GAC

Trenitalia has announced today (also reported by Italian media) that it will impose a penalty of 25 Euros for anyone who boards a Trenitalia (Italian State Railways) train without a properly validated (stamped) ticket on or after October 1st.

This means that you must stamp your ticket in the little yellow machine at the train track BEFORE boarding, or be subject to paying the penalty on board the train. The requirement to stamp the ticket is not new.

Here are some exceptions to the rule:

1. Eurostar tickets need not be stamped, as they are valid ONLY on the train and on the date shown. Nevertheless, many travellers continue to stamp Eurostar tickets anyway, and it's not a bad idea to do so.

2. Eurostar Paperless (electronic) tickets may continue to be exchanged on the train for a paper ticket

3. If the yellow stamping machine is broken, and there is NO OTHER functioning machine at the train station, you may board and immediately advise train personnel, who will manually validate the ticket

4. If you board a train for which you do not have the correct type of ticket (e.g. you board a Intercity (IC)train but hold a ticket for a local train, you must pay the difference in fare PLUS a penalty of 8 Euros.

5. You may board a Eurostar, Espresso, IC or ICN train WITHOUT a ticket only if the ticket window at the station of departure is closed or not functioning.

6. You may board a local train (R, IR, D) WITHOUT a ticket only if the ticket window at the station of departure is closed or not functioning AND there is no alternative sales outlet (e.g. tobbaconist, newsstand, bar) from the city of departure

You may read the complete rules on the Trenitalia website: www.trenitalia.com

Kristinelaine

That's a fairly steep penalty for forgetting (or not knowing) to stamp your ticket. People not accustomed to using train travel will have to get smart fast!

Patrick

Note that #5 above does not allow for people who were in line at the station and got out of it to catch the train they were waiting and waiting to buy a ticket for rather than miss the train all together!

l_jackson95814

Today the people across from me did not validate their tickets because they were told that they did not have to validate IC tickets (they were told this in Milan). The porter gave them a break, but it sounds like this is a grace period prior to October 1.

GAC

Absolutely correct, Patrick! It is no excuse that the queues for purchasing tickets are too long!!!

The people travelling on the IC train were given bum advice: ALL train tickets except those for Eurostar trains must be validated in the little yellow machines. This is not a new rule; its been around for about 10 years.

Trenitalia has stated that there will be a "grace period" through the end of October during which payment of the FINE will not be enforced, but travellers should nevertheless follow the rules immediately! Of course, any applicable difference in fare must always be paid, quite apart from the fine.

Be aware that, once "validated" (stamped), the ticket is valid for only 6 hours if for a journey of up to 200 kilometers; 24 hours is for a journey of over 200 kilometers.

Consequently, DO NOT VALIDATE THE TICKET HOURS IN ADVANCE OR ON THE DAY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE! Most Italians validate the ticket a few minutes prior to scheduled train departure. Some Italians even wait to validate until the train's ACTUAL departure time is announced over the loudspeakers.

Nevertheless, if the ticket nominally expires during the actual journey (because of an unexpected delay in transit, weather conditions, work stoppage, train track obstruction, etc.), you are allowed to proceed to destination.

suntravler

Last year when I had tickets for the ES train from Rome to Florence I was given conflicting information about whether or not to stamp the ticket at the machine. I decided it would be better to stamp the ticket at the machine "just in case."

When the porter checked the ticket on the train, he yelled something at me but I didn't know enough Italian to understand what he was saying. I replied "non capisco, non parlo italiano."

He handed the ticket back to me with an annoyed look on his face. I always wondered if it was because I stamped the ES ticket when I wasn't supposed to. I am sure that I was in the correct car and the correct seat.

Robespierre

I would have to calculate the probability of getting caught vs. the penalty. If they only catch you one time in four, for example, you get four trips for one fare plus penalty. Could be the travel bargain of the year.

(In case you haven't figured it out: I'm kidding. The only time I ever cheated on a fare was on a tram in Frankfurt, and that was by mistake. I was ignorant of the fact there was no way to buy a ticket in the trailing coach.)

Michael

You are supposed to validate your ticket in France too.

ira

>When the porter checked the ticket on the train,...I always wondered if it was because I stamped the ES ticket..<

It was because you called the conductor a porter.

suntravler

Ira: Mystery solved! I won't make that mistake again.

GAC

Imposition of the 25 Euro fine begins TODAY!

P_M

I learned about stamping tickets when I was fined on a bus in Greece. I am thankful that I learned this lesson in a country where the fine was only about $8 US. Now I always ask that question when buying a ticket. Thanks for the warning to those who might be unaware.