Espresso Riviera: a new exceptional train between Nice and Milan

Written by Tolt

Published on August 5, 2024, modified on May 14, 2025

We were on board the inaugural Nice-Milan run of the Espresso Riviera, the new tourist train from FS Treni Turistici Italiani, and it was exceptional! Dates, prices, how to book... We'll tell you all about it below.

May 13, 2025 update: during summer 2025, from July 4 to Saturday August 30, 2025, the Espresso Riviera will also run between Rome and Marseille! Departures will be every Friday from Rome Termini, with a return trip every Sunday evening, linking Rome to the Côte d'Azur via Marseille!

FS Treni Turistici Italiani, What is it?

FS Treni Turistici Italiani is the new subsidiary of the Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane group (literally translated as the "Italian State Railways"). It was created in July 2023 through another subsidiary, Fondazione FS Italiane, whose mission is to promote and preserve the group's historical and industrial heritage. It can be hard to understand all this administrative complexity if you're not a specialist, so to make it short, FS Treni Turistici Italiani belongs to the same group as Trenitalia and was created to offer a new range of purely tourist trains, more upscale, and to put the journey back at the heart of the trip.

Look how it shines!

In order to achieve this, the company has beautifully renovated old trains, giving the passengers a sense of jumping back in time, but without losing comfort and maintaining high standards. Another highlight is that most of the locomotives used by the company are electric.

Espresso Riviera: the new train between Nice and Milan

On August 3, 2024, the young railway company launched a new daytime line linking the capital of Lombardy to the Côte d'Azur. If you too, would like to experience something quite exceptional, here's all the information you need.

Timetables, frequency and cities served

From August 3 to September 1, 2024

The train leaves Milano Centrale station on Saturdays and Sundays at 7:35 am, arriving in Nice-Ville at 1:58 pm. The train also stops in Menton at 1:26 pm.

In the opposite direction, the train leaves Nice-Ville station at 5:12 pm, stops in Menton (departure 5:37 pm), and arrives in Milan at 11:40 pm.

In addition to Pavia and Genoa (where you can finish your journey if you wish), the route passes through Varazze, Savona, Albenga, Alassio, Diano, Imperia, Sanremo, Bordighera and Ventimiglia. But beware: in these towns, only boarding is possible.

From September 8 to 29, 2024

The train no longer serves the Nice and Menton stations but continues to run between Milan and Ventimiglia. It is possible to take a TER tain to reach France.

How much do tickets cost?

Despite a rather high-end stance, tickets are quite affordable if you book at least 48 hours in advance:

• 54.50€ for second class (maximum price = 109€)
• 69,50 € for first class with dinner + aperitif or breakfast included (maximum price = 139 €)

How much does a meal cost on board?

As you probably saw from the photo at the top of this article, the main attraction of this train is its magnificent dining car, where you can enjoy a meal while admiring the passing landscapes. We don't recommend it, but it is of course possible to reserve a seat in second class and pay for your meal separately. The daily menu (primo piatto + secondo piatto + side dishes + dessert) will cost you €45 in addition to your ticket. The children's menu costs €25.

As for drinks, you'll find bottles of wine (37.50 cl) between €9 and €12, as well as a selection of beers (€5.50) and non-alcoholic beverages.

During our trip, we sampled various Ligurian wines, and tried shrimp cream risotto, tomato basil caserecce, sea bass fillet, and Ligurian-style rabbit with vegetables and gratinated eggplants. The price-quality ratio is honestly very good.

For dessert, it was biancomangiare and fruit salad 🤤

How to book tickets?

Reservations can only be made on the FS Treni Turistici Italiani (unfortunately only available in Italian or English), by e-mail (info@fstrenituristici.it) or by telephone (+39 337 1481776) from Monday to Friday between 9am and 1pm.

What are the different levels of comfort?

First-class carriages

The 4-seat compartment, spacious and very comfortable

Here, you’ll find compartments with 4 or 6 seats. As the carriages have been freshly renovated, it’s a mix of vintage and modern for a very comfortable journey. The compartment is equipped with 4 USB sockets and 2 L-type sockets that work for most French devices. Small tables can also be unfolded. Please note that there is no Wi-Fi on board and the journey goes through many tunnels, so it's best to plan offline activities.

Second-class carriages

In the second-class carriages, you'll also find six-seat compartments, but they are significantly less spacious.

It's not so easy to stretch out your legs!

Another interesting point: there is also a carriage without compartments, which allows access for people with reduced mobility. If this is your case, make sure to inform the company in advance so they can notify the departure and arrival station teams to prepare the necessary equipment.

Ideal if you want to make the trip with a hundred friends