Alta Velocità

Italian high-speed train

Also known as: AV

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June 11, 2026

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Alta Velocità (AV) refers to Italy's high-speed rail network. These trains are designed to travel at speeds of at least 200 km per hour (124 mph), with some reaching up to 355 km per hour (221 mph).1

Italy's rail construction began around the time of unification in the 1860s. The country's rail network is well-developed, particularly in the north, and was significantly modernized with early electrification due to hydroelectric power. The first high-speed rail line in Italy opened in 1977, connecting Rome and Florence. The main high-speed passenger route runs from Milan to Naples, passing through major cities like Bologna, Florence, and Rome. These high-speed lines are a competitive alternative to flying for medium-distance travel.213

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railroad
Western Europe
In Italy the first Alta Velocità (AV; “High-Speed”) line, running the 250 km (150 miles) from Rome to Florence and designed for 300-km- (185-mile-) per hour top speed, was finished in 1992; the first segment had been opened in 1977, but progress thereafter had been hampered by funding uncertainties…
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In Italy the first Alta Velocità (AV; “High-Speed”) line, running the 250 km (150 miles) from Rome to Florence and designed for 300-km- (185-mile-) per hour top speed, was finished in 1992; the first segment had been opened in 1977, but progress thereafter had been hampered by funding uncertainties…
Read More