After weeks of reading about issues getting credit cards to go through on Trenitalia's website messing around all day myself trying to purchase tickets, calling my bank a few times, trying to purchase again, risking getting locked out of my account.... I finally found a good solution!
Paypal offers a Virtual Credit Card feature that is free to its users. It's called "PayPal Plug-IN"
and gives the user the option of having a single use credit card number with a limit of $1000 or you can have a credit card number for use on one single website over the course of several transactions.
This Plug-In works on either PC or Mac; I believe the PC version you have to download but the Mac version you use straight off your web browser.
I believe this is the correct link:
https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_vdc-plugin-intro
Just saved myself $15 on train tickets since I could get the Amica fare in advance!
Hope this helps others!!!
Book Your Next Trip
Check hotel rates and airfares around the world.
Find a great deal?
Tell us about it.
Hotels
Flights
Packages
Cars
Cruises
Each website you select will open a new window in your browser.
I have found a loophole for buying Trenitalia tickets on their website!
14 Replies | Jump to last reply
|14 Replies |Back to top
|Sign in to comment.
Recent Activity
View all Europe activity »
- 1 HELP! is this a good deal for airfare to italy in september from NYC?!?!
- 2 Suggestions for a first trip outside the US for 5 and 7 year olds?
- 3 Food Prices in Germany
- 4 late night Athens transport info needed
- 5 London Itinerary for March...
- 6 travelling europe for the first time
- 7 Amsterdam on an Sunday what's open, what's closed?
- 8 Camogli recommendations for a visit in late May
- 9 Is any overnight train form Figueres to Paris?
- 10 croatia and Slovenia car rental
- 11 ROH seating question
- 12 Hotels are booked, I'm so excited!
- 13 Which Cycladic Islands for Family in June
- 14 21st century London. Need some tips
- 15 Italy by train??
- 16 Would You Pay $7 for a Blanket and Pill When Flying?
- 17 Hotels in Arrondisements 5 and 6
- 18 Staying in Mayfair, good choice?
- 19 lake como
- 20 Hotel La Tour Notre Dame
- 21 Luggage storage at Santa Margherita train station
- 22 Edinburgh-Glasgow-Mull-Iona
- 23 UK Itinerary (ist draft)
- 24 Paris to Copenhagen
- 25 Book accomodations ahead or drive and find?

Trip Ideas

Good for you, AC.

Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much!
Thanks for sharing this tip!
acswift/all,
I tried your tip, got a paypal plugin and tried to buy tix on Trenitalia ... with no luck. It STILL rejected the virtual number, as well as my Citi virtual numbers and my regular cards.
Any ideas?? I am trying to buy tix in advance for travel on an Italian holiday. Thanks for any ideas!
bookmarking
Are you a registered Trenitslia user? (I'm assuming so but thought I'd verify...) Did it give you a specific error or did it just say "transaction denied"? I don't think I've ever heard of a virtual card # not going through....
Yes I am a registered user ... I did a Citi virtual card and
the Paypal virtual card.
Justy tried the Paypal virtual card again ...
"The Payment has been denied." was the error message.
Any ideas??
acswift/et al,
Finally SUCCESS!I originally set up Paypal/virtual and tried for 2 days with no success. I changed primary accounts in Paypal and waited 2 days. Now I tried today (Paypal/Virtual Mastercard) and it worked first time! I don't think the events were related, I think it was just the delay (waiting several days) after setting up the virtual Paypal switch. But who knows? I would not have bothered (buying online vs. in Italy)but I'm travelling on Labor Day there (May 1st) which is a big holiday and I wanted to make sure to get the AMICA discount. Thanks all ...
Good to hear!
Sounds like the planets were aligned or something....
Thanks for sharing your discovery!
I will try this in the future. I had a terrible time last year trying to get tickets in advance.
Thank you SO much AC, the PayPal single use MasterCard number worked like a charm for me!!! I was getting so peed after many failed attempts I felt like going on a cross-country shooting spree, LOL! Just kidding.... or am I? hehe....
Thanks for the great info. Bookmarking
Ditto - bookmarking.
Anche io!