It’s been awhile so I don’t remember. The I go to the train station to look for our platform to stand on, our train number doesn’t appear until just a few minutes beforehand, correct? How many minutes? I recall freaking out the first time because I couldn’t find it and didn’t know what was going on.
Many larger stations now have electronic platform indicator signs showing the next trains coming on the track.
https://www.google.com/maps/@44.1741721,9.6161421,3a,60y,272.47h,96.17t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipP0STgVbJ0JkbdGMIrHPETxWmVxjUQP9FV_MMJl!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipP0STgVbJ0JkbdGMIrHPETxWmVxjUQP9FV_MMJl%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi2.6928039-ya262.03592-ro-1.8549012-fo100!7i5376!8i2688
Thank you. We are leaving in an hour for the Milan Train station.
Just remember to look for your train number and not necessarily the destination you're going to. That tripped me up when I was in rome last month.
It was like 15 min before the train departed...this is all part of the fun of travel, not knowing, figuring it out and making the journey! Have fun Leticia!
"Now, the large boards are mostly LED, but I used to like the clatter of the mechanical boards, moving the trains/flights up the board as the departures occurred."
Amen.
Ehm... If you really can't wait up to 15 minutes before the departure, find the closest yellow PARTENZE paper-made board.
All trains will be listed by departure hour, code and intended departure track. Wait close to that track up to the moment the board hanging over your head will display your train code.
Otherwise, you can look up the intended departure tracks by station here: https://www.rfi.it/it/stazioni/pagine-stazioni/servizi-di-qualita/informazioni-al-pubblico/quadri-orario-on-line.html