By train from Munich to Rome: My experience, options, prices and more
✓ From Munich, you can reach Rome in roughly 9h and 30 Minutes, with one change of trains ✓ Tickets are available from around EUR 100 ✓ Here you will find tips and my personal experience ✓ On the way I recommend a stopover in Bologna or Milan ✓ Hotel recommendations in Rome near the train station ✓ From Rome you can reach many excursion destinations by bus and Reach the train - and travel further south by train, e.g. to Naples and Sicily.
Hey, I'm Matthias.
Travel and sustainability are my favorite topics - as an innovation manager in public transportation, as a tour guide, and through my website Pinguin-Ecotrips.de.
Last year, I traveled almost 17,000 km on long-distance trains - and I'm here to assist you in planning sustainable train travel across Europe.
Do you have suggestions or questions? You can reach me via Instagram Instagram and at matthias@pinguin-ecotrips.de
The links marked with an asterisk (*) are so-called affiliate links. If you click on such an affiliate link and make a booking or purchase via this link, I will receive a small commission from the provider concerned. The price does not change for you.
Übersicht:
1. Connections and travel times by train from Munich to Rome
1.1. During the day with one change in Bologna from Munich to Rome
From Munich, there are three daily Eurocity trains that go to Bologna in about 7 hours. Alternatively, there are a few more connections that require an additional change in Verona.
From Bologna you can continue to Rome in just over 2 hours with the modern high-speed trains from Italo or Frecciarossa.
All in all, these connections will get you from Munich to Rome in a travel time of around 9 hours 15 Minutes to 9 hours 30 Minutes.
In addition, Bologna is a destination on its own and well worth a stayover of one or two days.
1.2. By night train from Munich to Rome
With the night train "Nightjet", you can travel comfortably from Munich to Rome every day while you sleep and without having to change trains. It departs daily at 8:09 p.m. from Munich Central Station and reaches Rome at 10:45 a.m. in the morning. There are three comfort classes on the train: seats, couchettes and sleepers. Groups of 3 or more can also book a private compartment for a surcharge. The prices for train tickets from Munich to Rome vary depending on the booking period, but especially if you book early, you can travel from as little as 29.90 euros for a single journey.
The seated carriages on the night train from Munich to Rome are the cheapest travel option and can accommodate up to 6 people per compartment. In the couchette car, up to 6 people share a compartment with 6 couchettes - including blankets and pillows - and a simple breakfast is also included in the price. The most comfort is offered in the sleeping car, in which up to 3 people can travel per compartment - in addition to a comfortable bed, there are also towels, a welcome bag and an à la carte breakfast. In addition, the compartments can be locked and for a surcharge you can even book a deluxe compartment with a private bathroom including toilet and shower.
You can easily book the night train eiher on nightjet.com, or on raileurope.com (*)
Comfort on board, prices and booking
2.1. Comfort on board the trains to Rome
On your journey to Rome you will be traveling on different trains on each section of the route.
On the train route from Munich to Bologna, you will travel in Eurocity trains, which are similar to old Intercity trains in Germany. Here you will find comfortable seats on which the journey can be endured, but e.g. no WiFi and no on-board restaurant. However, there is a minibar service at board: the employees regularly go through the trolleys and sell drinks, fresh coffee and small snacks.
In Italy you can then continue either with the Italo or the Frecciarossa train. Both trains are comparable to the German ICE and offer Wifi for all travellers. There are 3 comfort classes in the Italo: Smart, Ambiance Prima and Club Ambiance. The Frecciarossa has 4 comfort classes: Standard Class, Premium Class, Business Class and Executive Class.
First to the Frecciarossa: Standard Class is similar to 2nd class in the German ICE. So does the Premium Class, only with more space for luggage and free drinks. Business Class is comparable to 1st class in the German ICE, with 3 instead of 4 seats per row, and additionally with free drinks and snacks.
And the most expensive class is Executive Class - with only 2 seats per row and a multi-course meal served at your seat.
Wifi is free in all train classes and there is an on-board bistro with food and drinks.
Now to the Italo - in which I traveled from Bologna to Rome: The smart class in the Italo is comparable to 2nd class in German ICE trains and offers a pleasant travel experience. Comfortable leather seats recline, Wifi is free for all travelers, and Smart class passengers can buy drinks, coffee and snacks from vending machines on the train.
