Frequently Asked Questions
Questions? We have compiled a list of most frequently asked questions we recieve
with their respective answers. If you have a question that you don't see listed
here, please email us here and we'll respond
promptly.
Fulfillment Questions:
Ticket & Reservation Questions:
General Travel Questions:
Do you ship tickets
internationally?
Yes, we ship tickets to international addresses via
Fed Ex, however it can take between 2-4 days for you tickets to arrive depending
on what country they are shipped to. Please see above for international shipping
rates. Someone must be available to sign for the package when it arrives.
How long will it take to receive my tickets?
Generally 2 to 3 days. We ship out ticket
orders the same day they are received as long as the order is placed before 4pm.
What happens if my rail pass is stolen or I lose
it?
The Pass Security Plan will reimburse you
100% for the unused value of your pass. Just purchase Pass Security for $10
USD at the same time as you buy your pass and you'll rest easy knowing that you've
got pass insurance behind you. To purchase Pass Protection/Security, just select
the pass security option when placing your pass in the shopping cart and we'll
handle the rest!
Can I get airline
tickets from you?
Yes.
Expedia.com
offers the best discount travel products on the web.
What hotel should I
stay in?
Eurorail-Passes.com has a terrific selection of over 1,500 hotels
throughout Europe, ranging from country inns to metropolitan Hotels.
How do I get a rental car?
Reserve your rental car now through our
European rental network and save money by locking into a better rate! Click here
to book your European Auto Rentals
in Europe!
What is the difference between the Eurailpass and
EurailSelect Pass?
The Eurailpass covers 20 countries which include:
Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Republic of Ireland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland
and can be purchased as a consecutive day pass or flexipass. The EurailSelect
Pass covers either 3,4 or 5 connecting eurail countries listed out of the above
20 eurail network countries. The Eurail Selectpass offers 5, 6,8,10, and 15 days
of travel within a 2-month period of time. Depending on your travel itinerary
and travel time you can select the option that gives you the right travel at a
great price.
When do I need to make reservations
for a train?
With a pass or
a ticket you may board the train, but you're not guaranteed a seat,
sleeper or couchette. To do that you must purchase a reservation.
There is an additional fee for reservations in addition to your
pass/ticket price. Click here to help determine if you need a seat reservation.
Most night trains require an advance reservation
for a sleeper or couchette.
Day
trains require seat reservations for all high-speed trains such
as TGV, ICE, AVE, X2000, Eurostar and certain InterCity and EuroCity
trains. For most other trains, seat reservations are not required.
You may sit where you like within the class designated on your pass/ticket.
A seat reservation can be purchased for most long distance trains
but not for certain local trains.
Some
exceptions: reservations are not available in Switzerland except
on some specialty trains. Reservations are not available for Bulgaria,
Greece, Portugal or Romania in the U.S., however they can certainly
be made locally. Reservations in Eastern Europe can only be requested
to and from major cities, and are subject to confirmation. Confirmation
of reservations may be a bit difficult for the following: Spain
in May and September, Italy in May and September and from Eastern
to Western Europe.
How do I make a train reservation?
Standard seat reservations
can start at $15.00 USD per person, per train and
are non-refundable. Sleeper fares are based on distance and range
from $25.00 to $201.00 USD per person.
Couchette reservations start at $28.00 USD
per person. Reservations can be confirmed up to 2 months prior to
the date of travel.
For
added flexibility, you may also reserve in Europe directly at the
train station. When you're there, your reservations can be purchased
as late as the day of departure. However, we recommend you reserve
at least 24 hours in advance, as reservations are subject to availability.
If you would like us to make reservations call us at 800-352-7661 or request reservations online with your order.
Do children need a pass/ticket or seat
reservations for the trains?
Each
country has slightly different fare structures for children. Some
for example, charge half the adult fare for children 4-11 years
of age. And often children under 4 years of age can travel free.
Fares for children are clearly noted in the price section of each
individual country's pass/ticket throughout the site.
What is the age to qualify for a child's
ticket?
Generally under 12, except for BritRail
and Switzerland, which is under 16.
How many days constitute a month on a pass?
A month is counted as a calendar month.
For example, a pass that begins on September 15 will expire at midnight
on October 14.
How is a "travel day" calculated?
For the train, a travel day is midnight
to midnight. For a car, a travel day is 24 hours from the time you
pick it up.
What
is the 7:00 PM rule for overnight trains?
If an overnight trip starts after 7:00pm on validated
Eurail Flexipasses, Europasses or railpasses for Balkans, BritRail, France, Germany,
Iberia, Italy, Norway, Scandinavia, or Spain, the pass holder must enter the next
day's date on the pass, provided it falls within the validity of the pass.
Are
Eurail Passes valid in Great Britain and Eastern Europe?
Eurail Passes are not valid for travel in Great Britain.
To travel England, Scotland and Wales, take a look at available BritRail
Passes. Eurail Passes are honored in the following 20 countries: Austria,
Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg,
The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Eurorail-Passes.com has a variety of Passes
and Tickets for travel in specific single countries
and regions in addition to the Eurail Pass countries.
What is considered a day on my rail pass?
