Buying train tickets online??

When I went to Europe, I used this website to purchase Global passes and seat reservations. They accept US credit cards. http://www.raileurope.com/index.html

I do not know if it will help you online, but for use in Europe at self serve and many other places, you need to get a card with blink on it. You have to call CC and request blink on your card (a security ID chip?). In many self-serves, etc., only a blink card will work. We had no problems using American CC with blink in many self serve ticket machines in UK and Italy. Others in our party without blink could not use self-serve. You can also purchase train tickets at any Rome travel agency or at Termini station---but you will not get the good, advanced fare rate. Elaine (ps-please let me know if you got blink and if it helped online--I am buying tickets in the FAll and would like to try online, as well).

Some of the prior information is slightly misstated. Visa and MC without the chip will work just fine nearly everywhere in Italy with the exception of automated toll booths and filling stations. Will work in the ticket machines. AE is not readily accepted anywhere except at high end restaurants and hotels. This is one time you can leave your AMEX at home.

Be very careful and know your pricing when using the Rail Europe site. It is a travel agency with significant up charges on the tickets and reservations that they sell. Personally believe that RE should be avoided.

Trenitalia will not accept American credit cards because of fraud issues. There are some work arounds but not worth the effort. There are 53 trains a day between Florence and Rome you will not have a problem walking on to the next available train. Buy your ticket to Florence at the ticket office in the airport when you buy you LExpress ticket.

There are practical no discount available for advance purchases for Italian trains so don't worry about buying early. There is an Amica fare (-20%) but is limited to just a few seats 24 hrs in advance. And some recent postings have suggested that this fare has become even more restrictive and less available. Compare to most other railroads, the Italian system is cheap.

Relax, Italy is the easiest country for rail travel.

The blink technology on Am credit cards is not the same as the chip technology in European cards. The blink on you American cc will not improve acceptability.

US debit/credit cards (without the chip) will not work at the ticket machines at rail stations in Holland or France. In Holland they're not even accepted at the ticket windows. I've had problems using chipless cards at supermarkets in the UK, Holland, Belgium, and Poland. I don't have any first hand experience with AE's blink, but others on this board have reported that it is compatible in Europe..as long as the merchant accepts AE as a form of payment.

I arrived at FRA last November and immediately purchased a Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket from a Bahn automat using a U.S. credit card.

"I used this website to purchase Global passes and seat reservations"

By global passes, I assume you mean a railpass. Understand that the least expensive (3 country, 10 day Saver) pass is $56.70 per day. An ES* reservation from RailEurope is $24. That's over $80 to travel from Rome to Florence. Purchased in Italy an Italian Eurostar ticket which includes a reservation is €56,10 ($74) in 1st class, but you can save even more money with perfectly acceptible 2nd class for €39,90 ($53). Buy your ticket in Italy.

One tiny addendum to Frank's post. If the train ticket lines at FCO are long (and they usually are) there is a small ticket window that sells only Leonardo Express tickets (€ 11 ea) and never has a line; it doesn't hurt to have a few Euros in your pocket when you land as the lines on the ATMs in the airport can be long, also. As you are facing the tracks, it is on your right just before you reach Track 2. Ride into Termini and buy your tickets to Florence where there are more windows and much shorter lines, or use the automated machines. I've never had a problem with my American Visa card being accepted, but they don't take AMEX.

If you haven't already left yet, call your credit card company and ask them to accept transactions from trenitalia. I had this problem booking advanced museum tickets even though I had already alerted my cc company that I was going to Italy. Since i wasn't there yet, they were denying charges. But one quick phone call and i could purchase advance tickets.

Frank is right - need to know your ticket prices before using RailEurope sit. We recently got great rate for Milan to Munich there but their rates for Roma to Milano definitely have an upcharge.

His info about Trenitalia.com not having any discounts is wrong. They have 60% discount for 30 days prepurchase, 30% discount for 15 day prepurchase and 15% discount for 7 day IF you can figure out how to make their site work.

I am also having a problem using my American Express card to purchase tickets on the voyages-sncf site for Thalys and TGV. My transaction was cancelled when I tried to use my card. Do I need to call the credit card company or should I call TGV? Would a different credit card work?

Jeanna...a different card may work. I've never had a problem with my Visa. Amex is not as widely accepted.

I have just spend 1 month trying to get train tickets through Spain's Renfe train company via the website and phone reservations. I even had my nephew call who is in Granada and he didn't get anywhere. Finally reached someone in their telephone reservation system that said I could use an American Express card to reserve over the phone and get the Estrella rates listed online, they are 40% off. Do call you credit card company and let them know you will be receiving overseas charges and to flag your credit card to accept them.

We have just spent two months trying to purchase train tickets on the TrenItalia's website. Also, numerous emails, including sending a copy of our driver's license for indentification. We have confirmed with our credit card company that they are not denying the purchase, it appears to be the banking institution that processes TrenItalia's purchase tranactions. We wanted to purchase on the website to take advantage of the discounts offered, however, it appears that we will have to wait until our arrival and purchase at the stations or kiosk. I really think TrenItalia needs to partner with PayPal to faclitate out of country purchases. It's been an extremely frustrating experience - and we lived in southern Italy for 5 years! We really don't want to go through Rail Europe due to the upcharges - in fact, RailEurope could not even find the trains from Rome to Brindisi. If I could find the email addresses of the TrenItalia Board of Directors, I would contact them to let them know of the websites difficulties.

Kevin,

You might find it easier just to purchase your tickets when you arrive in Rome. You should be able to buy them at FCO at the time you purchase tickets for the Leonardo Express.

There are numerous trains from Rome to Florence every day, so you shouldn't have to wait too long for the next train. Given your circumstances, one potential problem of buying tickets in advance is that if your flight is delayed for any reason you might miss your train. Standing in a long queue to exchange the tickets and get new ones for the next train is not going to be pleasant after a long flight!

Happy travels!

Watch your pockets while purchasing tickets at Roma Termini (especially if using a machine). The station is much cleaned up as of my most recent visit (May 09) but the place is still notorious.

Trenitalia (online) does not accept U.S. issued credit cards. Buy from the automated kiosks at the train station (VISA/MC). They are in many languages and very intuitive. You can't buy online ahead of time! You don't want to buy ahead anyway, because you never know when you will be delayed in getting to the train station (there could be many reasons for a delay). There are many trains running between Rome and Florence throughout the day. If you miss one, another is on it's way shortly.