Can train tickets be purchased with a standard US credit card?

regina,

When I was in Italy last year, I helped some travellers from the U.S. buy tickets at a Kiosk and at that time their older magnetic stripe card worked fine. When I bought tickets, the Kiosk processed the transaction using the "Chip & PIN" technology in my card, rather than the magnetic stripe. You shouldn't have any problems using your card at staffed ticket offices.

My friends and I had issues trying to purchase train tickets at the machines with a standard (magnetic stripe) credit card or debit card. You should not have a problem with the staffed windows, but sometimes there can be a long line. What I would suggest (to make things easier and to avoid lines for staffed windows) is to use cash at the machines.

As of last summer the automatic kiosks worked with the magnetic stripe cards.
I don't think the automatic kiosks accept cash and that is why the staffed ticket windows have long lines. Many Italians prefer to use cash, therefore they don't use the kiosks.

I used cash at the ticket machines last year, the machine gives change up to €20. Don't know how long the cash option at ticket machines will continue to operate, though.

I have found older ticket machines accept mag cards but new ones do not always accept the Am mag card.

It really is hit or miss, at least for me. I use my standard US credit card often and sometimes it doesn't work. There are times when it works one place and then next time I use it there it doesn't work. There really is no rhyme or reason to it that I've been able to figure out. I've mostly had good luck using it for train tickets though, not sure it's ever not worked with those.

Regarding the ticket Kiosks, I vaguely recall that some would accept cash, but not all. For example, at Milano Centrale the Kiosks at track level would only accept cards, while the Kiosks downstairs next to the staffed ticket office would also accept cash. I'm not sure if it's the same situation now, as I rarely venture down towards the ticket office anymore.

Unless this has recently changed, some kiosks definitely accept cash. Not all do - so the ones that do accept cash may have had a longer line, but they exist. If you look at this photo you will see that there is a symbol of cash on the top right corner of some of the machines. Not all the machines have it. But you'll see that the machines with the cash symbol have a slot for cash (the black box thing) on the right-hand side whereas the machine without the cash symbol on the left side of the picture does not have this slot.

just got back a few days ago and yes, the machines take euros and US creditcards. I only used magnetic strip cards and paid without entering pin numbers. also you can book in advance online.

Some U.S. banks are now issuing Chip and Pin cards. USAA Savings Bank just replaced my credit card with a chip and pin card, same account number and it works as a "regular" credit card too.

Cynthia