I am travelling on the sleeper train leaving Bercy station Paris to Milan. Do these tickets need to be validated before departure, the same as tickets in Italy?
They were issued by raileurope and have seat assignments , but the names of the passengers are not listed.

Top this post, perhaps someone could help out. I know it is necenssary to validate point to point ticket at the orange box, but not sure about the ticket for sleeper.

No RailEurope issued tickets need to be validated before boarding the train except for Eurostar Paris-London perhaps if you call that check-in validation.

This is because they are non refundable in Europe but only thru RailEurope and not refundable after the first day of the validity period on the ticket.

So unlike in Europe often where you must validate or cancel tickets yourself before boarding the train, with these you do not. Tickets bought in Europe i think you must do it because the cancellation makes them no longer refundable and some trains may not have conductors on them or it saves conductor time punching them.

IF that ticket has a specific date, time and train number and can only be used ON that specific date and on that specific train then no, you do not need to validate the ticket, regardless of who issued it.

<<<IF that ticket has a specific date, time and train number and can only be used ON that specific date and on that specific train then no, you do not need to validate the ticket, regardless of who issued it.<<<
Wrong ! All tickets issued by the SNCF - for instance - have to be validated (except the self print ones), including those usable ON a specific date and on a specific train

Hi N,

It certainly won't hurt if you stick the ticket in the box and have it stamped.

Well, Norween, all i can say is that last year when i got on the overnight in Blois for Madrid I did not have a composted ticket, and I was not advised that it needed to be.

Perhaps it is because I look so damn good that they let me get by the regulations..you think?????

Umm - they have blind conductors on the Talgo night train?

I've often found night trains to be lax with tickets - at times i neglected to fill in a date on my flexible railpass and the night train staff did not either.

I wonder why folks don't just call RailEurope and ask that question - after all who should know better about this about a RE ticket?

Good suggestion, Pal.

Thanks for your replies

PalenQ,
Point taken with your remark
"I wonder why folks don't just call RailEurope and ask that question - after all who should know better about this about a RE ticket?"

I guess from my experience, the information provided posters on this site is nearly always more indepth and on many occassions provide personal experiences relating to the question.
either way , thanks for your reply

There are validation machines at the front of the platform. Just stick your ticket in the slot. The validation is to prevent used tickets from being presented for refund or exchange.

I used the sleeper from Paris to Bologna last month and staff at Bercy station told people that tickets did not need to be validated. There are machines by the platforms so you can stamp your tickets if you want to.
There are two sleeper trains from Paris Bercy to Italy and the fares are special inclusive fares with compulsory reservations. The trains have no seats, only sleeping cars and couchettes. The tickets cannot be used on any other train so do not need to be validated.
In general, international tickets have different rules which are agreed internationally between the various national rail operators, and they do not need to be validated.

Thanks again for the information!

Interesting, Kerouac.

I thought the validation was to prevent tickets which are good within a certain timeframe to be used more than once.

Once one gets on the train does the "conductor" mark or punch them in any way to show that they, in fact, have been used?

Yes, the conductor checks the validation, checks the ID card of the passenger for special fares and self-printed tickets, and has a little imprinter that marks a code on the ticket.

Of course, if the conductor ALWAYS came to check the tickets, there would be no need for validation, because he would do it himself. But they don't always do the whole train, so telling people that they have to validate their tickets is a good way to make sure they are INVALID for future use or refund. You rarely get a fine if you don't validate your ticket ahead of time -- usually a good story about being late and running to catch the train in the nick of time will satisfy them.

This particular train has only sleepers and couchettes. You cannot travel on this train unless you have reserved a berth. You cannot buy tickets to travel on this train without a berth reservation. Every carriage (both sleepers and couchettes) has an attendant who collects passengers' tickets and passports, then returns them in the morning. There is definitely no need to validate tickets before boarding this train.

Thanks again