Has anybody been able to book tickets through trenitalia.com recently. i am using my verified by visa card ...it says denied at the very end.
is there any other way to get the same promotional rates.
else, i will have to buy the more expensive eurail pass..I dont want to wait till the very end with buying the tickets since we will be traveling with a 20 month odl baby and dont want to risk not having a reservation and waiting in ticket lines
Thanks!!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23534 posts
This is a frequently asked and answered question. You should try the search box for more information. The Trenitalia site has been notorious for not taking Am credit cards. Someone had posted earlier that the verified visa would work. You might wait a day and try again. Recently someone else posted that the discounts were changing as to what was available for discount. There is only one discount available, Amica, and that may be changing.
I don't understand your comment about buying the more expensive eurail pass. Most passes make no economic sense in Italy. Unless you are traveling over a very major holiday, you will have problems with buying tickets a day or two before travel or even day of travel.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Yes, I've done it twice in the last two weeks. I'm using a Visa card that I have registered with Verified by Visa. What I suspect is that the promotional fare you are after is not available on that run. For example, on the new updated Trenitalia website, you can indeed select a promotional fare but the system will now tell you if that fare is available or not by displaying a green or red button in the lower right.
Please don't use the baby as an excuse to get a railpass for Italy. The Italians travel with their bambinos and bambinas all the time and they do just fine. You don't have to stand in long lines if you use the electonic ticket machines. They are fast and quick and they will prompt you in English. It's like riding the Hiawatha Line. Besides, it's mostly the tourists in those long lines. The Italians have eletronic tickets from home or use the electronic machines.
Here's another surpise. If you have a more expensive Eurail pass, and you want to ride the Eurostar class trains, you will have to stand in line to pay your 18Euro supplemental fee. You cannot simply hop on. Or, you can pay it at the electronic machine.
Next, you seem to think that you risk not having a seat reservation. Most Americans do not grasp the enormity of the European train systems. For most of the popular runs in Italy, the trains depart about every hour. On the most popular runs, it's every 20-30 minutes. They don't run full. Each train holds about 400 passengers. This isn't AMTRAK. Also, depending on where you are going, some runs are on the regional trains and seat reservations are not permitted. You can't get them.
Where are you intending to go? What dates? I'll look them up and see what's up.
Posted by
Bromley, Kent,, UK
1829 posts
You can also buy your train tickets in Italy from a travel shop that has a Trenitalia sticker in their window, at no extra cost. Write down your itinerary to take with you to the shop.
Posted by
Dallas, TX, USA
1170 posts
I always just get to the train station a little early and purchase from the automated kiosks in the lobby. It's so easy and intuitive.
Posted by
Los Angeles, CA, USA
1449 posts
I agree with Larry. Unless you happen to be traveling on a national holiday (which you ought to look up in advance, anyway, because it will affect how crowded everything is) you won't have problems getting on a train of your choice. And the ticket lines can be long, but there is no reason to wait in them. Use the automated kiosks, which have an english menu available; just click on the British flag.