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UK Railways in brief
Great Britain is full of contrasts, whichever direction you travel you will find a wide variety of landscapes… Hop on and discover the countryside by train in a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. From cosmopolitan and vibrant cities to historic places and their richness in heritage, train will bring you everywhere.
The UK network
Along 15,795 kilometres of tracks, 23 Train Operating Companies work together for providing the most complete rail network. Long distance traffic, Regional and National lines, everything is made to ease each kind of rail travel.
With its 14 terminals from which the main lines connect to the other parts of Great Britain, London is the hub of the UK rail network. The large choice of schedules will be the opportunity to tailor-make your journey and easily plan day trips to visit Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton or Windsor in one day from London.
From East to West or North to South, and although a few of them are High Speed trains, UK rail network trains run all year long and offer quick connections across the regions. Here are some examples of routes and best travel times:
| ROUTE | BEST TRAVEL TIME |
|---|---|
| London Paddington - Oxford | 0h53 |
| London Waterloo - Portsmouth | 1h35 |
| London St Pancras - Dover Priory | 1h09 |
| Cardiff Central - Birmingham New Street | 2h |
| Glasgow - Edinburg | 0h58 |
Our tip
Get your tickets here!
As a privileged partner, Rail Europe offer the cheapest prices and a choice of tickets which suit all your needs. You can choose among 3 types of tickets:
“advance tickets”: Book in advance and benefit from the best available price with 15% to 60% off!
“anytime tickets”: Buy anytime to travel on any train, on any day at any time and choose flexibility!
“Off-peak”: Book anytime, travel off-peak on a chosen date and avoid overcrowded trains
Welcome on-board!
Trains Companies run many different types of trains across the rail network, offering a wide range of facilities and services.
Before boarding
Most of the stations are equipped of Self-ticket machines where you will be able to collect quickly the ticket you bought on this website. First Class is dedicated to business travellers as well as leisure passengers who want to be pampered. First Class tickets provide access to First Class lounges in the main stations.
On board
All trains are totally non-smoking and offer Standard seating. Some trains offer additional facilities such as:
First class seating
Catering
Seat reservations
WiFi
Power points for laptops
map need flash
A. Each passenger is allowed 2 bags/suitcases plus 1 piece of hand luggage and every piece of luggage must be labelled. Luggage can be stored in the racks above your seat on ICE trains.
A. In Comfort1 (First class), drinks and meal are included in the price of your Thalys ticket and served at your seat. Meal includes a choice of drinks, cold starter and main course, but also bread and dessert. In Thalys Comfort 2 (second class), you will get access to a bar-buffet car which offers a variety of food and refreshments.
A. Validation of your pass is having a Rail Official at the train station stamp your pass as valid.
A. Your railpass covers you to the border city of the country you are traveling in. You will need to purchase additional tickets to travel in any country not covered on your pass.
If you are planning to travel to more than one city, you may want to consider upgrading your pass to cover an additional country.
A. Taking an overnight train is like adding a touch of adventure to your trip! Depending on the type of compartment you reserve, you will either be bunking with new found friends, or sharing a private room with your travel companions.
Remember, you are on a train so the amount of space in each overnight compartment is not overwhelming. If you have booked a private sleeper, you will have more room to move around in and store your belongings.
Please note that on some overnight trains you can expect to have your passports collected by railway officials on the train. This is primarily for your security. Your passport will be guarded overnight and then returned to you in the morning.
A. Lyria trains offer two different classes of travel. In First class, a delicious cold at-seat meal is offered to you, no matter what time you travel. A large selection of Swiss, French, international magazines and newspapers are also available for your perusal. Onboard taxi booking service is also available from Monday to Friday. Comfortable seats will welcome you in Second class where you can also enjoy the convenience of a bar-buffet car.
A.
Pass/ticket holders must file a police report within twenty-four (24) hours of the incident.
Pass/ticket holders must file a police report within twenty-four (24) hours of the incident.
Pass/ticket holders may purchase a replacement rail pass or rail tickets in order to continue with his/her travel plans.
Upon return to your country, pass/tickets holder must submit a request to Rail Europe within thirty (30) days including a police report, replacement passes or tickets purchased abroad, airline tickets to/from Europe. A brief explanation of the situation is also necessary to better evaluate the traveler request form.
