The Colosseum was an express train initially linking Rome and Milan, later Frankfurt am Main.

[2] The train was hauled by FS Class E.444 locomotives and used the Gran Conforto coaches that had been used in the TEE Adriatico until 2 June 1984.

[3] On 28 May 1989 the route was extended farther north to Frankfurt am Main and, being international, the train qualified as EuroCity.

In 1991 the German InterCityExpress (ICE) started with the opening of the Hanover – Würzburg high-speed railway.

On 1 June 1997 Cisalpino introduced ETR 470 tilting trains between Milan and Basel, which replaced the EC Colosseum.