One of the Christmas gifts to Italians was the Sicilian Express. The low-cost train will travel during the Christmas holidays and connect Northern and Central Italy to Sicily. The train also opens its doors to our dear friends.

The train will leave on December 21st from Turin and will cross Italy, up to Syracuse and Palermo, with discounted fares (€29.90 one way, the same return). On January 5, the train will return towards Turin. During the journey, passengers will enjoy cultural and gastronomic experiences that celebrate the authenticity of Sicily, thanks to masterclasses. There will also be artistic performances and the participation of influencers and well-known figures from the Sicilian scene. The initiative was presented in Milan by the regional councillor for Infrastructure, Alessandro Aricò and the CEO of Treni Turistici Italiani (FS Group), Luigi Cantamessa.

The new Sicilia Express, with two restaurant cars and 544 seats, was created in collaboration with the regional Infrastructure and Mobility department of the Sicilian region. It aims to offer a new way of travelling that combines slow, sustainable, quality tourism with the beauty of train travel. It is an alternative to the disproportionate prices to reach Sicily from northern Italy for the Christmas holidays.

You will be allowed to bring your pets on the train for free. There are also two restaurant carriages on the train, where typical Sicilian food and wine products will be served throughout the journey. Tickets to travel on board the Sicilia Express will be purchased on 3 December on the website www.fstrenituristici.it and all Trenitalia sales channels, apps, station ticket offices, and self-service. The initiative’s website is siciliaexpress.eu.

The stops: Turin Porta Nuova; Novara; Milan Porta Garibaldi; Parma; Modena; Bologna; Florence S.M.N; Arezzo; Rome Tiburtina, Salerno; Messina. Once it reaches the other side of the Strait, the convoy will be divided into two sections: one in the direction of Palermo with stops in Milazzo, Capo d’Orlando, Santo Stefano di Camastra, Cefalù, Termini Imerese, and Bagheria, and a direct one to Syracuse, which will stop in Taormina, Giarre R., Acireale, Catania, Lentini, and Augusta.

“The regional government – ​​says the president of the Sicilian Region, Renato Schifani – is implementing every possible intervention to support all those Sicilians, workers or students, who by choice or necessity live in Northern Italy and wish to reach their loved ones to spend together the Christmas holidays. So, after the measures against high flight prices, which we intend to strengthen shortly, we have also decided to support this initiative. The hope is to repeat this experience also in other periods of the year.”