A Look at Europe’s Last Remaining Train Ferry Service
There was a time when train ferries crisscrossed Europe’s waterways, carrying entire carriages over the sea to connect nations before bridges and tunnels took over. In the late 19th and much of the 20th century, routes linked Germany to Denmark, France to England, and Italy to Sicily. You could board a train in France or Germany and wake up in another country after a night at sea. These crossings were an essential part of rail travel, but one by one they disappeared as modern infrastructure replaced them.
The last of them still operates in southern Italy, where trains roll onto a ship to cross the Strait of Messina between the mainland and Sicily. Today, this is the only route in Europe where passenger trains still travel by sea.
A Route That Refuses To Disappear
This route connects the Italian mainland with Sicily’s major cities, including Palermo and Siracusa, through a rare mix of rail and sea travel. It keeps the country’s two halves linked in a way that feels both practical and historic.
Run by Trenitalia, it carries forward a 125-year tradition that has survived long after similar services elsewhere ended. For visitors, watching a train roll onto a ferry can feel like stepping back in time. For locals, it remains what it has always been—an essential bridge between two shores.
Daytime InterCity trains and the overnight InterCity Notte run several times a day. Trips from Rome take around nine to eleven hours, and those from Milan last nearly twenty. The ferry portion itself takes about twenty to thirty minutes.
At Villa San Giovanni station in Calabria, staff divide the train into smaller sections so it can be loaded onto the ferry. Passengers can remain seated in their compartments or head to the deck to take in the views of the Strait of Messina. Once the ship reaches Messina, the train is reassembled and continues across Sicily, with one section bound for Palermo and the other for Siracusa.
Inside The Sleeper Train
Passengers booking the overnight service choose from three options: Comfort, Deluxe, and Excelsior. Comfort compartments include couchettes that convert into bunks, while Deluxe cabins come with ready-made beds and a small sink. Excelsior class features a private toilet and shower.
Every room is air-conditioned, lockable, and equipped with power sockets. A light breakfast of coffee, juice, and a croissant is included for Deluxe and Excelsior passengers.
Ticket prices vary depending on demand and how early they are purchased. Rates usually start at around €33.90 for Comfort, €89.90 for Deluxe, and €269 for Excelsior. Because the onboard café often remains closed during the ferry crossing, bringing food or snacks is a smart move for anyone taking the longer journeys.
A Journey Through History
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Mariolu04
Train ferries once connected many parts of Europe’s waterways, but bridges and tunnels gradually made them unnecessary. The Hamburg-to-Copenhagen connection was the last major route to close in 2019, leaving the Messina crossing as the continent’s only surviving train ferry.
This trip serves both locals and travelers and is a slower, more scenic alternative to air travel. It also gives passengers direct access to Sicily’s cultural treasures, passing through beautiful towns such as Cefalù, Taormina, and Catania.
Discussions about building a bridge to connect Sicily with the mainland have been ongoing for decades. Should construction ever begin, the train ferry may eventually be replaced. More than transportation, the Messina train ferry preserves a piece of European travel history—one that continues to link two worlds.