Surfergirl

I just checked Italiarail and correct, the schedule is not up yet for October 15th. It is for the prior Sunday (not much available) and the Sunday before (more available). I learned to check daily after checking earlier dates, to see when the earlier dates came up.

They have lately been popping up about 2 1/2 months prior to the date you want, in 2 week blocks. For example, I'm taking the night train on September 21st and the second day train on October 2nd. Both dates went "live" on July 12th, and that's when I purchased the tickets. On other websites, like Trenitalia (which I was also checking simultaneously) trains did come up for the earlier (9/21) date, but NOT the night train, and the October 2nd train I wanted to take was also unavailable on the Trenitalia website.

Again, check once or twice daily until it comes up . . . it'll be VERY SOON, I promise!

Falcio

you have booked the longest possible ride on the worst Italian subsidized train on a reseller's site, before it was available on Trenitalia?

Only because learning Italian city names and the correct date format was difficult? Good luck.

Surfergirl

Not helpful and kind of rude. I've been riding European trains for over 50 years, probably before you were born. Maybe you just have a beef with Italian trains, or specifically "Italian subsidized" trains. Maybe you have a beef with a reseller's website, or with Americans whom you think are incapable of "learning Italian city names".

As to the last of your issues, you are wrong. And, by the way, Milan and Milano is virtually the same, and Palermo is exactly the same, so there's no problem there. Indeed, for me at least, the Trenitalia website, which I have used often in the past, is not horribly complicated, and I know enough Italian to understand exactly what type of compartment I am booking. Here, had I waited for Trenitalia to populate, the exact train and compartment would have been gone, since it's a popular route. Further, sometimes (and especially now with new regulations and personal info you need to give up online) one gets to the payment part and the site gets super fussy with a non-Italian credit card, and everything freezes.

As to the first of your complaints, while you may not appreciate the "longest possible ride" on a train, I personally love it. Especially since this ride includes the last of the European trains that going onto a train ferry in existence! With great scenery! For devout train enthusiasts, this is a bucket list ride! In the last 50 years, I've found that most night trains that were updated or changed out for new trains give you a compartment so compact that you can't even get your luggage inside, and leaves the passenger with hardly any room at all for themselves. Maybe there's no wifi aboard and no dining cars anymore, but maybe it's also time to turn off all the brain sucking equipment and try reading a book, having a picnic, and having conversation with fellow passengers. How unique!

Falcio

You seem not to understand that if you buy on a reseller's site a ticket that's not yet available on the official site you are not getting a ticket but a promise to buy in your name.

Just like you seem not to get that subsidized night trains are loaded later than others because the Involved Regions and the Central Department of Transport have not yet financed them past the end of the season: they could actually not co-finance any run in late September and October.

Since Trenitalia has been trying to stop running subsidized night trains for decades, it may actually happen. And you'd receive an email from ItaliaRail beginning with: "We are sorry, but"

That's the reason why Trenitalia does Not "populate" the schedules earlier and why you can't trust a reseller who's selling you a ticket that does not yet exists.

If your credit card freezes on any EU site, it may not be enrolled in the additional security protocols like "Verified by Visa" or "MasterCard Secure Code". Both are designed to allow the authentication of card holders by their issuing bank during online transactions.

Unfortunately most US employees know nothing about it. You must bypass the front office and ask to speak with the Fraud prevention office.

Seriously?

mrroblesfl

Finally purchase the tiks on the Swiss website with only one train change. But we still have questions and looking for any assistance.

We purchase tickets from Geneve to Torino for October 15, 2023. The overview page for the tickets stated Geneve-Torino Porta Nuova for our destination. However the individual train ticket departure station says GENEVE Voyageurs. We are confused because it does not say Genève-Cornavin, their main station. Does anyone call tell us why the name of the station is not Genève-Cornavin?

Then I found a page to reserve seats on the FAQ, which I not sure we can do that with 2nd Class tikson a TER train which is the kind of tiks we have for our first portion of the trip, Geneve-Chambéry-Challes-les-Eaux. Do we have to get on the staion to get a seat assign? or we just seat on any seat available on the train on travel day? Any help will be really appreciated.

neckervd

Trainline sells the train Chambery dp 10.54 - Turin ar 13.18 for 36 EUR/pax. The connecting train from Geneva leaves Geneva at 7.47, with a change at Annecy.
If you want only 1 chnge (at Chambery), you willl have to leave Geneva at 10.00 and to pay 18 EUR more (with a 90 min layover at Chambery).