Readers of this forum may be familiar with the "Extra Tempo" feature offered by Italo Treno for its "Flex" and "Economy" fare tickets. This feature gives travellers holding such tickets limited protection in case they MISS their booked Italo train for reasons OTHER THAN a missed connection of the same train operator. So, for example, if you hold an Italo "Flex" or "Economy" fare ticket and MISS the train because of a late arriving flight, or because of a traffic jam going to the train station, you are allowed to re-book to a later-departing train, with minimal financial costs.
ITALO HAS NOW TIGHTENED ITS RESTRICTIONS on the "Extra Tempo" feature:
1. The grace period ("Extra Tempo") has been REDUCED from three hours to ONE HOUR, thereby making it identical to the comparable feature of Trenitalia "Base" fare tickets for the Freccia and Intercity trains.
2. THERE IS NOW A FIXED CHARGE OF 10 EUROS PER TICKET to utilize "Extra Tempo" and re-book on a later train. THIS IS NEW.
3. In ADDITION to the 10-Euro fixed fee, you must pay the DIFFERENCE IN FARE between what you actually paid for your ticket and the going fare of a "Flex" ticket purchased at the last moment. This means that you may pay a little more if holding a "Flex" fare ticket, and significantly more if holding an "Economy" fare ticket.
4. "Extra Tempo" is offered ONLY for holders of "Flex" fare and "Economy" fare tickets, and not on cheaper ticket categories such as "Low Cost" and "Extra Magic."
This is how Italo explains the "Extra Tempo" feature:
"Service Extra Tempo
If you have missed your train, find a seat on the first available train.
If you miss your train, you have 1 hour of “Extra Tempo” to find a seat on the next train asking to the in-station Italo Staff or calling Italo Assistenza at +39 06 89371892 (subject to availability)*.
*Extra Time entails the payment of a fixed amount of 10 euros in addition to the difference with the available aboard offer as well as any supplementary charge if applicable."
NOTE WELL that you can avoid the 10-Euro fixed fee by CHANGING YOUR BOOKING ONLINE (with an electronic device and internet connection), or by telephone to the Italo call center or in person at the train station, if you believe that you are likely to MISS your train. You must make the change PRIOR to the scheduled departure time of your booked train. The "Extra Tempo" feature is designed to give limited protection to travellers who miss their train and did not (or could not) change their booking in time.
TRENITALIA has not made any changes to its own version of "Extra Tempo" (not called by that name). The one-hour grace period afforded by Trenitalia applies EXCLUSIVELY to "Base" fare tickets and to none of the discounted tickets. Here too, you may be assessed a small surcharge if the "Base" fare for last-minute ticket purchases to your destination is higher than what you actually paid for your ticket.
http://www.italotreno.it
http://www.trenitalia.com
ITALO HAS NOW TIGHTENED ITS RESTRICTIONS on the "Extra Tempo" feature:
1. The grace period ("Extra Tempo") has been REDUCED from three hours to ONE HOUR, thereby making it identical to the comparable feature of Trenitalia "Base" fare tickets for the Freccia and Intercity trains.
2. THERE IS NOW A FIXED CHARGE OF 10 EUROS PER TICKET to utilize "Extra Tempo" and re-book on a later train. THIS IS NEW.
3. In ADDITION to the 10-Euro fixed fee, you must pay the DIFFERENCE IN FARE between what you actually paid for your ticket and the going fare of a "Flex" ticket purchased at the last moment. This means that you may pay a little more if holding a "Flex" fare ticket, and significantly more if holding an "Economy" fare ticket.
4. "Extra Tempo" is offered ONLY for holders of "Flex" fare and "Economy" fare tickets, and not on cheaper ticket categories such as "Low Cost" and "Extra Magic."
This is how Italo explains the "Extra Tempo" feature:
"Service Extra Tempo
If you have missed your train, find a seat on the first available train.
If you miss your train, you have 1 hour of “Extra Tempo” to find a seat on the next train asking to the in-station Italo Staff or calling Italo Assistenza at +39 06 89371892 (subject to availability)*.
*Extra Time entails the payment of a fixed amount of 10 euros in addition to the difference with the available aboard offer as well as any supplementary charge if applicable."
NOTE WELL that you can avoid the 10-Euro fixed fee by CHANGING YOUR BOOKING ONLINE (with an electronic device and internet connection), or by telephone to the Italo call center or in person at the train station, if you believe that you are likely to MISS your train. You must make the change PRIOR to the scheduled departure time of your booked train. The "Extra Tempo" feature is designed to give limited protection to travellers who miss their train and did not (or could not) change their booking in time.
TRENITALIA has not made any changes to its own version of "Extra Tempo" (not called by that name). The one-hour grace period afforded by Trenitalia applies EXCLUSIVELY to "Base" fare tickets and to none of the discounted tickets. Here too, you may be assessed a small surcharge if the "Base" fare for last-minute ticket purchases to your destination is higher than what you actually paid for your ticket.
http://www.italotreno.it
http://www.trenitalia.com