Point-to-point travel and pass travel are both valid options for exploring Europe, and both have their own benefits.
Point-to-point tickets are good for short distance travel, such as travel from city to city within a country. They are also a good value if you plan to restrict your travel and are only going to one or two places. This option may be more economical for you if you know the cities and destinations you…
ItaliaRail is an official partner of Trenitalia, the national railway of Italy. We are the largest foreign seller of train tickets in Italy.
We have direct, real-time connectivity to Trenitalia's schedule and reservation system, allowing us to give you the best fares and most up-to-date availability.
ItaliaRail offers more than 80,000 high-speed and…
Bringing the kids along on a trip through Italy is both an exciting and rewarding adventure and, at times, challenging. We have covered some of the things that help make traveling with children by train in Europe easier in another article. Here, we want to make sure you know all about the various train ticket and rail pass options for your kids when you take the train around Italy.
Train Tickets for Children in Italy
…
Once you board the train and find your seat, be prepared to show some paperwork to the conductor when he or she comes through the train car. Failure to have the proper paperwork (or failure to have it properly validated pre-boarding) can result in a fine.
If you're traveling with a train ticket:
You must show ID (typically a passport) and your…
What you need to do before boarding your train in Italy depends on whether you have a train ticket or a rail pass.
If You Have a Train Ticket
As of August 2016, Trenitalia high speed tickets ("Freccia..." type) and regional trains that are purchased online no longer need to be validated before you board the train. This is because tickets now have a specific date and four-hour window of time in which they're…
When you should get to the train station in order to catch your train varies depending on a couple factors. As a general rule, it's a good idea to arrive 20-30 minutes before your train's scheduled departure time so you can get familiar with the station, find the information monitors as well as find your platform without being in a rush.
Note that for any of the following situations, you'll need to allot additional…
The configuration and type of seating you'll find when you get on a train in Europe can vary quite dramatically from one country (or one train) to the next. You may encounter an arrangement that differs from the examples below, but we hope that this information will help you find your seat more quickly.
Seat Numbering
To find your seat number, first find the correct car number indicated on the outside of the…
When planning a train trip through Europe, you have two choices - using a rail pass of some kind or getting point-to-point tickets. There are pros and cons to each option.
Point-to-point tickets (also known as city-to-city tickets) are good for traveling shorter distances, such as between two cities or towns within one country. They can also be a good value if you plan to travel only…
Rail passes are an excellent value if you want flexibility, if you plan to travel extensively throughout one or several countries, or if you plan to cover long distances during your travels. Passes provide access to most rail routes and allow you hassle-free travel, since you won’t have to wait in lines at the train station to get tickets. In some cases, you will still have to make seat reservations or pay supplements, but…
Eurail and InterRail are both rail passes, and while they are similar there is one critical difference - who can buy them. Eurail Passes are only for non-European citizens or residents. InterRail Passes are only for European citizens or residents.
Eurail Pass features include:
- Unlimited rail travel in one or more…
You need to determine what countries you plan to travel through and how many days you will spend in each country to determine the best pass for your needs. Fill in your trip information on RailPass.com, and you'll get a pass comparison chart on the results page with more detailed information. We'll help you find the best pass for your trip.
Rail passes act…
The "passholder fare" is not a train ticket - it's just the seat reservation fee for people who already have a rail pass of some kind. A person with a rail pass is, then, a rail passholder.
If you have a rail pass, all you need is a reservation - the rail pass is your ticket. If you do not have a rail pass, you must buy a ticket and (for some trains) a reservation as well.
Validation of Rail Passes
Your rail pass will be validated twice. The pass will arrive with the first validation, printed automatically at our office in the top right corner of the pass. This indicates the start date of the pass, which you must begin to use within 6 months of that date.
You must get the second validation in-country on the first travel day when you're using the pass. This is also called …
Taking the train through Europe is an excellent way to get around, and having a rail pass makes doing that easy. There are some trips for which point-to-point tickets might be the better option, but for many trips a rail pass is the way to go.
Rail passes are the ideal choice for travelers who don't have a set itinerary and…
You must be in possession of a valid rail pass that covers the routing of the train in order to make a reservation. It is helpful to research the train schedules before making a request.
Reservations are required for: Sleeping accommodations on all overnight trains; most high-speed trains (e.g. Eurostar, TGV, TAV, Thalys); Long Distance and Express Trains in Spain, Portugal, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe; and Long Distance and…
Take advantage of extra pass benefits by contacting the individual company in advance, or show them your pass when you make your booking. Some offers may require an advance reservation, so make sure you check if this applies to that specific offer.
You can see the offers, and their rules, listed on the Benefits page of the Pass Guide you'll receive with your rail pass order.
A rail pass allows a passholder to travel by train without purchasing a ticket, though you may be required to purchase seat reservations on some trains. Rail passes are valid either for travel throughout a single country or in several countries, and have varying time frames in which they can be used.
