Starting this weekend, Trenitalia is launching a new service dubbed Espresso Riviera, connecting Milan to Nice every Saturday and Sunday. The service, which commences on August 3, will not include a stop at Monaco as initially anticipated, leaving many local residents disappointed. The exclusion of Monaco from the route has been attributed to ventilation issues at the principality's underground station, compounded by the deployment of diesel locomotives which are incompatible with the station's current setup.
The Espresso Riviera train is scheduled to depart Milan Centrale at 7:35 a.m., arriving in Nice by 1:58 p.m., with a return journey starting at 5:12 p.m. from Nice and reaching Milan at 11:40 p.m. This timetable allows passengers from Milan to enjoy a full day on the French Riviera, though it restricts visitors from Nice to evening activities in Milan. Such scheduling distinctly advantages Milanese tourists while offering limited benefit to those traveling from Nice.
Despite the setback regarding the Monaco stop, Trenitalia has ensured that the journey will provide high levels of comfort, including access to a bar car and a deluxe restaurant car for first-class ticket holders. Priced at 109 euros for a round trip, tickets can be purchased through the TTI and Trenitalia France websites. Trenitalia's president Marco Caposciutti has described the route as experimental and expressed optimism that next year's operations with an electric locomotive will include a stop in Monaco, aligning with initial promotional indications.
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