Hi I am trying to book train tickets on Trenitalia. Because I don't live in Italy I am not registered. I tried making reservations a few times but can't get it to go through and never get a confirmation. Recommendations?
Thanks.

You don't need to live in Italy or be registered.
Did you notify your credit card company that you were making an internet purchase in Italy - that alone could be the problem.

Read this; it will explain the process to you, step by step and give you great info:

http://www.seat61.com/Italy-trains.htm

What exact kind of trains are you trying to book? Many Americans do get it to work but many first timers can't - there are helpful Fodorites - especially kybourbon IME who will help and know how Americans can get it to work - so keep topping your thread to some expert helps you out.

Why not register? I think you must be registered to actually book tickets - plenty of Americans here have registered.

Check www.seat61.com for possible info too on www.trenitalia.com - some other sites with good info on Italian trains are www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

you may want to use italiarail - google it. you can get the discounted tickets and it is easy to use. you do lose a few minor benefits for exchange and such but if you are sure of the tickets you want, it is much easier to deal with than trenitalia

You don't need to be registered to buy tickets on the trenitalia site. After you've selected your train and the price you want to pay, continue to the next page and click on "non-registered user".

I registered on Trenitalia long ago, and even have their loyalty card, but I've found their registration system to be a big pain, so now I always pretend I'm a non-registered user.

If your email address ends in .net, you probably will never get the email confirmation. They seem to have a problem with .net addresses. Print out the confirmation page that appears on your browser; it should show a PNR code. If you don't have access to a printer, take a screen shot and print it later, or save it on your phone. The only thing you really need is this PNR code (assuming you know which train and seat you've reserved); you could even write the PNR on the back of your hand. I've scribbled it on a piece of paper in the past, and I've showed it to the ticket collector on my phone with no problem. I do really prefer to have something printed, though, so that if my phone battery dies, and the ticket collector's handheld computer isn't working, I have something official looking to show him.

Whatever you do, don't close the browser window until you either have got the confirmation by email or you've saved or printed something that shows the PNT, train number, carriage number, and seat number.

Italiarail.com essentially sells tickets at the same price as Trenitalia, give or take (mostly take) a few euros for the exchange rate. They offer the same discounts as the Italian site. It usually ends up costing a little more, but if you really can't get the trenitalia site to work, italiarail is a valid substitute.

All set!!! Thanks.

>>>Italiarail.com essentially sells tickets at the same price as Trenitalia, give or take (mostly take) a few euros for the exchange rate. They offer the same discounts as the Italian site. It usually ends up costing a little more, but if you really can't get the trenitalia site to work, italiarail is a valid substitute.<<<<

I would use Italiarail as a last resort. They impart their own ticket restrictions to purchases plus a fee. They can't sell all tickets that Trenitalia sells either.

The fees charged by italiarail.com are very minimal, plus it takes US credit cards with no hassle. If you try to purchase thru Trenitalia your credit card company may initially block the purchase for suspicion of fraud. You can check both websites to compare choices and prices - for what I was looking for Italiarail had what I wanted (discoutned advance purchase tickets, Milan to Venice). I found it just so much easier than Trenitalia - I would hardly tag it as "a last resort" but to each his own.

Trenitalia accepts paypal.

I see nothing wrong with Italiarail. It is simple and they charge a $5 fee---big deal.

man in seat 61 has a way to get the $5 fee back....

Also, the $5 fee is for all tickets purchased. We bought 3 trips of 2 tickets each and the $5 was for all, but I got it refunded.

>>>I see nothing wrong with Italiarail. It is simple and they charge a $5 fee---big deal.<<<

The problem is not the fee, but that they place their own restrictions on the tickets (the ticket rules listed on their site are not Trenitalia's rules). If you have issues, you are dealing with them, not Trenitalia. Just like buying a Delta ticket from Expedia.

all in all it seems better if fares are similar to buy a Trenitalia ticket than a Italiarail one - for reasons boubrbon above explains.