Regional trains, noThere's no need to buy in advance and no cost advantage in doing so as the price is fixed, buying online or in an app just saves time at the ticket office. There are no assigned seats, you sit where you like.
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Most regional trains only have second-class services and require no reservations, and may or may not be air-conditioned. It pays to verify these details before booking to enjoy the type of travel you prefer.
All high speed trains in Italy require to have a seat reserved for a Rail Pass or a ticket/e-ticket with its seat assigned. In Regional trains passengers travel without seat reservations, that means there's no assigned seating. You run the risk of standing if the train is full, however.
Travelling by regional train in Italy is more convenient and easier: buy on-line and print tickets or travel cards directly from home. As they are already validated, you can board your train directly!
Regional trains in Italy are slower, but serve a much wider network of cities and smaller towns throughout Italy. Many don't require reservations, and some have only second-class cars. Regional trains may be your only option if you're traveling through rural parts of Italy.
Italiarail shows a whole day's trains in the search results and can book up to 20 people at a time. Trenitalia's own website only shows a couple of hours-worth of trains at a time and can only book up to 5 people at a time.
In most circumstances, you must purchase a ticket before you board a train. Most trains require reservations and you should not board reserved trains without a reservation. Passengers who do so are not guaranteed a seat and may be instructed to get off the train at the next station stop.
You can find the schedules of all Italian train tickets on ItaliaRail, Omio & Trainline — just plug in your route. These websites will give you the prices and times so you can quickly compare your options.
Some trains require seat reservations, and on other trains it's optional. If you're riding a train on which reservations are only recommended or completely optional and you don't have a reservation, you can sit in any available seat in the appropriate class you have booked.
If you miss your train, simply approach the ticket counter, or Biglietteria, present your original ticket, and ask about your options. The representative will be able to advise you based on your individual ticket.
Everything is a Carry-On BagThere are some door-to-door luggage transport options, but they're limited to only the high-speed Frecce trains and only certain cities. The safest thing to do is assume that you will be responsible for carrying your bags on Italian trains at all times.