Milan-Palermo sleeper

[AlterEgo]

I'm taking the Sleeper train from Milan to Palermo in a few months.

My expectations of the Italian sleepers are low; I expect it to be an "interesting experience" if nothing else.

Can anyone help with the below questions?

1) Is there a buffet or similar onboard? (If not, no bother, I will self cater)
2) Is there a seated carriage where I can chill out?
3) Does any of the stock have opening windows?
4) Do you have to stay on the train as it's shunted onto the ferry at Villa S. Giovanni? Or can you get off and board as a foot passenger? (Would like a shot of the train rolling onto the ferry!)
5) What's the punctuality like?

 

[Tim R-T-C]

I went Rome to Catania back in 2015 on the night train. Stayed in cabin the whole way, planned to get up but it was far too early! Came back on the day train to Napoli.

The stock was pretty decent, no worse that most other European sleepers I have taken. Not as posh as the OBB bi-level stock, but then not much is.

1) I don't recall any buffet car and can't see one in my photos.
3) Our stock had a top part you could fold in but nothing you can stick your head out of, even at the doors.
4) I believe the ferry is for the train passengers only and there did not seem to be an option to walk on board. When on the ferry you can walk around though and take photos of the stock. I was able to get photos through the end window as we were shunted aboard.

The train is split into pieces, depending on the order the stock arrives in you might be able to get pictures of the rest of the stock being shunted on.

 

[Groningen]

From Milano Porta Garibaldi (15.44) there is a nighttrain to Reggio di Calabria Centrale (8.05). Directly behind the station there is a ferry which takes you to Sicily for 2 euro. Than it is 200 a 300 meters to the station of Messina. There is a train at 10.40 which arrives in Palermo at 13.25.

A direct nighttrain is at 21.31 from Roma and arrives at 10.03 in Palermo. I ask in January for a sleepingcar (because i thought it had no seating) and the price for only the sleeping was 102 euro. The train goes on the boat. With this train you can leave Milano at 19 hours. Change in Napoli. The price i get is 87,80 euro one way. It seems that the sleeping car (couchette 4 beds) is included.

 

[LowLevel]

I'm taking the Sleeper train from Milan to Palermo in a few months.

My expectations of the Italian sleepers are low; I expect it to be an "interesting experience" if nothing else.

Can anyone help with the below questions?

1) Is there a buffet or similar onboard? (If not, no bother, I will self cater)
2) Is there a seated carriage where I can chill out?
3) Does any of the stock have opening windows?
4) Do you have to stay on the train as it's shunted onto the ferry at Villa S. Giovanni? Or can you get off and board as a foot passenger? (Would like a shot of the train rolling onto the ferry!)
5) What's the punctuality like?

I've done it the other way round from Palermo to Genova. I had a solo compartment which had 3 seats collapsing into 2 beds. The attendant was very friendly. Provisions were a few vanity items, bottle of water, and a cheap croissant or similar for breakfast. No seating car, no buffet.

You stay on board for the shunt then can walk around as you like. We were pretty much on time.

 

[bunnahabhain]

I'm taking the Sleeper train from Milan to Palermo in a few months.

My expectations of the Italian sleepers are low; I expect it to be an "interesting experience" if nothing else.

Can anyone help with the below questions?

1) Is there a buffet or similar onboard? (If not, no bother, I will self cater)
2) Is there a seated carriage where I can chill out?
3) Does any of the stock have opening windows?
4) Do you have to stay on the train as it's shunted onto the ferry at Villa S. Giovanni? Or can you get off and board as a foot passenger? (Would like a shot of the train rolling onto the ferry!)
5) What's the punctuality like?

I've travelled on this from Palermo Centrale - Genova Piazza Principe, if you travel in the first class sleeper section its pretty comfortable and cheap if you book ahead. You get a bottle of water, and in the morning a pre-packed croissant and orange juice from your attendant.

1) There is no buffet, make sure you bring enough for the journey!
2) I don't believe so, but in first class our berth was set up in day mode until we requested the attendant change it, which we did approx 9/10pm somewhere around Lamezia Terme.
3) It certainly did in our berth, which was useful as the aircon was somewhat intermittent.
4) Definitely get off and visit the bar on the ferry for some hellfire arancina, they're the biggest I've had and pretty tasty for what is essentially fast food.
5) It can vary wildly, our arrival into Genova was approximately 30mins down having trundled at barely more than 30mph along the coast from La Spezia.

We took the first Intercity train from Rome to Palermo which was a nice experience, we travelled from Napoli to Lamezia Terme with a kindly Italian gent who spoke not a word of English but enthusiastically pointed out the various sights that he felt we'd be interested in, and wished us a 'bon voyage' on his departure.

From what I gathered on the sleeper train it was a bit more rowdy in the 'comfort' class (couchette). You can usually pick up some pretty decent advanced purchase fares online so I'd recommend that unless you're on InterRail, EURail or FIP.

Whilst in Palermo if you're a bit of a foodie and like street food and street tours, try the Streat Palermo tour, we did and it was a very interesting experience! http://www.streatpalermo.it/en

*edit*
This is the website I used for booking our tickets in Italy, its a bit more useful than the FS site itself for English speakers. https://www.italiarail.com/

 

[bunnahabhain]

I've just had a quick gander and the Milano-Palermo sleepers aren't loaded into the system yet, they're usually Summer Only from June/July-October, the Roma-Palermo service runs all year round however.

 

[AlterEgo]

I've just had a quick gander and the Milano-Palermo sleepers aren't loaded into the system yet, they're usually Summer Only from June/July-October, the Roma-Palermo service runs all year round however.

They were selling tickets for March on this route too.

 

[Iskra]

From Milano Porta Garibaldi (15.44) there is a nighttrain to Reggio di Calabria Centrale (8.05). Directly behind the station there is a ferry which takes you to Sicily for 2 euro. Than it is 200 a 300 meters to the station of Messina. There is a train at 10.40 which arrives in Palermo at 13.25.

A direct nighttrain is at 21.31 from Roma and arrives at 10.03 in Palermo. I ask in January for a sleepingcar (because i thought it had no seating) and the price for only the sleeping was 102 euro. The train goes on the boat. With this train you can leave Milano at 19 hours. Change in Napoli. The price i get is 87,80 euro one way. It seems that the sleeping car (couchette 4 beds) is included.

I've crossed the straits of Messina a lot in the last 5 years, using multiple different operators, doing it on foot on the hydrofoil and with a car both multiple times. I've never paid as little as 2 euro's. Which operator was that with?

 

[Groningen]

Which operator was that with?

So there are 2. Directly behind the station. It could also be 2,50 euro. The 2,50 is Caronte & Tourist S. p. A. In Messina i boarded at 38.210444, 15.561021 and in Villa San Giovanni at 38.222712, 15.632983.

http://carontetourist.it/v3.0/timetables-and-fares-strait-of-messina-automobiles/

 

[Iskra]

That's interesting, I've been overpaying then all these years for the faster boats when I could do it cheaper on the slower car ferries. Thanks for the information.