Train from La Spezia to Vernazza

They are regionale. You buy your ticket at the station BEFORE hopping on. You also validate your ticket. Cost is about 2.50Euro.

To see what time the trains go use trenitalia.com.

To clarify, a regional train means that you do not need reservations for a specific train. It does not mean that you can hop on without a validated ticket. You buy your ticket for the route, and these will be good for any train. You MUST validate the ticket before boarding; tickets are good (I believe) for 6 hours after validation. Riding with an unvalidated ticket is considered to be the same as riding with no ticket (since an unvalidated ticket can be re-used), and hefty fines will be levied.

How do you "validate" a ticket? It doesn't make sense that you can buy a ticket that's worthless until you complete a second step.

Stephen, You validate a ticket by putting it in a machine on the platform, and it stamps it. It is to stop you using the same ticket twice.

When you buy the ticket is is valid for any train on any day (within a limit). You can buy the ticket the day before (to save time on the day), etc.
The "validation" (slightly confusing translation) is actually stamping it with the time and date. If you didn't timestamp it you could re-use the same ticket every day.

Ok thanks; makes sense now.

If for some chance the validation machine is not working you can sign, date, and time on your ticket in ink. Once again it keeps one from reusing a ticket. Usually you'll find working validation machines at the stations

Paul

Stephen,

You may want to check this very informative website regarding train travel in Italy: http://www.seat61.com/Italy-trains.htm#.VP9b2GY8rJ8

If you scroll down on the article (on the above website) you can see a picture of a (green & white) ticket validating machine.

Some small train stations still have the old yellow validating machines-- check this website to see a picture of such:http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/italian-train-stations-what-you-need-to-know.html#validate

Don't be quick to jump to uniformed conclusions. It is not worthless. Any Regionale train ticket is valid for 60 days. Can be used once on any train or any day , going from point A to point B within a 60 day period. You activate or validate the ticket for a specific time and day by having it time stamped in a yellow or blue (or maybe even green sometimes) box near the head of the tracks or back of the station. Watch for locals doing it all the time. Once validated it is good for five hours to get from A to B. You cannot use it as a return ticket even if the five hours has not expired. Don't be casual with the ticket as the fines are immediate and substantial.

stephen,

Most of the trains that pass through the Cinque Terre are Regionale. However, at times InterCity and other types of trains also use that route. It's important to note that not every train stops at each one of the five towns, so it's a good idea to check the large charts to determine the details on trains that you're planning to use.

For Regionale trains, just buy the tickets at the station on the day of travel, and then validate prior to boarding the train. If you'll be connecting with another train such as a Freccia, then you must have the compulsory reservations for that train.

Some of the tickets sold will be a smaller "theatre style" ticket, and you must insert those into the validation machine on the left side.