Ferrovie del Sud Est (also known as FSE) is the railway and bus company that operates in all of Puglia, the heel of Italy. Whether Trenitalia serves this Region until Lecce, the Salento area, Puglia southernmost county, is actually connected to the railways only by FSE. Ferrovie del Sud Est network is spread over nearly 500 km through the 4 cities in the region and their nearby areas, where the company has been working since 1931.

Dogs and other small pets can travel both on FSE buses and trains provided that they are in a kennel of max 70x50x30 cm. If your dog is bigger, you must buy a half price ticket for them. Dogs must also have their passport, unless they are guide dogs (which in this case also travel for free).

If you travel on a FSE train or coach you can carry up to 2 suitcases of max 70x50x30 cm.

You can get your bike on board on Ferrovie del Sud Est trains, but it is not possible on the bus connections. Even though this service is free of charge on all trains, you must ask for a bike-specific ticket at the ticket office or on board before leaving. If your bicycle is not foldable, you should contact the company at least 2 hours before the departure so as to be sure that the train is equipped with bike racks; otherwise, you can get on board on every train provided that you fold your bicycle and that it is smaller than 70x110x30 cm.

Unfortunately, only some FSE buses are equipped with platforms and disabled-friendly systems. For this reason, it’s advisable to contact the company at least 48 hours before the departure and get to know which trains or buses are suitable and what time they leave.

A non validated single ticket for a Ferrovie del Sud Est train or bus is valid until next year’s January 3rd, while it expires as soon as you get to your destination once validated. FSE also accepts e-tickets or tickets bought online and then printed: in these cases, you don’t have to validate your ticket, as this is valid from the departure hour written on it; however, if you miss your train, you can get on board on the next one, provided that it leaves within 2 hours.

Children under 10 travel for free on FSE trains and coaches, but they must be accompanied by an adult.

FSE fares vary based on the route and on the length of it, however, prices are fixed and, even when booking last minute, you won’t find them increased! It’s not possible to change your ticket nor to cancel your reservation though.