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Milan to Varenna-Esino Train Ticket Validation Question

Posted by on

At Milan Central, on our way to Lake Como for the day. We purchased train tickets from Milan Central to Varenna-Esino around 10:00 AM local at one of the Trenitalia Kiosks. The next train was 12:20. It’s a Trenord train.

Around 11:45, we go to validate tickets at green box near train tracks. It is a scanning machine, not enter and stamp. We can our QR code on a long, rectangular ticket (4 of them in total, family of 4) and a red error comes back in the screen that says not validated (but in Italian). We try a few more times.

We go to 2 more green boxes at different platforms, same thing. We see 5-10 other people, non-Italian looking, same result.

We go ask the train information person helping people and she says, we do not need to validate. She said tickets purchased at Milan Central do not need to be validated.

I have no clue if she’s right or wrong. Anyone have a similar experience or can share any thoughts?

Posted by
21226 posts

Just show the tickets to the conductor as you board the train, That is the procedure if the ticket validator machine is broken. As long as you seek out the conductor, you are OK. The conductor will hand validate them if necessary. It is when you just sit down and play dumb that you are liable to get fined.

Posted by
33 posts

We did speak to the conductor before the train left but only to confirm it was the right train. Next time, we’ll specifically ask about validation.

Just strange that;

A) We tried several machines and it failed
B) We saw many other people try and fail
C) The person at the info book saw our tickets, looked them over and said no validation needed.

Fingers crossed!

Posted by
2542 posts

Pity you missed the 10:20 train.

Local trains are operated by Trenord in Lombardia, not by Trenitalia. And they operate by their own rules. No need to validate.

BTW, If a ticket is supposed to be validated before use this should be mentioned on the ticket.

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