Question about the regional trains and validation/checkin

No check in necessary

Since you have digital tix purchased online you do not need to validate

Just board your train and find a seat

I'm interested in this as well. I bought tickets on-line and the tickets have a "Manage" button and "Check In" button which is greyed out at the moment. I migrated the tickets to the Trenitalia app and they have a "Manage" button on them. I've been working under the assumption that day of the Manage Button becomes a "Check in" button but confirmation would be nice.

I think the selling point of the change is you can change your ticket up until the midnight of the day before but then you are stuck with it. That's why I'm assuming the option will be to check-in after midnight on the day of the ticket.

Just when you think you're ready there's something new,
=Tod

[Added] English from Trenitalia for anyone who hasn't seen it:

Buy the new Digital Regional Ticket and directly manage your trip thanks to the new check-in feature.

See all new features:

Remember to check-in before your scheduled train departure time to validate your ticket.
Simply open the “My journeys” area in the Trenitalia APP or website or open the link in the e-mail or text message you received and select “check-in”.
The journey date and time can be changed an unlimited number of times before 11:59 PM the day before your scheduled departure.
You can change your departure time an unlimited number of times on the day of your journey if you haven't yet checked in.
You can buy your Digital Regional Ticket on this website, on the Trenitalia App, at authorised Travel Agencies and on the Trenitalia website.

Check in button was live for us on the day last week on the app. I think it showed up after you select Manage.

See this on the Trenitalia website:

https://www.trenitalia.com/en/purchase/digital-regional-ticket.html

And see this previous thread about the subject:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/transportation/italy-train-question-trenitalia-website-says-must-check-in-for-regional-train

So yes, it's an annoying new thing that requires checking in (validating) e-tickets. Paper tickets are still validated via the time-stamping machines.

I think I figured it out. Because I bought the tickets before registering, I have to check in via a link in the email confirmation. I will give it a try tomorrow and hopefully all goes well.

My brain just takes that "check in" button, since you don't have to "validate" them, as the digital validation......though the fact that if you purchase the regionale trains on the app you have to lock into a specific train after midnight the day prior makes me not love that method of purchasing regionales.....

I have a question to add to OP's question since I'm also confused. Last time I traveled to Italy in 2022, Regionale tickets were good for any train on the same route within 4hrs of the time on the ticket. So if I had a route where I had a connection and the first leg of my trip was slow/delayed and I had a tight connection and missed the Regionale I was supposed to get on, it was no biggie since I could just hop on the next Regionale train headed in that direction.

I recently bought train tickets on Trenitalia for my upcoming trip, not realizing that you now have to check in for Regionale trains, even with digital tickets. I'm fine with checking in, but really confused what this means for tight connections and if you were to miss your train.

For example, I have booked the following route that includes 2 Regionale trains with only a 5 minute transfer time in La Spezia: Florence SM Novella (DEPART 10:53) --> La Spezia Centrale(ARRIVE 1.20pm; DEPART 1.25pm) --> Riomaggiore (1.32pm)

If I were to check in online, does it make me check in for the entire route? There's a high likelihood I'd miss that second leg train, so in that case, am I allowed to get on the next Regionale train from La Spezia --> Riomaggiore? Or will that be grounds for being fined since I will have checked in to a different Regionale train?

Thanks in advance!