Table of Contents
Interrail From UK to Italy
Interrail (or Eurail if you live outside Europe) is a fantastic way to explore the European continent. You can buy the passes online and use them for train travel throughout Europe. Find out more about how Interrail and Eurail works in this article.
If you are travelling for a longer time in individual countries then you may also like to check out country discount cards. In the UK it is well worth buying the Family & Friends railcard (if you have kids!) if you are taking a train trip from Scotland to London. It can reduce the cost significantly and can be used for other shorter train trips too. Many other countries have similar cards, so check out if it’s cheaper to use these.
You will also want to check travel times in advance, even if you are only loosely planning. There may be some areas where fewer trains are available and you will need to book in advance.
Our Itinerary For UK To Sicily By Train
We chose to travel from our hometown in Scotland all the way to Sicily in Italy. The main aim of this train adventure was to take the the sleeper train from Rome to Taormina, which crosses the sea on a ferry. It’s the last working train ferry in the world and you don’t even have to get out of bed! An amazing experience in itself, never mind visiting other countries too!
If you can I would also consider some night trains. It can save money on accommodation by sleeping on the train and also mean that you don’t waste whole days travelling long distance, spending more time at your destinations.
Edinburgh
We began our journey a little further North in our hometown and travelled by train to Edinburgh, our first major train station. Edinburgh Waverley station is fairly large, but the departure boards are clear and you can easily find your way around. There are also plenty of trains from Edinburgh down to London each day, although do try and book as far in advance as possible.
Edinburgh has plenty to see if you have time to look around. Within walking distance of Waverley Station (where you can find luggage storage) is the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle and the Camera Obscura. If you have a little time in Edinburgh then I recommend checking out this article for an Edinburgh Itinerary.
London
The train from Edinburgh to London takes you through various towns and cities, with a particularly nice view along the East coast of Scotland. The train takes around 4-5.5 hours depending which train you take. The Lumo service seems to be quickest with fewer stops.
In London you will most likely arrive at King’s Cross Station, don’t miss a visit to Platform 9 3/4’s if you’re a Harry Potter fan! If you are planning to leave the UK on the same day you will need to book the Eurostar train in advance. There are only so many Interrail reservations available per train. So you will need to ensure you book as soon as the tickets are released.
The Eurostar is boarded just across the road from King’s Cross station at St Pancras station. Here you will need to queue to go through passport control and security, similar to airport security. It can be rather busy at St Pancras. However if you are running close to your train departure time then let the staff know at the queues and they may fast track you through. There are separate lines depending on which train you are catching, so that everyone can get through security in time.
If you have time in London to explore I suggest checking out some of these free places to visit in London. There’s a surprising amount to do for free in London City! There also lots of awesome paid attractions too!
Paris
The Eurostar can take you to various locations in Europe. However for getting to Italy we chose to go to Paris. This was the easiest connection to get to Milan for us, as we chose to travel fast to Italy, so we could spend more of our time in Rome and Sicily. Paris has several train stations so definitely check which station you arrive in to where you will be leaving. The Paris Metro is fairly regular and makes travel between stations easier. We arrived on the Eurostar at Paris Gare du Nord and then took the metro to Paris Gare de Lyon the following day to catch the train to Milan.
This was our first overnight stop as it was a whole day just getting from our home to Paris. Although if you started from London you could easily get to Milan in a day using the high speed trains. If you are using the Interrail pass you will need to also pay for reservations on the high speed intercity trains. However the slower regional trains tend to have no reservations. The train ride through the Alps was a favourite part of our journey, the views to the mountains were amazing and if we had more time I would definitely have stopped to explore.
Paris has plenty to do if you have time to stop for an overnight stay. This article has a 48 hours in Paris itinerary, which is enough time to visit some of the major sites! Although there are also plenty other places to see, including Disneyland Paris, which is popular with families.
Milan
We arrived at Milano Centrale, which is a beautiful old building and well worth a few photos in its own right! Although we weren’t staying long in Milan, our first proper port of call was to be Rome. Milan is a beautiful city with lots to see, particularly if you enjoy fashion or art. It’s also a great point to explore further North into the Alps or to the beautiful city of Verona.
From Milan Centrale we then took a high speed train down to Rome, which was a fairly short journey of only 2 hours. Regional trains can take longer, but we didn’t want to arrive late in the day. The scenery is interesting and it’s a quick journey.
Rome
Our main stop on mainland Italy was Rome, we have visited various other areas of Northern Italy, but hadn’t had a chance to explore this famous city! So we used our train tickets to spend a few days exploring Rome.
As I was visiting with my 2 children during June when the weather was extremely HOT, I chose to stay at a Eurocamp site with a fab pool area just outside of Rome. So when we arrived at Roma Termini train station we got straight in a taxi to the Eurocamp site. You can read more about the Rome Eurocamp site – Camping Village Fabulous at this link.
