On Monday 11th April my colleague and I arrived in Rome with the intention to proceed to Citta' the Castello. We were directed by our Italian Hosts from Villa Montesca to proceed by train (TRENITALIA) to Ponte San Givanni by Train and then to get another train (FCU) to Citta di Castelo. From Rome Termini Station we bought return Tickets (JC 5049961 and JC 5049962 for € 104.20) The ticket master was very helpful and he directed us to proceed to the train on our journey to Citta di castello. We spent three fantastic days. Although we were on project kickoff meeting (PROSAVE) with other European partners and had a very tight two day working schedule we enjoyed the work, the meetings and the presentations by our colleagues. All in all it was a very good stag and we managed to achieve our set tasks and schedules. On returning back from Ponte San Giovanni, I went to the ticket booth and asked for two tickets which would connect me to Fiumicino Airport after arriving at Roma Termini Station. I gave the ticket master my second return ticket to show him that I already ad a return ticket to Termini and all I needed was two other tickets to take my colleague and I to the Airport. We purchased two new tickets (JC 3670026 and JC 3670027 for € 28.00) which would take us to the Airport from Roma Termini. At 13.55 we got on the train from Ponte San Giacomo and in front of u there was a student who had just purchased the ticket from the same ticket booth and after whom we were just next in the queue. His name is Alessandro Minestrini a bright young Law Student at the University of Perugia who is from Citta di Castello. He is interested in politics and is already active on a regional level. On the other side of the Isle in front of him sat a stylish good looking young girl very well groomed and very well dress by the name of Consiglia Stilo. She i from Naples and is a biomedical engineer by profession specialising in vascular prosthesis, stents and grafts employed with BIOTRONIC Italia. Behind us facing our backs, there was a young monk in his mid 20's sitting quietly. Further backwards there were about another eight or ten other passengers among whom there was a mother with a young child on her lap.
We started the trip from Ponte San Giacomo and my colleague and I were saying how nice it was at Citta di Castello. We had a wonderful time, meeting teachers from several schools, two mayors one assessors the Bishop and also a parish priest. We were among our European partners from Italy, Rumania, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain and Italy. In no time before we arrived at the firsts top, in comes a lady inspector, whose asks passengers for their ticket. She stops in front of Consiglia, and immediately at no chance for Consiglia to explain she fines her for not having a ticket. This poor lady told the inspector that she had booked and paid the ticket on-line and that she had the ticket verification on her mobile and was showing it to her. The inspector kept increasing her voice and trying to embarrass girl and still issued a fine. My colleague and I were rather perplexed and we were discussing amongst us that this is rather unusual and quite awkward not knowing what was coming to us. Consiglia remained calm and in great embarrassment she looked very surprised and could not understand what hit her. When the inspector finished with Consiglia, came on us and I handing to her ticket JC 5049962 expecting her to punch the ticket but instead with a loud voice she told me " Allora signori le devo fare la multa" I thought it was a joke and smiled at her but she raised aher voice and kept telling us that we had to pay a fine. I could not understand why. I had purchased the ticket from a TRENITALIA boot. The ticket master understood us pretty well when we purchased the return ticket . Also less than an hour before I had shown the ticket to the ticket master at the biglietteria at Ponte San Giovanni and he said nothing. Also the new tickets lookes similar to the one I had. So what was the problem? Why all this aggression with two foreigners? Wee looked normal, caucasian, well dressed and spoke very polite in fact I was speaking to her in Italian to show respect and facilitate an easy communication channel. Why is this happening? On four occasions my colleague asked her and made signed for her to kindly lower her voice because It was becoming embarrassing. Also I was in a state of shock, hardly understanding what was happening and I ask to speak to her superion and she replied, again in a very loud voice "I sono il capo treno." Ok, I said and again politely, I asked her for her name and to show me her identification card. She told me that this is private and I had no right to ask for it. She gave me a ticket (Ci 204 TRENO N. 13117 dd14/09/11) and I paid €99.99. I gave her two € 50 notes and she gave me € 0.01 change which is still in my pocket and not in my purse to preserve her fingerprint as a token.
On Arrival at Roma Termini I lodged my complaint with the Customer Care Office situated at the far end of Binarion 1. I explained what happened and the lady explained to me that I had to clock the ticket before embarkation. But the gentle lady by the name Ornella, who showed me her ID card without any objection told me that our case is a very genuine one and was clear that we had no ulterior motives. she saw our tickets from Termini to Fiumicino and our tickets soon after to Malta. The lady at customer care advised us to lodge a complaint and handed us a complaint form.
This is a very unfortunate incident which reflects very badly how companies treat their clients. Above all we were foreigners and surely we can inadvertently miss a coma or so in the riddle of rules and regulations, however we had paid for the ticker she punched it when I handed it to her. Thus the ticket could not be used again. Above all the treatment we got by the tone of vice and the embarrassment we had to endure. By the way, the monk got the fine as well, and chucked out of the cabin to a lower class, and the lady with the child got a fine as well. All passengers in this cabin made a joke out of these situations and in no time we were all laughing and this morning we are all on face book and twitter sharing what a trip it was from Ponte San Giovanni to Roma Termini yesterday Thursday 14th April on TRAIN N. 13117.
Hope Trenitalia will take note of these incidents, register the amount of commission this CAPO TRENO is making whilst on her shift and investigate whether there is any abuse. Ironically I went to Citta di Castello to embark on a Daphne Project being led by Villa Montesca. The Project's name is PROSAVE and we shall be studying and recommending the Commission with regards to bullying and violence in primary schools. This incident pushes me to apply for funding to study the extent of bullying being exercised on TRENITALIA clients, passengers, locals and foreigners, ordinary people, students, clergymen, parents travelling alone with their children, ordinary people and business men. I invite you to look at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

(United Break Guitars on YOU TUBE) which has been viewed by over 10 million viewers. I guess a similar video on TRENITALIA would have similar effect. I shall lodge an official complaint to Trenitalia and will report the outcome on Tripadvisor.