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Looking to travel from Lausanne to Palermo by train? You've come to the right place!
On average, it takes around 23 hours 18 minutes to travel from Lausanne to Palermo by train, the fastest services can get you there in as little as 20 hours 34 minutes though. You'll usually find 16 trains per day running along the 674 miles (1084 km) route between these two destinations. You’ll need to make 2 changes during the journey to Palermo, as there currently aren't any direct services on this route. You'll be travelling with Frecciarossa, Frecciargento or Trenitalia on your way to Palermo, as these are the main rail operators on this route.
Plan your trip ahead of time and book early if you want to snap up the cheapest fares. Tickets from Lausanne to Palermo start from £105.03 when you book in advance, so use our Journey Planner to view the latest prices.
If you’re feeling ready to book, start looking for cheap train tickets with us today. Keep reading for more information on the journey to Palermo by train, including our timetable where you can view first and last train times.
First train | 00:25 | |
---|---|---|
Last train | 23:51 | |
Departure station | Lausanne | |
Arrival station | Palermo | |
Journey time | From 20h 34m | |
Distance | 674 miles (1084 km) | |
Frequency | 16 trains per day | |
Changes | 2 changes | |
Price | From £105.03 | |
Train and bus operators | BlaBlaCar Bus, Trenitalia, SBB CFF FFS, Italo, Itabus, Autoservizi Salemi |
Trenitalia is the national railway company of Italy, with a fleet including high-speed trains (Frecciarossa, Frecciargento and Frecciabianca), Intercity and Intercity night trains and regional trains. Trenitalia offers discounts and special promotions on selected routes, two types of discounted tickets for young people under 30 and people over 60.
The Swiss rail network is operated by SBB. SBB train ticket prices are based on travel and not on the type of trains. You will find available return tickets (standard price, one way or round trip), Multiple journey tickets (for six individual trips on a pre-determined itinerary) and the City-Ticket (including a one-day transportation pass from the city of departure or arrival).
Italo is a high-speed train operator that runs services between many of the major cities across Italy. All Italo trains are modern, air conditioned, and have free WiFi available for all travellers. There are four comfort classes, or "ambiances", as Italo like to call them – Smart (the cheapest price), Comfort (with wider seats and extra legroom), Prima (with a welcome selection of food and drink, fast track boarding and extra space), and Executive Club (with all Prima services, extra-wide seats, access to Italo Club lounges and personal entertainment screens at your seat).
Trenitalia's Intercity trains run on standard lines outside the high-speed network, offering more than 90 trains a day that guarantee long and medium distance connections, ensuring wide coverage of the rail network. All Intercity trains are modern and comfortable with plenty of seats, retractable tables, power sockets, air conditioning, courtesy lights and plenty of luggage space. Intercity Night trains allow you to travel overnight in cabins with beds, berths or seating.
With Frecciarossa Standard, you’ll enjoy high-quality services including eco-leather reclining seats, folding tables and free WiFi, but at a cheaper price.
Providing all the perks of First Class for the price of Second Class, Frecciarossa Premium offers more legroom and luggage space, as well as a welcome service offering a complimentary sweet or salty snack and drink. You can also order your meal via the EasyBistrò paid service available on board.
If you’re travelling for work, Frecciarossa Business is the ideal option for you – it offers more legroom, glass dividers for more privacy, EasyBistrò meal service and a private 4-seat compartment called Salottino. A free foodbox containing a fresh product, a snack and a drink is also served to your seat.
Frecciarossa Executive can accommodate up to 10 single armchairs and offers plenty of legroom, wider reclining leather seats, free entry to FRECCIALounge at the main train stations, an exclusive open bar and Michelin-starred menu by the renowned Italian TV chef Carlo Cracco.
Although Smart is Italo’s standard and cheapest class, you won’t miss out on the fantastic service! This class provides you with the following amenities:
In addition to all the perks of Italo Smart, Italo Prima also provides a little extra, such as a dedicated Fast Track service and a welcome service.
If you fancy travelling in style, upgrade to Italo Club Executive and enjoy dedicated catering service, personal screens, and free entry to Italo Club Lounge.
Frecciargento's Standard Class comes with plenty of amenities, including reclining seats, power sockets, a Bistrò bar, free WiFi and an entertainment portal.
In addition to all the perks available in Second Class, Frecciargento's First Class also offers a welcome service including a complimentary sweet or savoury snack and a bottle of water of 0.25L.
Take advantage of the restaurant carriage which offers a menu made of high-quality produce. Travelling with kids? Choose your seats in the dedicated Family Zone.