First-class seating is more spacious, with fewer seats per compartment, and usually more quiet. There is more room for luggage and it will generally be less crowded as most passengers typically travel in second class. First-class amenities usually include laptop connection plugs, power outlets, complimentary soft drinks, free newspapers, leather seats, and/or meals.
There are benefits on overnight trains as well; first-class…
It's always a good idea to securely carry your passport with you when you travel, but whether you'll need to get it out before boarding a train depends on whether you have a train ticket or a rail pass.
With a rail pass, you'll need your passport to validate the pass before its first use (you must do this at a ticket window before boarding). For any subsequent use of the same pass, you might not need your passport before boarding…
A rail pass is equivalent to a train ticket. For some trains like Regional Trains, a ticket - or a rail pass - is all you need to ride because Regional Trains do not require seat reservation. For others, you'll also need a reservation for a specific seat. Seat Reservations are not included with rail passes, so if you travel on any…
Thanks to our partnership with Trenitalia, ItaliaRail has direct, real-time connectivity to Trenitalia's schedule and reservation system, allowing us to give you the best fares and most up-to-date availability. Many of our most popular routes have trains leaving every half hour, but some destinations have less frequent service. Use our search tool to browse train schedules and find the trains that…
Reservations booked at the same together are grouped together whenever possible. The numbering system on some trains may seem like you're not sitting next to someone in your group, but you probably are.
Note that ItaliaRail is unable to change the seats assigned by Trenitalia. You can, however, attempt to make changes to the seating assignments at the ticket counter at the station, provided there are open seats to which you can be…
InterCity (IC) trains travel at speeds of up to 100-125 MPH (160-200 km/h), and there are first and second class cars. While reservations for IC trains are required, if you purchase a ticket online or at the train station the reservation is included automatically. Rail passholders, however, are not required to have a seat reservation before boarding IC trains, though seat reservations can be purchased in advance.…
While high-speed trains are usually the best choice for getting around Italy, not every city is served by the high-speed network. Most cities and towns in Italy are served by what are called “regional” trains, which are slower and often older trains.
There are a few different names for regional trains in Italy, including…
There are several types of trains in Italy, from high-speed and luxury trains to the so-called "milk run" trains that connect small towns. The type of train you take in Italy can depend on where you're going, how much time you have, and what your budget is.
Trenitalia, Italy's state-run rail network, operates most of Italy's high-speed trains. They are sleek and efficient, with relatively…
The largest train operator in Italy is Trenitalia, which is a division of the Italian government. The company has been in existence since 1905, and the train network throughout Italy has been steadily growing and improving – it's by far the easiest and most cost-effective way to get around the country.
The fastest trains operated by Trenitalia are the Alta Velocità (AV) series, called – in descending order of speed –…
The fare rules are as follows:
Only one reservation change permitted per ticket, by upgrading to a normal fare of the same train type; and only up to two hours before train departure. Any difference in price from original ticket price is payable at the time of change. Custom seat selection is not available when making a change. Type: Non-refundable.
When to Make a Reservation
Purchasing a train ticket means you have bought the right to travel from one city to another by train. Many tickets, however, do not specify the date of travel or even the exact train. That is what reservations are for, so for some train trips you'll need both a ticket and a reservation.
All reservation holders must be in possession of a valid rail pass or city-to-city ticket that covers the…
It depends on the type of train ticket or fare you bought. While rail passes are issued in the name of specific passengers and must match that traveler's passport, regular e-tickets or train tickets as of now are not associated with specific passengers and conductors do not require ID on the train. For most tickets, names are not required to appear in the ticket as of now, therefore you do not need to change your e-ticket if you…
Validating a Train Ticket
As of 5th August 2023, Trenitalia tickets for regional trains that are purchased online need to be validated. This validation must be done before your train departs and you'll incur a fine if your ticket isn't validated. Please click here for instructions on how to validate your regional tickets.
Note that tickets for Trenitalia's high-speed…
Tickets or e-tickets and seat reservations are not the same thing in Italy, and you won't always need both. A ticket or e-ticket is what you need to travel from one city to another on any train in Italy, and it shows a seat reserved for the type of class and fare purchased. A seat reservation is what grants you a specific seat on that train and it must be issued for travellng in conjunction with a Rail Pass. All high speed…
An electronic or e-ticket is the newest reservation confirmation for booking reservations trains in Italy. This is exclusively available on trains that originate within Italy.
Upon completing an e-ticket booking, you will receive an email confirmation of your train journey in place of the printed and shipped tickets. This…
Your Ticket Reservation (PNR) is only valid for the Departure and Arrival stations on the ticket and the train number stated in the e-ticket.
No station changes or substitutions are allowed.
Changing Reservations
An exchange of date and time is allowed on some fare rules. You only can change your ticket, if the rules of the fare you purchased allow you to change the ticket. Usually the cheaper the ticket the more restrictive it is. Therefore super-economy fares do not allow tickets to be changed or rebooked. Economy tickets allow one change and must be upgraded to a normal or base…