The word "frecce" means "arrow" in Italian, and Trenitalia's Frecce trains are its fastest line of high-speed trains.
Today's high-speed trains may not sound like they've got the same romance as what we imagine 19th century European train travel had, but there's no denying the benefits of modern technology on the Italian rail infrastructure. The country's high-speed trains connect Italy's major cities, with even more routes under construction and in the planning stages.
Trenitalia's high-speed Frecce trains are also called Alta Velocità (AV), and are broken down into three categories: Frecciarossa (“Red Arrow”), Frecciargento (“Silver Arrow”), and Frecciabianca (“White Arrow”). Frecciarossa trains are the fastest of these, reaching speeds of up to 190 MPH (300 km/h). Italo's high-speed trains are even faster, operating at speeds up to 220 MPH (360 km/h).
The AV train network connects Turin, Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, and Salerno. Italo's network, which operates on a different set of rail lines, connects Turin, Milan, Venice, Padua, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, and Salerno. These routes make it possible to consider day trips from Milan to Rome or Rome to Naples despite the great distances. Italy's high-speed trains help evoke the 19th century romance of rail travel, albeit at 21st century speeds.