Validating train tickets

That is an awfully broad question to which to respond. Since you posted on the Italy forum, you probably mean in Italy. You should probably be a little more specific. Are they on Trenitalia trains? Who did you buy them from?

In general, I agree. If the ticket has a specific date and time printed on it, it shouldn't have to be validated. The purpose of validation is so that people can buy tickets ahead of time, for no particular time, and use them whenever. If they weren't validated, they could be reused because a lot of Italian trains don't have someone to cancel tickets. Tickets that don't have to be validated are usually too big to fit in the validation machines.

In Germany, tickets that need to be validated actually have arrows pointing to which end to insert in the machine.

It's my understanding that if you have reservations for a specific train, that ticket does not need to be validated. But if I were you, I wouldn't rely on what somebody says on this forum. Check with whoever sold you the ticket.

Of course read everything you buy thoroughly; it is not rocket science. E-tickets printed on paper don't need to be stamped by the machines before boarding. They don't fit in those old fashioned stamp machines anyway. Just make sure your print at home e-ticket is legible. When you are on the train the conductor will scan the QR or barcode. Also most rail lines have aps just like the airlines that you can download as well that enable you to buy and display your ticket on a phone or tablet. That the conductor will scan also.

Print at home tickets do not fit in the validating machines and do not need to be stamped. I have tried several times, and it does not work, and there is no point. Just be sure you under stand the conditions of usage and whether they can be used on a later train.

It would be helpful to know where you are traveling and what kind of train.

In Italy the Frecce trains have mandatory reservations and your ticket is only good on the specific train reserved. A ticket on the Regionale trains is not reserved and is good on later trains for a few specified hours after the one you booked. In any case it does not need to be stamped in the machines.

A ticket purchased on-line from the Trenitalia website and printed at home works similar to a plane ticket. You have a specific date and time, and you sit in your assigned seat. If it’s an on-line ticket for a Regionale train, there’s still the date and time, but that type of train has no assigned seat. The on-line tickets do not need to be validated because you wouldn’t be able to use them on a different day.

Per your question, the only time you would need to validate a ticket: Tickets purchased at the train station need to be validated. So, if your first train was late, and you missed your second train, the exchange ticket that you would receive at the train station would need to be validated.

Rachel,

Yes, that's correct. Tickets purchased online do not need to be validated, and wouldn't fit the machines anyway. However some further clarification would be helpful.....

It's important to know what type of train you'll be using in each case, as the rules are different. If you'll be on a Freccia or Intercity train, the ticket is specific to train, date and departure time and can only be used on the specific train listed on the ticket. If you board the wrong train by mistake, you'll be subject to hefty fines which will be collected on the spot. Reservations are compulsory on these types of trains, so you'll be assigned a coach (Carrozza) and a seat (Posti) number.

If you'll be using a Regionale train, there are no reservations so you just sit where ever you can find a seat. You may have to stand if the train is crowded. In this case, tickets can be used on this class of train within four hours of the departure time listed on the ticket. In other words, if you miss the Regionale train for which you've purchased an online ticket, you can take the next one as long as it departs within that four hour window.

Locally purchased Regionale tickets (as well as bus, metro, etc.) tickets must be validated prior to boarding on the day of travel. Failure to validate tickets can again result in hefty fines collected on the spot. Locally purchased tickets for the express trains (Freccia) do not have to be validated, since they're specific to train, date and departure time.

Hope this helps.