A. Yes, you may travel as many times are you like between countries that are on your pass.
A. The BritRail Family Pass allows one child between the ages of 5 and 15 to travel free with an adult or senior BritRail Pass holder.
A. - Business class offers the highest class of service in trains. It will include 1st seats, meals , access to lounges, and no restrictions on being exchanged.
Flexi First class offers on day train 1st class seat , and are the most exchangeable. Night trains will offer first class couchette (shared sleeping) or sleepers and are exchangeable. Meal service may be available for purchase.
Best Price First class day trains will also offer 1st class seats with lowest ticket prices that may have restrictions. Meal service may be available for purchase. Night trains will offer first class couchette or sleepers and lowest ticket prices that may have restrictions.
Flexi Second day trains will offer 2nd class seats that are exchangeable. Night trains offer lower comfort couchette (shared sleeping) or sleepers and are exchangeable.
Best Price Second day trains will offer 2nd class seats with lowest ticket prices that may have restrictions. Night trains offer lower comfort couchette (shared sleeping) or sleepers with lowest ticket prices that may have restrictions.
Super Saver class is available on night train only and will offer reclingin seats with with lowest ticket prices that may have restrictions.
A. You will need to first figure out who wants to share, and who does not. Once you have your travel party broken down, request the number of passengers who want to share a room together and request as either a 1, 2 or 3 person room. Request each compartment separately until all passengers have been reserved in a room.
A. Toilets are easily accessible on all the trains and are usually marked with the letters WC. Toilets can usually be found at the front or back of each train car (also known as a coach), and will include a sink, toilet and a locking door.
A. The standard of amount of luggage is 2 large items per person. Trains have either overhead storage racks throughout the car, storage room behind the back of your seat or luggage areas at the end of the car. There is no porter service available and all passengers are responsible for putting their own luggage on the train.
Note: Luggage kept by the passenger and placed in the luggage racks remains under the sole responsibility of the traveler. The railroads assume no responsibility in case of loss, damage, or theft.
A. Yes, we recomand that you would purchase tickets and make your seat reservations prior to your departure so you can avoid fully booked trains and disrupting your travel plans.
A. Each passenger is allowed 2 pieces of luggage and 1 carry-on bag.
A. To obtain a refund, please return your unused, unvalidated tickets/pass to your travel agent, or send to your local Raileurope Office. Click here to get the information in our contact us section.
Most tickets are required to be returned at least 3 days prior to the departure date, or to be stamped "Unused" at a rail station in Europe to be eligible for a refund. Please add a short note including the original booking number of the order. It is suggested that you send these documents by some type of traceable mail for proof of delivery, should they get lost in the mail.
A. All you’ll need is your e-ticket # (found on your confirmation email).
Please note: there may be multiple e-ticket # for your itinerary.
A. You can get free (or cheap) boat trips, discounts on rail travel, free admission in museums, a 50% discount on mountain top excursions and more. You can obtain these benefits locally by showing your Swiss pass, or you can contact the specific benefit company in advance. The discount benefits apply during the validity of your Swiss pass, whereas free passage on trains, buses or ferries is only valid on travel days.
A. You can use your Swiss pass in the whole Swiss Travel System: in all trains, Postbuses, ships, buses and even trams.
A. Located in the middle of the train (carriage 4 or 14), TGV Lyria bar provides a service for tasty snacks and meals: sandwiches, hot/cold local dishes, salads, children’s menu, hot and cold drinks, treats are available to eat at the bar or take away. In First class, you can also enjoy the convenience of Lyriapremière service at seat.
A. Eurostar is a reservation-only service and bookings can be taken up to 6 months in advance. Also bear in mind that Eurostar is not included in the Eurail pass or France Rail Pass program but you can still get a discount on Eurostar when buying a pass.
A. Showers facilities are generally not offered on trains in Europe. However, private showers can sometimes be found with premier overnight trains such as the Elipsos between France and Spain when the Premier fares are booked.
A. Frecciarossa trains offer a full sit-down restaurant service, with a regularly changing menu of traditional Italian dishes. The restaurant is very modern and elegant. Alternatively, Frecciarossa trains also feature a coffee bar service offering fresh sandwiches, snacks, desserts and hot and cold beverages.
