If your vacation to Italy centers around Umbria, which of course we think it should, getting here is relatively easy. With its position in central Italy, between Tuscany and Lazio (the province of Rome), Umbria is served by regional trains to whichever city or medieval town will be their base — Orvieto, Assisi, Perugia and Spoleto are all popular choices. We cast our vote for Allerona as the perfect base to exploring southwestern Umbria, but we’ll get to that later!
Most visitors to Umbria start their journeys from someplace else in Italy; most often Rome or Florence. So here’s a closer look at how to get to Umbria from Rome or Florence, plus tips on how to make the “getting there” part as smooth as possible.
Getting to Umbria by Train
Because Umbria doesn’t have any really big cities, we’re not served by the Frecce fast trains (except for an occasional route between Florence and Perugia). Instead, getting to Umbria by train means taking an Intercity or Regionale Veloce train. These trains are slower and older than the sleek Frecce fleet, and make more stops along the way. In truth, there’s nothing sexy about them, but they’ll get you where you want to go, eventually.
Taking the train from Rome to Umbria
Travelers arriving from the US and other international points or origin are most likely to enter Italy at Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport (FCO). From there, they have to take a train to central Rome and then another train to their destination in Umbria.
The Rome airport train is delightfully called the Leonardo Express. After you exit through baggage claim, look for the signs directing you to the train station — there’s a train symbol on the sign. Keep following those indications until you get to the FCO train station, where there’s usually a Leonardo waiting.
You can buy tickets at a serviced window or from one of the machines at the station, but I always like to purchase mine in advance via the Trenitalia app. I usually do this right as my plane has landed, before I even disembark. If you use the app, you’ll receive an e-ticket via email, as you will if you buy tickets in advance on the Trenitalia website. Otherwise, the Trenitalia staffer or the machine will issue you a paper ticket. Whichever you have, you have to scan the QR code at the turnstiles in order to access the train platform. The Leonardo trains are clearly marked but if in doubt, there’s a digital display board that tells you which platform the next Leonardo train will depart from.
The 30-minute, non-stop ride currently costs €14 per person, one way, and takes you to Rome’s Termini station, from where you can catch your train to Umbria. At Termini, you can buy tickets from machines at the station, via ticket windows (where there is usually a very long line) or again, via the Trenitalia app, which is my preferred method.
From Termini, there are direct trains (meaning you won’t have to switch trains en route) to the Umbrian cities of Orvieto, Perugia, Assisi, Spoleto, Spello and Narni-Amelia. With a change of trains in Orte or Terni, you can reach other smaller towns in Umbria. In many places in Italy, Umbria included, the train station is often in the lower town and not within walking distance of the centro storico — ie., the part you want to be in. Buses and funiculars usually connect the train station to the historic towns, or you can take a taxi.
Taking the train from Florence to Umbria
If your trip to Umbria originates from Florence, the capital of Tuscany, you’re essentially taking a southbound train instead of a northbound one from Rome. Trains from Florence to destinations in Umbria depart from Santa Maria Novella station or, less frequently, from Firenze Rifredi, a truly dismal station (apologies to any Rifredi fans out there) outside the centro. From Florence, there are several daily direct trains to Orvieto and Perugia, as well as a few directs to Assisi and Spello. Reaching anywhere else in Umbria from Florence involves at least one change of trains.
Pros and cons of traveling to Umbria by train
Here are a bunch of good reasons to travel to Umbria by train:
- Low cost. Regional Italian trains are cheap — usually no more than €25 and often more like €10 per person
- Low stress. When you take the train, you don’t have to worry about navigating in and out of cities or braving the autostrada.
- Sustainable. Taking the train is a green form of travel — plus it’s fun!
- Convenient. Trenitalia serves most cities and towns in Umbria, though some places require two or more trains to reach.
Here are the downsides of getting to Umbria by train:
- City-to-city travel is challenging. It’s easy to get to a starting point in Umbria; a little harder and more time consuming to get from small town to small town via train.
- Train travel can be slow. Trains get delayed, sometimes by a lot. Train travel in Italy requires patience and flexibility. (But when it works, it’s great!)
- Luggage weighs a lot. Train travel is easy when you’re traveling light. If you’re loaded down with a lot of luggage, it can be a drag — literally.
Getting to Allerona by train
Villaggio Tours is based in Allerona, which is located in the far southwest corner of Umbria. For guests flying into Rome or staying there for a few days before they join one of our tours, we offer complimentary private transfer from either FCO or your hotel in central Rome, starting from the first day of the tour.
If you’re coming to Allerona from elsewhere in Italy, or you’re coming a few days early or staying a few extra days after the end of your tour, you have two options by train: the stations of Orvieto or Allerona Scalo. The latter is the lower town, set about seven kilometers south of Allerona Paese, the medieval village that’s the base of our tours. There are just a few direct daily trains from Rome or Florence to Allerona Scalo, and more to Orvieto, which is a bigger, busier station. Whichever you choose, we’ll be available to pick you up or drop you off free of charge.
If you join one of our tours, you absolutely won’t need a rental car while you’re with us. Transportation to all tour-related activities and venues is included in our fully escorted tours. We have comfortable vans and drivers who take care of negotiating the narrow streets of medieval towns and dealing with parking fees. That means our guests get to enjoy an extra glass of wine, relax, and let someone else do the driving.
