When I try to book a trip on Tenitalia's site, after all my train information is entered, it asks me for an ID and password. I do not have one and at one point I was able to determine that you could only register on the site if you had an address in Italy. How do I book a ticket without it asking me for an ID, etc?

This might help:

http://www.seat61.com/Italy-trains.h...Trenitalia.com

"Important: Select Non Registered User to buy without registering. You can only register if you have an Italian address, which you probably don't have. No problem, simply buy without registering. You can still retrieve your booking later if you need to, without being registered."

>>>"Important: Select Non Registered User to buy without registering. You can only register if you have an Italian address, which you probably don't have<<<

You should be able to register selecting the US for your country in the drop down box (section one). You shouldn't have to fill in section three (your home)since you selected US in the earlier section. In section four, you should only need e-mail not phone.

What exactly are you trying to book and when? Perhaps it's more to do with what you are trying to purchase.

Monterosso to Rome. The first is a Regionale and the Rome is a Frecciarossa.

Your problem is likely caused by trying to buy the regional ticket (typically only available 7 days in advance online). There is absolutely no need to buy a regional ticket in advance as there are no discounts, no reserved seats and they don't sell out (you just squeeze in like a subway if full). Buy that ticket when you are visiting the CT and be sure to validate it before boarding. You can buy that ticket on the day your arrive in Italy or the CT at any station or pop into a store with the Trenitalia logo in the window and buy it.

The ticket for the rest of the trip (La Spezia/Rome?, Pisa/Rome?) that is on the Frecciarossa you can buy in advance to get the discount. I would try buying just that ticket (use the option about not registering).

Additionally, you did not say when you are traveling. You might be outside the purchase window (fast trains it's 120 days in advance).

Update. I was able to make the purchase. Cannot do it if you include the Regionale from Monterosso to La Spezia. Also, interesting, when I did it yesterday the system hung. So I went to try again and this time the seats I wanted were gone, as was the economy rate. I figured that some glitch occurred and it was still holding my seats waiting for CC information. This morning the seats were open and I was able to book, La Spezia to Roma only, unregistered, with no problem and with the cheap Economy rate for First Class (78 Euros for two). Took all of three minutes. Appreciate all the help. Will probably just buy the Regionale ahead of time as we want the early train and don't want to have to do it that morning.

New problem?

When I bought the ticket this morning there was a message that I would receive an email with the PNR code and some other info. I printed out that web page which shows the train info and a Retrieval Code as well as the seats assigned. But I never received an email I got back on TI's web site this afternoon, entered in my name and Retrieval code, and clicked to have a new email sent. A message displayed saying 'Mail Sent'. But again, no mail received. There is no indication on their web site as to how to contact customer service. Any ideas?

Karen - you are not the first novice user of Trenitalia.com to be so flummoxed - some say it is a snap to use but we hear many travails like you are experiencing.

But it seems you have all the info you need - I'd say the e-mail is redundant but kybourbon will not doubt explain it all - she is a tremendous resource here to help the many newbies trying to get Trenitalia to work actually make it do so. Incredible knowledge of the ins and outs of that rather flummoxing site, at least to folks not used to it!

PalenQ,

Thanks for the reply. We've used RENFE and DBahn's site with no problem but this one is sure not user friendly. I'll wait and see what KYB might add.

It appears that what I printed out, the final web page is all anyone should need but since the site also mentioned a PNR (which in air travel here means Passenger Name Record) and a CP, I assumed that there was some other coded information that would be in the email. There is a CP on what I printed and maybe since it lists our names and seats that it is in fact enough. Maybe you're right and it's just poorly explained. I did notice that their English was not smoothly translated from the original Italian.

Renfe.com has caused a myriad of more problems even than Trenitalia.com for Fodorites - congratulations on getting that site to work - Trenitalia should be a snap and I guess was except for one little faux pas.

I hope all goes well for you TravelerKaren but I'll just add for anyone else reading this post - problems like noted above are why I now use Italiarail.com

Just to make sure...I booked 3 trenitalia tickets. When I get to the stations, I just get on the train and take a printout (has PNR code) of it with me?

LR220,

Just curious. Where is your PNR code on your printout? And what is it (I want to see if I can find a similar code on my printout since I didn't get any email). Thanks.

There is a grey table with headings labelled Departure Date, Time, From, A, Arrival Date, Time, No. of Passengers with the info below that. Right below in a white block is Train, Service, Coaches, Seats and in the grey block below is the PNR which is a mix of 6 letters and numbers above another Grey block that says "*Total Amount Paid:"

If it doesn't say any PNR or Ticket Code on your printout you should contact them!

Do you have a barcode on your printouts? If so, then the last 6 numbers/letters combination like R8NQL5 would be your PNR code.

On the tickets it also says that "Failure to inform the PNR is equivalent to non-possession of the ticket" so you might get fined if you don't have a PNR code (but I'm not sure).

Karen, does your email address end in .net? There have been reports that Trenitalia sends those emails to limbo.

Yes, ends in net.

Also, no bar code, and no PNR.

The print is what was displayed on my screen and they had a PRINT button that got it printed.

My headings are Train (it shows the Freccia 9763),Departure (La Spezia @8:20), Arrival (Roma Termini @12:03), Date (29/09/2014) then Details and under the Details are our names, Offer (economy), Service (First Class), Coach # 1, Seats and a CP code.

So, here's the main issue. How do you get in touch with them? I saw no email address.

This is where you can find call center numbers: http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...008916f90aRCRD
It has a link to a form online, but I think calling them will be best.

By any chance, when filling out the information about your travel companion, did you put in their email address as well in the contact info? My friend also received a copy of the tickets.

I did, but it was the same one since we're married. BUT, I also tried using another mail address when I asked them to resend the ticket email and that didn't work either. It may be that they both ended in .net, but that would be so weird as their are a lot of.nets out there, especially if you are a Verizon or GMail user.

LR220,

I also went to TI's complaint sites and sent two requests to them. One about a web site problem and not getting the email, and another I found that looked like a way to get problems dealt with. I received back confirmations that they were received, but one of them, the complaint one, said they can take up to 30 days to reply. The other message said that one would be answered ASAP. So, we'll see. And of course my last resort will be to just call them. Found those numbers too. That call, unless I can Skype them, will probably offset any savings I got on those Economy priced tickets.