Train travel

Sorry, I'm doing P-P. So, I gather from what I'm reading that only on the regional trains can I just show up for a train, buy the ticket (stamp it) and jump on. All the other trains, I need a reservation (IC optional)and I can only use that reservation for that peticular train. If I miss the train, then it's red tape to go thru to change it. Correct? I could have sworn that I read that tickets can be bought for one train but can be used for the next few trains also. They just want to know you did purchase a ticket.

Seat reservations are required on the ES, EC, EN, IC, ICPlus, CIS and a few other trains. There is a specific date, train number, time and seat number on your ticket. If you miss the train, there is a process to change to a later train within a three-hour window after the train departs. Of course, you can change the ticket before travel. I've read the process and I'm betting you won't want to do it often especially where English is a second language. I don't think that you will have trouble making 7:00am trains unless you are in Venice and your hotel is some distance away from the train station. We had a few on our recent trip and we made all of them (even Venice which was 8:00am). In the meantime, I'll see if I can dig up the missed train process that was posted by another person.

Reservations are OPTIONAL on IC trains but required on ICplus trains and the others listed by Larry. They are not even possible on regional trains.

Linda, I couldn't tell from your Post whether you'd be using a Rail pass?

A Rail pass will cover the "ticket" portion of the trip, however reservations must be paid for separately. I usually purchase a reservation for my outgoing journey when I arrive in a particular city. If you're just buying P-P tickets, the cost will include the reservation fee.

One point to mention (based on my experience in Italy) - reservations are sometimes "double booked". I purchased reservations for one route, but found someone else already in the seat when I arrived. Although there was a bit of a "language issue", I determined from the other party's ticket that it was the same seat number.

Happy travels!

Linda, you don't have to buy your reserved tickets in advance. You can show up at the station and buy them in the machine with your credit card. The systems work in English and prompt you when seat reservations are required. Here's the scoop from a previous poster on the missed train rules.

RESERVATION CHANGE (to a different train from that booked):

"Standard": Up to TWO changes, free of charge, up to departure time of originally scheduled train; thereafter, one change only (free of charge) within THREE HOURS after departure.

WARNING: AFTER EXPIRATION OF THE THREE HOUR GRACE PERIOD, THE "STANDARD" TICKET BECOMES WORTHLESS

"Flexi": Up to TWO changes, free of charge, up to departure time of originally scheduled train; thereafter, one change only (free of charge) within TWENTY FOUR HOURS after departure.

WARNING: AFTER EXPIRATION OF THE 24 HOUR GRACE PERIOD, THE "FLEXI" TICKET BECOMES WORTHLESS

(I ran out of room above). Note also that if you just jump on a later train and use a ticket with seat reservations from a previously departed train, I believe that there is an 8 Euro fine or something like that. If you don't stamp, the fine is higher (except for the ES trains and maybe a select few others that don't require a stamp). The only trains that you can jump on without a problem are mostly the regional (R) and interregional (IR) trains. They don't permit reservations.

Thanks Larry, Tim & Ken. I have 3 others traveling with me that are depending on me to have it right and this information does help. One other question, what is it exactly that I have to do to change tickets from one train to the next train assuming there are reservations with the tickets? Do I just take them to a ticket office or a travel agency? The machines don't change them, do they? Is there any fee attached to changing? Thanks for all your help!

I've not done this before but I suspect that you will need to go to a ticket window in the train station and do this with an agent. Hopefully, this can occur before the train departs when it should be easier. Actually, I have done it on Amtrak here in the U.S. and the exchange worked just fine. I don't know if you can exchange tickets in a travel agency.

I haven't changed tickets either so I don't know if you can do so using a ticket machine.

One of Larry's previous posts gives the conditions for exchanging tickets free of charge.

You're right Tim. I forgot that I read Larry's replay
stating free of charge exchanges. Now, if I book a really early train and I can't get my "slow" co-travelers to get moving that morning, I know I'll be just fine for the next later train. Thanks guys for all your help!

And don't forget Amica fares if you can plan ahead. More restrictive, must be purchased at least 24 hours ahead, may not always be available if you wait too long but do save you 20%.