REVIEW | Trenitalia Intercity Notte in Deluxe Class

March 2025. We’re embarking on a train trip to Sicily. We fly from Brussels Airport to Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport with ITA Airways. Then we take an Intercity Notte sleeper train by Trenitalia from Roma Termini Railway Station across Italy to Syracuse. Yes, the train is loaded on a ferry to cross the Strait of Messina. After visiting Syracuse, Catania and Palermo, we return to Rome, and home. With 25,832 km², Sicily is only 20% smaller than Belgium (30,689 km²). Quite a lot in four days.

Time for the ride back to Rome.

Trenitalia doesn’t offer the Superior, formerly Excelsior, compartments which feature a shower and toilet on each Intercity Notte. So we had to be happy with a Deluxe compartment, which fit up to three passengers. I would advise a maximum of two.

I’m not reintroducing the Intercity Notte. You can go back to the first review for that.

Identity check

While we waited for the train, a police officer in smart uniform and accompanied by two other officers or military men (as they were wearing camouflage combat outfits) checked our identity cards.

Ours are Belgian, of course, but he still tried to scan its barcode. I wonder if that did anything.

Aboard

The train pulled into the station well in advance and we boarded. The compartment is quite spacious, although stowing away the bags was a bit more difficult.

There are several power outlets and there is a lot of light options.

There is no real table, but a sort of long ‘desk’ and a sink with a lot of water pressure.

Also missing compared to the Superior compartment, is an extra seat. So you have to sit on the bed. Obviously, the compartment was set in night mode. As you can see, there’s no real headspace.

Oh, the toilets will always work, as it’s a good old-fashioned system of the production going on the tracks.

Amenities and service

What’s included? The amenity kit is smaller, and includes a dental kit, a bar of soap, a sanitizing towel and an eye mask. We also received a bottle of water each.

Breakfast was similar, but not the same as on the way to Sicily. An array of packaged foods and a juice. No coffee this time. I wonder if the variety is linked to the class, or just the day.

Interestingly, in the morning, newspapers were provided on a railing in the corridor. I did take a copy of the Corriere della Sera, which is considered the newspaper of record in Italy.

Included: amenity kit, a newspaper and breakfast.

So?

Did we sleep well? Yes, well enough. Did we miss the shower? Yes, but luckily we could shower in the hotel.

The ride was fine. We arrived at Rome Thermal Baths on time.

Thoughts on the Intercity Notte in general

We now had two rides on the Night Inter City. It’s a good product. I’d even say it’s the best regular night train we tried in continental Europe. We haven’t tried the latest Nightjet by ÖBB with the (in)famous pods. But compared to the old Nightjet, the European Sleeper, yes, the Intercity Notte is better.

Better than the Great Western Railway (GWR) Night Riviera in England? Perhaps not.

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