• Q. Do trains offer facilities for handicapped passengers?

  A. The ability to exchange or refund a train ticket while you’re in Europe depends on whether you have a paper or e-ticket, as well as the specific conditions for the fare you booked.

  If you have an e-ticket that you bought on our website, you can perform the refund online, according to the conditions of your train ticket. Please visit our Cancellation and Refund page to begin.

  If you purchased a paper ticket, you must perform the exchange locally at the train station. Go to the ticket window and a railway representative will be able to assist you with the exchange procedure.

  Please keep in mind that exchanges on train tickets are only permitted for the same city pair or route originally booked.

  If your ticket is non-exchangeable, a new train ticket must be purchased.

  To obtain a refund for a paper ticket/reservation, a railway official at the origin station must cancel your seat and they must stamp the back of your ticket/reservation “Not Used” before the original train departure time. Our partners at the European Railroads will not allow us to process a refund unless this step has been taken.

  You must mail us the original unused ticket for the refund to be processed. When you’ve returned from Europe, mail us back your train ticket. Please visit the Contact Us page on this site for further details.

  If you didn’t purchase your train ticket online or are unable to initiate the refund online, please contact us using our Contact Us page for assistance. In most cases, for a refund to transpire, the associated reservation must be released before the train departure.

• Q. Are European trains "child friendly"?

  A. Many European trains have baby changing facilities and/or family friendly play areas.

  Intercités trains in France, some InterCity Swiss trains, InterCity Finnish trains and ICE trains in Germany offer play areas or dedicated compartments for families with children. The Austrian RailJet is even equipped with a movie theater especially for children.

  Please note: If traveling on Eurostar, you should not travel in Premier class with children. This area is dedicated to and caters primarily to business travellers.

• Q. Is dinner and/or breakfast included with my reservation on an overnight train?

  A. When you travel on an overnight train meal inclusions vary depending on the train you are on, as well as what type of train ticket you have purchased. With the purchase of a Premier class ticket, you will generally get a meal on board the train. This meal is typically breakfast in the morning. Some trains will bring the meal to you in your compartment, while other trains will serve you breakfast in the restaurant car on board the train.

  If you are not traveling in a First Class sleeping compartment, don’t worry, you won’t starve on board! Overnight trains all include a restaurant car, bar car or vending machine services containing hot/cold drinks and snacks. Most restaurant/bar cars are open until at least 1:00am. Additionally, you can purchase food before hopping on board the train and eat as you wish. Though not included with the price of your ticket, you can certainly find something to eat during the ride.

• Q. How early should I arrive at the train station?

  A. We advise travellers to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to departure. This allows you time to clear any security checks and locate the platform where your train will be departing. If you are departing from a larger train station (typically a city’s main station) and need to activate your rail pass prior to boarding, you will want to arrive even earlier to make sure you have enough time to get your rail pass activated and avoid doing a luggage-hauling sprint through the station.

• Q. Do I need to buy a reservation if I already have a rail pass? How do I book one?

  A. If you plan to travel on a high speed, scenic, or overnight train, you will need a reservation as many of these types of trains require them - even if you have a rail pass. Seat reservations guarantee you a seat on the train you wish to travel on. While additional fees apply, many trains offer reduced fares to passholders. When you reserve your train, be sure to check the box that states "I have a rail pass", this will allow our system to find the best fare possible for your journey.

• Q. What happens if I board a train with my rail pass but forgot to purchase a reservation?

  A. We suggest advising the conductor as soon as possible of the situation and purchase the required reservation. If you’re traveling on a train that requires a reservation you could be fined.

• Q. Who should I contact to book travel for a group of 10 or more people?

  A. For groups of 10 or more traveling together please fill out our Group Department form for assistance. If you know what you’re looking for, you can also request a quote online from our Group Department.

• Q. What do I do if my train goes through a country not listed on my rail pass?

  A. If your train travels through a country not listed on your rail pass, even though the country of origin and country of arrival are covered by your rail pass, you need to purchase a ticket for the uncovered portion of the journey. We suggest doing this at a ticket counter in advance. You don’t need to buy a ticket for the entire journey, just the section not covered by the purchased rail pass.

• Q. If my train crosses a border, will I need to show my passport to the conductor?

  A. If you’re traveling between countries participating in the Schengen Agreement, you will not need to show your passport at the border crossings. If you are traveling between countries not part of the Schengen Agreement, you will have to show your passport at border crossings. Please note that not all countries of the EU participate in the Schengen Agreement (e.g. Great Britain, Ireland). On the other side, there are countries which are not part of the EU but which participate in the Schengen Agreement (e.g. Switzerland, Norway).

• Q. How do I create a Rail Europe account?

  A. You can simply click the ’Login’ button found on the top right-hand side of our homepage and select ’create an account’ to register on our site. If you are booking with us, you will also be presented with the option to register during checkout.

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