A. ICE trains link major German cities from Cologne in the west to Berlin in the east. But they also cross borders and go into France, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands.
A. Dining cars are available on most long distance trains. Normally, you can just walk into most dining cars, sit down, and eat without a reservation, but you are welcome to make a reservation for a meal when mealtime is busy, or when the train attendant announces the opening of the dining car. If your train does not have a dining car, it is likely to offer passengers a buffet bar car. On local trains, there may be an attendant with a snack cart who travels from car to car, selling snacks and beverages.
Train Dining cars are part of the train experience and is unrivaled by any other means of transportation. In some trains the quality of the food and the wine is up to the standard of a gourmet restaurant.
A. Many people take advantage of additional time they have in a city, then they board their overnight train. You depart from one city and arrive in your destination the next morning, refreshed and ready to start your day. It also saves you money that you may have spent on a hotel.
A. Many trains such as the Eurostar offer discounted tickets for advance purchase. These fares have limited availability and sell out quickly. To receive the best price on the train you want to travel on you should purchase your tickets prior to your departure so you can avoid fully booked trains.
A. Go to our train times on our Train Tickets and Schedules select the number of passengers then click the box next to "Click this box if you have a Rail Pass". All results that are displayed will show you fares that are valid for passes. To insure you select the correct fare for your pass view the details. All passes that are valid with each fare are listed in the details.
A. Frecciarossa trains run on the high-speed line connecting Turin to Salerno, Northern to Southern Italy and more particularly Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome, and Naples. These trains connect Bologna to Florence in just 37 minutes and Rome to Milan in less than 3 hours. Travel time between Milan and Florence is just 1 hour and 45 minutes.
A. Full Fare is an unrestricted ticket. It is fully exchangeable and refundable even after the departure date. For exchanges and refunds, your local Raileurope office must receive the ticket no later than 60 days after the train’s departure date. Click here to get the Contact Us adress.
Value fare is non-exchangeable and non-refundable.
Youth Fare (for travelers under 26 years of age) is exchangeable once in Europe before departure date. It is non-refundable.
Passholder Fare (issued in conjunction with appropriate railpass) is exchangeable once in Europe. It is non-refundable.
Senior Fare (for travelers 60 years of age and over) is exchangeable once in Europe. It is non-refundable.
Value fare is non-exchangeable and non-refundable.
Youth Fare (for travelers under 26 years of age) is exchangeable once in Europe before departure date. It is non-refundable.
Passholder Fare (issued in conjunction with appropriate railpass) is exchangeable once in Europe. It is non-refundable.
Senior Fare (for travelers 60 years of age and over) is exchangeable once in Europe. It is non-refundable.
A. First class on the Italian day train offers large, comfortable reclining seats, and bar-buffet car offering a complete selection of food and beverages for purchase. (on major routes)
Second class on the Italian day train offers generous legroom and bar-buffet car offering a complete selection of food and beverages for purchase. (on major routes)
A.
Business Premier class is dedicated to serving the business traveler with its superior service. Business travelers can expect a nonsmoking car, fast lane check-in, use of the Executive Lounges, breakfast or a 3-course lunch or dinner with choice of entrée and wine, complimentary drink, newspapers, Wifi access in the terminal and lap top sockets on board the train.
Leisure Select tickets provide complimentary food (including a 3-course dinner), beverages, and newspapers while you relax in your reclining seat.
Full Fare tickets gives you access to the Eurostar Lounge.
Standard Class offers comfort, convenience, and value. Enjoy the bar car, or purchase snacks and refreshments from the trolley cart when it comes to your seat.
Business Premier class is dedicated to serving the business traveler with its superior service. Business travelers can expect a nonsmoking car, fast lane check-in, use of the Executive Lounges, breakfast or a 3-course lunch or dinner with choice of entrée and wine, complimentary drink, newspapers, Wifi access in the terminal and lap top sockets on board the train.
Leisure Select tickets provide complimentary food (including a 3-course dinner), beverages, and newspapers while you relax in your reclining seat.
Full Fare tickets gives you access to the Eurostar Lounge.
Standard Class offers comfort, convenience, and value. Enjoy the bar car, or purchase snacks and refreshments from the trolley cart when it comes to your seat.
