Exploring Italy on Italo Trains

Italy’s new high speed rail marvel, the Italo train, is at the center of a 14-day comprehensive Italy package from TourCrafters, entitled the Highlights of Italy.

Perfect for first time travelers to Italy, the package calls at Venice, Florence, Rome and the Amalfi Coast. The privately owned Italo train has added a new level of competition to the rail scene in Italy. That competition is reportedly improving service on the government owned Trenitalia.

The Italo line uses Alstom’s AGV high speed trains with a double-decker configuration that can travel commercially at about 220 miles an hour, but maintains an average of 187 mph. Take a look at the train in action below.

The rail tour can be taken from either direction, Venice to Rome or vice versa, with daily departures from $2,925 land only per person double through Oct. 31. The package uses three-star Superior hotels includes daily breakfast. Transportation between cities is in second class. Italo trains offer three service levels ranging from Club class to Prima class to Smart class.

All classes promise complimentary live Sky TV, movies and free Wi-Fi as well as Frau leather seats. Primo Class offers air-conditioning, reclining seats and catering by Eataly.

In Venice, the package includes a walking tour and two nights in either the three-star Santa Chiara or the four-star Carlton & Grand Canal; in Florence there are four nights at either the three-star Porta Faenza or the Hotel Kraft as well as a cooking class, a full day excursion to the Cinque Terre and a full day excursion to Siena and San Gimignano; in Salerno, a transfer to Amalfi and the Grand Hotel Excelsior is provided for a three-night stay; and finally, there are four nights in Rome, at either the three-star Hotel Quattro Fontane or the four-star Hotel Quirinale, with a 48-hour Hop On Hop Off tour, as well as a walking tour and a departure transfer from the hotel to the airport.