Take a day trip from Rome and reach free of charge some of Lazio’s villages and places. Until December 10, 2026 it is possible to do so thanks to the free tourist trains of the project Antichi Cammini d’Italia, which connects the capital to the Tuscia and to Cassino along itineraries tied to the Via Francigena and the ancient pilgrimage routes.
The program comprises a total of 18 travel days, divided between seven connections on the Rome-Viterbo axis and eleven on the Rome-Cassino axis. The ticket is zero cost, but the seat must be reserved in advance through the usual Trenitalia channels. The initiative is part of the Caput Mundi program and is financed through the PNRR and NextGenerationEU, with the involvement of the Ministry of Tourism, of FS Treni Turistici Italiani and of Fondazione FS Italiane.
From Rome to the Tuscia and Montecassino with the free tourist trains
The first route starts from Rome Termini and reaches Viterbo, traversing some of the most evocative areas of the Tuscia. The train also stops in Monterotondo and Montefiascone, from where dedicated bus connections depart to towns lacking a railway station.
Among the reachable destinations is Civita di Bagnoregio, the famous village perched on a tufaceous spur and surrounded by the Valle dei Calanchi, but also Bolsena, facing the eponymous lake and crossed by the Via Francigena. From Monterotondo there is also a connection to Mandela and the Vicovaro area, useful for approaching the Cammino di San Benedetto.
The second route, instead, begins from Rome Tiburtina and leads to Cassino, one of the main access points to the Via Francigena del Sud. From here you can continue to discover the city and the routes linked to Montecassino, dominated by the famous abbey founded by Saint Benedict in the 6th century. Unlike the line toward Viterbo, however, the Rome-Cassino route does not include a dedicated shuttle from the station to the Abbey of Montecassino: the free trip allows travelers to reach Cassino, from which you must independently arrange the transfer to the monastery.
How to book the free trains in Lazio
The journey is free, but boarding without a reservation is not allowed. Each passenger must hold a ticket with a reserved seat issued at 0 euros cost. Reservations can be made on the Trenitalia website or app, at railway ticket offices, via the station’s self-service machines, or at authorized travel agencies.
For the Rome-Viterbo route, the next departures are scheduled for October 11 and 18 and November 1, 15 and 22, 2026. The train leaves Rome Termini at 08:15 and arrives at Viterbo Porta Romana at 10:35; the return is scheduled for 15:09, arriving in the Capital at 17:30.
On the Rome-Cassino line, the remaining available dates in the calendar are October 20, November 5, 12, 19, 24 and 26, and December 1, 3, 8 and 10, 2026. The departure from Rome Tiburtina is scheduled at 07:43, with arrival in Cassino at 09:57, while the return trip leaves at 16:32 and ends in the Capital at 18:51. On the line toward Viterbo, the ticket also covers the bus connections provided by the program, while among the services included in the initiative are reception and assistance during the journey, information about the paths, and the Pilgrim’s Box. Seats are limited to the trains’ capacity, so booking in advance is advisable.