A. On-board Frecciarossa trains, the official luggage allowance is two large bags or suitcases and one piece of hand luggage. It’s enough to enjoy a very long trip and explore the richness of Italy.
A. Children 4 and under who do not need a bed travel free and do not require a sleeper reservation or a ticket. If the child is between the ages of 4 - 11 or is under 4 but will require a separate bed, then a special child’s fare will apply.
A. AVE services offer two different classes of travel: in first class, depending on the train, you will be able to choose between First Class Club and Preferente where you can enjoy a meal served at seat, an access to VIP lounges in the main Spanish railways stations, daily press and free parking (24 hours if you have a single ticket, 48 hours for a return). Turista class, as known as 2nd class, includes a family area, children’s board games, wheelchair facilities as well as audio/video devices.
A. Eurostar offers 3 classes of service: 2 for 1st class and 1 for 2nd class.
Business Premier which offers priority express check-in at the terminals, a dedicated ticket desk for check in, access to the Eurostar Executive lounges, spacious reclining seats with generous legroom, wifi access at the terminals, a dedicated coach for business travelers, complimentary newspapers, 3-course meal with refreshments at your seat.
Leisure Select offers spacious reclining seats with generous legroom, complimentary newspapers, and 3-course meal with refreshments at your seat.
Standard class (2nd class) offers generous legroom and access to a bar-buffet car where a selection of food and beverages are available for purchase.
A. TGV Lyria offers direct, high speed services between Paris-Gare de Lyon, Dijon and cities such as Geneva, Lausanne, Basel, Neuchatel, Bern and Zurich. During winter, TGV Lyria snow train connects you directly from Paris to the charming resorts of the canton of Vaud (including Château-d’Oex, Leysin, Les Diablerets and Villars) and Valais (Verbier, CransMontana, Leukerbad, Saas-Fee and Zermatt, among others).
A. Yes. If you’re on Turista class, you could buy some nice snacks and beverages to a bar buffet car. On Ave First class, a catering service will deliver you some meal and beverages directly to your seat. You could also get access to an A la Carte service at seat and even a bar service.
A. There are no check-in before boarding a Thalys train and ticket control and passport checks will occur onboard the train. Also worth remembering that children less than 12 years old travelling alone are not accepted on board Thalys trains.
A. The following trains require reservations: Eurostar, Thalys, Lyria, all TGV’s, AVE, TGV France-Italy, Renfe, Trenitalia, Riveria, Swedish trains, City Night Line, DB (German) night trains, Elipsos, and the Paris-Germany night train.
To check if the train you are looking at is on of these trains you just need to look at the details on the fare results to see the type of train in the title.
The Swiss Scenic trains and some of the German ICE trains will also need reservations. These are route and time specific.
A. Yes, you may need to make a reservation. All trains that travel internationally will require reservations. All night trains and high-speed trains will require reservations.
Most trains in these countries will require reservations: France, Spain, and Italy.
A. The following items of luggage are accepted at no extra cost on TGV trains and must be stored in the racks provided: hand luggage (suitcases, travel bags, rucksacks); skis in a bag; children’s prams; dismantled bikes in a bag; portable wakeboards in a bag. Also remember that on all French trains, including TGV, it is mandatory to place a tag on each piece of luggage identifying the traveller.
A. You can print your Lyria ticket directly from your printer at home or, alternatively, you can retrieve it from the self-service machines available at the train stations in France only before boarding your Lyria train.
A. Eurostar services offer three classes of service: 2 for first class (Business Premier and Standard Premier) and one for second class (Standard). Among the facilities offered for Eurostar Business Premier passengers, you’ll find priority express check-in in 10 minutes at the terminals, a dedicated ticket desk for check-in, access to the Eurostar Executive lounges, spacious reclining seats with generous legroom, Wi-Fi access at the terminals, a dedicated coach for business travellers, complimentary newspapers, and also a 3 course meal served at seat. Eurostar Standard Premier passengers, whose check-in is 30 minutes before departure, will be offered spacious reclining seats with generous legroom, complimentary newspapers and a cold meal served at seat. In the convenience of a comfortable carriage, Standard passengers will also be enjoying themselves with a vast variety of dishes they will find at a bar buffet car.
