We have purchased tickets to take the Frecciarossa direct train from FCO to Florence Santa Maria Novella. The ticket is simply a square QR Code with the passenger name, the PNR and CP numbers and the seat assignment printed below. Is this all that is needed to board? I was watching a video of passengers boarding at FCO with card style tickets which they were validating in the machine as they passed through the gate to the platform. Thanks!
Posted by
Chicago
8229 posts
That is all you need; what you have is an e-ticket with an assigned carriage and seat; the conductor will scan the QR code or bar code similar to what airlines do.
The video is of people who have bought tickets at the station on that day and do not have e-tickets.
So if you buy a ticket during your trip at the station that is when you need to validate it before boarding.
Posted by
Green Bay
21274 posts
It is a Frecciarosso train with a car and seat number and QR code. That is all you need. Those videos are for people on the Leonardo Express, a Regionale. Tickets bought for this train need to be validated.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16205 posts
There are only 2 Freccia trains to Florence that depart directly from the airport (at 11:08 and 15:08), all other options require you to go to Roma Termini or Roma Tiburtina with the Leonardo Express or the Regional, and catch the Freccia there.
Please check you ticket carefully, to make sure you are on one of the two Freccia departing from the airport.
I also count that you have sufficient leeway in case of a delay of your flight. If your plane arrives too late for the train, the ticket is invalid and non refundable (and non changeable).
Posted by
OP
173 posts
Great! Thanks.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23653 posts
...So if you buy a ticket during your trip at the station that is when you need to validate it before boarding......
That is not quite accurate. The ONLY ticket that requires validation (time stamp) is a Regionale train ticket purchased in the station, at a ticket machine, or a local agent. This includes Leonard Express tickets. All the other tickets in Italy bougth in the station or elsewhere will have a seat reservation and, therefore, only good on a specific train, at a specific time and date.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32398 posts
With the express trains (Freccia, Intercity), it doesn't matter whether you buy tickets online or at the station. Tickets for those trains do not need to be validated at all, since they come with compulsory seat reservations which are specific to train, date and departure time.
In addition to locally purchased tickets for Regionale trains, tickets for Metro, Buses, and other public transit also have to be validated prior to boarding on the day of travel.