Trenitalia

You are OK. Do think you need the credit card that you used to purchase the tickets.

Yes I am fairly sure about that but seemed like I needed to do something else..it was a college student who lived in Florence for 6 mth that said this to me and said not to trust trenitalia

Hi Barbara. If you got your 6 digit PNR code and your journey is within Italy, that is all you need. Even printing out the info is optional, but I do it as a convenience to me and the conductor. You do not need your credit card, and you do not need to do anything before you board the train. During the trip, the conductor will pass by your car; just show them your printout or tell them your 6 digit code.
Enjoy your trip.

6 digit code is that the PRN code letters and numbers

when I booked my ticket for Italy to switzerland it allowed me to book but said I had to pick up tickets in Italy and also sent me a confirmation which details the fare (says "Smart fare which I think is similar to a mini fare but then is gives a booking code and master code say pick up procedure is "self service" and a catagory called "fidelity card" and that says
missing... does that mean this fare required some special card?? these websites are confusing.

Barbara, if you have a ticket with a 6 digit PNR code on it, you have your ticket. The conductors in Italy have wireless PDAs. They can the icon on your ticket and match the PNR information they get from their computer. You're fine. You don't need advanced authorization. If you have a second ticket on the same run that involves a Regionale train, you might see something different than a PNR code. But, you are pre-validated to ride the train specified on the ticket. For your Italy Switzerland ticket, "Self-Service" means that you can pick up your ticket at one of the many ticket machine that are in the stations. You may need the same credit card that you used for the purchase. That's how the machine identifies you. Note that you may not see these machines in the small stations so make sure you pick up your tickets in the larger stations.

thanks Larry so on that confirmation from Italy to Switzerland, even though I have the PRN number they may want something e se? as the webisite indicated that for these one needs to pick them up when I get to Italy and it not say that for the others.

Barbara, the only thing I can think of that your college student source might be talking about is that for regionale trains, you need to validate your ticket at the train station (these are trains without reserved seats). You don't need to validate your ticket if there is a carriage and seat number printed on it, or if you have the 6-digit ticket number.