Travel Daily | “Italian Night Out”

At the function, CIT announced that it had reduced prices by 15% on all brochure product including tours and rail travel. In addition, a 20% discount would apply to Eurail, BritRail and German Rail prices and it would also offer a Swiss Pass 2 for 1 promotion for sale up to 29 November, ’12.

Rail Europe’s Paris-based International Trainer, Jason Tarabo told the agents that a new private rail company called NTV was also now in direct competition with Italy’s Trenitalia rail system having started service with 10 daily rail trips last April. The fast-growing NTV line is owned by Ferrari of motor car fame and it plans to operate up to 50 daily frequencies by the end of the year with three classes – Club, Primo and Smart. Its trains would travel at 300 kilometres an hour through Italy and will offer free wi-fi, movies and provide meals from an on board restaurant.

“We believe NTVs entry into the popular rail market will not only increase competition but improve service,” said Tarabo. “It’s not available for sale here as yet, but it soon will be,” he added. “We’ve seen non-stop growth in European rail travel for the past 15 months from Australia, it’s the quickest and most comfortable way to get from A to B and travellers regard the high-speed trains as a tourist attraction in themselves,” said Tarabo. He pointed out that Trenitalia operates 56 trains a day to the main Italian cities and fast trips between Rome and Florence take just 1hr 35mins.

Pictured above from left are:Rita Mardirossian, CIT Holidays; Sally Williams, Impulse Holidays Dural; Dorothy Roberts, HWT Mona Vale and Jason Tarabo, Rail Europe