Using the Rail Europe App and add my Eurail Pass showing regional trains a "Free"

Posted by Bill (San Diego) on 10/03/24 08:08 PM

On the regional trains it often says no seat reservation needed, mainly seems seat reservations are needed or the Frecciarossa fast trains and regional s often say "Free". Does that mean we just need to show the Eurail Pass to a conductor or do we still need to get something else at the station like a boarding pass or other form of ticket? I am not sure if there are turnstiles that might need us to scan the pass or something else (like a credit card/Metro Card for a NYC Subway systems).

Planning this trip is like learning a brand new job in a different field than you have ever worked in before...

-Bill

Posted by Paul

Eastern Iowa, USA

10/03/24 09:27 PM

8047 posts

Depends a bit on the country. In Italy, the trains have no turnstiles, so on regional trains you just show the pass to the conductor, the only caveat being if you have an x Days in Y Days pass, you need to indicate before hand that you have activated a pass day for that day. (In the old days, you had to write the date on a line, with electronic passes, not sure how it works)

The only country I can think of (in my travels) where there are turnstiles or gates is the Netherlands, for that, you would need a QR code, though trains are cheap and distances short, that a pass would be a waste of money there if you were to use one of your "days".

Posted by Nigel

Northamptonshire, England

10/04/24 06:36 PM

33810 posts

turnstiles - or gates in a gate line - in the UK. Not all stations, not all the time. There are different ways of operating the gates for people with real tickets, with a paper Eurail Pass you'd go to the staffed gate (if the gates are operating there is always a staffed one), show the paper pass and they would open the gate, then when the Guard/Conductor/Senior Conductor/Train Manager (different names for the same job, different routes have different traditional names for the job, with slightly different details in their work) comes around show it again with your passport and trip record.

I don't know how it works with the app (I retired before the app so never saw it "in the wild") but I'm sure it will have some method of scanning to open the gate or show it to the attended gate, and a way to demonstrate it is live to the Guard.

There are also gate lines for people leaving a train, so you need to be prepared for the same procedure when you get off the train. And smile if the gate line is open, and bank the few seconds you would have spent getting out...

Posted by jphbucks

SoCal

10/09/24 04:32 PM

1130 posts

For Regionale trains in Italy, just have your trip "selected" on the RailPlanner app. You'll then show the QR code the app generates to the conductor. The details of the trip will appear below the QR code; the conductor may or may not ask you to scroll down so he or she can check the details.

I will say that this month we've taken at least 20 separate Regionale legs and have yet to have our passes checked. InterCity and the Freccia trains are another matter entirely, as we've needed to show both our pass-generated tickets and associated seat reservations on each trip.