New security measures are in place at three of Italy's major train stations (Roma Termini, Firenze "Santa Maria Novella" and Milano Centrale) to increase security on the platforms as well as help reduce the number of people who travel without buying tickets. Starting on May 1st 2015 you must show your ticket (paper or ticketless on your smart phone) to a controller who will then let you onto the platform to board your train.

They tried this before in the '90s but didn't stick with it, so this may not last long, but anyone traveling in Italy should be aware of this new rule before embarking on a journey by rail. The barriers have been in place in Rome for a few weeks and they already report a 30% drop in petty theft on the platforms (purse-snatching, or scams where people pretend to be porters and then just take off with your bags).

We'll keep you posted on further updates!