In First Class, you'll get to travel in comfortable seats, enjoy free WiFi, as well as more space for your luggage and individual plug sockets (German + Swiss).
If you need to request special assistance, you can call: the toll-free number 800 90 60 60, which can be reached from a landline in Italy, or the national number +3902323232 which can be reached from a landline or mobile, even from abroad (international calling charges may apply).
Air-conditioning is available on board. You can also charge your devices thanks to the power sockets you can find at your seat.
While there’s no bar or restaurant carriage on Italo trains, you can use the vending machines on board to get snacks and drinks during your journey.
Priority seats for passengers with reduced mobility are available on Italo trains. They’re usually located next to an accessible toilet. All accessible toilets also have tactile and Braille signs.
Air-conditioning is available on all Italo trains, as well as at-seat power sockets.
You’ll find free WiFi on all Frecciargento trains. Simply connect to their entertainment portal called Portale FRECCE and choose from a wide selection of movies, TV series, live news, eBooks, games, music, and podcasts.
You can also use Portale FRECCE to get the latest updates on your journey, as well as book other services that will help you reach your destination.
If you need to request special assistance, you can call the toll-free number 800 90 60 60 which can be reached from a landline in Italy, or the national number +3902323232 which can be reached from a landline or mobile, even from abroad (international calling charges may apply).
Air-conditioning is available on board. You can also charge your devices thanks to the power sockets you can find at your seat.
You can take as much luggage as you want on SBB Intercity trains, provided that it fits in the luggage racks provided.
Many SBB Intercity trains will have a restaurant or bistro carriage so you can buy food and drink throughout your journey. You may be able to sit at a table in the restaurant carriage or take your meal back to your seat.
There are plug sockets on SBB trains. You can also enjoy free WiFi on Intercity trains via the SBB FreeSurf portal.
There is pushchair storage available on the train, as well as a baby changing toilet onboard. On Intercity trains, there is also a dedicated family carriage.
You can take your bicycle onboard SBB Intercity trains. Between 21st March and 31st October, it's compulsory to reserve a bike space on some Intercity trains. You must also buy a ticket for your bike at a ticket office, ticket machine or online.
Dogs under 30cm in height can travel for free if they're in a carrier and placed under your seat. Larger dogs can travel with you if you buy a Dog Day Pass for CHF 25, which can be purchased at a ticket office, at a ticket machine, online or on the SBB app. The pass is valid for a day on trains, ships, trams and buses in most Swiss cities.
SBB Intercity trains have priority seats for passengers with reduced mobility, as well as a wheelchair-accessible toilet.
There is a Business Zone and a Quiet Zone in First Class on SBB Intercity trains.
Most of the train companies across Europe release their tickets around three to six months in advance, many of which can be cheaper the earlier you book. If you know the dates you want to travel, you may be able to find some cheaper train tickets from Lausanne to Palermo by booking early.§
Many of the train services in Europe are also popular commuter services, lots of train companies increase ticket prices during “peak hours” (generally between 06:00 – 10:00 and 15:00 – 19:00 on weekdays). If you can, consider travelling outside of peak hours to find lower priced tickets.
On some of the busier routes, you might also have the option to take a slower or connecting train. It may take a little longer than some high-speed or direct services, but if you have a little extra time on your hands, you might find a cheaper fare. Plus, you'll have more time to enjoy the view of the countryside!
Take a look at our handy guides to find out when train operators release their special deals and offers to see if you can find cheap European train tickets for your journey.
For specific information about how to get your hands on cheap tickets, check out our European train tickets hub.
The average journey time by train between Lausanne and Palermo is 23 hours and 18 minutes, with around 16 trains per day. The journey time may be longer on weekends and holidays, so use our Journey Planner on this page to search for a specific travel date.
The fastest journey time by train from Lausanne to Palermo is 20 hours and 34 minutes.
Train ticket prices from Lausanne to Palermo can start from as little as £105.03 when you book in advance. The cost of tickets can vary depending on the time of day, route and class you book and are usually more expensive if you book on the day.
No, there are no direct train services from Lausanne to Palermo. Travelling from Lausanne to Palermo by train will require a minimum of 2 changes.
The first train from Lausanne to Palermo leaves at 00:25. Times and services may vary during weekends and holidays.
The last train from Lausanne to Palermo leaves at 23:51. Trains that depart in the early morning hours or very late evening may be sleeper services, time and services may also vary during weekends and holidays.
Trains travelling from Lausanne to Palermo cover a distance of around 674 miles (1084 km) during the journey.