Prima class is comparable to 1st class in Germany, but with drinks and snacks. In addition, the Club Ambiance class offers comfortable leather armchairs with more space.
2.2. Fares on the night train to Rome
The prices for train tickets from Munich to Rome can vary greatly depending on the booking period. If you book about 3 months in advance, you can already book the entire route for a fare of about 100 euros one way. If you book at short notice, you can expect up to EUR 150 for the route from Frankfurt am Main to Rome, for example.
There is a bit more variation on fares if you choose to book the night train: Here, prices can start at 29,99 EUR if you choose the seated car and book early, or they can go up to 200 EUR if you book a cabin in the sleeper car on short notice.
2.3. Booking the train to Rome
You can book some of the connections from Germany to Rome via bahn.de (*) - you can easily find the connections using the search mask below.
However, you will find the largest selection of connections, also for the domestic Italian sections, on the two booking portals trainline.com (*) and raileurope.com (*).
3. A stopover in Bologna
On my way from Munich to Rome in June '23 I made a stopover in Bologna. The city is just great and full of history and cuisine.
What to expect in Bologna:
The landmark are the Due Torri, the two most famous of the medieval towers typical of Bologna. The larger of the two - the Torre degli Asinelli(*) - you can climb over 498 steps and have a great view over the entire city from the top. You can only book tickets for this online. If you book via getyourguide.com (*) you will also receive 2 vouchers to taste local specialties in Bologna.
The center of the old town is the Piazza Maggiore with its city palaces and the Cathedral of San Petronio. The city palace Palazzo d'Accursio with its clock tower Torre dell'Orologio is located directly on the Piazza Maggiore. During my visit to Bologna, I visited this clock tower instead of the Torre degli Asinelli and was amazed by the great view over the Bologna rooftops and onto the Piazza Maggiore. Just a few hundred meters from here you will also find the Basilica of Santo Stefano, a complex of several impressive Romanesque churches.
If you want to immerse yourself in the history of Bologna, you can also do so on a guided walking tour with a local guide (*) - or on a city tour by bike (*).
On the other hand, you can discover the culinary sides of Bologna on a guided foodie tour(*) through the city.
3.1. By train from Munich to Bologna:
From Munich there are three daily Eurocity trains that go to Bologna in about 7 hours. For example, you can start in the morning at 07:34 at Munich Central Station and arrive at 14:10 in Bologna Centrale. You can book tickets directly via the bahn.de search mask:
3.2. Accommodations in Bologna
My personal recommendation: The Unahotel Bologna Centro right by the train station (*)
During my stay in Bologna I stayed at the Unahotel Bologna Centro(*).
This 4-star hotel is perfectly located directly opposite the train station. The furnishings are modern, the rooms are large and bright and in the morning there is a varied breakfast, also with regional products - in good weather you can also sit in the inner courtyard.
Also close to the train station is the accommodation Maglo Centrale (*), a friendly furnished and inexpensive guest house.
3.3. Continue by train from Bologna to Rome:
From Bologna you can travel to Rome in about two hours with the modern high-speed trains from Italo or Frecciarossa. Several trains per hour run between the two destinations. You can easily book tickets from 30 euros per person via RailEurope.com (*) or Trainline.com (*).
4. Accommodations in Rome
Of course, in a metropolis like Rome you have a huge choice of hotels - but I have put together three recommendations for you that can be reached quickly from Roma Termini train station, where you arrive by train.
The Hotel Giolli Nazionale (*) is a classic 3-star hotel in Rome, suitable for travelers who want centrality and comfort. It is close to the train station and can be reached on foot in 15 minutes. It is also 200 meters from the subway and a few minutes' walk from the Trevi Fountain.
La Casa di Amy (*) is a small, charming guesthouse in Rome, run by a private owner. It is only 200 meters from the train station and offers comfortably furnished rooms from around 130 euros per night.
Roma Central Guest House (*) is a cheap and centrally located guest house run by a private owner. It is only 10 minutes from the train station and offers cosily furnished rooms from around 100 euros per night.
5. Further destinations by train from Rome
Rome is an ideal starting point for further destinations in southern Italy:
Naples is only a stone's throw away from Rome - you can reach the exciting city in just over an hour from Rome Termini (*) train station. You can find out more about the train journey to Naples here.
From Rome you can also reach Sicily by train - so you can get to Messina in Sicily (*) several times a day with the Intercity in a good 8 hours (*) - and from there on to Palermo and Syracuse.