reissuing train tickets that were stolen?

Did they buy the tickets via credit card? If so, have them call the card services and see if they can help. They might be able to prove they bought them and get the travel agency to work something out. Otherwise, they are unfortunately probably out of luck.

As I expected, to reissue they must have ticket in hand. Very unfortunate situation. The trip to the C.T. for this weekend is now off.

Janet, that is awful! My own daughter did a semester abroad and I know the pit you are feeling in your stomach right now. To put a postive spin on it, you could look at the misfortune as being both a wake up call (although the girls didn't do anything wrong) to be forever vigilant, no matter how familiar or safe suroundings may be, and a lesson learned without dire or life threatening consequences. Short of looking at it that way, you just want to cry along with the girls. Any chance they had tracing software on their laptops, like LoJac? I 'm not even sure if that software works overseas.

Not sure if they have that tracing software on their laptops or not. The students (in Jr. year)are from the Iowa State University College of Design and had to purchase apple laptops from the univ. specifically for their design program. Will have to ask my niece if she has any idea about that software. She lives with 5 other girls in an apartment and 2 of the roommates had stuff taken. She said they will be changing the locks on the classroom studio and their apt. tomorrow and said guess they won't be going to the Cinque Terre this weekend. She is very bummed. She has been there once before but think for the others it was going to be their first trip there.

Thanks Douglas. Good idea. I just sent my niece an email with this info. as I am not sure how they paid for the tkts.

Thanks for the replies. The girls went back to the travel agency where they purchased the train tickets (just purchased them either yesterday or day before) and the guy working there recognized them but said he could do nothing about it. I imagine his hands are tied by Trenitalia. They paid cash for the tickets when purchased. I am not sure if they have tracking software on the laptops but would think the university would be looking into this as they are laptops issued by the school. As there were keys to the studio and apt. in the backpacks, they will be changing locks tomorrow so in meantime will have security posted all night at both places.

Best of luck, Janet. I know you are sick to death over this, as I was when my daughter had issues like this when she did her semester abroad. The silver lining was that she did a lot of "growing up' in a hurry. For the first time, I think she truly learned what it felt like to feel "vulnerable". As a mother, I felt it, too. But of course, raising her over the course of 20 years, I felt it a million times.

Ditto, to that Carrie. Couldn't agree more! Been there, done that, as the saying goes. Janet, hang in there as their advocate and supporter! Every grey cloud has it's silver lining. Time will tell them what it is...........If there is any resolution to the theft and the ticket situation, pop back and let us know. Hoping for the best!

Thank you everyone for being so supportive. I am thankful, as is my sister and her husband, that nothing more serious happened. Looking forward to visiting my niece in Rome in mid-october. Going with my sister (her mom) and should be great fun. I have been 2x previously but will be my sister's first visit to Rome.

Paper train tickets have intrinsic legal value, and as so cannot be replaced (they are anonymous, usable by whomever is handling them). They are like an expensive music concert ticket: lost ticket, lost money. That is yet another reason to, whenever possible, buy e-tickets or ticketless train trips, because they are nominal and there is no intrinsic value to a print-out of the fare paid (like in a modern airline reservation) I'm sorry about the notebooks. That is really an unfortunate circumstance.