how to tell the final destination of a train?

Can't say for sure of being sure of final dest (tho we took lots of trains) but after a huge train mishap in Milan involving missed connection by mere seconds and then being put on the wrong train, my bestadvice, if you are coming into a large train stn and have a tight connection, ask someone working on the train which track to go to...but you also may be able to google train schedules, but I don't think that the tracks are always set...I'm sure someone else will have advice, but if you are cutting it close, ask someone!

In most stations there are big displays of train schedules - yellow and white - behind glass. Don't remember which but one color is for arrival and the other for departure. It lists the train in time order. Will give final destination in bold type and interval stops in regular type. Often will give platform number but that is subject to change. Of course, that only works if you have time to find the schedules. For making tight connections when I arrive in a station, I always look for the train number and departure time. You should know that from your ticket. The board in the station is always by time. So if your train is 2204 at 13:24. I look first for 13:24 and then train number. If 13:24 is not showing then it most likely means the train is late so I look at later times for train number 2204. It could be five minutes later or 20 minutes later but it should be there. I personally never worry about end destination. And, final check, when I arrive at the platform I ask a friendly face.

I think Frank details your options pretty well. The final destination of a train is the city/station posted on the overhead boards. Which sometimes won't help you when you're connecting to Florence and the train ends in Milan... so train #'s are still the best option. These two posts have some photos of the arrival and departure boards that Frank speaks to, and also some "connection" explanations - Good Luck: Riding Trains in Italy and Making a Tight Train Connection

One thing you can do is buy your ticket from the window and ask the person to print you out a complete schedule showing all the connections. It has times, train numbers and track numbers. Remember that in Italy, the word for "track" is "binario", often just abbreviated as "Bin". Also, do NOT forget to validate your ticket in the yellow machines. You used to be able to play the ignorant tourist and say you didn't know but these days you will get a fine for sure if you don't validate and the ticket guy catches you.

Validation is ONLY required for regional trains which DO NOT specify a train, car, and seat number. In other words - open tickets. If you have a ticket for s specific day/time, train, seat reservation then it is only good for that one time. Regional train are good anytime so have to be validated when actually used.

Where are these tight connections, and how long are they? We may have 'been there, done that' and have some tips particular to those stations for you. As usual, Ron in Rome has some great info. Also, I don't know if this short video will help, but it's only 4.5 minutes long...and a good refresher. Rick is redoing his Travel Skills programs for the Fall 2012 season; one thing that may be out-of-date (or not, depending on the train) is the seat reservation signs at each seat. Many trains don't even post them anymore... Riding the Rails