Rome to Florence to Milan by Train with Luggage: Frecciarossa and Italo Rules and Hotel-to-Hotel Delivery

Taking the train from Rome to Florence with luggage is easy on paper: Frecciarossa and Italo high-speed trains cover it in about 1.5 hours, and Florence to Milan takes roughly 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. Trenitalia's current conditions let you bring luggage free of charge with no fixed size or bag limit, as long as it fits in the luggage spaces, while Italo caps bags in its Smart class at 75 × 53 × 30 cm. The real problems are rack space, crowded stations and cobblestones, which is why many travellers send their big suitcases from hotel to hotel instead.

Key takeaways

• Frecciarossa (Trenitalia) and Italo both run Rome–Florence in about 1.5 hours; the fastest Rome–Milan trains take about 2 hours 50 minutes.
• Trenitalia's national conditions of carriage (updated 24 September 2026) let you carry luggage free as long as it goes in the dedicated spaces, and set no number of bags or size limit.
• Italo luggage also travels free, but bags larger than 75 × 53 × 30 cm aren't allowed in Smart class; Prima Business and Club Executive take large suitcases.
• On both operators you are responsible for your own bags, and space on the luggage racks is first come, first served.
• A same-day delivery service such as LuggAgent can collect your bags from your Rome hotel in the morning and deliver them to your Florence or Milan hotel that evening; most services need to be booked at least 24–72 hours in advance, and the exact cutoff is shown on the booking page.

Rome to Florence to Milan by train: Frecciarossa vs Italo

For the classic Rome–Florence–Milan route, the high-speed train is the obvious choice: city centre to city centre, with no check-in. Two companies share the tracks: Trenitalia, the state operator, runs the Frecciarossa trains, and Italo is a private competitor with its own fares and luggage rules.

Leg	Typical journey time	Frecciarossa (Trenitalia)	Italo
Rome → Florence	About 1.5 hours	100+ trains a day, first around 05:10 from Rome	Frequent trains from Roma Termini
Florence → Milan	About 1 hr 45 min–2 hr	Up to 80 trains a day, stopping at Bologna	About 16 trains a day each way
Rome → Milan (direct)	From about 2 hr 50 min	Up to 100 trains a day; fastest non-stop about 2 hr 50 min	Direct trains; check Italo for times

A Frecciarossa 1000 on its way between Milan and Rome, passing Firenze Statuto. Photo: Moliva / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Rome to Florence

Trenitalia advertises Rome–Florence in "just over an hour and a half"; Italo quotes about 1.5 hours to Firenze Santa Maria Novella. Fares on both are dynamic, so check Trenitalia and Italo early.

Florence to Milan

Florence to Milan takes about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, with most trains stopping at Bologna and some at Reggio Emilia AV. Italo lists about 16 trains a day in each direction; Trenitalia lists up to 80 Frecciarossa trains a day between Milan and Florence.

Which stations to use

In Rome, both operators use Roma Termini, and some trains also call at Roma Tiburtina. In Florence, high-speed trains use Firenze Santa Maria Novella, a short walk from the Duomo. In Milan, Frecciarossa trains use Milano Centrale and some call at Porta Garibaldi; Italo uses Milano Centrale and Rogoredo. Pick the station closest to your hotel.

Frecciarossa luggage rules: is there a limit on bags?

No fixed limit applies today. Under section 4.1 of Trenitalia's national conditions of carriage (Part II, updated 24 September 2026), you may bring luggage and other easily carried items free of charge, provided they go in the dedicated spaces. Bulkier bags may be tolerated if they don't obstruct or harm other passengers, get in the way of staff or damage the train. If your luggage causes serious disturbance or exceeds what's allowed, you can be fined and must take it off at the next stop.

Standard-class seats on a refurbished Frecciarossa ETR 500. Photo: Deejay.Enjoyer76 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0

Where suitcases go on a Frecciarossa

Trenitalia's class pages mention space for bags under the seats in Standard, and luggage space under the seats, in the overhead racks and in floor-level luggage racks in Premium on the Frecciarossa 1000. In practice, a 28-inch suitcase only fits in the floor-level racks, and those fill up fast on busy trains. Trenitalia also states that your luggage is always in your own custody; it offers free theft insurance for luggage on board some categories of train, subject to limits and conditions.

The 2024 "two-bag rule" that never took effect

Some articles still say Frecciarossa passengers may bring only two bags. Trenitalia announced that limit for 1 March 2024, then suspended it hours before it started after complaints from consumer groups. The current conditions contain no such limit.

Italo luggage rules: the 75 × 53 × 30 cm Smart class limit

Italo's luggage page says your luggage travels free and you can carry as many items as you need, but the limits depend on your class. In Smart, Italo's standard class, bags larger than 75 × 53 × 30 cm aren't allowed; in Prima Business and Club Executive, large suitcases are accepted. Oversized or bulky items and non-folding bicycles aren't allowed on any Italo train.

An Italo AGV 575 high-speed train at Roma Termini. Photo: Rob Dammers / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

Italo sorts bags into three sizes:

• Small: under your seat or with you.
• Medium: only in the overhead racks, which are up to 53 cm high and 42 cm deep.
• Large: in the luggage racks in the passenger area or vestibules, at the ends of the coach.

Italo's own luggage leaflet warns that rack space is limited and recommends travelling with medium-sized bags. Bags may never be left in front of the doors or in the aisle.

Frecciarossa vs Italo luggage rules side by side

The short version: Trenitalia gives you more flexibility on size, Italo gives you clearer numbers, and neither guarantees you a spot for a big suitcase.

