Train tickets

If it is a regionale train that you buy online and print out at home, no need to validate (it won't fit in the box, anyway).

A Regionale ticket purchased on line comes prevaildated. It is good for three hours and you have to specify a start time. I never buy a Regionale ticket on line for this reason. Buy in the station. More flexible and it has to be validated prior to boarding.

Thanks so much for the info.

To get from Varenna to Milano Centrale is a Regionale and there are no seat reservations. Now I am assuming that from Milano Centrale to Verona is a Freccia train that will have a seat reservation and may be discounted if you get an Economy or SuperEconomy ticket which are nonrefundable. The connection from Verona to Bolzano may be a Regionale or a Freccia or an EC train. The Freccia and EC trains will also have seat reservations.

rock,

As others have indicated, the train from Varenna-Esino to Milano Centrale is a Regionale so if you're using locally purchased tickets, you MUST validate prior to boarding the train on the day of travel. The train from Milano Centrale to Verona will likely be a Freccia, which has compulsory seat reservations so no need to validate; all you need is the PNR code. The train from Verona to Bolzano will most likely be a Freccia / IC / EC, which again has compulsory seat reservations. If it does happen to be a Regionale and you're using locally purchased tickets, then again you must validate.

Note that tickets for the express trains (Freccia, etc.) are specific to train, date and departure time, so these can only be used on the ONE train listed on the ticket. If you board the wrong train by mistake, you'll be subject to hefty fines!

The exception to the validation rule is if you're using tickets purchased online for any class of train. In that case, Regionale tickets will be pre-validated, but you must start the journey within ~4 hours of the departure time listed on the tickets. You can buy online tickets on the rail network websites (Trenitalia or TreNord for the Varenna-Milan segment) OR you can also buy at www.trainline.eu at the same prices as the rail networks.

Hello! We just spent 10 days in Italy earlier this month. I also purchased train tickets in advance and had PDF tickets for trains with both seat assignments and open seating.

As others mentioned, these tickets are basically prevalidated. We walked right past the validation machines since our tickets didn't require stamping. If the train staff person asks to see your ticket once you have boarded, you just show them those PDFs.

On all of our seat assignment trains, our tickets were checked. On all of our regionale (open seating) trains, no one ever checked.

Edited to add: when our tickets were checked, the train employee person scanned the QR code that was printed on the tickets.

Thanks one and all for the information. We are also heading to Parma for one night and wondered if there is a ticket agent available at the station or this may be another ticket I may want to get on line.

Parma is way bigger than Varenna.
Regional train tickets can be bought also at many tobacconists and all travel agencies showing trenitalia's logo on the window. If I'm not wrong there's one close to Varenna station, but it's not open 7 days a week.

The easiest solution would be an English "speaking" ticket machine at any Trenitalia station, of course you'll have to change the departure station entering Varenna-Esino.
Such regional ticket would be a locally purchased one: as written above if you did not time-stamp it before boarding, you'd be fined on the spot.

Are you referring to a ticket agent at the Varenna station? The station is not staffed but there should be at least one Kiosk (very easy to use) and you could also stop by the helpful Tivano Tours office during business hours, as they also sell tickets. I believe their office is now in the station plaza (it used to be on the road leading downhill from the station). You can also buy tickets online, so there are lots of options.

Thanks all. I had a crazy experience in Germany. Had Rick's guide book so I scanned the train info, bought a ticket thinking I had the process down. LOL! Got on the train, conductor came buy just before we got off. Noted I had a childs ticket as we pulled into the station and fined me on the spot. We went downstairs to the ATM where he stood while I got the cash. Gave me my receipt for my ticket. I asked him what I should do with the receipt and he said with a great smile "Souvenir from Berlin" He did take us to the kiosk and help us purchase the right tickets.

you could also stop by the helpful Tivano Tours office during business hours

I was exactly referring to Tivano Tours, a travel agency that sells trenitalia tickets, but I couldn't remember their name.

I believe their office is now in the station plaza

You are right: www.tivanotours.com/dove-siamo.php There is also a Tobacconists in Via IV Novembre 6 , but they should sell only regional trains tickets.