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I have recently bought a global paper pass direct from interrail and am trying to book seat reservations in Italy. On the “Italiarail” website it asks for a passholder number for each traveller. I have inputed my pass cover number and all other potential numbers on the pass but nothing seems to work.

I contacted customer support and they provided me with a different pass cover number than what is physically in front of me (it now starts I0 instead of mine starting I1) The new number seems to work although I am worried as to why there is a mismatch in numbers in the first place. I could see this being an issue if a ticket inspector looks at my pass and wonders why it is different to the reservation number.

 

Please Help!!!

Theoretically, that's a possible issue (since IIRC Italian railways are the only ones to print the pass number on the reservation) but unlikely.

The cause is very likely that Italiarail (which is an Italian travel agent, not Italian railways) are not doing their pass cover number check correctly.

But my issue is that why are interrail providing a different pass cover number to that is printed on my pass?

But my issue is that why are interrail providing a different pass cover number to that is printed on my pass?

Because you asked for one that works?

Yes it is incorrect but why can't they print a correct pass, where has this incorrect number come from

Yes it is incorrect but why can't they print a correct pass, where has this incorrect number come from

I don't think your original pass cover number was incorrect. It's not the first time that the Italiarail website refuses certain (newer?) pass cover numbers. That's why I wrote that Italiarail are probably doing something wrong.

So do you think that interrail have supplied an old style cover number which should work on Italia rail?

 

Could be. ALL the nearly 100 different railways that accept these passes have as basic their very own developed IT-system. It has been a major feat to get them all work together and accept each others links. As rian has told you twice: ItalRail is NOT TrenItalia,=the offical big burocratic and often on strike national railway. They MAY still have their own way of coding passes that uses its very own specific codings. Those in the know then know how to adapt new to old format-often this has indeed to be done manually. (being former travel-agent and knowing about these things re railways and how they often seem to do everything in their own individual style amap).

Actually some of the more backward railways overthere in east_EUR still had completely manual systems untill 2-3 years ago!

Hi Joe,  When you are checked during your trip, the most important is that the details on your Pass (i.e. Name, Date of Birth) correspond with your Passport. You do not need to worry that the Pass Cover Number doesn't match your Paper Pass Number. This reference doesn't appear anywhere on your tickets and it isn't required at all during inspection. It's just there to serve as proof that you are a Passholder when you make online reservations. I trust this clarifies it. Cheers, 

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