Rome , Italy ( CNN ) -- As chairman of Ferrari , Luca di Montezemolo is used to making things that move at breakneck speed . But rather than flashy sports cars for wealthy motor enthusiasts , the Italian businessman 's latest high-velocity project aims to cater for the traveling masses . The Italo train from NTV -- a passenger rail company of which di Montezemolo is also chairman -- is a high-speed service that has been dashing between Milan , Rome and other major Italian cities since April . With its dark red color scheme , streamlined shape and speeds as fast as a formula-one car , everyone 's calling Italo the `` Ferrari train . '' A cinema carriage , free Wi-Fi access throughout the train , and luxury leather seats all add to the high-performance , luxury theme . But Italo is intended to be affordable and accessible to all consumers . Both Italo and state-run rival Trenitalia currently have promotional offers , but Trenitalia 's flexible standard tickets from Rome to Milan start from $ 107 and go up to $ 200 , whereas flexible standard tickets from Rome to Milan on Italo range from $ 110 to $ 163 . `` Our idea was to do a train for everybody , '' di Montezemolo says . See also : In numbers : Europe 's high-speed trains . He believes rail is the best way to travel in Europe and sees the emergence of NTV as a sign of rail renaissance . `` There are other trains in Europe but for me high-speed train will be the future of Europe , '' he says . While Italy has had high-speed trains since the late 1970s , NTV is the country 's first rail operator not run by the state . Montezemolo and his consortium of partners , including French state rail company SNCF , have invested â‚¬1 billion ( $ 1.2 billion ) in NTV , breaking Trenitalia 's monopoly . But Trenitalia was ready for Italo 's arrival . It has spent $ 100 million upgrading the interiors of its Frecciarossa trains and introduced free Wi-Fi . It welcomes a new high-speed player and is prepared to fight for every customer . `` It 's an opportunity for the consumer , '' says Trenitalia 's Emanuele Carando . `` It 's an opportunity for us to really demonstrate the power of Trenitalia and Frecciarossa ... and I think our numbers are really unbeatable . We are the first high-speed train in Italy ... we served 25 million consumers in the last year and I think our numbers are unbeatable . '' Cameron Jones , vice president of rail industry technology specialists SilverRail , agrees that competition in the sector can benefit the consumer . `` Privatization and competition drives more efficient businesses , '' he says . `` With more efficient businesses those benefits and savings can be passed on to customers . So service gets better , product gets better and pricing gets better . '' The expansion of other rail operators across Europe is having a similar effect , says Jones . `` Competition is driving a customer approach to rail ... and not just in Italy , '' he says . `` We can see that with ( German rail company ) Deutsche Bahn announcing they 're coming into London to compete with Eurostar . Eurostar has invested Â£700 million in upgrading their entire fleet and adding 10 new trains in the fleet . '' See also : California 's high speed train to nowhere ? Italo hopes to have 25 % of Italy 's market by 2014 , and di Montezemolo does n't rule out expanding beyond the country 's borders . `` It 's too early to think outside of Italy but I think this will be the future , '' he says . Ayesha Durgahee is the resident reporter on CNN 's Business Traveller . Follow Ayesha on Twitter at @ AyeshaCNN .
NTV is Italy 's first high-speed rail company not run by the state . The company 's Italo service has been nicknamed the `` Ferrari train '' `` High-speed trains the future of Europe , '' says NTV chairman .