First Time Questions for Regionale Veloce Trains (Venice to Padua/Padova)

1. Probably the app.
2. No. The ticket is displayed on your phone.
3. The ticket bought with the app is prevalidated. Just show to the conductor when he comes by to check tickets.
4. Just get there when they spot the train, about 10 to 15 minutes before departure and you should have your choice of seats.
5. No more than any other train.
6. See 3.

Hi Mark & Sandee,

You can buy them on the Trenitalia app. Then you don’t need to validate it. The only tickets that need validating are physical paper ones purchased at the station.

Look at the options for timing. Some of the tickets may be twice as expensive- just a faster train, but it won’t save you much time on this short ride.

The Italian names for your cities when you’re purchasing tickets:
Venezia
Padova

4). Your train number will be listed on a reader board. When it’s almost at the station, the location number will be posted. Just be near the reader board by the trains, and walk quickly to the line; you don’t need to run.

5.) If you have a small carry on or backpack, take it with you to your seat and place it overhead on the shelf. If it’s a larger suitcase, it has to be stored at the end of the cars. Please stow it quickly and move into the seating area. The people behind you are needing to board quickly, and someone new sometimes doesn’t realize they’re keeping people from boarding. 😊

6.). Yes, the conductor will verify either the QR Code or the ticket number.

If I know which tickets I want ahead of time, I just purchase them at home on-line at Trenitalia.com. I can show them on my phone or print the ticket. The tickets printed at home do not need to be validated by the machine at the train stations. I travel to a lot of locations, so that’s much easier for me. If you’re buying just one route, the app is fine.

Have a great time in Italy!

1) Is it best to buy tickets online on Rick Steves' site, on the Trenitalia App, or at the Venice S. Lucia train station ticket machine?
Just buy sometime before you leave Venice, or if you will have cell service, buy on the app.

2) If bought online or on app, do you have to go to a window at the train station to obtain a physical ticket prior to boarding?
If you will have phone service, or can download your ticket, then just use your phone. You can always go to the window and get a paper copy as well.

3) How do you validate the ticket(s) if the ticket(s) are on your phone? Are there scanners on the validation machines that can read a QR or bar code off of a phone?
Regional tickets are usually good for any time and regional train on that route, however, if you buy on the app, or online, you restrict yourself, to that train and time, unless you change beforehand, so no need to validate.

4) How much of a mad rush is it to get a seat, since they are not reserved?
Rarely are these trains packed, the train likely starts from Venezia Santa Lucia, so just boarding will get you a decent seat.

5) Any trouble with luggage on this train?
Luggage can be stored above you on a rack, plenty of room for a carry-on size or day bag. If you have very large bags, those need to go on a rack near the door, not an issue, just keep an eye that way when you pull into a station.

6) When the conductor checks for tickets, can you just show him/her your phone, if you bought online or on app?
Yep, you should have a screen with a QR code, they scan it, and move on. The second or third time, they may just look at it.

Hi Mark. Good advice above, just an added note. For long distance trains where a reservation is needed and there is a discount for buying in advance, I often buy ahead of time. But for short regional runs like this, no reservations, and price never changes, I often just buy a paper ticket from the machine at the station. You can do this right before you board the train, or anytime at your convenience at any station in Italy. The advantage of this is that it allows you to board any regional train that day, in case your plans change. With a paper ticket, just be sure to stamp it in the machine before you board. Have a great trip!
.

4) How much of a mad rush is it to get a seat, since they are not
reserved?

It was often quite crowded when we boarded in the other direction (Padua to Venice). Once my partner and I took the last 2 seats in the car and they weren't close to each other either.