Some things run on time… some don’t

Scoot…er Originally uploaded by itsjustanalias.

They say that for all his faults, at least Mussolini made the trains run on time. Mind you they also say he was a complete loon. One day I must find out who ‘they’ are, and if there’s an open slot for membership. Milan central station is big enough to satisfy the massive ego of Il Duce, it’s all roman columns and imposing stonework, and is just huge. All it needs is a balcony above the main entrance and you can imagine the dictator of your choice standing and waving/saluting and watching his military parade in front.

Still, for all their efficiencies our train from Milan to Padova ran 20 minutes late. But that’s not what I want to say. I want to say thanks to the italians, who, unlike the Dutch or the Swiss with their to-the-second precision, have this very efficient system and have managed to make it just a little bit chaotic.

If you’ve ever caught a train in italy, you’ll know this, and if not, well… it’s not enough to buy a ticket. You have to validate it as well. On the platforms there are little yellow boxes that stamp a timecode onto your ticket. I’m really not sure what this adds to the ticket, in terms of validity, but it’s essential. The first time I travelled by train in Italy I didn’t know this and was subjected to a withering torrent of italian when the guard had to (the horror) write on my ticket. Other times I’ve been reduced to a mad dash to find a validation machine that worked, along with dozens of other desperate commuters, running from platform to platform only to be denied by an ‘out of service’ label.

This time I bought my ticket from Padova to Milan using one of the automated ticket booths. It printed off two cards, my ticket and my receipt. I splashed out for the first class, it was an extra €7 and why not, when it’s that reasonable. I validated my ticket well in advance (I wonder how far in advance is too far) and used the handy train guide to find the position on the platform that would be closest to my compartment (something else we could use in the UK). The train arrived and I joined the others in a comfy six place compartment and we rolled out of Padova. Then the conductor arrived, I gave him my ticket. He asked for the rest of it. He must mean the receipt, I thought, weird. He took the receipt off me and studied it for a while. Then he sighed and told me (I assume) that I should have validated it and there’d be a fine. I stammered a few words of Spanish and he gave another huge sigh. Then he took out his pen and signed and dated the card.

So: any Italian experts (and I’m looking at you here Liz… ask your driver fellow)… why do they do this? Any other rail travellers… do they do this anywhere else?