trenitalia online reservations difficulty
 

Does anyone here have experience purchasing trenitalia international tickets online?

I'm trying to book the Artesia night train from Bologna to Paris in January. Trenitalia quotes me a great promotional rate (270 EUR) for two in a double sleeper - but booking it has proven impossible (despite plenty of promotional availability). In the past 2 days I have gotten 8 separate error messages. On the two occasions I was finally able to get to the credit card page the site refused to accept any of my credit cards.

Is there an easier way to purchase with trenitalia from the U.S.?

By the way, I tried calling RailEurope but they want $160 more for the exact same trip in the same double cabin (a 40% premium). Ouch! Also, I've considered booking online through SCNF (same price as trenitalia) - but I'm not certain I'd be able to pickup my ticket in Italy. When I put in a US address into SCNF I'm directed to the RailEurope site (though, apparently, if I lived in Antarctica I wouldn't have any trouble ticketing with SCNF!).

I would greatly appreciate anyone's suggestions.

Thanks,
FlyerBeek

The Trenitalia website has "issues" from time to time with credit cards issued outside of the EU. I suggest you phone their call centre and book the tickets that way- should be the same price. The number is
Per chi chiama dall’estero / calling from abroad: 39 06 68475475
It is open 24 hrs day. You should be able to get an english speaking operator.
Hope this helps...

Its not the trenitalia site, it is your bank. Trenitalia is notorious for fraudulent ghost sites, etc... and very few US or UK banks will approve a transaction w/o contacting you. Call your bank and tell them you are booking at a ticket and they'll let it go through next time.

Spoke with my two credit card companies today - still no joy. The issue doesn't seem to be on my end (in fact, only one actually declined the transaction initially) but rather with trenitalia's booking merchant. Even after telling the banks to approve the transactions, I still cannot get the trenitalia site to book it.

I'll try calling trenitalia later today.

-FlyerBeek

If you don't have any luck with Trenitalia, you might check with a travel agent specializing in Italy. I've used one in Los Angeles on a couple occasions (including the night train from Rome to Zurich in Nov.), and he's always charged me the same amount that the Trenitalia website quoted me. If you want his contact info, pm me.

"Actually the Trenitalia website IS the problem. I have actually spoken with them and they told me you can never use a different credit card than the one first used on your profile (even though you also can never change it) nor can you try a second card because it will eternally block you. They will deny any transaction before it even makes it to the local card processor (San Paolo bank)...

If you ever have any problem, clear your cache, create a new user ID and use a different credit card than the one you tried and it should go through. Sounds stupid but it works.