We booked our fast train tickets weeks ago online with our bank debit card and got an email confirmation right away. Their website still lists our tickets today. But our bank said that its fraud department had refused the purchase and the Trenitalia fee has never showed up on our bank statement. We have now said OK to the purchase if Trenitalia tries the debit card number again, but nothing has shown up yet. So, do we have a reservation or do we not? Why would Trenitalia say that we have successfully purchased tickets when we have not paid anything? Trenitalia's helpdesk email doesn't work, we've left messages on their voicemail but gotten no reply. We've called during their business hours. Meanwhile, if we have to re-purchase the tickets, they are getting more and more expensive. We are afraid to re-purchase in case we end up with DOUBLE the number of non-refundable tickets.
Any creative ideas? Wait until we get to Rome to try to straighten it all out?
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
I would be floored if you were able to connect with anyone on the phone who would be motivated enough to help you. Welcome to Italian bureaucracy/customer support.
Posted by
Spokane, WA, USA
121 posts
What a pain, huh? I would take copies of the confirmation information with me to Italy and see if the tickets were, in fact, purchased. If not, it's not a problem re-purchasing the tickets over there. That way, you forego the chances of being double-charged. We used to purchase our train tickets before starting our trips abroad until we discovered how easy (and less expensive) they are buying them in country. Good luck and bon voyage.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
Gregory, Freccia (high speed train) tickets are NOT less expensive if you wait until you arrive in Italy to buy them. There are HUGE discounts available starting four months before your travel date, but you have to buy those in advance. Nancy, I feel your pain. I've had similar problems. Here's a thought: Use a credit card instead of your debit card, but call your credit card company first to let them know to expect a purchase from Trenitalia. The existing unpaid for tickets will probably just disappear on their own at some point. Chances are virtually nil that you can somehow hang onto those prices. IMHO, there's no good reason to be using a debit card for purchases like this - You don't have anywhere near the protections you do if you use a credit card. Good luck. And happy travels.
Posted by
OP
Saint Paul, MN, USA
3 posts
So, you think it's hopeless to get a live person on the phone? My husband speaks excellent Italian, if that will help.
Posted by
OP
Saint Paul, MN, USA
3 posts
Thanks for the quick and helpful responses! I will post the outcome of all this. And next time we will not use a debit card and we will inform our bank before making a foreign purchase.
Posted by
roswell, ga, usa
1501 posts
Nancy, always call your card issuer/bank before using it to make a foreign purchase, and make sure you call them again before you leave to let them know that you will be using the cards in Italy. Credit Card fraud is rampant there, and using a debit card for any purpose other than cash withdrawals from the bankomats is really risky! EVERY time I've gone to Spain, for some reason, someone has cloned my card. Thankfully it was noticed by the card company and didn't cost anything to me. So far never had a problem in Italy, but beware, to make sure you keep your receipts in a safe place -- sometimes In the U.S., I'm careless and even throw them out. On older machines there, they sometimes print out your entire card number and that's what people use to clone them. I've never been pick pocketed, but I keep my credit cards and money in a neck pouch (you can buy them in most department stores now)under my blouse, and in my purse I have a little "gramma coin purse" that contains my daily spending cash. That way I don't have to rifle through an open purse or pull my wallet out several times during the day in a public place. Hope this helps, and you WILL have a fabulous trip to Italy -- I go every year and love it more each time.