Validating tickets

None of those three countries requires you too validate tickets before boarding. I's typically done in France.

There WERE validation machines in Italy and I saw lots of people using them. They are usually small yellow boxes along the tracks. There are not a lot of them so you'll have to look. They are usually closer to the main part of the station, not way down the tracks.

I stand corrected regional trains, mostly used by commuters in Italy, do have to be validated. But high-speed Eurostar trains just need to be presented to the conductor in route.

You absolutely need to validate tickets in Italy! You can do so at yellow machines in the station and on the platforms.

I've never once validated a ticket on any Eurostar train, and I've never been questioned about it.

Ticket validation really applies to the "open" tickets that you get for the regional and IC trains. They don't have a date or train number on them thus the term "open". You must validate these types of tickets at the little yellow machines in the train stations. You will see them. You place one end of your ticket in the machine and it stamps it with a date, time and other info. It's an instant 25Euro fine if you are caught onboard with a ticket that is not validated. I have seen this fine imposed by the conductor.

I'm fairly certain that validation is not required on the Eurostars as the ticket has the date, time, train number and seat number on the ticket. No chance of fraud here. However, to be safe, I validate every one of my train tickets.

I got a lesson in validation once in France! It was my first train ride and the person selling me the ticket didn't tell me to validate it so I just hopped on the train, found a seat, and we took off. A little later the conductor came through and did a random check of tickets and picked me (I'm sure it was because I looked like a tourist) and he began to yell at me. He went on and on, and although I can speak fairly decent French, he was yelling and speaking so fast that I had no idea what was wrong. A very nice elderly lady across from me finally said "he is mad that you didn't validate the ticket." She told him that it was my first ride and I didn't realize it. Luckily he just lectured me a bit longer then wrote the date on it himself and stormed away. The woman told me that I was very lucky that he didn't fine me. I definitely learned that lesson!!

Be sure to validate city bus tickets when you get on, as well.

Kristen, I always validated them in the little yellow boxes on the train platforms in Italy. Better to be safe and not be subjected to fines in a spot check of you tickets. The yellow box puts on the date and time you started using them. We only had the tickets checked on one train. They seem to do random checks. It is not like Amtrak at home where they mark your ticket after you get on. In Italy you have to do it yourself before getting on.

since the OP is travelling by train, it is likely she will be using local public transportation. Almost all require validating somewhere; in Germany the subways require you to validate before you go to the train because its an "honor" system (you simply walk to the boarding platform, no turnstiles) and a big fine when they check and catch you with an unvalidated ticket or sans ticket. In Italy the buses require validating and several times I've seen inspectors come thru to check. So be sure to ask a local (or find out from your guidebook) whether validating tix is required.

When I have a separate reservation card, I validate that, too. I usually travel with a pass, so that is validated by writing in the date if it is a flexi-pass.

In Germany, the tickets that require validation have the words, "Hier entwerten" printed on the end of the ticket where it should be inserted in the cancelling machine.

Thank you so much for everyone's information!!

Kristen - lots of good info here... Just to clarify your Italy segment. If you have a Eurostar or IC Plus ticket with a reserved OR assigned seat, you do not have to validate. On ANY OTHER TRAIN, where there is NOT assigned seating sch as Regional, Commuter, Local, etc, DO VALIDATE before getting on the train.

That also holds true for the Leonardo Express from Termini to FCO - and the local commuter trains in Rome - the trolleys, and the buses... All these will require validation of your "one-time" ticket. The penalty for not validating starts at a 50 Euro on-the-spot" fine... so when in doubt, Vailidate. Heck, they don't care if you validate your Eurostar tickets - it's just a small time imporint!

Good Luck and have fun!
Ciao,
Ron

Yes, You do have to validate in Germany. If buy your ticket at the kiosk it automatically validates it. But if you buy at at the window from a clerk, it has to validated at validation machine-usually out at the tracks near the train. We failed to validate our tickets on a short run from Bautzen to Gorlitz. We received a lecture in German from conductor. We just smiled and thanked her. She validated the ticket and went on to fuss at a teenager who did not have his pass. We were glad we did not get fined. We made sure we validated our tickets after that.