Just got back from Rome and Orvieto. I am used to the Northern European train systems, where
- machines are rarely broken,
- train info is clearly and repeatedly displayed,
- conductors WANT you to be both happy AND responsible. German trains run on honor system, which works very well, but if you are a tourist caught without a valid ticket, you are at most calmly and quietly put off at the next stop.
This was very different. We made 2 mistakes, both were unintentional.
- Train from Fumicino to Rome Termini (main station): We got on the wrong train because it was in the same poorly marked area and had no other readouts saying its destination, outside or inside. The man who checked our tickets to enter (because the machine was broken) only waved us in the general direction of both trains. Technically it was absolutely our fault, but really easy to do and not intentional. We had valid time-stamped tickets we'd just bought, and we were clearly tourists, although respectfullly attempting to speak Italian. Within 2 minutes of boarding train, the conductor yelled at us and demanded we pay the extra money PLUS a fairly reasonable fine (extra 50% of ticket price). We did, but what a way to start the trip to Rome!
- Lesson learned: check and double check destination of trains, and tickets. Plus, if we had caught the cheap bus to Termini, we would have spent 1/4 of the money and not gotten on the wrong transport.
- 2) Train from Rome Termini to Orvieto: Our train left from Platform 2est, which was over 1/8 of a mile from the place we started walking in the terminal. We had no idea it was going to be so far until I noticed a sign that said "2est 250 meters". We went from having plenty of time to having to run. The train was just leaving so we didn't even try to stamp the tickets in the yellow (or sometimes newer green) stamping machine. The conductor waved us aboard. Within 2 minutes he was checking our tickets and announcing that because we didn't stamp them (they were time stamped for 1/2 hour earlier from the vending machine, which made it clear we could not possibly have used them before) we would have to pay a €100 fine! When we objected he literally YELLED at us that we MUST pay. We calmly said we would not, that we would get off at the next stop. That upset him further, and he ordered us out of our seats to the entry area, where he proceeded to angrily yell at us. When we didn't escalate and stayed resolute, he allowed that he would do something special for us and only charge us 50 euros. At this point, there was no way I was going to pay this guy, although he made it seem like we were about to be arrested. It was extremely unpleasant. He then told us that there was probably not going to be another train to Orvieto that day (a Sunday) because it was being worked on. We got off at Rome Tiburtina, where we consoled ourselves with the excellent GROM gelato. We got on the next train 2 hours later (after futilely trying to get an answer for what we had done wrong from the TrenItalia ticket sellers there, and buying brand new tickets because we were so scared of doing something wrong again). We STAMPED our TICKETS moments before we boarded, which is evidently the preferred method. Then, we happened to sit next to an Englishman traveling to Montepulciano, who calmly handed the (different) conductor his unstamped ticket, and was calmly handed it back, without a word, hand-cancelled by same conductor. When we reacted with total disbelief, he explained that he left Rome Termini at platform 2est and couldn't cancel it because the stamp machine there was broken. However, the conductor never even asked him about that. We were flabbergasted, 3 hours late to our hotel, out €14 (instead of €100) more, and quite shaken by this 2nd mishap in 3 days. Lesson learned: STAMP all tickets, just before boarding. If you don't remember to do it, inform conductor that machine was broken, which will probably be true.