Boarding a train with reservation ticket but from next station

I would think that you could - personal opinion - provided it is exactly the same train number as on your ticket and day. It is not like the airlines who would have canceled your reservation if you were a no show at the first stop.

no problem if you board exactly the same train. You may find that after 2 hours without you sitting in it that somebody may thought they preferred your seat to the one they reserved.

Is it true that your seat reservations expire after 15 minutes ?? So if you show up late you cannot insist that the people in "your" seats give them up?

Nope, never heard of that but I sure the person seating in your seat has. It is common on a long trip for a seat to be reserved from A to C, open C to D, reserved again from D to G, and so on. The person sitting in your sit illegally would have no way of knowing if you were suppose to board in Rome or in Florence as you did. We hit a snag on a Spanish train when traveling onetime when traveling with son and dil. Their seats were taken by someone who refused to move since their seats were occupied by someone - she just keep saying , "Go somewhere". Or at least that is what we think she was saying. Have a very kind son who didn't want to make an issue so they just went to the bar car. I don't think the train conductors check seats unless someone raises the question.

Seat reservations do expire after 15 minutes on Deutsche Bahn trains, but Italo ain't DB. Nonetheless, I'd like to hear this direct from Italo.

Thanks everyone. What I understand is that basically it shouldn't be an issue to get into the same train and reserved seats from next station; however, if it doesn't work out, can we at least travel in the train? I hope at least that is valid.
Also, I have written to Italo and Rail Europe directly and look forward to a positive reply from them.

Rail Europe won't know; even if they answer I wouldn't count on its accuracy.

Ohhh; not sure which way to reach Italo as they don't seem to give any general contact email on their website. Will try to locate again.

They do list a phone number though. You might want to download the 58 page Conditions of Carriage in Italian and use google translate to get the gist in English. Maybe that will tell you something.
http://www.italotreno.it/~/media/Images/content/pdf/contratto_di_trasporto/contrattoditrasportorel423.pdf

To travel on any train except Regionale you have to have a valid ticket for that train number, that day, that coach, and a seat. Even if you board in Florence, if the above is correct you should be good to go. You don't check in at the train so the train has no way of knowing whether you got on or not. Maybe you spent most of the time in the restroom and the dinning car prior to coming to your seat. And no one is going to stop you in Florence and say you should have gotten on in Rome. I can think of a number of reasons why you may not be in your seat. Maybe you got in the wrong coach and the wrong seat and didn't realize it until Florence.

Thanks again. I did try to call and speak with Italo people; however, they couldn't connect me to an English speaking person and I was like on hold for several minutes. I believe it is worth taking a risk as we will have valid tickets for this train journey. As it will be a travel of about 2 hours (from Florence-Venice) we can manage even if there is any slight inconvenience. Lastly, would I be asked to show tickets while boarding in Florence?

not until the Conductor comes around. There is no "gate" to board through, unless Florence has put in security in which case you will do, so as to keep the riff raff off the train.

Thanks a lot everyone. I was able to connect with Italo (this time to an English speaking person) after few days failed attempts and they just confirmed that "it is not a problem if I board the same train with reserved tickets from next station". I guess it is all sorted out now and I look forward to my journey then.

Meanwhile, thanks again for your prompt & useful tips. If any of you have questions for travelling to India (my home country), feel free to reach me at [email protected]; I would be happy to answer any of your queries. Warm regards,
Nakul

They will kick out a person in first class if their ticket says second class. Check which coach you are boarding.

Thanks Swan; I totally understand this. We have 2nd class tickets with us and will stick to that coach only.

Meanwhile (as mentioned by you Nigel), the funny thing is that I raised this issue on a chat with Rail Europe (India) people, who confirmed that I wouldn't be able to get into the train from next station. Further, I asked the same question by email and received answer on similar lines.

This obviously rang bells in my mind and I again called up ITALO in Italy and spoke to their executive who confirmed that it is not a problem to board the train from next station. Upon sharing the booking details, he event gave me the timing when the train would leave Florence (the next station from where I want to board the train). So with my fingers crossed, I am going with the plan to get into the train from Florence and will see what comes by.

Hopefully I will share the good experience when I return from the trip in early-July.