dedicated Fast Track entrance. Sounds fancy, but Italy isn’t exactly known for queue discipline to begin with. Then there’s the Wi-Fi – crucial for those Instagram stories and obligatory “my office for the day” laptop shots. Prima also promises reclining Frau leather seats. Reclining seats? On a train? Hold my Prosecco!

Tickets in hand, we’re as excited as a kid with an extra scoop of gelato. But as we drag our suitcases toward the platform, we hit the first minor snag. Italo, for all its high-speed glory, doesn’t offer the same level of thoughtfulness when it comes to boarding. Expect to hoist your luggage through a standard-sized door. And if you’ve over-packed (because Italy, right?), the overhead bins are only good for carry-on sized suitcases. Bigger bags? They go opposite the vending machines, in a space about as generous as a Fiat 500’s boot.

Now, about that Prima Business “snack service.” According to Italo, you’re welcomed onboard with a free beverage and a biscuit. What we got was a paper cup of water and juice (choices, choices) and a single, biscuit in a box. Hardly the feast we’d envisioned. It turns out the additional “snack area” consists of two vending machines offering premium-priced snacks and drinks. Fancy some overpriced Cola? Be our guest. Could we have picked up better priced drinks at a COOP before boarding? Absolutely.

Let’s talk about the Wi-Fi. Or rather, the lack of it. Italo’s complimentary Wi-Fi sounds great on screen. But here’s the catch – you need a local number or an international roaming plan to receive an SMS verification code. No local number? No Wi-Fi for you. After some fruitless conversations with the train staff, we resigned ourselves to offline mode. At one point, a kind fellow passenger let us use their number to get the Wi-Fi going, but by then, the train had made half the journey, and the need to upload content had long passed.

Now, we could have written off our Italo experience as a glitch. But in the spirit of content curiosity (and budget-consciousness), we gave Italo another shot – this time in Smart Class from Florence to Rome. Cost: R2000 for two. The verdict? Apart from the lack of vending machines, the experience was eerily similar to our pricey Prima Business outing. Same seats, same legroom, and yes, the same useless Wi-Fi. For half the price.

Here’s the thing: the train gets to its destination at the same speed, whether you’re sipping complimentary ice tea in Prima or munching on your Aldi-bought snacks in Smart. So, is the extra cash for Prima Business worth it? If you’re looking to feel fancy without much substance, sure. But for the rest of us, Smart Class offers practically the same experience for far fewer Euros (or Rands).

As Rory Sutherland, the Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK, likes to say in his keynote speeches: train companies should stop trying to shave minutes off the journey time and focus on improving the onboard experience. We couldn’t agree more. Who cares about hitting 300 km/h if you can’t stream a single reel along the way?

If you’re bouncing around Italy’s major cities and want a fast, reliable, and, dare we say it, stylish ride, Italo gets the job done. Just don’t expect the bells and whistles to blow your socks off – especially if you’re looking to connect with the outside world through its temperamental Wi-Fi.

Next time, skip the Prima Business Class fare, grab a Smart ticket, and pick up some snacks before you board. You’ll still enjoy the Italian countryside whizzing by, but with a bit more cash in your pocket for that extra scoop of gelato.

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