A. Reservation is compulsory on TGV and if you are a pass holder, you still need to buy a TGV ticket. Among the passes available on TGV, you’ll be able to choose between Eurail Global, Eurail Select Pass or Eurail two country pass including France. France Rail Pass and France Rail Pass Premium are also among the possible options and offer last minute "Easy Access" reservations.
A. With most passes the pass will start the when you get your pass validated by a rail official.
A. Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
A. Yes, you may travel as many times as you like before Midnight on a travel day.
A. Yes.
A. Like most high-speed train services, you’ll need to reserve a seat to travel on Frecciarossa trains. For holders of Eurail Global Pass, Eurail Select Pass (including Italy) / Eurail France-Italy pass / Eurail Greece-Italy / Eurail Italy Pass, just remember that you need to validate your pass before boarding a Frecciarossa train.
A. Reservation is only compulsory for ICE Trains called ICE Sprinter as these trains have special services such as a meal and newspaper. Here is the list: Hamburg HBF - Frankfurt HBF, Frankfurt HBF- Berlin HBF, Berlin HBF - Frankfurt HBF, Hamburg HBF – Koeln HBF and Koeln HBF – Hamburg HBF.
Passes valid to travel within Germany cover Eurail Global and Select Passes including Germany / Eurail Germany-Benelux Pass / Eurail Germany-Denmark Pass / Eurail Germany-France / German Rail Pass.
A. You can book your ICE train up to 3 months in advance.
A. No, but we do offer discounted rate for many of our tickets and passes for Youth passengers. To qualify for a Youth Pass, you must be under age 26 on the first day of travel.
A. A ticket that does not include a reservation for a specific train, does allow you to get on and off the train as much as you would like provided that your journey is completed within 2 months.
Most tickets now include the reservations within the ticket, and do not permit the traveler to hop on or off the train If you are looking for more freedom to hop on and off the train, a railpass would be the best choice.
A. First class on the TGV offers large comfortable reclining seats and a bar-buffet car offering a selection of food and beverages for purchase.
When Premier service is offered for this train the service includes meal service and access to the TGV lounge at the train stations.
Second class on the TGV Med offers generous legroom and a bar-buffet car offering a selection of food and beverages for purchase.
A. Most cites with airports are easily accessible by public transportation (Train, Bus, Subway or Taxi). The following airports listed have access to the downtown train stations: Amsterdam Schiphol, Athens, Barcelona, Berlin Schoenefeld, Birmingham, Brussels National, Cologne, Copenhagen, Dresden, Duesseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva-Cointrin, Glasgow, Graz, Hannover, Krakow, Leipzig, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Stanstead, Madrid, Malaga, Manchester, Munich, Milan Malpensa, Newcastle, Nice, Nuremberg, Oslo, Palermo, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Pisa, Porto, Rome Fiumicino, Southampton, Stockholm, Stuttgart , Torino, Tronheim, Valencia, Vienna , and Zurich.
A. The train you are requesting does not offer reservations. Please note the train time for your travel information. To board this train you will need your pass and can take any available seat.
A. First class on the TGV Medoffers large comfortable reclining seats and a bar-buffet car offering a selection of food and beverages for purchase.
Second class on the TGV Med offers generous legroom and a bar-buffet car offering a selection of food and beverages for purchase.
A. Gatwick and Heathrow Express trains run every 15 minutes.
A. Most major train stations have lockers or luggage storage available at an additional cost. Make sure you have some change available if you are planning to use a locker. We have information about luggage storage on our train station information pages.
A. No, Eurostar does not transport cars. You can transport your car on Le Shuttle, which carries cars through the Channel Tunnel. For reservations with Le Shuttle, please call 08705 35 35 35 or at www.eurotunnel.com.
A. Also known as the red train, Thalys trains link Paris to the gems of Northern Europe: Brussels in 1 hour and 22 minutes, Amsterdam in 3 hours and 18 minutes, and Cologne in 3 hours and 14 minutes. On a seasonal basis (from the end of December till mid - April), Thalys Snow travels from Brussels Midi to the ski resorts in Chambéry, Albertville, Moutiers, Aime-la-Plagne, Landry and Bourg-St-Maurice, every Saturday without any stops.
