I just recently purchased all my train tickets online for an upcoming trip to Italy. All were in PDF format and I have printed each out. We are taking a lot of trains. Some have specific seats, some do not have reserved seats. Questions: do any of these require validation, if so, how do I validate PDF printed copies?
Thanks very much, hopefully this will be the last question regarding train tickets in Italy!
Posted by
Green Bay
21365 posts
If you look at the tickets with unreserved seats, you will see that they are Regionali. It will indicate on the ticket the time of the train and it must be used on that date and within a 3 or 4 hour window of the time on the ticket. Thus they will not need to be validated. You only validate open ended Regionali tickets you buy in Italy. They are printed on IBM card stock which fit very nicely in the stamping machines.
Posted by
OP
Cochrane, Alberta
46 posts
Thanks, Sam, much appreciated.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
The purpose of the validation (stamping the time on the ticket) is to stop you using the ticket twice.
The only tickets you stamp are "Regionalle" tickets bought at the station, which are valid on any train, any day.
If a ticket already says which train it is for (and all high train speed tickets are only valid on the train it says on the ticket), then you do not need to validate.
Same for internet tickets, they already say when they are valid (which train or time window), and stamping them would be silly, as you can print out as many copies as you like.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32404 posts
bigwhite,
Tickets purchased online for Regionale tickets are pre-validated but as indicated above, must be used within four hours of the departure time listed. Tickets for the fast trains (Freccia, Intercity) will be specific to train, date and departure time so can only be used on the one train listed on the ticket. Those tickets will specify a Carrozza (Coach) and Posti (Seats) where you must sit, while the Regionale trains have open seating.
If you decide to take an additional trip on a Regionale train and buy the ticket locally, those tickets must be validated before boarding the train on the day of travel.
*(in reference to your forum name, if you haven't already you might also try Silver Star)
Posted by
the Netherlands
2487 posts
Regionale tickets bought at the station, which are valid on any train, any day.
Not anymore. Nowadays these tickets are dated, and must be used within 4 hours after validation. Something to remember with advance buying at a ticket machine or window!
Posted by
OP
Cochrane, Alberta
46 posts
Thanks to all who replied. I appreciate all the comments. Looking forward to our trip!
Posted by
Bendigo, Australia
1299 posts
Regional tickets have to be used on the day of purchase.
Once validated, they are good for four hours (which is an awful lot of time to be on a regional train).
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Regionale tickets can be bought ahead of time but must be used on the date you specify for travel when you buy them (not used on the day of purchase, as Peter stated above). So, you can buy a regionale ticket today but you must request a travel date in the future, unless you want to use it today.