Transportation Unreserved regionale train tickets & weekend Fvg

[susan]

Hello,

Am I correct in understanding that the new rules for the unreserved regionale train tickets restrict the ticket to one specific date but not a specific train nor a specific time for the same route for that day and that the ticket purchased would be valid for for both regionale veloce or regionale trains? In the past I have often purchased a regionale tickets both ways for a day trip that morning, not knowing the exact return time and if it would be a regionale veloce or regionale train that I would end up taking for the return trip. I'm hoping that hasn't changed.

Also, I noticed that there is a special Weekend Fvg promotion for weekend regionale train travel in Friuli Venezia. Does anyone know if these tickets need to be purchased in advance?

Thank you!

 

[Andrew]

As I understand: the same ticket is valid for a Regionale or Regionale Veloce, and a paper ticket is valid anytime on the marked day, for four hours from the time you stamp it at a machine at the station. So you would wait to stamp the return ticket until you're at the station for your return: you don't need to commit to which return train you're taking on day trip before that.

A ticket purchased through the Internet (whether printed or kept as a screen shot on a phone or tablet) for a Regionale is valid for four hours from the departure time you designate at the time of purchase.

I see this page on the Weekend FVG Promo. There's a link for an online purchase, and a note that you can change the date or time once by 11.59 p.m. on the day before your originally chosen date. I can't tell if the same discount is available when purchasing a paper ticket; maybe someone else will know.

 

[GAC]

Andrew is correct.

It is important to note that the ELECTRONIC ticket for the regionale/regionale veloce trains is MORE RESTRICTIVE than a PAPER ticket for the same trains, and you need to be careful in designating the departure time of the train if purchasing an ELECTRONIC ticket for these trains.

Note than an ELECTRONIC ticket is purchased on the internet or over the telephone. A PAPER ticket is purchased at an electronic ticket machine at the train station, or at the staffed ticket sales window, or at an Italian travel agency which sells Trenitalia tickets.

There are yet other reasons why I discourage people from buying ELECTRONIC tickets for the regionale/regionale veloce trains (except in a couple of specific circumstances), viz. restrictions on making changes to travel date/time and requesting a refund for an unused ticket.

 

[susan]

Thank you, Andrew and GAC!

I am planning to purchase the regionale tickets at the train stations to get the paper tickets. Glad that there still is some flexibility in how to use them. I have already purchased all tickets that require reservations electronically to get the best rates. I agree that there does not seem to be a great advantage to purchase the regionale tickets in advance.

I will inquire at the Udine train station in advance about the possibility of getting the weekend fvg rate if I purchase the tickets at the train station for my day trip to Trieste. It is only a 2 euro difference, so not a huge deal. I just noticed the special rate the other day when looking at train times.

Thanks again!!