A. Passes are non-transferable as travelers name appears on the Railpass, and are valid for 6 months from date of purchase, which offers you the opportunity to reschedule your trip.
A. First class on the TGV East offers ergonomic reclining seats with head and foot rests, non-smoking coaches, individual power outlets, reading light, ability to book a taxi for your arrival with staff on the train and a restaurant car offering a selection of food and beverages for purchase.
Second class on the TGV East offers ergonomic reclining seats with head and foot rests, non-smoking coaches and a restaurant car offering a selection of food and beverages for purchase.
A. Toilets are easily accessible on all the trains and are usually marked with the letters WC. Toilets can usually be found at the front or back of each train car (also known as a coach), and will include a sink, toilet and a locking door.
A.When booking your tickets, you can choose your printing option: Paper ticket, "Print @ Home" or "Print @ the station". Paper tickets are always available. Nevertheless, the other options can be unavailable, depending on the route you have chosen. Please note that for the moment, "Print @ the station" is only offered on Eurostar, ATOC and on all trains departing from France (domestic and international trains such as Thalys, TGV Lyria etc.). The "Print @ Home" option is only offered if the booking includes a Eurostar, Thalys, French Journeys or Spanish trains.
A. The term "Gender Specific" means that these compartments will not allow male and female passengers to travel in the same compartment. The exception to this condition is if you and your travel companion(s) intend on using all beds within the compartment.
Trains in which this condition applies are: Elipsos, CNL, Lusitania, Spanish Night trains.
A. TGV offers two different classes of travel: 1st and 2nd class. Larger seats that recline electronically, power sockets for laptop or mobile phone and access to the bar buffet car are among the main features you will find in TGV first class. In second class, you will enjoy comfortable seats with also an access to the bar-buffet car where you can choose from a vast selection of dishes and beverages.
A. Breakfast is served before 11:00 a.m.; lunch is served between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00pm A snack is served between 2:00pm and 5:00pm Dinner is served after 5:00pm.
A. With a Eurail Italy pass, you can get free and discounted ferry crossings, as well as other great offers in museums and monuments. 1st class pass holders are entitled to free transfers between Roma Fiumicino Airport and Roma Termini train station on the Leonardo Express and also between Pisa airport and Florence central station.
A. From London to Paris and vice versa, Eurostar offers frequent service: every 30 minutes during peak hours and approximately once per hour during non-peak time. During the peak summer season, up to 24 trains run daily to Paris.
From London to Brussels and vice versa, service is offered approximately every 2 hours.
During summer, Eurostar offers daily service to Disneyland Paris. During winter, there is 1 train a week.
A. No, travel on Eurostar requires a separate ticket. However, many rail passes include discounted rates for the Eurostar called a Passholder fare. To see a list of passes that allow these fares select "details" when viewing fares with a pass.
A. You can print your Thalys ticket directly from your printer at home or retrieve it from the self-service machines available in FRANCE ONLY before boarding your Thalys train.
A. Maps are provided with many multiple country passes and some single country passes. We have online maps for planning on our site.
A. A Swiss Pass enables you to travel free of charge in the Swiss public transport services for periods ranging from four days to one month in 41 cities.
A. Eurostar Business Premier passengers will be offered a 3-course meal with refreshments at seat meanwhile in Standard Premier, you will get a light and cold meal with refreshments at seat. A bar buffet car with a selection of food and beverages for purchase is also available on Standard class.
A. In most cases, railpasses are not accepted on city transportation systems such as buses and subways. Passes will generally cover local commuter trains that are above ground.
The exception to this is the Swiss Pass, which is valid for transportation in 37 Swiss cities.
A. Not presently but as soon as European railways introduce e-tickets, we will be able to offer them.
A. Passes are only valid for travel in the countries covered by that particular pass. If you travel through a country not included on your pass, you’ll need to purchase an additional ticket for that part of the trip. For example, if you travel from Germany to Italy through Austria, Austria is not a country on your Eurail Select Pass and will not be covered; you must purchase an additional ticket.
If you have not purchased your pass please view our online maps to see if you will be travelling through a country you have not planned for.
