buying train tickets on line

Lots of questions. First, only reason to buy on line is to lock in discounts and schedule. But miss the train and the ticket is no good. Since trains rarely sell out especially at that time of year, you can always buy tickets a few days ahead of time and some discounts might still be available. We never buy in advance. Only an open ticket on a Regional train needs to be validated. Since there is no discounts for regional tickets they cannot or need not be purchased over the internet or in advance. ALL other trains in Italy require a seat reservation so the ticket is train and seat specific (seat reservation) and need not be validated because the ticket is only good for that train and seat at that time. Cannot use it on another train or at another time The seat is assigned at the time the ticket is purchased. You validate your regional ticket by sticking it in the yellow box and getting a time stamp on the ticket. It is good for 24 hours in the direction of travel indicated on the ticket. You can get on and off at in between stops with this ticket.

Barbara, Frank has answered many of your questions but these articles may help you understand the Italian train system and supplement Frank's answer: Riding Trains in Italy, Booking online using the Trenitalia Website, Going "Ticketless" and Using PNR Codes on Trenitalia, and Buying a Train Ticket at a Station Kiosk. There are plenty of pictures in the posts that may also help you. Good Luck!

OMG I read Ron in Rome 475,000 people in one day at the train station Im nervous already!!! Will be coming from the airport. What is the difference with trains ie The Leonardo Express? What currency will we need on arrival. maybe should get some before we leave the airport?

Liz, they're not all there at once! I'd suggest you get a good guidebook for Rome to help you get your "perspective" on visiting Rome. RS has a good one! You will need Euro and I'd suggest you get some before you leave your home country. Otherwise, yes, use an ATM (and NOT a money changer) at the FCO airport. If you need more info on the LE train, you might read this: The Leonardo Express . There are plenty of other options when heading into Rome - You might look at Transportation Options From Fiumicino Airport (FCO) to Rome.

I always buy online ahead of time for piece of mind and to avoid very long lines. but I am a very regulated sceduled type of person so I know exactly when I need the train. It is not difficult to change the time of a ticket once you buy it though I changed mine to an hour earlier train from Venice and it was no charge or trouble at the ticket window. I always use the eurostar when available though, the extra money is worth the time saved to see more sites.
Trenitalia gives you a printed out "ticket" that is more like a boarding pass for a plane like what you get when you check in online, then a guy on the train comes by and scans it with his hand scanner during the journey, stamps it and you are good to go! it was kind of awesome. I think if you miss your train you have one hour to change your ticket to another time. You are allowed one change to your ticket, I don't think that includes destinations only times.

Liz, As Ron, mentioned not all the 475,000 travellers will be at the station at the same time. Both the airport station and Termini are usually "busy" but not hectic. I would highly recommend leaving home with about €100 for "travelling money". You should be able to obtain that at your local financial institutions. You could also find an ATM at FCO and obtain Euro's there. Note that with ATM's in Europe, your travel funds must usually be in a chequing account with a four number PIN. You can also use a credit card to purchase tickets on the Leonardo Express, either from the ticket windows (€15) or from the automated Kiosks (€14). AFAIK the Kiosks still accept magnetic stripe credit cards, although as you're from Australia I'm assuming you now have "Chip & PIN" cards. One VERY IMPORTANT point to mention - the Leonardo Express is a Regionale train so you MUST validate your tickets in the yellow machine at track side, or face a hefty fine which will be collected on the spot! Buon Viaggio!

Your ability to change a ticket will depend on what type of ticket you buy, and perhaps "when" your change occurs. For example a MINI, BASE, or FLESSIBILE all have different restrictions and allowances. A MINI is probably the most restricted ticket - We could not even get them to change "seats" on our MINI tickets at the Naples train station last year... (in Italy, that may also be determined by who is waiting on you!). Read the "fine print" when buying any ticket online or at a counter.

GRAZIE for your responses. They are very helpful. We're planning to take a train from Civitaveccchia (getting off a repositioning cruise there) to Cortona. I know we will have to go to Rome and then catch a train to Cortona. From your experiences, is it confusing to find the binario for the right train? We could have a tight connection.

If you're planning to "connect" at Roma Termini, unfortunately the Civitavecchia trains usually come in at platforms 26-29 which are the satellite platforms. It's about a 10 minute walk from there to the main section of the station... which will probably be where your connecting train departs from. There is a departure board out near Track 26-29 so you will see there WHICH platform your next train leaves from if they've posted the track). These two posts may help you: Roma Termini Station and Making a Tight Train Connection in Italy

Definitely get some euros before you go - I usually change about 100 euro. I always buy tickets at the station, sometimes a line, but the kiosk works very well. Fast trains require a reservation/seat assignment when you purchase them - it will all come out of the computer printed on the ticket. Regional trains do not normally have required seats, you buy the ticket and then put it into the yellow validating machine at the entrance to the train tracks - there is a big fine if you don't validate, so make sure the machine is working and prints a very tiny line of information on your ticket (machine number, time and date, etc.). If by chance you don't get the ticket validated, immediately find railroad personnel and they can hand-validate it for you - if they find you first, there's the fine.

For April and May, you won't to have to buy train tickets ahead. And few trains will be fully sold out, in case you're getting reservations for fast trains and longer legs. You don't have to always make E10 reservations when you're purchasing the tickets. If you did reserve a ticket, the seat and car # will be on the reservation. See Trenitalia.com for copies of the tickets, etc. and procedures. After one trip, you'll be an expert. You can avoid standing in lines at ticket booths by using a credit card to book your tickets at a vending machine kiosk (in English). You can also purchase tickets the night before if you happen to be walking past the train station, when lines are shorter. You validate the tickets at the yellow machines beside the train tracks (before you get on the train.) Happy Rails!