A luxury night train will link Rome and the French Riviera this summer

In summer 2025, a route is returning that could interest even those who don't usually prefer rail travel. It's the "Riviera Express," which will connect Rome and Marseille, running along one of the most scenic coastlines in the world.

Following its success in 2024, the night train, operated by FS Treni Turistici, will run again from 4 July to 30 August 2025, exclusively on weekends. Departures from Rome are scheduled for Friday evenings, with arrival in Marseille on Saturday morning. In the other direction, the train departs Marseille on Saturday evening and arrives in the Italian capital early on Sunday morning.

Route and travel conditions

The train runs through Italian cities such as Genoa, Savona, Alassio, Imperia, San Remo, and Ventimiglia. After crossing the French border, the train stops at the Riviera gem of Menton, as well as Monaco, Nice, Cannes, Saint-Raphaël, and Toulon, before ending its route in Marseille.

Passengers are offered single and double compartments with the option to book fully enclosed private cabins, as well as more affordable four-berth compartments, which the company describes as "ideal for family and small group trips."

During the day, the carriages transform into comfortable lounges and first- and second-class seating. Fittingly for a train connecting two of Europe's culinary capitals, passengers can expect a wide selection of food and drink: dinner, breakfast, and a bar are all available on board.

While the night route doesn't always allow for enjoying Mediterranean views, an alternative is to consider the daytime departures from Genoa or the planned route from Milan to the north of France.

Comfort and competition with air travel

Luigi Cantamessa, CEO of FS Treni Turistici Italiani, noted that the train serves tourist flows into western Liguria, providing, for the first time, a direct connection between Genoa, Ventimiglia, and France without changes. He stressed that this train revives "the comfort of the international trains of the past, which have since faded into history."

Although ticket sales were announced from 24 May 2025, with the company advertising a 25% discount, the author of this piece was unable to find up-to-date pricing information on the carrier's website. As of 3 June, the site still states that "dates, times, and tickets" for the summer route will be announced later.

Nevertheless, Time Out reports that prices start from €40, while The Local reports a full-route fare of €71. By comparison, Ryanair tickets between these cities start from €60, making the train journey quite competitive with flying and lending the trip a special romantic touch.