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Trenitalia Seating - FYI

Posted by on

I am writing this for those who aren't aware of how Trenitalia's seating system works. I made errors. Some due in part to forgetfulness, others due to ignorance and lack of information available. Hence this post.

If you are traveling on a Fecciarosa train, purchased a ticket through Trenitalia's website, and forget to select the option to select a seat, you are not left to the wolves to find a seat when you arrive. You will be assigned a seat by Trenitalia at the time of purchase. It may or may not be exactly where you would want to be, but you will have a seat. The "select a seat" option is simply to select the exact seat you want, for a small fee.

I looked this situation up for several hours online and no where, including this site, did it state that if I didn't choose my seats a seat would be assigned to me. Hopefully others can learn from my stupidity and not feel as if you have to consider purchasing a ticket a second time, just to finally reserve a seat. Before anyone points out the obvious stupidity of this situation, there are extenuating circumstances that provide a bit of context as to the need for reserved seats.

Marc

Posted by
33437 posts

because all passengers on non-regionale trains in Italy must have a seat reservation it stands to rights that you would be assigned one.

Posted by
4 posts

Hello NIgel,
That specific fact is not known to everyone travelling. I've traveled to Italy several times, in years past, and can remember standing for hours on end. Perhaps the Italian train system is more organized now, but again, this is not common knowledge to those outside Italy or Europe.

As discussed by several threads on this very site, there are inherent difference in how countries manage and organize their systems. It is incumbent upon those travelling to learn and adapt to those differences. It is my hope that my post will be a part of the ether of the internet and serve someone else in the future whom may be asking the same question I was.

Posted by
16358 posts

I've traveled to Italy several times, in years past, and can remember
standing for hours on end.

Hi Marc -
You probably traveled on a regionale train; no reservations or seat assignment on those, and they're usually used for shorter, slower journeys. We've only had to stand on one once for a very short run of just a handful of miles in the Cinque Terre. Oops, just remembered that we had also had to stand for a bit on the battered local Circumvesuviana commuter train - a lot like, say, the "L" in Chicago - between Pompei and Sorrento.

Reservations and seat/carriage assignments have been compulsory for Trenitalia high-speed, longer-distance trains (Frecciarossa, Frecciargento and Frecciabianca) for many years. Reservations and seat/carriage assignments are compulsory on Italo trains as well. In either case, it's not possible to have to stand on these trains 'cause they don't sell more tickets than seats.

This website can be very helpful! :O)
https://www.seat61.com/train-travel-in-italy.htm

Posted by
4 posts

Hi Kathy,

It's been over 20 years, so a lot might have changed. When I last traveled in Italy I don't believe they had implemented an online ticketing system yet. Thank you for this information. This is all really good info for travelers.

Posted by
16358 posts

You're welcome, Marc. :O)
Goodness, SO much has changed in the last couple of decades, especially when it comes to tickets for the most-visited attractions. Some of those sell out online within minutes of becoming available, 30-60 days in advance!

I remember just strolling into the Roman Forum one drizzly morning - no ticket needed - and having it virtually all to ourselves. That was back in 2007; it became a ticketed attraction the following year.

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