92% occupancy rate in 2025. The numbers speak for themselves: the Espresso Riviera has found its audience, and they can't get enough! Launched in 2024 by Treni Turistici Italiani (a tourism branch of Trenitalia specializing in historical routes), this line winds between Marseille and Rome, showcasing the most beautiful Mediterranean coastal landscapes and has quickly won over travelers looking for a romantic alternative to flying. Vintage carriages, sleeping compartments for one or two people, cozy private lounges with meal service: on board, you travel like in a bygone era, with the added comfort of modern amenities! Its journey? It all starts from the Saint-Charles station in Marseille, the train hugs the coast all the way to Menton, passing through Toulon, Saint-Raphaël, Cannes, Nice, and Monaco, covering the most stunning railway kilometers in France. Once past the border, it's on to the Ligurian Riviera: Ventimiglia, Sanremo, Imperia, Genoa, before the Roman terminus at Termini.
2026: a longer, more frequent season
Building on its success, the Espresso Riviera is back in 2026 with an expanded offer. Gone are the limited July-August window: this year the season will run from mid-June until September, providing a much more generous time frame for travelers looking to avoid the summer rush. In terms of frequency, we're moving from one round trip on weekends to two (including one during the week), with the bonus of extending to eleven cars to accommodate more passengers. This frequency could even rise to three weekly rotations depending on demand.
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The exact dates, prices, and schedules for the 2026 season haven't been officially announced yet, but ticket sales are expected to open in March on the website fstrenituristici.it. For reference, last year you could expect to pay around €44.90 for the Marseille-Genoa segment, and €94.90 for an overnight trip to Rome. Prices that, for this type of experience, are almost a bargain.
And this might just be the beginning!
The appetite of Treni Turistici Italiani doesn't stop there! The company is also rumored to be planning two weekly daytime connections between Milan and Avignon for the summer, along with the revival of its route in the Valley of Wonders via the Cuneo-Ventimiglia line, which passes through Breil-sur-Roya, La Brigue, and Tende.
projects still in the process of confirmation, but which outline a clear ambition: to make the Mediterranean tourist train a true travel alternative, enjoyable as well as practical.For those dreaming of reaching Rome from Nice without stepping foot in an airport, it's time to keep an eye out for the ticket sales opening!