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Problems with Trenitalia so trying Italiarail

Posted by on

Hi! I've been trying to book 2 one-way tickets from Rome to Venice on Sat. August 2/2014. We are looking to leave Termini station either 8:35 or 8:50. I've read a couple of forums on the tripadvisor site and people have had success purchasing tickets WITHOUT registering, as an Italian address is required. Not me. I've been unsuccessful as I keep getting "Error Code: 291 Any one of the data entered is not valid." People have suggested not to choose the "select seat" option and use the default automatic seat assignment but I want to sit next to my husband. I thought purchasing tickets on the Trenitalia website would be quick and easy but not the case for me. So I headed over to the Italiarail site.

I'm wondering why the Italiarail site asks for the lead passenger's name (me) and not the second passenger (my husband) when I've clearly indicated I want to by TWO tickets. If I buy tickets on Italiarail I don't want there to be issues because the website didn't ask for the 2nd passenger's name.

Also, are seats automatically assigned because it never gave me that option before asking for my credit card info.

Thanks!

Posted by
16893 posts

If you book two tickets together, then any web site will automatically do their best to seat you together. (The option for choosing seats is more important if you're meeting someone who already bought his ticket.) Most point-to-point train tickets don't need the second passenger's name, only the lead name for the party that's traveling together.

Posted by
8 posts

Thank you!

FYI: I went back to Trenitalia and submitted all the info as I did before except my Canadian contact number and VOILA! I was able to successfully purchase my tickets without registering.

Posted by
23267 posts

Names on ticket is a security issue with the airlines. Not a security issue with trains. All they want to know is who is buying the ticket and how many. If you get a better offer in Italy, you can leave your husband behind because trenitalia doesn't pass value judgement on who you are sitting with. In all of the years we have purchased tickets on Trenitalia we have never worried about seat selection and we have always been seated together. And many times that included four tickets. Most Americans have been trained by our airline system of reservations and fees and assume that applies to European trains. Not so, trains are far easier to deal with than our airlines.

Posted by
15 posts

I was about to post on this very topic. I don't know how to purchase my tickets online without registering and it won't allow me since there isn't a place for a US address. It's only 2 of us traveling but I want to get this done and I don't know how...HELP!

Posted by
8 posts

Hi Rachel,
Did you see my first reply to this thread? I didn't want to register either because I'm in Canada. I submitted our names and email addresses but NO contact number and was able to purchase our tickets on Trenitalia.

Good luck!

Posted by
3 posts

Thanks for the information. I was trying to buy tickets on Italia Rail and was worried about the same thing.
Cheers!

Posted by
1 posts

im having the same issue as others that it is requiring i register.. i even tried making up an italian address... tried 'not adding phone number' and that did not help... other sites dont seem to offer the seat confirmation or have added charges... help!

Posted by
715 posts

One thing I would add is if you do purchase tickets and the seating is not together, do not panic. Just sit next to each other and if, and when, the person arrives ask if they can switch to one of the assigned seats you were holding so you can sit with your partner.

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