Francesca Tosolini

The cost of forgetting to validate your train ticket

May 4, 2008

I already mentioned in a previous post the requirement for all train passengers to punch their tickets before they get on board. The reason why I’m reposting this important detail is that TreniItalia, the organization that runs all trains in Italy, just raised their fines if you forget to validate your ticket.

The increase is significant, from €25 to €200 (which translates in $300 these days). If you pay the fine within 15 days then the amount is going to be reduced to €100, if you pay on the spot or at the final destination it is reduced to €50.

Should you forget to punch your ticket, a best practice is to inform the ticket conductor right away. While there is no guarantee that you’ll avoid the fine (multa), it might help demonstrate your overall good faith.

N.B. First time in Italy? Check out our eBook with hundreds of time and money saving tips collected for you by real Italians.

When should you go to Venice?

December 31, 2007

VeniceHotel.org offers an interesting online service: the crowd forecast. If you plan to visit Venice and your dates are flexible, then it’s best to choose a time when the city is least crowded. The rooms cost less; there are shorter queues for the museums; and the city will be more enjoyable. The chart only forecasts the crowd for the next 20 days.

Beppe Grillo

December 12, 2007

Beppe Grillo is one of the most popular Italian comedians. His shows focus on themes like political and corporate corruption, energy usage, finance, technology and freedom of speech, all topics that are very sensitive to Italian citizens.
If you are interested in taking a peek at the major ‘pain points’ of Italy, then check out Beppe’s blog. According to Technorati, it’s the #1 blog in Italy and #10 blog in all the blogsphere.
The New York Time has featured him today on their home page with a very educational video that summarizes it all:
Beppe Grillo: The Comic Who Shook Italy.