HELP! Can't register on Trenitalia

As far as I know, it is difficult to register as an American on the Trenitalia website because, I believe, you need a codice fiscale. However, you can purchase tickets without registering! You just have to have them delivered by email (or at least that's what I think I've read on here). I purchased some last month without being registered and they were sent quickly to my email.

You do not need to register to purchase a ticket on Trenitalia website. Actually, you CAN'T register as a citizen of the USA.

You should have a choice to purchase without registering....and go to your purchase of your ticket.

Something has happened over the past few months with the Trenitalia website. For a couple of years, all could register on the website. In recent months, this has changed and seemingly, you have to be a citizen of Italy. I'm a registered user and I'm OK on the website. However, I tried recently to go through the registration process and could not. It's not you. Perhaps this will change.

Hi Theresa,

I just went through this same ordeal myself, and have learned a lot.

1) As others have stated, you don't have to register -- IN MOST CASES. For train travel between the big cities using the Freccia or the Intercity trains, you can choose the "non solo registrar" option on the purchase page, which allows you to go through the payment process without creating an account. In these cases, you will receive your ticket by email. Just print and bring with you to Italy.
2) HOWEVER, if you are trying to book the "Regionale" trains, which tend to have smaller cities as their ultimate destination, you cannot buy the tickets online without registering -- which means you cannot buy them online as a US citizen. That said, have no fear -- many people on this board have assured me that Regionale trains do not sell out and you can buy the tickets for these legs of your travel day-of at the station (just be there at least a half-hour early if you can, or buy at a ticket office in Italy even earlier).

So, what this all means is, if you are trying to book a trip that includes Regionale segments, you need to modify the trip on Trenitalia to just include the Freccia/Intercity portions of the trip. You'll be able to pre-buy these online, as stated above. Then just make note of the Regionale connections you would like to make once in Italy, and buy those tickets day-of, as explained above.

One last note: there is some possibility that you CAN buy Regionale tickets online within 7 days of your date of travel. However, since I am not going to Italy until May, I have not been able to verify this. :)

I will update the board once I confirm whether you can indeed do this. That said, I now feel comfortable just buying the Regionale tickets in Italy day-of, if that's what it comes down to.

All the best,
Susan

Theresa, for Regionale trains, you cannot buy online more that 7 days out from the time of travel whether you are registered or not. It's been that way for years. True, the Regionale trains cannot be sold out. Unlike the fast trains, no seat reservations are permitted. If all seats are taken, you can stand. Like a bus, the Regionale trains stop at every station on the run. You should see the Regionale trains in the CT during the summer. They pack 'em in. Never a discount on any Regionale train tickets. Just buy them when you get to Italy.

However, if you are buying a run that includes a fast train coupled with a Regionale, you can do this up to 120 days in advance. Florence to Varenna-Esino (Lake Como) would be an example of such a run. You can do this online without registering. You will receive an email with 1-2 minutes with both tickets.

True, you can buy a ticket that includes a regionale segment with the freccia ticket up to 120 days in advance - I just did this a few days ago.

I am hoping I must just be doing something wrong here, something simple...

We are traveling to Italy in July, and I understand that tickets to regional trains cannot be purchased online more than 7 days in advance. HOWEVER, I also see several comments on here about how I SHOULD be able to do so when tickets are part of a solution that includes a leg on one the "Freccias."

I am attempting to book Rome to Siena (via Florence - yes, most of you will likely recommend the bus, but that option is just not on the table for us) and for the life of me, I just can't seem to see any options during the buying process that allow me to avoid compulsory (and impossible) registration.

What am I missing here? I appreciate any help.

Best,
Paul

p.s. -- should I just buy the Rome-Florence segment and worry about the Florence-Siena leg 7 days out?

I have been to Italy 4 times, multiple cities, and have never bought a ticket ahead of time on line. I just go to the train station a day before I leave (or 2) and buy tickets then. Or if you are not staying long, you can buy them when you arrive. I have never, ever, ever had a problem getting tickets. There are so many trains. You can either use the automatic machines, or go to the counter and have an agent help you. Price is still the same! Just don't let "friendly" people (cons) help you!

" should I just buy the Rome-Florence segment and worry about the Florence-Siena leg 7 days out? "

Yes and no. Buy the Rome-Florence segment in advance to get the best price. But don't buy the Florence-Siena segment from the US. Buy it in Italy, from any ticket machine anywhere in the country. The machines rarely have lines, and take US credit cards as well as euro cash.

Did you ever find how to buy WITHOUT registering? I am trying to purchase tickets which include 1 regional train in the trip but I do not see anyway to proceed to purchase.

Thanks so much for any help.

@helen,

You could also try buying tickets on Italia Rail which is reportedly more user friendly than the Trenitalia website. Depending on your origin and destination stations, you could also consider using high speed Italo trains.

