We booked Trenitalia tickets through the Rail Europe site for a trip from Rome, Italy to Basel, Switzerland with a transfer
in Milan on Friday, September 18. We were able to print out the Rome to Milan e-tickets but the Milan to Basel tickets are
telling us to go to a train ticket counter to print out that leg of the trip. Would this be possible to do at the Rome train
station prior to our trip? Or do we have to wait until we get to Milan where we have a one-hour layover?
Also, our train leaves the Roma Termini at 8:00 am. How soon should we arrive at the train station before the train departs?
Thank you.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11315 posts
You can print the tickets between Italy and Switzerland at any ticket kiosk in any Italian station. In fact, you MUST print them in Italy, without fail. You cannot ride without doing so.
I would not wait in line at the ticket counter. Get to Termini early enough to give yourself time for this task (no more than 10 minutes if you use the kiosk even if you fumble through it a couple of times) and maybe 1/2 an hour to spare. Get a coffee and grab a pastry to go at Vyta (east end of main level) and stand with everyone else waiting for your train to be posted. They often post the departure binario only 10 minutes in advance so be ready to move when they do.
With a one hour layover in Milano, go to Bistro Centrale to get sandwiches or salads for the Switzerland trip.
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Thanks for the great information. The receipt says that we cannot use a kiosk to print out the ticket but must go to a ticket counter to have the ticket printed out. This is why I would like to have the ticket printed prior to boarding the train from Rome. Since I will be in Rome for two days prior to departing on the 18th, I would like to have the ticket printed before we leave then.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11315 posts
Interesting that the ticket says you can not use a kiosk, but I have not bought through Rail Europe, only directly from Trenitalia. If you have to go to a counter allow extra time. Maybe go the day before and not during the huge morning rush.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
If you can, collect the tickets to Basel when you arrive in Roma (if you are arriving by train), or if you are flying in to FCO and then taking the Leonardo Express (LE) to Roma Termini, go to the ticket office at FCO (remember to validate your LE ticket) and get both tickets at the same time. Saves an extra trip to Termini or stress about time on departure day.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
Some Italian tickets that were offered by Rail Europe for kiosk pick-up earlier this year were switched to counter pick-up due to technical issues. I trust that they're trying to save you some frustration by recommending the current solution.