The weekend service promises a return to elegant cross-border train travel through Italy and France.
In an era where high-speed rail and budget flights dominate European travel, a romantic overnight journey is making a welcome comeback this summer. The Espresso Riviera, connecting Rome to Marseille, represents a rare addition to Europe’s dwindling sleeper train network.
Following last year’s successful run, the service returns with an extended route, offering travelers a sophisticated way to traverse the Mediterranean coastline. Operating weekends between July 4 and August 30, 2025, the journey begins at Roma Termini on Friday evenings, arriving in Marseille the following morning.
The service, part of Italy’s tourist train initiative, caters to luxury travelers with private sleeping compartments and couchettes, complemented by full dining services including dinner, breakfast, and a dedicated bar. Passengers can wake to spectacular coastal views as the train winds its way through the Italian and French Riviera.
“Not only holidaymakers departing from the capital, increasingly looking for a varied offer of service levels on board the train, but also tourist flows towards western Liguria, finally offering a service without changes from Genoa to Ventimiglia and France,” explains Luigi Cantamessa, CEO of FS Treni Turistici Italiani.
The route reads like a checklist of Mediterranean glamour, stopping at iconic destinations including Sanremo, Monaco-Monte Carlo, Nice, and Cannes before reaching Marseille. For those preferring daylight views, a scenic daytime service from Genoa offers first-class lounges with panoramic sea views.
This revival of luxury rail travel comes as more travelers seek sustainable, experience-focused alternatives to flying, marking a return to the golden age of European train travel.
