Ticketing on cross border regional trains between Italy and Switzerland.

Krist

Hello all,

When you buy a ticket from Malpensa T1 to somewhere via Lugan the SBB sells you two tickets: An “Ordinaria” for the part till the border, and a PtP for that part from there to your destination.

“Ordinaria” tickets in Italy com pre validated for the train you selected during purchase. Is that also the case here? And what should a traveler do that wants to take a later or earlier train?

Danhiel

Hello Krist

Yes, “Ordinaria” tickets are automatically validated for the selected train. It is unfortunately not possible to change the date and/or departure time with the Trenitalia app, you must call the SBB Contact Center. You need an internet connection to show the QR code.

I suggest to never buy such tickets through SBB. Two solutions:

– Buy a separate Arcobaleno Transfrontaliera ticket from Lugano or the border station, it is valid for 4 hours.
– Buy a separate Trenord ticket from the border station on Trenitalia app.

In both cases the passenger rights are not the same because you don’t have a through ticket.

Kind regards
Danhiel

Krist

That is unfortunate. People arriving at an airport like flexibility… Cant the ticket office at Malpensa sell tickets to destinations in Switzerland?

Danhiel

Krist

I don’t think that they can sell more Swiss tickets as on Trenitalia website, virtually none. It could change in the next years, for example DB and SNCF can now sell internal Swiss tickets, probably due to the concurrence of resellers like Trainline or Rail Europe. But it is only a supposition, I was never in Malpensa. They have maybe still the old systems and can print traditional tickets on security paper in IATA format.

For tourists it may be better to ask at the SBB ticket office in Lugano.

Krist

Danhiel For tourists it may be better to ask at the SBB ticket office in Lugano.

They need to get there first though…

Danhiel

Krist They need to get there first though…

You have probably vending machines, but it is not easy. I don’t know if tickets to Lugano are available.

I was last week in Como and bought a ticket to Chiasso. The ticket was not delivered because Trenord has reusable tickets with chip. You must confirm that you want a new physical ticket. I don’t know what happens if you don’t confirm, I hope that a physical ticket will delivered despite it after a timeout. You must also validate the ticket at another machine before entering the platform.

The ticket itself has no indication about route and validity, you must request a receipt to have this information, and a second one for the credit card payment.

Krist

Do they want people to travel by train, I wonder?