A blaze in Tiburtina and all the italian trains are late, canceled or reprogrammed. As an italian using the public transport, I know very well how can the services become inefficiencies in a few seconds. Yesterday all the trains going south were canceled, whereas the ones going north had heavy delays. Today, monday morning, the situation isn't better: InterCity trains suppressed, Eurostars-FrecciaRossa, the top class trains of Ferrovie dello Stato, delayed and no one that knows what's going to happen.
Ferrovie dello Stato yesterday prayed all costumers not to travel unless it was really necessary; ironically nobody would travel with that inefficiencies for any reason except it's really necessary and the only solution: trains are dirty, the air conditioning system is working properly one time on three, the faster trains (InterCity) has always delays, while the High Speed Trains (EuroStar) costs so much that only managers or freelance can afford to travel that way.
There are no discounts for students or frequent travelers, only some point-cards which allow you to have a gift after 50,000 points, but worst of all the services isn't working properly: no ticket inspectors on the trains, not enough seats in the carriage, no indications about the station approaching and no indications in a language different from italian.
I remember the train from Brighton to London or to Eastbourne: no comparison at all..
For the public transports, as for other fields, we have to learn a lot from the Uk.