A. Thalys trains offer two classes of travel: 1st class with Comfort 1 and 2nd class with Comfort 2. In Comfort 1, reclining seats will offer you a high level of comfort. Sockets for laptop or mobile phone are also available on some carriages as well as free newspapers on major routes. Wi-Fi is free in Thalys Comfort 1 and in 2nd class with flexible tickets. In 2nd class (Comfort 2), you will get access to a bar-buffet car offering food and refreshments for purchase. Wi-Fi is available at an additional cost in second class for more restrictive tickets.
A."The process is the same than that of a regular card. Several Rail Europe websites accept those new means of payment."
A. With Lyria, you’ll be allowed two bags or suitcases plus your hand luggage. Keep in mind that there is no charge for oversize luggage on Lyria trains.
A. Paper tickets will be sent to you by postal mail prior to departure.
A. A travel day lasts 24 hours, in which you can take as many trains or public transport services as you wish.
A. Yes all high-speed trains require reservations. Some 1st class trains include meal service in the price of your ticket.
A. Austria, Benelux (includes Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland), Bulgaria/Serbia/Montenegro, Czech Republic, Croatia/Slovenia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
A. 1st Class seats often recline, there are fewer seats per car, and there is more space for luggage. On some high-speed trains, the price of a 1st Class ticket includes a meal. 1st class is generally quieter with more business and adult passengers.
2nd Class accommodations are less expensive, but not as spacious, as there are more seats per car.
For trips over 2 hours we recommend that you book 1st class.
A. Yes, you’ll need to reserve your place on AVE trains like in most high speed trains in Europe.
A. Simply enter 1 passenger on the request page. The results page will display 1-3 passenger rooms depending on what is available. When booking a room that has more than one bed, the compartment is shared.
A. To find them you only need to fill in the booking form. This is located on the home page or in the Train Tickets section. Provide us with the cities you would like to travel between and your travel date. A selection of schedules will be displayed. Select later train to see more schedules.
A. Unfortunately, you cannot request a forward-facing seat. Trains generally pull into a station in one direction, and pull out in another direction and seat positions change, depending on the train.
A. There are no check-in or customs procedures before boarding ICE trains. Just be aware that for international destinations, ticket control and passport checks will occur on boarding the train. And if you are a pass holder, just remember that you have to validate your pass prior to boarding the ICE trains.
A. Like most high-speed trains in Europe, you need to make a booking when travelling with Thalys. Passholders with passes covering the whole Thalys route (Eurail Global Pass, Eurail Select Pass including France, Benelux or Germany, depending on the route, Eurail and Benelux-France) benefit from special Passholder fares. Just bear in mind that some passes covering partially the Thalys sector like France Rail Pass but also Eurail passes including Benelux-France / France-Germany / France-Italy / France-Spain / France-Switzerland / Benelux also offer special Passholder deals. German Rail Pass is not valid on Thalys routes to Germany.
A. Swiss passes must be validated within 6 months of issuing date by a railway official in Switzerland (station’s desk) who also fills in the passport number. Swiss passes must be validated prior to boarding the first train.
A. You can buy all your AVE tickets trains quickly and easily online, with no booking fee, and print them in the convenience of your home.
A. Check-in is usually open 30 minutes before AVE train leaves and is closed 2 minutes before departure. Also, bear in mind that ticket control and passport checks will occur before boarding AVE Trains. For travellers carrying Eurail Pass including Spain – just remember that you need to validate your pass prior to boarding AVE trains and get a reservation.
A. If you are having trouble determining what is the best pass for you, click on the blue square button " Search passes ". You’ll be helped, on line, to select the best pass for your trip.
A. Train stations in Europe are very accessible and easy to find. Although the physical train station addresses are generally not listed, the stations are centrally located within the city and accessible with the cities public transportation system or taxi.
Check with hotel concierge to give you the best directions from your hotel. Taxi drivers know how to get your to your station fast and worry free.
A. To begin using your pass, go to the ticket window at the rail station before boarding your first train and have a railroad official enter the first and last day of the validity on your pass. The railroad official will also stamp your pass and you will have to show your passport.
A. Yes, depending on the country you are traveling in. Generally there are local trains that travel the same route as high-speed trains, however they generally take much longer to travel the same route. You will need to weigh the cost of a reservation compared with the time it will take to travel the same route.
Example: Lyon to Marseille is generally about 1 hour 45 minutes on the TGV. A local train for this same route would be about 3 and half hours.
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