Local Sala Blu offices of RFI are found in 15 main stations, in addition to a National Sala Blu office, but it operates only by telephone and the web. Sala Blu offices are open every day, including weekends and public holidays, from 6:45 am to 9:30 pm and provide information and bookings for assistance services, which can be provided round the clock at all stations in the network.
The assistance services, free of charge, consist of:
- meeting passengers at the station at the agreed meeting point or, for incoming passengers, at their seat on board the train,
- meeting passengers to the station to collect their tickets, if applicable,
- accompanying passengers on board the departing train to their assigned seats or from the arriving train to the station exit or, for those continuing their journey, on board another train,
- providing, on request, a wheelchair for accompanying passengers to/from the train at the station,
- boarding and alighting the train by means of a forklift for passengers on wheelchairs,
- a hand luggage service (1 piece of luggage) if required.
The assistance services are aimed at:
- people with limb problems, even temporary ones, or people with walking difficulties,
- wheelchair users (see details),
- people who are blind or visually impaired,
- people who are deaf or hard of hearing,
- the elderly,
- pregnant women,
- people with cognitive disabilities.
If the passenger requiring assistance is not self-sufficient, the service may only be able to be provided if there is a personal assistant at the station or a person accompanying them during the trip.
COVID OUTBREAK - from 1st of May 2022, it is no longer mandatory to use a mask for accessing and stopping in the Sala Blu Office; nevertheless, their use is still suggested, due to the high number of attendance as sites places open to the public.
>> get updates here
COVID OUTBREAK - from 1st of May 2022, it is no longer mandatory to use a mask for accessing and stopping in the Sala Blu Office; nevertheless, their use is still suggested, due to the high number of attendance as sites places open to the public.
>> get updates here
Bookings can be made during Sala Blu offices opening hours from 6:45 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. all day, including weekends and public holidays by contacting the company you made your booking with, by heading to one of the Sala Blu offices or by calling the:
At fast stations, reservations can be made up to one hour before the departure of the train for assistance services between 7:45 a.m. and 10:30 p.m., and at least 12 hours before for assistance services between 10:31 p.m. and 7:44 a.m. Fast stations include the stations with Sala Blu offices and the following stations: Bologna Centrale AV, Civitavecchia, Fiumicino Aeroporto, Genova Brignole, Genova Piazza Principe Sotterranea, Milano Porta Garibaldi, Milano Porta Garibaldi Sotterranea, Napoli Afragola, Napoli Piazza Garibaldi, Padua, Palermo Centrale, Pisa Centrale, Roma Tiburtina, Salerno, Torino Porta Susa and Venezia Mestre.
At all other stations in the PRM Assistance Network (standard stations) the reservation must be made at least 12 business hours in advance, considering the Sala Blu offices opening hours as business hours.
In the event of travel between a fast station and a standard station, the service must be booked 12 hours prior to the time/departure at the standard station.
For groups of passengers with disability or reduced mobility, consisting of 3 or more persons, the assistance reservation must be made at least 48 hours in advance of the train's departure time. This is required to allow Railway Undertaking to verify the availabilty of seats onboard of the train.
In case of international journeys, the requests for assistance should be sent preferably by e-mail to the Sala Blu offices for the stations where the chosen trains stop, or to the National Sala Blu office (SalaBlu.Nazionale@rfi.it) at least 48 hours before the journey.
COVID OUTBREAK - from 1st of May 2022, it is no longer mandatory to use a mask for accessing and stopping in the Sala Blu Office; nevertheless, their use is still suggested, due to the high number of attendance as sites places open to the public.
>> get updates here
Reservations can be made by e-mail, by writing to the address of one of the 16 Sala Blu offices, at least 24 hours before the date and time of the required service. The e-mail must indicate:
For groups of passengers with disability or reduced mobility, consisting of 3 or more persons, the assistance reservation must be made at least 48 hours in advance of the train's departure time. This is required to allow Railway Undertaking to verify the availabilty of seats onboard of the train.
In case of international journeys, the requests for assistance should be sent preferably by e-mail to the Sala Blu offices for the stations where the chosen trains stop, or to the National Sala Blu office (SalaBlu.Nazionale@rfi.it) at least 48 hours before the journey.
COVID OUTBREAK - from 1st of May 2022, it is no longer mandatory to use a mask for accessing and stopping in the Sala Blu Office; nevertheless, their use is still suggested, due to the high number of attendance as sites places open to the public.
>> get updates here
SalaBlu Online is Rete Ferroviaria Italiana’s web service which, once they register, allows persons with disability and reduced mobility to request assistance at Sala Blu offices by filling in a simple web form.
SalaBlu Online bookings must be made at least 24 hours in advance of the date and time of the required service.
For groups of passengers with disability or reduced mobility, consisting of 3 or more persons, the assistance reservation must be made at least 48 hours in advance of the train's departure time. This is required to allow Railway Undertaking to verify the availabilty of seats onboard of the train.
SalaBlu Online also provides a special web chat service for people with hearing disabilities where they can communicate with Sala Blu offices to request information on accessing assistance services and travel planning with the same time frames as direct channels (telephone and Sala Blu offices).
SalaBlu Online complies with the accessibility guidelines published by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium), as certified by the ASPHI Onlus Foundation (Introduction and Development of Projects to reduce handicaps through IT).
COVID OUTBREAK - from 1st of May 2022, it is no longer mandatory to use a mask for accessing and stopping in the Sala Blu Office; nevertheless, their use is still suggested, due to the high number of attendance as sites places open to the public.
>> get updates here
SalaBlu+ is RFI's smartphone app that allows persons with disabilities and reduced mobility who choose to travel by train:
Bookings with SalaBlu+ must be made at least 24 hours in advance of the date and time of the requested service.
For groups of passengers with disability or reduced mobility, consisting of 3 or more persons, the assistance reservation must be made at least 48 hours in advance of the train's departure time. This is required to allow Railway Undertaking to verify the availabilty of seats onboard of the train.
SalaBlu+ is an application that complies with the accessibility guidelines published by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium), as certified by the ASPHI Onlus Foundation (Introduction and Development of Projects to reduce handicaps through IT).
COVID OUTBREAK - from 1st of May 2022, it is no longer mandatory to use a mask for accessing and stopping in the Sala Blu Office; nevertheless, their use is still suggested, due to the high number of attendance as sites places open to the public.
>> get updates here
A web chat service is available for people with hearing disabilities that allows them to communicate with Sala Blu offices to request information on accessing assistance services and travel planning with the same time frames as direct channels (telephone and Sala Blu offices).
For groups of passengers with disability or reduced mobility, consisting of 3 or more persons, the assistance reservation must be made at least 48 hours in advance of the train's departure time. This is required to allow Railway Undertaking to verify the availabilty of seats onboard of the train.
Appointments with Assistance service staff at departure stations are made at the time of booking at one of the available meeting points, 30 minutes before the departure of the train.
Help us to maintain the high quality of Sala Blu office services! If you wish to cancel your journey after your booking has been confirmed, always inform Sala Blu offices (by telephone or e-mail), preferably at least 4 hours in advance.
The personal data communicated by passengers to benefit from the assistance services are managed in compliance with European Regulation no. 679/2016: read the privacy policy.