Train tickets

When you purchase tickets from Trenitalia, they will email you a PDF file containing the tickets. You can print the PDF and show it to the person on the train checking for tickets. For tickets where you select a specific seat, e.g. the Freccia and Intercity trains, you do not need to validate them. If you buy regionale tickets online, I believe they are automatically validated for a four-hour window from your selected time, but someone else should confirm. If you purchase regionale tickets at a station, you MUST validate them before getting on the train.

I've never purchased through a reseller like the Rick Steves website... I recommend comparing prices between it and the official Trenitalia site. Also, if there are any issues with your tickets while you're in Italy, you may have a harder time dealing with the issue if you buy your tickets through a reseller.

If you buy any ticket online, it will be for a specific train so does not need to be validated.

You will get an email with your ticket and you might also get it immediately at the end of purchase. Either way, print it immediately.

If you use the Trenitalia site, yes you will be charged in Euros so subject to a foreign transaction fee, if your credit card charges one.

There is no need to buy regional train tickets ahead of time, FYI. They cost the same now as at the last minute, they don't have reserved seats, and can't sell out. You can tell when booking whether the train is regional or not - should say so, and if you are asked to choose seats, it is NOT regional. The reason to wait is that your plans could change(?) for some trips, so there is no advantage to buying them now. You can buy them at the train station in Italy - but then you WOULD have to validate them.

Italo is a rival train company to Trenitalia, and on some lines they offer cheaper fares or maybe even more convenient times. You can book tickets through the website www.trainline.eu for the same price as Trenitalia and view/book tickets for either Italo or Trenitalia. Many find the Trainline website easier to use (I have never bought tickets through it but have viewed trains on it a few times). You'd be able to print those tickets, too. Not sure if they charge a foreign transaction fee also - I assume that they do.

Lets keep this simply --

When you buy on-line through Trenitalia, you print at home and that is your ticket. Make a second copy and bury in your suitcase.

1. The only tickets that require validation (time stamp) are Regional train tickets purchase at a machine, in the station, or local travel agency. Those are unreserved seats tickets or just open seating. If purchased on-line these ticket come pre-validated. ALL other tickets purchased anywhere are specific to time, day, train and included reserved seats.

2. If you purchase on Trenitalia you will be charged in euro and pay any additional fees charged by your credit card company.

Just to add: The ticket you print from your confirmation email will have a bar code on it that will be what is scanned. Make sure you take the page with the bar code and also has your train and seat number.
You may be asked to show your ticket prior to boarding the train (at the BIN entrance) to ensure you have a legitimate purpose for being on the train or you may not.
We usually just find our car #, jump on, find our seats and settle in...in time someone comes around asking for tickets, they take them, scan them and hand them back.
Or not..we have been on trains where no one checks our tickets.
I usually make sure they are readily available to present upon request, I like to be organized like that.
You will be charged in Euros at that days exchange rate, which will show up in USD on your Credit card/bank statement. You may be charged a transactions fee, but I never really care, all part of my travel budget. I use a Capital One credit card and do not get charged any foreign fees when I perform transactions while in the foreign country, not sure about purchasing while in the US.

To make Andrew's point clear: it is better to buy tickets for regional trains (indicated as Regionale or Regionale Veloce) at the station. There is no advantage buying them in advance, and you'll be more flexible in your travelling plans.

Tickets sold through our Rail Europe booking link are charged in US dollars by their office near Chicago. Most Italian tickets are delivered as e-tickets from that source as well, and again are reserved for specific dates and times, but you would know before checkout if any particular route required delivery of "paper tickets" and could decide whether to delete it. Note that the link currently can't sell tickets to the Cinque Terre towns of Vernazza, Corniglia, and Manarola but does handle tickets to Monterosso and Riomaggiore.

Thank you all for your help. Another question, when I went on Trenitalia to reserve a train ticket, it wanted me to register to become a Carta Freccia holder. If you hit the button that states "Go on without logging in", where you are not a registered member, it gives a warning, "for purchases without logging in, you will not receive an invoice". Should I register? Not sure what it all encounters or if it is more of a rewards (points) system for frequent travelers. I don't want to not register if it is important for any reason. Thanks again for any help.