How to Book Trains in Italy as a Wheelchair User
I found it surprisingly confusing trying to book accessible train tickets in Italy before our trip. You can’t just hop on the Trenitalia website and select an accessible seat like you might expect. After some trial and error, I figured it out—and made this guide so you can book your trains easy peasy.
Who Can Request Assistance?
Italy has a service called Sala Blu that helps a wide range of travelers who need extra support, including wheelchair users, people with mobility or sensory impairments, elderly passengers, pregnant travelers, and more.
Step 1: Email the Sala Blu Team
To get the assistance you need, you’ll want to email the Sala Blu office for your departure station (or the national team). This is where things got a bit technical for me, but once I knew what to say, it was easy.
Here’s where to find the right email address (Select the first dropdown, RFI’s Blue Rooms)
In your email, include:
- Where you’re going (departure & arrival stations)
- Date and train number
- What kind of assistance you’ll need (ramp or lift, your own wheelchair or a borrowed one, traveling with someone, etc.)
- Your phone number, just in case they need to confirm details
I emailed about a week in advance, but you can technically send the request up to 6 hours before your train. Still, earlier is always better.
Step 2: Wait for the Confirmation
They emailed me back with a PDF confirmation that listed my trip details, and included two important codes:
- PNR
- CP
Just a heads-up: This PDF is not your actual train ticket. You still have to buy that separately (which I’ll explain next).
Step 3: Buy Your Ticket
Once you have the confirmation PDF, go to Trenitalia.com:
- Click “Search ticket/train”
- Enter your PNR and CP codes
- Purchase your ticket
- Download your ticket PDF
I also added mine to the Trenitalia app to keep it handy.
Getting Assistance at the Station
When you arrive at the station, head straight to the Sala Blu office. If you’re not sure where to find it, any train station staff should be able to direct you. I recommend arriving at least 30–40 minutes early so you have time to check-in and there’s no stress.
Wheelchair Dimensions
They do have size limits for onboard wheelchairs:
- Max width: 70 cm (27.5 inches)
- Max depth: 120 cm (47.2 inches)
- Max weight (with user): 250 kg (551 pounds)
If your device is larger, it’s worth double-checking with Sala Blu before traveling.
Final Tips
I made this guide because I wished someone had handed me a simple checklist before I tried to figure it all out. Once you know how it works, it’s not so bad and the assistance team really helps the trip go smoothly. If you're planning a rail adventure in Italy and need accessible travel, I hope this makes it easy for you too.
Here are a few final tips I’d pass along:
- Confirm everything by email. I found the Sala Blu staff responsive and helpful, but it's always smart to have written proof of your assistance request just in case.
- Keep both PDFs handy. You’ll have one for your assistance booking and one for your actual train ticket. I saved them both to my phone and printed them out.
- If in doubt, ask for help. Station staff were always willing to point me in the right direction, even with limited English.
- Try to book early. Accessible seats and lifts are limited, especially on popular routes. Booking a few days in advance gave me peace of mind.
Buon viaggio!
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