The first Covid-free Frecciarossa train on the Rome-Milan route

Today at 8:50 the Frecciarossa 9618 set off from Roma Termini for Milan and was the first Covid-free train that was reserved for passengers who have a negative test certificate for Covid-19. The return from Milano Centrale came with the Frecciarossa 9653 at 18:00.

This is a further step forward in contributing to restarting Italy: thanks to the partnership between the FS Group and the Italian Red Cross the project will also involve tourist destinations over the coming months.

People who travel onboard the Covid-free train have to turn up for the train from 45 minutes before departure, with a document proving a negative test result - which can be either the molecular or antigen one - carried out within 48 hours before the journey. Tests can also be done free of charge in the station itself, at Roma Termini or Milano Centrale, at the Italian Red Cross tent, following the times which are communicated when the booking is made. Even people who have already been vaccinated have to show a negative test certificate or do a test before departure. Children up to six years of age are exempt from having to do the test, unless their parents specifically request otherwise. Passengers travel for their return trip on the Covid-free trains without having to repeat the test, if that leg of their journey is carried out within 48 hours of the negative test. If a passenger tests positive in the station, they will have to forfeit the journey, but will be entitled to a 100% refund of the ticket price. All the on-board staff (the conductor, driver, catering and cleaning staff) are tested before entering service on the train.

All the rules currently in place remain on the Covid-free train, such as the use of masks and the recommendation of only sitting in the place assigned on tickets. So-called “checkerboard” distancing between seats set down by Trenitalia which avoids sitting in front of other passengers has also been confirmed.

Screening in 11 stations

Without any charge, age limit or medical prescription, from 15 April anybody will be able to take the quick antigen test in the tents set up by the Red Cross in Roma Termini. The service started at the same time at Milano Centrale and work is taking place to extend the screening during the month of May to the railway stations in a further nine cities: in addition to Roma Termini and Milano Centrale, there will be the stations at Bari, Bologna, Cagliari, Firenze Santa Maria Novella, Napoli Centrale, Palermo, Reggio Calabria, Torino Porta Nuova and Venezia Mestre. At Roma Termini the vaccination facility can be found by the Servian Wall in Piazza dei Cinquecento, while in Milano Centrale it is on the ground floor, close to the entrance to the Metro station.

Measures adopted by the FS Italiane Group

Sanitisation of trains and stations, sanitiser gel dispensers, safety kits for customers with a mask, hand sanitiser and water: on all of its trains, FS Italiane Group continues to implement the measures required to ensure the highest possible standards of safety for employees and travellers.

Trenitalia has also become the first railway company in the world to have obtained the Biosafety Trust Certification from RINA, which certifies management systems to prevent and mitigate the spread of infections.

"We are confident that this scheme will enable us to further boost mobility and demand for tourism for the coming season”, concluded Gianfranco Battisti, CEO of FS Italiane Group, on the margins of the inauguration ceremony.