You don't need to register to buy tickets on trenitalia. They give you the option. Once you choose the train you want to take you go to a screen that asks for your name and other details. A little bit under that you'll find a section called "contact buyer-required". This is where you can choose "non registered user" or "Non Sono registrato". Once you choose that you can continue with the booking.

Donna

I don't see where to choose buy without registering. Only see enter contact info to buy ticket and also am seeing grey outs on where to put in city. Any new advice?

You don't need to register. Choose your train and the type of seats you want. Click to the next page. The first section will list the train and then ask for your name and other information. Then it will say "additional services" and then under that it will have "contact buyer-required". It's in a grey shaded area but you can click on the "non registered user" bullet.

https://www.lefrecce.it/B2CWeb/createTicket.do?parameter=viewCreateTicket&cFID=htPDL5isaZ86

I hope this link works, because this is what it looks like.

Donna

Simple answer is: just use some address. use your Italian Hotel's address if you want. It really doesn't matter because nobody's going to be checking or validating your address. Order your print at home tickets and be done with it. My Italian address has been in the Trenitalia address for years now, and I've purchased MANY MANY tickets. It's just that simple. Nobody cares what your address is. Just put one in the satisfies the website's criteria.

Just last week I used my hotels address to register and was able to buy and printout tickets online. Worked perfectly. I guess the hotel will get my Trenitalia card at some point, if there is one.

Why go through all of that when one simple click can be made? I just don't understand what the problem is. Just click the non registered user button and move on.

Donna

I have been trying for over a week to purchase tickets from Venice to Rome and keep getting an error message - I go in as a non-registered user but then get the message - Error code :291 Any one of the data entered is not valid. This has been happening for past couple of weeks as i watch the cost of my ticket go up - any one else having this issue? Any suggestions?

Donna, the simple reason is if you create an account you have access to all of your purchase history. Lose a paper printout? Reprint it. Accidentally delete that email confirmation? Reprint it. It can make life a lot easier...especially if your only other alternative is to phone Italy and attempt to work with a Trenitalia person.

Same problem! I was unable to register but had to buy (for 9 people!) because the price kept creeping up - and was different cost every time I looked. I bought tickets but have never received a confirmation email after more than a month. I have gone on the Trenitalia site and requested an email to be sent but have not gotten one. I printed the "travel summary: finalized ticket" the site showed last after I paid. Is that enough? The really scary thing is if I go back to the site it shows some of the seats I have reserved as available. Do I panic?

You may want to call their service center. I have never called them before and not sure if they might have a english speaker. If you have a screen shot of the order that should be helpful. Here is the service center information

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=adeebd6bc1abf310VgnVCM1000008916f90aRCRD

Tim, I understand the benefits of registering but people don't need to register to buy tickets.

For those having issues purchasing it might be because part of your trip involves a regional train. Usually these train combinations cannot be purchased in advance. Try just buying the high speed portion of the ticket. You can always buy the regional tickets at the station. There are no discounts for these so there is no benefit to buying them early.

Donna

Hello Donna:

Trenitalia must have changed their site since you posted the link on 7/13/14. Now the link (and the next page once you've selected the train) is completely different than when you used their website. Their website is absolutely abominable!!

Thanks,

John

John, I just did a dummy booking and the site has not changed.

I entered the cities I wish to travel between. Be sure to enter the Italian names to get the correct cities. Change the date and time to when you wish to travel. The next page is the one where you pick the time you want to travel. Pick the travel time and train that's best for you. Once you choose the time you'll be able to choose your fare. Once you choose your fair the next screen will ask for your personal information. Just above the payment section is a section called "Contact Buyer-required". Here you will find two choices, registered user or non-registered user. You can click on the non-registered user to continue booking.

Donna

I also encountered the same problem. I could not buy regional train ticket of next week without typing user id and password.

Between the "Additional Service" and "Payment" sections, there are only an "Authentication" section and a Reminder message about ticket validation.

When I click the Continue button, it needs me to input user id and password.

I have tried English and Italian version, I also tried using Firefox and Internet Explorer, but still failed.

As mentioned by the above friends, I suppose it could be easy to buy regional train ticket until I arrive Rome next week.

Thanks anyway.

I hadn't heard of the changes to the website and just went there. I didn't have any trouble at all, in fact it is in some ways easier than it used to be.

I hope that you find your way around the site.

Don't even try to buy Regionale tickets on the website. Just get them when you arrive. The price for Regionale tickets is the same from the website as it is from the kiosks in the stations, or even from the windows. If you get online Regionale tickets they have more restrictions than the ones in the stations. Just don't forget to validate the ones from the stations. It is so easy.

Theresa, I ordered tickets in April and did not register. That was not my particular problem. My problem was the site not accepting my surname...until it was in all uppercase letters. The next issue, after I had purchased and had seen my purchase had been charged was no email response back. I waited for days, nothing. Then I read somewhere that Trenitalia did not respond to .net email addresses. I changed to a .com and had a response within seconds.
I hope this is helpful to someone that might have this issue.