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Online train ticket reservations

Ok, so I started to book some train tickets for my first trip to Europe next May and I'm really excited... off I go! I have a question with train reservations and I would be glad if you could help me. What should I take to Europe to claim my ticket? For instance, I booked a ticket at Trenitalia and they sent me a confirmation email with a PDF containing the info for my trip, a bar code and a QR code. Is this the only thing I should take to Europe to catch my train? And also, do I need to get another ticket there? Any help is appreciated!

Posted by
19636 posts

In Italy, that is it plus ID (passport). If you bought a ticket in Germany through Deutsche Bahn, you will also need to have the same credit card as you used to buy the ticket. That is how you prove its your ticket and not a resale. France same as Italy.

Posted by
11294 posts

What you need with your online ticket depends on the country and the kind of ticket. "Europe" is more than one country, and therefore there is more than one system. For Italy, you're set. The PDF is your ticket. For Germany, in addition to the printed PDF, you need the credit card you used to buy the ticket. On the train, the conductor scans the PDF and swipes your credit card. For France, if you have a print-at-home ticket, you need that plus your passport. On the train, the conductor matches your passport to your ticket, then scans the printed PDF. For all of these, you do not need to get another ticket; your printed PDF is your ticket. Some of them are also starting to implement ways to have the PDF on your phone so you don't have to print it out. If you are picking up a French ticket at a French ticket office, you need the credit card you used to book the ticket. However, once you have picked up this ticket, you don't need anything else on the train; you just have to remember to "composte" the ticket ( it into the yellow machine near the tracks) before using it.