ten years ago it was a national joke.

of course it may be due to the love affair between italians and driving that make the trains a passably relaxed experience, or maybe that the website for booking and getting schedules actually works and that frees up more staff to um, run the system.

before the net, it could take half an hour just to get through to a station master on the phone!

The power of knowledge is in mortal combat with the knowledge of power. It really is that simple... That's the Edenic apple we are all munching on.