Trains to and from Trieste Airport (TRS)

Trieste Airport is also known as Ronchi dei Legionari Airport, or Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport, due to its location nearby Ronchi dei Legionari and in the area of Venezia Giulia.  It is situated approximately 21 miles from Trieste, which is the capital city of the region and also the largest city in Venezia Giulia, in north-eastern Italy.  The airport handles around one million passengers per year, serving a catchment area of about five million people, and is considered to be an important international gateway leading to this part of Italy.  Although the airport is directly connected to many other areas by bus, there is no actual train station on the airport site.  However, bus services do travel to nearby train stations in Trieste.

The destination consists of a single terminal building, which handles all arrival and departure flights from the handful of airline companies that are in operation at the airport, and has all the facilities needed by passengers.  Just outside the arrivals area, passengers will find the bus stops and taxis.  The buses in Trieste are operated by APT Gorizia, a coach service which runs to various destinations.  Their bus No. 51 will take you to the Central Bus Station in Trieste, which is also nearby the Central Railway Station, or Stazione di Trieste Centrale in Italian.  The buses are available every 5 and 35 minutes past the hour during the week, and around every one to two hours on Sundays, and the journey to the station takes approximately 55 minutes. 

The coach service No. 51 also travels to the Monfalcone Railway Station  This station is very nearby the airport, only 5 km away, and the bus trip only takes a few minutes.  Buses are available at the airport approximately every 20 or 25 minutes.  Bus tickets for these locations can be purchased at Trieste Airport, from the automated ticket machines, or from the Turismo FVG (tourist information center) in the arrivals hall.  A one-way bus ticket to Trieste is around 3.30 Euro, while to Monfalcone they are about 1.05 Euro. 

The Central Railway Station in Trieste is located at Piazza Libertà 8, and is the main train station serving the commune of Trieste.  Not many trains lead directly to Trieste railway station, although trains do frequently arrive from Venice, and regional trains travel to Venezia, Udine and Tarvisio.  There is also a Eurostar train to Milano and Rome, and an intercitynight train that travels to Lecce and Napoli.  Intercity trains lead to Torino and Napoli as well.  No trains take the journey to Slovenia or Ljubljana, but there are plenty of buses to these regions.  A tram service and bus service No. 42 connect the Trieste railway station to the Villa Opicina Station, which has connections to Ljubljana, Maribor, Budapest and Zagreb.  

The Central Train Station of Trieste opened in 1857, and is currently owned by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, which is subsidiary company of Ferrovie dello Stato, or the FS.  This is Italy’s state-owned railway company.  Trenitalia is in operation of the train services which stop at the station, and is also part of the FS.  In the nearby future it is hoped that Trieste Railway Station will be connected to the Italian TAV railway network.  This connection will allow 300 km per hour trains to run between the station and Venice. 

There are a few different types of train services in Italy, all referred to by different names.  The Locale trains serve local areas and stop at all the stations, and are a slower form of train transport.  The Diretto trains are a bit faster, as they don’t make as many stops, while the Expresso trains will just stop at the main stations.  Eurocity trains are popular because they connect the cities in Italy to other major European cities.  Eurostar are the faster trains serving the main lines, and traveling to larger cities like Rome and Florence.  They only make a few stops along their journey. 

Traveling by train in Italy and Europe is a very popular and convenient, not to mention fun way of getting around.  Remember that if you travel on overnight trains you will save on hotel expenses, and usually have a relatively good night sleep on the train.  You will arrive at your destination the next morning ready for sight-seeing.  There are different types of ‘rooms’ on the train, such as sleepers and couchettes, with couchettes being the less expensive option.  To save money you could also purchase a Eurail Flexipass.  Ensure that you keep all your important documents with you at all times, perhaps in a money belt worn under your clothing, and don’t keep all your money in one place.  You can even use your daypack as a pillow if you need to sleep on the train, to prevent it from being stolen while you doze. 

Passengers may bring their own food, water and other refreshments on board the train.  Extra toilet paper and handy wipes or tissues can also be useful.  A reservation is required for all overnight trains as well as the high speed trains in Italy. 

Further information on train travel in Trieste is available at the airport information desks or tourist office located in the arrivals area.