The best way to travel anywhere domestically in Europe is by high-speed train. Hands down. France was the forerunner of the high-speed train movement, with the birth of the Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV) in 1981. Much of Europe has since caught on, including Italy. The Eurostar Italia high-speed train runs the Milan-to-Rome route in exactly 3 hours and 30 minutes 18 times a day. The high-speed ES Italia reaches speeds of 186 miles per hour and offers comfortable, quiet seating (much more comfortable than economy class on a plane). The high-speed trains, however, cost 75 euros per person one way in 2009. If price is a major deterrent from convenience, consider booking the intercity trains that run at half the price (45 euros in 2009) and twice the time (6 hours and 20 minutes). The timetable for intercity trains is spaced at much greater intervals than the ES Italia. Discount rates are available for online booking, though tickets can be purchased at the train station. Visit the Italian Railway's website (ferroviedellostato.it) for timetables and rate deals.
Only about 10 percent of Milan-Rome travel is done by air, for while there are multiple airports in both Rome and Milan (Fiumicino and Ciampino in Rome, and Malpensa and Linate in Milan), the airfare between tends to be varied and oftentimes expensive. EasyJet provides the best deal from Malpensa to Fiumicino (40 euros in 2009). Checked baggage, however, costs extra, as does the bus or car transportation needed to get to the airport and city center (nearly 40 minutes). Ryanair also offers low fares; the route, though, flies from Bergamo (outside of Milan) to Ciampino, requiring not only extra cost in transportation to get to and from the airport but also extra time and wait. Other air options, though much more expensive, include Alitalia, AirOne and Lufthansa.
Would you believe that even with high-speed trains and taxi-like plane service people still rely on wheels to get from Milan to Rome? Nearly 60 percent of the Milan-Rome commute happens by car. Car rentals are available for pickup in Milan and drop-off in Rome. The price began at an average $40 U.S. per day in 2009 (minus insurance). Consider booking a car rental ahead of time online at retailers such as AutoEurope.com to save money and quote prices. Buses run from Milan to Rome, but they take between 6 and 7 hours and do not save travelers much money in the long run. Visit the Interbus website (interbus.it/) for more information.
The word "best" is often a difficult descriptor to define; best for who? For price? Time? Or fun? Perhaps the best also can be the worst in one of the above categories; but undoubtedly the most extreme way to get from Milan to Rome is a 15-day bike tour. This transportation is not for the weak at heart nor for the weak in budget ($900 U.S. per person in 2009). A good traveler knows, however, that the trip does not start at the destination, but at the departure. Visit the "Biking tours" link in Resources below for more information.