Rule	Frecciarossa (Trenitalia)	Italo
Cost	Free	Free
Number of bags	No fixed number; must fit in the luggage spaces	No fixed number
Size limit	No figure in the conditions; bulkier bags tolerated if they don't obstruct	Smart class: max 75 × 53 × 30 cm; Prima and Club Executive: large bags accepted
Where big suitcases go	Floor-level racks (Premium mentions them explicitly); under-seat and overhead space for smaller bags	Racks at the coach ends or in vestibules
Who is responsible	You; free theft insurance on some train categories	You

Changing trains at Termini, Santa Maria Novella and Milano Centrale

Most of the hassle happens in the stations, not on the train. Roma Termini, Santa Maria Novella and Milano Centrale are crowded and known pickpocket spots, especially when you're juggling a suitcase and a phone; our safety guides below cover theft prevention in detail.

Travellers with suitcases in the Galleria delle Carrozze at Milano Centrale. Photo: Gunnar Klack / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Tips for a smoother station day:

1. Arrive early. Platforms are often shown on the departure boards only shortly before departure, so be ready to move quickly.
2. Board as soon as the doors open to get a space in the floor-level racks.
3. Choose a seat near the end of the coach, where you can see your suitcase, and use a cable lock.
4. Keep passports, cash and valuables on you, not in the suitcase on the rack.

Florence's last mile: cobblestones and pedestrian streets

Florence's historic centre is compact but paved largely with uneven stone, and the streets around the Duomo are mostly pedestrian, so a taxi may drop you a short walk from your door. Many small hotels and apartments are up several flights of stairs with no lift.

How to send luggage between Rome, Florence and Milan: hotel-to-hotel delivery

The easiest way to do Rome, Florence and Milan with big luggage is to send it ahead and ride the train with a daypack: no race for rack space, free hands in the stations and no cobblestones.

Option	How it works	Timing	Best for
Take it on the train	Free on Frecciarossa and Italo; you lift and watch it yourself	Same train as you	One medium bag per person
Trenitalia Bagaglio Facile	Trenitalia's courier service with partner Zyppy, address to address	Express delivery within 24–48 hours; book at least 24 hours ahead; pickups Monday to Friday	Flexible itineraries with a spare day
Same-day hotel delivery (LuggAgent)	Leave bags at hotel reception in the morning	Delivered by 21:00 the same day	Moving between hotels on a fixed date

LuggAgent offers same-day luggage delivery between Rome, Florence and Milan: choose a pickup time between 09:00 and 11:00 when booking, leave your bags at your hotel front desk before then and send a photo to customer support, and they're delivered to your next hotel by 21:00 (by 18:00 with priority delivery). Long-distance routes need more time between pickup and delivery, which is shown when you book, and bags are photographed at pickup and delivery.

How it works:

1. Book online; most services need to be booked at least 24–72 hours in advance, and the exact cutoff is shown on the booking page.
2. When booking, choose a pickup time between 09:00 and 11:00; on travel day, leave your bags at your hotel's front desk before that time and send a photo to customer support. You don't need to wait for the driver. At an Airbnb or apartment, the driver meets you in person.
3. Take the Frecciarossa or Italo with just a daypack.
4. Your bags arrive at your next hotel's front desk by 21:00, with a delivery email and photo.

Each bag can be up to 180 cm (length + width + height) and 32 kg; oversized items such as golf bags can be up to 250 cm and 25 kg.

For the first leg of the classic itinerary, from your Rome hotel to your Florence hotel:

For the second leg, when you move on from Florence to Milan:

If you land at Fiumicino and go straight to Florence (the Leonardo Express reaches Termini in 32 minutes, then you change to a high-speed train), you can hand your bags over at the airport and pick them up at your Florence hotel:

For all European city-to-city routes and delivery times, see the Europe cross-city luggage delivery page.

Book luggage delivery

FAQ

How long is the train from Rome to Florence?

About 1.5 hours on a high-speed train. Trenitalia advertises "just over an hour and a half" on the Frecciarossa, with more than 100 trains a day, and Italo quotes about 1.5 hours from Roma Termini to Firenze Santa Maria Novella. Florence to Milan takes about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.

Is there a luggage limit on the Frecciarossa?

Not a fixed one. Trenitalia's conditions of carriage (updated 24 September 2026) allow free luggage as long as it goes in the dedicated spaces, with bulkier bags tolerated if they don't obstruct anyone. A two-bag limit announced for 1 March 2024 was suspended before it took effect and isn't in the current conditions.

What size suitcase can I take on Italo?

In Smart class, bags can be up to 75 × 53 × 30 cm. Prima Business and Club Executive accept large suitcases, and luggage is free in every class. Medium bags go in the overhead racks (up to 53 cm high and 42 cm deep), and large bags go in the racks at the coach ends.

Can I reserve luggage space on Italian high-speed trains?

No. Neither Trenitalia nor Italo lets you reserve rack space, so it's first come, first served. Board early, sit near the end of the coach and keep an eye on your bag, because both operators say passengers are responsible for their own luggage.

Can I send my luggage from Rome to Florence the same day?

Yes. With LuggAgent, choose a pickup time between 09:00 and 11:00 when booking, leave your bags at your Rome hotel's front desk before then, and they're delivered to your Florence hotel by 21:00 the same day (18:00 with priority delivery). Most services need to be booked at least 24–72 hours in advance; the exact cutoff is shown on the booking page.

Cover photo: PROPOLI87 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0