A slow, sustainable journey to Rome – full of experiences!

The Institute encourages train travels for students and teachers coming to Rome and is sharing their experiences  and first-hand knowledge with others who may choose this way of travel. 

From Ski to Rome in one week

In the fall of 2024, Vegar Heimstad and Peder Blümlein travelled together from Ski, just outside Oslo, to Rome. Vegar was a student on the ROMA2020 course, and Peder worked as a research assistant.

Eva Rem Hansen, interviewed by us in 2023  travelled from Trondheim to Rome in 48 hours. In contrast, Peder and Vegar made the journey over a week, allowing them to experience Copenhagen and Munich for a few days.

Interrail passes gives flexibility

They used interrail.eu as a connection planner and bought Interrail passes with the option for four journey days within a month, costing roughly NOK 2500. They reserved seats for most trains (approximately NOK 500 in total) to minimize the risk of having to spend the journey standing up.

– With Interrail passes, one has the advantage of being able to hop on most trains if a planned connection is missed, says Peder.

They recommend certain strategies for reducing the risk of unforeseen events:

• Maximum of one train change per travel leg
• Minimum of one hour between arrival and departure when changing trains
• Depart early in the morning

Roman art and weather changes in the Alps

By spending nights in Copenhagen and Munich, they could explore the cities and their museums in daylight. 

– We visited the Glyptotek in Copenhagen and the Egyptian Museum in Munich, where we didn't just see Roman art but also learned about Northern Europeans' obsession with collecting and displaying treasures of the past, says Vegar.

By travelling during the day, they could enjoy the views from the train window. Even with books and TV shows for entertainment, the views captured most of their attention.

– The journey between Munich and Bologna was quite special. North of the Alps, there was heavy rain which, high up in the mountains, fell as snow. When the tracks climbed up the mountainside, we could see the green apple fields in the valley and the snow-covered spruces above. On the Italian side of the Brenner Pass, the clouds disappeared, and the apple fields became vineyards. It was incredible to see this transition unfold, says Peder.

Comfortable Intercity trains

Every train on their journey was modern Intercity and high-speed trains with power outlets and reclining seats. Especially the ICE train between Hamburg and Munich, and the EuroCity train between Munich and Bologna were very comfortable.

Do you want to take your time on your way to Rome?

We hope Vegar and Peder's itinerary can inspire those having time to spend on a train journey between Norway and Rome.

Here are their itinerary showing departures and arrivals:

• Read the Norwegian Institute in Rome's railway guide (in Norwegian)