My wife and I have a Global Flexipass for 15 days. I will start using it in Rome. How do I get it validated the first day and what happens each day I use it. Does the conductor check and stamp or punch for the day? What if no conductor comes by (or do they always)? Or is it my responsibility before the start of each day's trip to stamp the pass for that day?
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
7569 posts
The short course on passes:
To validate the first day, it is easiest to go to a ticket window in a larger station, they will validate it, which starts your overall time period. You may have to show your passports.
To use, you need to write in the date of travel (todays date if I were travelling today) in the spaces provided, make sure you put the correct date(or you just lost a day of travel) and make sure you follow the date convention on the pass, most likely DD/MM/YY?
No other daily validation is needed, but being caught on a train without having the current date filled in may result in a fine.
You are then free to hop on most trains, be aware of seats that have been reserved by others, and be aware of trains that require reservations.
The fastest trains generally require reservations (look for the "R" symbol on the schedule or online), for you, an added cost above what you paid for the pass. Though slower, it will be more cost effective to take Intercity and Regional trains.
As for strategy, it may be better to just buy a ticket if all you are doing is a short jump one day, rather than using a pass day. Your cost per day works out to about 50 Euro, so if a 10 Euro ticket does your days travel, buy a ticket, save the pass for longer trips.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
7569 posts
I guess I didn't answer all of your question, Yes, it is your responsibility to assure that you have the current date filled in.
When the conductor comes by, he will check, and usually the first conductor of the day (sometimes others as well) may use their stamp to mark it or punch a hole in it. It really is not necessary with the pass, but they do.
It is possible that you may travel a route and not see a conductor, more likely on a regional train, but it can happen. Again, this is no issue with your pass.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19099 posts
One other thing to remember. Beside the order DD/MM/YY, European make their "ones" kind of like a seven with a droopy top bar. For a seven, they put a horizontal bar across the middle. Make sure you put that bar across the seven, or the conductor will think it is a one and that you have already used that day (six days ago).