For the railroad, a day is midnight to midnight. The
one exception is if you are using a direct overnight train that
the journey begins after 7pm. This may be counted as the following
day of travel (may not apply to certain country passes). A month
is considered 30 consecutive days.
Which countries are part of the Eurail network?
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland are part of the Eurail network.
When is a seat reservation required?
Most trains are open seating and a seat
reservation is not mandatory. Seat reservations are required for
most high-speed trains such as TGV, Pendolino, Thalys, Eurostar,
X2000, and highly recommended for ICE and certain InterCity and
EuroCity trains. As Friday and Sunday afternoons and evenings are
peak travel periods for Europeans, you may wish to consider a seat
reservation. All long distance trains in Spain, Romania and most
in Norway and Sweden require seat reservations. Many in Belgium,
Netherlands, and Switzerland do not offer them. Seat reservations
cannot be made in the USA for Portugal, Greece, Ireland, Bulgaria,
Yugoslavia and FYROM.
Does
my pass cover sleepers?
Your rail pass does not cover sleepers. If you will
be utilizing a night train, it is necessary to make an advance reservation and
there will be an additional cost. Click here for more details on making reservations.
Where do I stand on the platform so I get in
the right car?
On the departure platform, there is a board that shows the configuration
of cars for the major trains. This diagram will show the train car
numbers, classes of service and where the cars location is in relation
to the lettered section of the platform. For local trains, you must
look on the side of the car for your class of service.
What's the difference between first
and second class?
First class is more spacious with fewer seats per
compartment or car and quieter. There is more room for luggage and generally will
be less crowded as most Europeans using the train travel in second class.
What about dinning and luggage storage?
Dining cars can be found on most long-distance trains
during meal times. If a dining car is not available, the trains will most likely
have a bar or snack car. Special meals cannot be reserved except on Eurostar.
At major railroad stations, there may be porters
available, but the best advice is not to travel with more luggage than you can
handle yourself.
How do I take the train on one part of my
trip and then rent a car on another part.
We offer a number of great Rail-n-Drive
Packages that combine just that. You have complete flexibility to plan your own
trip, on your own terms, with our options. Due to the complex nature of Rail-n-Drive
passes we reccomend you call our agents at 1-800-352-7661 for more information
and up-to-date quotes.
I'm interested in only going from
one city to another in Europe. What's the best way for me to get there?
A Point-to-Point
ticket may be your best bet. This is good for a single journey, and has a number
of trains at various times and prices.
How do the airport
to downtown connections work
From
airports there is normally a shuttle to the downtown area, with
frequent, inexpensive service. Many airports even have train service
to the downtown area. The airports with train stations are: Amsterdam
Schiphol, Barcelona Prat, Berlin Schöenfeld, Birmingham, Brussels
National, Copenhagen, Geneve Cointrin, London (Gatwick, Heathrow,
Stansted), Lyon Satolas, Madrid, Manchester, Malaga, Milan, Munich
Strauss, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Rome Fiumicino, Stockholm, Stuttgart
Echterdingen, Vienna Schwechat and Zürich Kloten. When covered
by your pass, this trip will require the use of a rail day. In many
areas, it is only 15 minutes from the airport to downtown via train.
Is there
help at the railroad stations for carrying luggage?
At major railroad stations, there may be porters available,
but the best advice is not to travel with more luggage than you
can handle yourself.
Are there trolleys/carts at the railroad stations?
Major rail stations have trolleys/carts available from
a machine that requires local currency.
Do rail stations have lockers?
In most cases, the major train stations
will have lockers or luggage storage.
Does Eurail
offer a Senior Citizen rate?
Yes,
some of our passes offer a Senior Citizen rate. Remember: Saverpasses
are discounted over regular railpasses and work well for senior
citizens who do not usually travel solo.
Are there dining cars on all trains?
Dining cars can be found on most long-distance trains
during meal times. If a dining car is not available, the trains
will most likely have a bar or snack car.
Can vegetarian meals be reserved on trains?
Special or vegetarian meals cannot
be reserved except on Eurostar.
What currency is used on the
trains?
In most cases you will be using the European Euro
which is close in its valuation to the dollar. Countries such as Great Britain
and Switzerland use their own currencies. European ATM's accept credit cards and
usually give you the best exchange rates, we recommend that you use your Credit
card for most large purchases. Credit cards are also accepted on most trains.
Are there non-smoking sections
on the trains?
Non-smoking sections are available. Be sure to request
this section when making a reservation.
How
many extra days of rail travel do I get by buying an associated
countries pass with my Europass?
Purchasing
Associated Countries does not allow you any more days of rail travel,
only additional countries you may visit. Its purpose is to allow
you to travel within or through countries not covered by the pass.
I am in Europe now,
how can I get my passes?
We
can ship your pass to Europe via Federal Express.
Depending on where you are in Europe it can take anywhere from 2
to 7 days for you to receive your ticket. For prices on shipping rates click here.
I
have been living in Europe for over 6 months, am I eligible for
a Eurail pass?
As
long as you are a U.S. citizen and posses a U.S. Passport you are
eligible for any Eurail products regardless of residence. For more details click here.
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