Rome has a lot to offer families, with fantastic ancient history tours around the colosseum, family friendly food tours and plenty of interesting museums. It can definitely get very hot and there is definitely a lot of walking around. The metro is fairly spaced out compared to other large cities we’ve visited, so it’s harder to get around. After a few days exploring Rome we headed back to the station for our most exciting part of the journey yet. The overnight sleeper train. Not just any night train, but the only night train that goes on a train ferry! So we were excited to board the train and find our couchette carriage. The kids very quickly snuggled down in the provided bed linens and fell asleep as we headed to Southern Italy. It took me longer and I don’t think I fell asleep until we had passed Naples Centrale station and were well on our way South. It’s a long journey so a sleeper train makes the most of your time, arriving early the next morning for exploring. It’s certainly a great way to travel!
Taormina
If you take the sleeper train across to the island of Sicily then you will arrive at Taormina railway station around 7am in the morning. I personally woke the kids up when we crossed the sea on the ferry to see it for themselves. However, you could just sleep through it all if you weren’t as excited as me about the train ferry.
In Taormina you may want to organise a taxi to your hotel in advance. Even if the hotel doesn’t have your room ready they usually have somewhere that you can store your luggage whilst you go to the beach or off for a wander!
Other great places to visit in Taormina include the amphitheatre and the picturesque Isola Bella island. It’s also close to Mount Etna for a fantastic day trip. If you arrive by train and have no car to visit Mt Etna yourself you can easily join a tour that will pick you up at your hotel.If you are returning to the UK via airplane then there are flights from Catania airport in the East of Sicily. However, for us direct flights fly from Palermo airport to Scotland was the best option.
Palermo
The fastest route to Palermo Centrale station is via the port where the train ferry docks, then onward to Palermo. The fast trains in Sicily are very clean and have great screens that tell you a variety of details. The kids were also excited that they had security cameras showing images onto the screen looking at different areas of the train, so of course they were excited when they appeared on them!
I wouldn’t recommend Palermo as a good city to stay for long. However if you do have a plane to catch then you can find plenty of hotels in the centre. If you are staying for a few days then I recommend staying further out from the city.
Would We Recommend a Trip From the UK to Sicily By Train?
Yes, definite thumbs up from all 3 of us here. This was such a great adventure for our family. Yes there were also times when the kids were bored in stations or spent a lot of time on devices on the train. But it was also an exciting and adventurous trip for us.
My only change I’d make is taking the train home again. Mainly as we had issued getting home when our flight was cancelled at last minute. But it also would have been fun to make it into a loop journey.
Read more about our other travels through Italy:
- Find out the best way to tour the vast ancient city of Pompeii.
- Take the train from the UK to Sicily, using the world’s only remaining train ferry!
- Learn more about what to expect from the Rome to Sicily sleeper train.
- Enjoy the best of both worlds with Rome Eurocamp on the outskirts of the famous city.
- Find out if a food tour around Rome is worth it with kids.
- Follow our tips and hacks on visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa with kids.
- Embrace the tranquility of Tuscany at Villa Pia, an excellent family holiday!
- Find out 5 great things to do with kids in Tuscany.
- The 10 best places to visit in and around Venice with kids.
- Visit Italy from the comfort of a family friendly cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas.
Other Fantastic Family Adventures
Pin UK to Sicily By Train
Bella Fox says
What an incredible journey you and your family embarked on! From the scenic views of Edinburgh to the historic streets of Rome and the breathtaking landscapes of Sicily, it sounds like an adventure filled with unforgettable experiences.
I loved reading about your train travels through Europe, especially the unique experience of taking the sleeper train from Rome to Taormina, crossing the sea on a ferry without even having to get out of bed! It must have been so exciting for the kids to wake up to such a magical journey.
Your detailed itinerary and tips are incredibly helpful for anyone considering a similar trip. The insight into navigating train stations, finding accommodations, and exploring each destination is invaluable.
I particularly appreciated your recommendation about using Interrail and country discount cards to save on travel costs. And the advice on booking reservations in advance for high-speed trains is definitely something to keep in mind.
Your enthusiasm for the trip shines through in every paragraph, despite the minor hiccups like flight cancellations. It’s clear that the adventure outweighed any challenges, and your family created memories that will last a lifetime.
Thank you for sharing your amazing journey with us! And for those looking to embark on their own adventures, your recommendation of split saving as a way to manage travel expenses is a fantastic tip. It’s always great to find ways to make travel more accessible and affordable.
If you ever embark on another train adventure or any other exciting journey, I’ll be eager to hear about it!
Oliver Williams says
Hi Jenny!
Wow, what an amazing adventure! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your family’s journey from Scotland to Sicily by train. It’s so inspiring to see how you made the most of the Interrail pass and included so many fantastic stops along the way. The idea of taking night trains to save on accommodation and experience more of each destination is such a smart travel hack!
I love how you balanced fun activities for the kids in places like Edinburgh, London, and Paris while still keeping the trip relaxed and adventurous. The train ferry from Rome to Sicily sounds like such a unique experience—I had no idea that was still a thing! I can imagine how exciting it must have been for your kids (and you!) to wake up and see the crossing.
Your tip about booking Eurostar in advance and looking into local railcards is also really helpful for planning a similar trip. It sounds like your family made some incredible memories, even with the occasional boredom at stations (which, let’s be honest, happens to the best of us with kids!).
Thanks for sharing your journey! It’s definitely inspired me to consider a family train adventure of our own one day. 😊