Train Tickets Florence to Varenna

You buy one ticket. If it is online you will get two pdfs

Either way works as the train to Varenna is fixed price regional train

If you buy at the station in Florence, they will give you two separate hardpaper tickets similar to a boarding pass they give you when you check in at the airport (see photo below).
The one from Florence to Milan, is specific to a train date and time, so doesn’t need to be validated (date stamped) at a machine. The second from Milan to Varenna is on a Regionale. It is not specific to a specific train, so you can board any train on that date, but they want you to validate it before you board the train in Milan, so that you don’t try to use it multiple times. To validate it insert it in the machine like in the photo below, and the machine will date stamp it. From that moment on you have 4 hours to board the train.
https://goo.gl/images/bFWFUb

If you buy everything online you get 2 PDF as explained above. No need to validate the PDF printout for the Milan Varenna portion (you couldn’t validate a PDF page anyhow). However I think you must board the regionale within 4 hours from arrival at Milan of your Florence-Milan Frecciarossa.

Thank you, Roberto!

Do you have to go to the ticket counter or can you buy them from the machines?

You can by from either a machine or the ticket counter at any station in Italy, and you can buy for the two legs separately or together. The machines vary as to whether they take cash or credit card; it will be clearly marked on the machine. Enjoy your trip!